Viṣṇu as the Boar, and the Slaying of Naraka

Classical

On the way to Mount Gandhamādana Lomaśa guided the Pāṇḍavas past many rivers, forests and holy bathing places. Now their path led toward the divine mountain Mandara. He pointed out the Alakanandā, which rises near a jujube tree and is revered by gods, Gandharvas and sages, and said that Indra worships there daily. He recalled that Mahādeva caught the river on his head at its source. The brothers honoured the Gaṅgā and went on.

Soon they saw a huge white mass, as big as Meru or Kailāsa. Lomaśa explained that it was the heaped bones of the Daitya Naraka. Naraka had done ten thousand years of severe penance and became so strong that he set his eyes on Indra's seat and troubled him constantly. Indra, afraid, prayed to Viṣṇu, who appeared before the gods and sages and promised to end Naraka even though the demon's power had been earned by austerities. Viṣṇu struck him down with his hand and Naraka fell like a mountain hit by lightning. His bones lay there ever after.

Lomaśa then told another of Viṣṇu's feats: the earth once sank into the lower regions, and Viṣṇu raised her as a boar with a single tusk. Yudhiṣṭhira asked for the whole story: how the earth sank a hundred yojanas, why, and how she was lifted. Lomaśa answered that in the Kṛta age Viṣṇu had briefly taken over the duties of Yama. While he did this no creature died, yet births went on. Birds, beasts, cattle, deer and men multiplied beyond measure. The crowded earth, weighed down by the burden, sank a hundred yojanas. In pain and nearly senseless, she took refuge with Nārāyaṇa. Viṣṇu reassured her that he would lighten her load. He became a boar with one shining tusk and blazing red eyes, grew immense, and lifted the earth up a hundred yojanas. The uproar filled heaven, sky and earth, and gods and sages were thrown into confusion.

They went to Brahmā, who explained that Viṣṇu was responsible and that the disturbance came from the earth's rising. He directed them to the Nandana gardens, where Garuḍa was present and the Supreme Being in his boar form could be found. The gods, led by Brahmā, approached the infinite Soul, praised him, and went back to their own world. Hearing this, the Pāṇḍavas set out at once on the path Lomaśa had shown. Later, in the Dānavas' speech to Duryodhana, Naraka's soul is said to have entered Karṇa.

Told by Lomaśa → Yudhiṣṭhira

Who: Viṣṇu, Naraka, Indra, Lomaśa, Bhū (Earth), Brahmā

Bound to

Lomasha's pilgrimage and the brothers Ilvala and Vatapi origin

Bhima, Hanuman and the Saugandhika lotus origin

Duryodhana's Fast unto Death, the Dānavas' Counsel and Karṇa's Vow geneal

Places: Gandhamādana, Mandara, Alakanandā, Nandana

Where this comes from

read for this telling · Mahabharata, Ganguli translation (mahabharataonline.com) Vana Parva, Section CXLI (Naraka's bones and Viṣṇu as the boar)

See it on the tree · All stories

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