2. Because of the misdeeds of the sinful or Overambitious rulers or demons.
3. Because of the deluge.
4. Vishnu’s unbearable splendour.
Of the above four causes, the first three are more relevant even during the modern times, because as is well known that the world is at Present heading toward the population explosion and stringent efforts are being made by many countries of the world for birth control with the sole Purpose of keeping a check on the growth of population.
The question of overpopulation of the Earth as well as the factors responsible for its pollution, have not been the problems of the past ages alone. These problems are very much alive even during the modern times. In May 1992, there was a Conference of the heads of nearly 150 nations at Rio De Janerio (Brazil) in order to consider the harm that has been caused to the earth by various pollutants including the Carbon dioxide. Though no unanimous decisions could be reached in the said Conference, still earnest efforts have been made by the World Community to address itself to the danger threatening the environmental pollution which might ultimately threaten not only the entire human race, but also all the living beings including the greenery and the forests.
The Puranic literature has several instances in which the gods assembled from time to time to ease the earth out of the terrific situations caused by extensive wars and ruthless genocide by the asuras, putting the entire human race to shame. Some times, it is recorded, that the Supreme Lord had himself to incarnate to rid the earth of its sufferings. Though the accounts of the various texts in this regard could be pure myths, still it may have to be admitted that the writers of these texts were quite conscious of the ill-effects of environmental pollution, be it due to constant Wars in which many of the warriors were killed in the battles, ruthless trampling of the greenery, forests and habitation by the advancing armies, or the over-population and the like.
The present day scientific advancement besides proving a boon to mankind, has also its ill-effects. Recently a scientist in an article on environmental pollution (India Today, June, 15, 1992 p.100) has visualized the condition of the earth, thus, in 2020 A.D.:
“There would be some sunshine before Nitrogen dioxide fumes brought an end to daylight. The temperature 46 degrees Celsius. Cool for Delhi in early February”.
The second cause is nuclear weapons, which are even now causing anxiety to the World Community as a whole, and efforts are on way to reduce the future production of such weapons, besides negotiating for the destruction of a part of such weapons already produced.
The third one is also quite relevant during the present times when the vast areas of land and the population are destroyed by cyclones or high tides of the sea waters.
The Matsya Purana further goes on to specify the environmental conditions of the Earth planet, at the time when earth sinks deep due to several causes
नष्टार्क किरणो लोके चन्द्रग्रह विवर्जते ।
लक्त धूमाग्नि पवने क्षीण यज्ञ वषटक्रिये ॥
अपक्षिगण सम्पाते सर्वप्राणि हरे पथि ।
अमर्यादा कुले रौद्रे सर्वतस्तमसावृते ॥
अदृश्ये सर्व लेकेडस्मिन्नभावे सर्व कर्मणाम् |
प्रशान्ते सर्व सम्पाते नष्टे वैर परिग्रहे ॥
गते स्वभाव संस्थाने लोके नारायणात्मके ।
Matsya Purana 147.24-27
(When the sun looses his lustre, the moon and other planets vanish, when winds emit fire and smoke, when the sacrifices and vasat become weak and powerless, when the roads become void of birds and their beings when the Rudras become void of their honour, when all the quarters are covered with darkness and when all the Lokas and regions disappear due to the want of work, then when every thing becomes peaceful the universe rests in Narayana).
According to the same Purana, the Earth-goddess went to Narayana and praised him. He was pleased with her invocation and deliberated as to what form he should take to redeem her from the ocean. Ultimately he decided upon the taking the form of Yajnavaraha, i.e. a dynamic principle of Yajna which creates the cosmos and of Varaha or the principle of Prana or Surya which is produced from the depth of the ocean and then brings the universe to existence.
The subject of the Earth-goddess approaching Lord Vishnu for succor from the atrocities of the demonic forces, has been a popular theme with the artists in the country and lively pictures of the theme were drawn by contemporary artists from time to time in the past.
The texts describe the boar as a fertilizing divinity sometimes and the idea that he cohabited with earth cannot be a matter of Surprise. In some texts the Earth has been termed as the consort of Varaha. There is a Story in the Kalika Purana according to which Bhauma or Naraka was born of Earth. This is further testified by Harivamsha Purana (2.65.6) in which he was called as भौम: स नरकासुरः । viz. Narakasura, the son of the earth. In this connection Gonda has observed [91] that the divine being or power going by the name of Naraka is mainly a representative of dung, “der Genius des Misthaufens”. “The demon of filth or manure, The god of the filth of the farm yard”. As such he is also a Genius der Triek und Zeugungskraft der Erde”. Filth and manure, happen to be the favourite home of hogs. They are actually the product of earth and the rooting and messing activity of these animals, leads one to believe that Naraka should have been the son of goddess Earth and the god in the form of a boar. It is also not surprising either that Naraka appears in the Puranic accounts as a very rich and powerful ruler (2.120). It seems possible to explain the mythological figure without resorting to hypothesis based on totemism.
Now, it is worth-while to observe that Naraka’s father, who in most passages dealing with Bhumi’s son is passed over in silence, according to the Southern recension of the Mahabharata [92] was Narayana, a fact unknown to other parts of the epic in which he is an asura son of Bhumi. He is called the “first of the asuras” who are to be destroyed by Vishnu in the form of a boar. After the god had slain him in his boar form, the demon’s bones were to be sown at Gangadvara.
Whereas in the great epic, [93] goddess Prithvi is said to have asked Vishnu to give her the Vaishnava weapons for her son without alluding to his paternity. The Vishnu Purana 94 is quite explicit on the point. After describing the combat between Vishnu and Naraka and the latter’s defeat and death, it relates how the goddess Bhumi appearing and addressing the god gives him the ear-rings of Aditi. These rings and precious ear-drops being a source of amrita and remover of grief, had been stolen by Naraka and kept at Pragjyotisha. [95] They were subsequently recovered from him by Krishna and then given to Surya. In doing so, the goddess says, “when you assuming the form of a boar lifted me up, this son begotten through contact with you, was born [96] to me.” The same account is available in Kalika Purana with some more details. According to this account Naraka’s father was Vishnu, who procreated him, when he had assumed the form of a boar, when he held the goddess Earth 97 in his arms after he had rescued her from deep waters. He was brought into the world on the same spot where Sita, Janaka’s daughter, had made her appearance from the furrow.
According to the Indonesian version of the story of Naraka, Vishnu’s passion was aroused for the beautiful goddess Earth, whom he made to sit on his knees and violated, in spite of his boar form, her millennial gestation. This resulted in the birth of Naraka, a young demon, who was made a victorious king by Brahma-Prajapati. The episode is also linked with lingodbbava motive which glorifies the paramountcy of Shiva. Before Vishnu and Brahma, who were discussing their high position, a linga consisting of jewels made its appearance on that spot. When they tried to catch hold of it, the linga grew considerably in length and withdrew from them. Finally Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and tries to reach the lower end of the object. Brahma on the other hand flies high in the form of a swan to reach the top. Neither of them was successful. Then Vishnu rescues the earth which was sinking assuming the form of a boar. The subject of lingodbhava form of Shiva was quite popular with the artists in India and many specimens depicting the same are available in the country.
In the Malay version of the story too (Hikayat Sang Bhoma) Vishnu rescues the earth from the deep waters by assuming the form of a boar.
(iv) Hiranyaksha
In order to trace the identity of Hiranyaksha, one has to peep into the Vedic texts, wherein the name appears but the asuric aspect is quite absent there. However in a passage of the Taittiriya Aranyaka (4.33.1) the word Hiranyaksha occurs for an owl who is said to be a messenger of the Rakshasas. The Puranas, however make him the son of Diti and the brother of Hiranyakashipu. The Mahabharata (12.160.27) also mentions the two brothers-Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu along with other daityas and danavas. But in the genealogical chapter of the Mahabharata (1.59.17). Diti is said to have only one son named Hiranyakashipu But in the Dronaparva and Shalyaparva of the Mahabharata, Hiranyakashipu is remembered as a symbol of bravery and Lakshmana is equated in his battle with Kshatradeva as Vishnu with Hiranyaksha.
The demon is stated to have carried all the Vedas with the Earth to Patalaloka, from where Vishnu in the form of a boar redeemed them.
Hiranyaksha has usually been depicted in the Indian plastic art as having been trampled upon by Vishnu. In a 14th century sculpture depicting the scene of rescue of the Earth-goddess by Vishnu in the form of Varaha the demon Hiranyaksha is shown as trampled upon by Varaha under his feet.
***
Notes and References
1. Hull, E., Folklore of the British Isles, pp.144ff.
2. Gonda G.J., Aspects of Early Vishnuism, p.130.
3. Rhys, J., Celtic Folklores, II, pp.500 ff.
4. Kem, O., Die Religion der Griechen, I, p. 159.
5. Harrison, J.E. Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion, pp. 123 ff.
6. Kem, O., op.cit, p.16.
7. Rowling, G.B., Ancient Medieval Modem Coins, p.27.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid, p.41.
10. Ibid, p.52.
11. Ibid, p.54.
12. Ibid, p.64.
13. Ibid, p.76.
14. Matz, Friedrich; Art of the World Series - Crete and Early Greece, p.64.
15. Ibid, p.67.
16. Gonda, J., op.cit, p.131.
17. Heinz, Kahler, Art of the World Series - Rome, p.128, Fig.25.
18. Bandi, H.G., Art of the World Series, The Stone Age, p.31. and others.
19. JRAS, 1928, p.597; An article by W.R. Dawson.
20. Macanzie, Donald. A., Indian Myth and Legend, p.136.
21. Bandi, H.G., op.cit, p.84, Fig.21. and others.
22. Wolley, Leonard, Art of the World Series - Mesopotamia, p.56, Fig. 12.
23. Buhlar, Alfred, Oceania and Australia, p.47, Fig.7.
24. Ibid, p.52.
25. Ibid, p.67.
26. Matz, Friedrich, op.cit, p.157.
27. Wilkins, G.A., Verspreide geschriften, I,p.544.
28. Ibid, III, p.179.
29. Ibid, III, p.495.
30. Grimm, J., Deutsche Mythologie, II, p.555.
31. Gonda, J., op.cit, p.135.
32. The elephant is Indra’s animal. It is especially worshipped on the auspicious Dasahera festival, which immediately follows the Navaratri - festivals and like these, is sacred to Devi. On this day Rama is said to have marched against Ravana.
33. Atharvaveda, 12.3.4.
34. Ibid, 8.7.23.
35. Kaushitaki Samhita, 38.18 ff.
36. Atharvaveda, 12.3.4.
37. Jaiminiya Brahmana, 2.267.
38. C. Von Furer - Haimendrof, The Raj Gonds of Adilabad, I, p.353.
39. Hutton, J.H., The Sama Nagas, p.223.
40. Ruben, W., Literature der Voravischen Stamme Indians, p.102.
41. Roy, S.C., The Khairas, p. 428. and Roy, R. Ch„
42. ASR, VII, p.39.
43. Ibid, VII, p.89.
44. Jamuai, B.K., Ancient Temples of Bihar, p.53.