"True protection lies in the acceptance of responsibility; for only when we honor our duty to guard and nurture, do we truly become guardians of the world."
As Aditya and his freinds resumed their flight, Aditya began to recite a sloka:
"यस्याहं सख्यं पितरं च धाता |
शरणं ब्रह्मा भवितारं वृणोमि |
क्वेयं कर्त्री सृजतीह स्वधिष्ठाम् |
यन्निष्ठान्तं जगत ईश ईड्यम् ||"
"yasyāhaṁ sakhyaṁ pitaraṁ ca dhātā
śaraṇaṁ brahmā bhavitāraṁ vṛṇomi
kvayaṁ kartrī sṛjatīha svadhiṣṭhām
yanniṣṭhāntaṁ jagata īśa īḍyam"
"The Lord Varaha said: I will bring back the Earth, the abode of living entities, which is situated in the universe in such a way that it will never be disturbed again. I will restore the place for all the living entities, for I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the maintainer and controller of all beings."
Aditya continued, "This is a story of Lord Vishnu's first incarnation as Varaha, the Boar.
In the beginning, the universe was a vast, empty void, devoid of time, space, and matter. From this infinite nothingness, a radiant light suddenly emerged, illuminating the darkness. This light took the form of Ardhanarishvara, an androgynous being half male and half female, symbolizing the union of all dualities. This form then transformed into a four-handed, blue-skinned figure holding a conch, a chakra, a gada, and a lotus flower. This was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. As Vishnu opened his eyes, the divine light instructed him to meditate. Obeying this command, Vishnu began his meditation, lying on Ananta Shesha, the five-headed serpent, floating in the cosmic ocean of milk.
After many years of deep meditation, a lotus flower emerged from Vishnu's navel and grew upwards. From this lotus, a four-headed deity appeared, holding the Vedas in one hand and a mala in the other. This was Brahma. Upon opening his eyes, Brahma believed he was the first being in existence. Driven by curiosity, he descended the lotus stem to discover its source. Reaching the base, he encountered Lord Vishnu, who informed him that it was he who had given birth to Brahma. Brahma, however, insisted that he was the first to exist. As their discussion grew, a brilliant light appeared between them, an infinite pillar with no beginning or end. The light proclaimed that whoever could find its start or end would be acknowledged as the first in existence.
Accepting the challenge, Brahma transformed into a swan and flew upwards, while Vishnu took the form of a divine boar and dove downwards. Despite their efforts, neither could find the pillar's limits. During his search, Brahma encountered a flower falling from above. The flower admitted it had been falling eternally and didn't know the pillar's top. In desperation, Brahma persuaded the flower to falsely testify that he had found the pillar's start. Returning to the base, Vishnu humbly accepted defeat, acknowledging the infinite light's supremacy. Brahma, however, claimed victory, presenting the flower as his witness.
The pillar of light then transformed into Lord Shiva, wielding a trident, a bow and arrow, a damaru, and a serpent, with a third eye radiating fury. Shiva, angered by Brahma's deceit, summoned Kaal Bhairav, who severed Brahma's deceitful head, symbolizing the end of his ego. Shiva then cursed Brahma, decreeing that he would not be worshipped on Earth. Realizing his mistake, Brahma apologized, and Shiva, embodying both wrath and compassion, accepted his apology but upheld the curse. This event highlighted the importance of humility and truth and solidified the cosmic roles of Brahma as the Creator, Vishnu as the Preserver, and Shiva as the Destroyer, maintaining the balance of the universe.
### The Tale of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu
In the cosmic order, after Lord Shiva assigned the roles of the trinity—Brahma as the Creator, Vishnu as the Preserver, and Shiva as the Destroyer—the universe began to flourish with balance and harmony. Brahma created many beings, including his son Daksha and the revered Sanat Kumaras, who were devout followers of Vishnu. Despite their childlike appearance, the Sanat Kumaras possessed great wisdom and spiritual insight.
One day, the Sanat Kumaras visited Vaikuntha, the celestial abode of Lord Vishnu, to pay their respects. Upon their arrival, they were stopped by Jaya and Vijaya, Vishnu's gatekeepers. The guards, seeing the Kumaras as mere children, denied them entry, stating, "Lord Vishnu is resting now. You cannot see him." Offended by their arrogance and ignorance, the Sanat Kumaras cursed Jaya and Vijaya, condemning them to be born on Earth. When Lord Vishnu awoke and learned of the curse, he offered Jaya and Vijaya a choice: to be born as his devotees for seven lifetimes or as his enemies for three lifetimes, ensuring a quicker return to Vaikuntha. Choosing the latter, Jaya and Vijaya were destined to be reborn as formidable adversaries of Vishnu.
In the Satya Yuga, Sage Kashyapa, one of Brahma's sons, had many wives, among whom was Diti. Desiring powerful offspring, Diti tended to her husband with great devotion and asked for a boon to bear mighty children. Despite the inauspicious timing of her request—during the evening, a time considered unpropitious—Kashyapa granted her wish. Thus, Diti conceived two powerful sons, whose very conception during this ill-fated time imbued them with immense strength and a propensity for evil.
Diti gave birth to Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, who grew to be incredibly powerful demons. As they matured, their strength and arrogance knew no bounds. Hiranyaksha, driven by an insatiable ego, began a campaign of terror and destruction. He disrupted sacred Yajnas (spiritual sacrifices), desecrating the holy rituals essential for maintaining cosmic balance. His most audacious act was to seize the Earth and hide it deep within the cosmic ocean, causing chaos and imbalance across the universe.
The gods, sages, and all celestial beings, distressed by the disruption, turned to Lord Vishnu for help. To restore order, Vishnu incarnated as Varaha, the divine boar. Emerging from the cosmic waters with a form both majestic and powerful, Varaha descended into the depths of the Ksheer Sagar (cosmic ocean) to retrieve the Earth. His tusks gleamed with divine light, cutting through the darkness of the ocean.
Varaha encountered Hiranyaksha guarding the submerged Earth. A fierce battle ensued, shaking the cosmos with their colossal clash. Despite Hiranyaksha's formidable strength and dark powers, Varaha's divine might prevailed. With a powerful thrust of his tusks, Varaha vanquished Hiranyaksha, ending his reign of terror.
Lifting the Earth gently onto his tusks, Varaha ascended from the ocean, bringing the planet back to its rightful place in the cosmos. The natural order was restored, life flourished once more, and the balance of the universe was re-established. The gods and celestial beings celebrated Varaha's victory, praising Lord Vishnu for his unwavering commitment to preserving dharma.
Thus, Varaha's divine intervention exemplified the eternal struggle between good and evil and the divine duty to maintain cosmic harmony. The story of Hiranyaksha's defeat and the restoration of the Earth remains a timeless reminder of the power of righteousness and the role of the divine in sustaining the universe. Like This Lord Vishnu Protected our earth Before By saying this Aditya And his friends hear and decide to move forward.
[End of Chapter 25]