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14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
Creator, in the shape of a boar raised the earth and brought it above the waters. In the latter Vishnu in the form of a Boar extricated the world from a deluge of iniquity by the rites of religion.
The first mention of this avatara is found in the Taittiriya Samhita and reads as follows:
"The Universe was formerly water, fluid. On it Prajapathi (Brahma) becoming wing, moved. Becoming a boar, he took it up." Taittirya Brahmana concurs with this description with more details. In the Sathapatha Brahmana the boar is called Emusha. The two recessions of Ramayana also gives the two versions, in the older version it was Brahama and in the latter it was attributed to Vishnu.in the form of Brahma. The alteration of the text is clearly noriceable
Old version "All was water only; in which the earth was formed. Thence arose Brahma, the self-existent, with the deities. He then becoming a boar, raised up the earth, and created the whole world with the rishis, his sons."
Newer Version "All was water only, through which the earth was formed. Thence arose Brahma, the self-existent, the imperishable Vishnu. He then, becoming a boar, raised up this earth and created the whole world." Hindu Mythology - W.K Wilkinson 1882
Evidently this was done in a period when Brahma was degraded and Vaishanavism subordinated the other theologies.
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