SRI VAARAHI AMBIKA MANTHRAS

Pronunciation Key

o – as in Note

a – as in Fate

I – as in Pine

aa – as in Far

Om Hreem Namo Vaarahi Goray Hoom Phut Namahaa

SRI VAARAHI AMBIKA PRATISHTA MANTHRA

Om Ahm Hreem Krom ”Yah” Yahee Vaarahi Namahaa

Note: ‘Swaaha’ is used for Homams

and ‘Namahaa’ is used for general prayers

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTHER SRI VAARAHI AMBIKA

Sri Vaarahi Ambika is one of the Saivite Sakthi deities with the group of Goddesses known as "Sapthamaathrukas" or the "Seven Mothers." The Seven Mothers are: Braamhi, Maaheshvari, Kaumaari, Vaishnavi, Vaarahi, Maahendhri and Chamundi. They are the Sakthi (female) equivalents of their male counterparts.

Sri Vaarahi Ambika is the Sakthi of the Sri Vishnu Avathar Sri Varaaha:

• created from the boar avathara of Sri Vishnu, Sri Vaarahi Ambika is often associated with Goddess Sri Kamalaa (one of the Mahavidhyas)
• She is also called the Dhanda-Natha (lady commander of the forces of the Mother-Goddess, symbolizing the might of Sri Vidhya)
• as Sri Vaarahi Ambika, "boar-faced' or 'the great consumer,' She destroys evil forces that obstruct the devotees' progress, paralyzes the enemies, and leads the devotees ultimately to Sri Vidhyas
• She is classed as the 5th amongst the 7 "mother-like" divinities (Sapthamaathrukas and hence also called Panchami)
• with Sri Kurukulla, She is accorded the parental status to Sri Chakra (Sri Lalitha Thripura-Sundhari); while Sri Kurukulla represents the full moon, Sri Vaarahi Ambika represents the new-moon. And while She represents the illumination (prakasa) aspects of the Mother-Goddess, Sri Kurukulla is the "deliberation" (vimarsa) aspect
• in another aspect, Sri Vaarahi Ambika is also said to be one of the Yoginis, taking the form of a boar. She is said to lift up the earth with Her tusks to confer benefits on all creatures
• in relation to Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, Sri Vaarahi Ambika is one of the Dakshinis (an enlightened compassionate Spirit embodied in a female form); She is the protector, the concealer and the One who recovers spiritual communication, texts, and other sacred objects
• in Devi Mahathyam and Devi Bhagavatham, Sri Vaarahi Ambika (as with all the other Sapthamaathrukas) is not primarily represented as the divine consort or Sakthi of the male deity but rather as an extension or form of Devi Herself. Sometimes Sri Vaarahi Ambika is associated with Goddess Sri Kamalaa (one of the Maha Vidhyas ) and Sri Vaishnavi.

THE STORY OF THE BOAR

Hiranyaksha (the golden-eyed demon) received a boon from Sri Brahma after he practiced severe austerities in his devotion to Him. He asked to become the king of the whole world, and that no human or animal which he mentioned by name should ever have the power to harm him. He enumerated all the animals but forgot to mention the boar. Hiranyaksha wreaked havoc, plundering everything of value from the creatures of the world, including the Hindu scriptures. He even took the earth down into the ocean as a hostage.

Sri Maha Vishnu assumed the boar form and plunged into the depths of the primeval ocean to rescue Earth. It took him one thousand years to kill Hiranyaksha and to lift the earth up with His great white tusks. He calmed it and made it ready for human use by molding its mountains and continents.

SYMBOLISM OF SRI VAARAHI AMBIKA

The myth of the boar is not just confined to Hindu Mythology. It is in the Celtic, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, American Indian and Egyptian cultures as well. Goddess Ceridwin, a Celtic Mother Goddess was also called the "old White Sow." The Boar is also a sacred animal of Goddess Isis (the Egyptian equivalent of Sri Dhurga ) and Her brother is a black boar (called Seth).

Emotional and Psychological Symbolism:

1. In the Celtic and Welsh version, the boar represents courage and strong warriors
2. In China, the boar represents the wealth of the forest
3. In Japan, the boar depicts courage
4. In Buddhism, the boar represents attachment (general and material), greed and lust

In association with the Sapthamaathrukas, Sri Vaarahi Panchami can be said to be the representation of the controlled energy of courage and fearlessness that when has gone out of control in us causes envy, greed and leads to attachments (material and general).

BENEFITS OF SRI VAARAHI AMBIKA POOJA AND HOMAM

Mother Sri Vaarahi protects all devotees who turn to Her for Her grace and blessings. She is an extremely powerful Goddess and bestows the following on those who worship Her with sincerity and devotion:

• eliminates the “evil eye” (also known as 'Drushti' in Tamil and 'Nazar' in Hindi)
• wards off troubles from evil spirits
• wards off any kind of evil deeds or rituals (black magic) aimed at Her devotees
• protects the person from accidents
• makes the devotee blessed with word power, fame, good will, etc
• dispels fear and bestows courage and confidence
• bestows wealth and an exalted status in society
• supreme victory over enemies and all those who stand in the way of one’s progress
• dispels disease and ill health
• grants happiness and prosperity