The great deity of powerful ancient kings and the rescuer of Prithvi (earth), Varaha or the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu is one of the most popular aspects of the preserver, created and recreated in icons and statues that attempt at capturing His potentials. According to the sacred Puranas, when the asura (demon) Hiranyaksh captured mother Earth, chaos enwrapped the Universe. Taking the form of an enormous Varaha, Vishnu entered the netherworld, rescued Earth, and slew the menacing demon. As the rescuer of earth and establisher of stability, Varaha was the ideal god for kings, who through his icons aimed at portraying their image as the defender and lord of the earth- Bhupati.
In this rare bronze sculpture from Swamimalai, Sri Varaha stands tall, one leg placed on the hood of an anthropomorphic Naga (the resident of the underworld) while the other leg is firmly placed on the sturdy three-tiered bronze platform. Varaha is four-armed, with shankha (conch), chakra (discus), and Gada (mace) in three hands while his main left hand gracefully forms an asana for the earth-goddess, Bhudevi. The murti naturalistically depicts a boar’s face, on the most exquisite body, whose beauty is accentuated by stylized ornamentation. Look closely for incised lines on feet, knees, abdomen, and chest used to highlight the minute folds of skin and musculature to give this bronze a true-to-life appearance.
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