Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

It is well described in Devi Mahatmya in context of the Shumbha-Nishumbha Vadh from the Markandeya Purana religious texts that the Matrikas Goddesses appear as Shaktis from the bodies of the Gods. The scriptures say that Varahi was created from Varaha. She has a boar form, wields a chakra (discus), and fights with a sword. After the battle described in the Purana, the Matrikas danced & drunk their victim’s blood. According to an episode explained in the Devi Mahatmya Purana, to kill the demon Raktabija, Mother Goddess Durga created the Matrikas from herself and with their help slaughters the demon army. When the demon Shumbha challenges Goddess Durga to single combat, she absorbs the Matrikas into herself. In the Vamana Purana, the Matrikas arise from different parts of the Divine Mother Chandika, and Varahi arises from Chandika’s back.

The Markendeya Purana praises Varahi as a granter of boons and the regent of the northern direction, in a hymn where the Matrikas are declared as the protectors of the directions. In another instance in the same Purana, she is described as riding a buffalo. The Devi Bhagavata Purana says Goddess Varahi, with the other Matrikas, is created by the Supreme Mother. The Mother promises the gods that the Matrikas will fight demons whenever needed. In the Raktabija episode, Varahi is described as having a boar form, fighting demons with her tusks while seated on a preta (corpse). In the Varaha Purana, the story of Raktabija is retold, but here each of Matrikas appear from the body of another Matrika. Goddess Varahi appears seated on Shesha-Naga (the serpent on which the Lord Vishnu sleeps) from the posterior of Vaishnavi, consort of Lord Vishnu. Varahi is said to represent the vice of envy (asuya) in the same Purana. The Matsya Purana tells a different story of the origin of Varahi. Varahi, with other Matrikas, is created by Lord Shiva to help him kill the demon Andhakasura, who has the ability like Raktabija to regenerate from his dripping blood.