The first creation of Brahma was the sages Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara. Brahma then asked them all to create offspring, but the sages refused because they had taken a vow of celibacy in order to achieve liberation from material life.
Because his sons had disobeyed him, Brahma became angry. Although he tried to control his anger and not express it, his rage came out from between his eyebrows and created a child who was red and blue. The child wept and cried out, O creator, please give me a name and somewhere to reside.
Brahma appeased the boy and said, Please don’t cry I will name you and give you a home. Because you have cried like a child, your name will be Rudra. You may reside in the heart, the senses, the breath, the sky, wind, fire, water, earth, sun, moon and austerity.
Please accept your name and the places of your residence and create abundant offspring. Rudra was powerful and following his father’s order he created a large number of offspring which were like him in their strength and their furious nature. When Brahma saw Rudra’s fierce offspring devouring the world, he became afraid.
Brahma said to Rudra, That is enough, there is no need for you to create such fierce living beings. Their terrible eyes are burning in all directions as well as burning me. You should now engage yourself in performing austerity because that is favourable for everyone. It is only through austerity that one can attain the Supreme Lord dwelling in the hearts of all beings. Following the order of his father, Rudra entered the forest to perform austerity.
Then Brahma turned his attention to creating living beings and produced ten sons. Narada was born from his lap, Daksa came from his thumb, Vasistha from his breath. Kratu from his hand and Bhrgu from his skin. From his navel Pulaha was born, Atri came from his eyes and Marici from his mind. Angira was generated from his mouth and Pulastya from his ears.
Although Brahma had created the sages, the population of the worlds did not expand, so he contemplated how the population of the world could be increased. While Brahma was considering the problem, his body was split in two and produced a male and female couple. The male form named Svayambhuva became known as the father of mankind (Manu), and the woman became known as Satarupa, the queen of the great soul Manu.
After Svayambhuva Manu was born he said to Brahma, You are the father of all living beings, their creator and their support. Tell me what I can do to serve you. What should I do so my fame will spread throughout all the worlds and lead to success in the world to come.
Brahma said, O my son, may you and your wife be blessed. May you both have all good fortune. You have sincerely asked for my instructions and advice. This is the correct attitude for a child to have toward their father. A child should follow the advice of their father to the best of their ability and act without jealousy or malice.
Brahma said, I ask you and your wife to have children like yourself. Protect the world and perform sacrifices to worship the Supreme Lord. If you protect all your subjects, the Supreme Lord will be satisfied and pleased. If the Supreme Lord is not pleased, then one’s activities are useless. Anyone who does not satisfy him disregards their own welfare.
Svayambhuva Manu said, I will follow your instructions. The earth is the residence of all living beings. But the earth has fallen into the waters of devastation, so you must lift it. When Brahma saw that the earth was immersed in the water at the bottom of the universe, he thought about how he could lift it for a long time.
Brahma thought, While I have been occupied with the creation, the earth was engulfed by the water and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. What can I do about this? I was born from the Lord’s heart so it is best if I take instruction from the Lord. While Brahma was thinking in this way, a small boar no larger than the top of his thumb, came out of his nostril. As Brahma watched, the boar positioned himself in the sky and rapidly expanded into the size of an elephant.
Brahma was amazed at the boar in the sky and he said to his sons and Manu who were present, It is wonderful that this boar has emerged from my nose. Is this a powerful being pretending to be a boar? At first, the boar was no larger than the top of my thumb, but within an instant, he filled the sky with his giant form. I cannot understand this. Is this a manifestation of the Supreme Lord Vishnu?
While Brahma was considering the situation, the Supreme Lord in the form of a boar roared and his exceptional voice reverberated throughout the sky. The Supreme Lord inspired Brahma and his sons by roaring again. Lord Boar’s hairs were bristling and his tail was held high. He dispersed the clouds by kicking his hooves as he moved across the sky. The Lord was dazzling with his white tusks and shining eyes.
Though the Lord was completely spiritual, he had accepted the body of a boar and so he searched for the earth using his sense of smell. The brahmins praised him as he entered the water. He dived into the ocean with great force creating a great swell of waves. He saw the earth lying as it was in the deluge before creation and balancing it on his tusks, he lifted the earth out of the ocean.
While he was lifting the earth the criminal Hiranyaksa attacked him with a club. With his anger blazing Lord Boar killed him as easily as a lion kills an elephant. Brahma and all the sages watching on understood he was the Supreme Lord and they offered prayers.
The sages folded their hands and said, Victory to you, O invincible Lord. To lift the earth you have taken the form of a boar. The sacred Vedic hymns and mantras are in the touch of your skin. The objects of sacrifice are in your body. You can be known by detachment, self-control and devotion. Who else but the Supreme Lord could save the earth from its inundation within the water?
Even this is not miraculous for you, because you have created this amazing material universe. We reside on the most virtuous planets in the universe, but still we have been purified by the water sprayed from your hairs when you shake your body. Your wonderful activities are endless. The whole universe is under the control of your powerful illusory energy. O Lord, please show your blessings to us.
While the sages praised him, Lord Boar placed the earth on top of the water and stabilised the waves. The Supreme Lord, the protector of the world, thus raised the earth from within the water of devastation. When he had placed it so it floated on the water he disappeared.
Anyone who hears this story of Lord Boar, or narrates it to another, will please the Lord who resides within everyone’s heart. Nothing is difficult to achieve for those who have pleased the Supreme Lord. Everything else is unimportant. Hearing the descriptions of the Lord’s activities can free one from all material suffering, who would not want to hear them?
