Boar Incarnation

 

ਅਥ ਬੈਰਾਹ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਕਥਨੰ ॥

Now begins the description of the Boar Incarnation.

ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ ਛੰਦ ॥

Stanza of Bhujang

ਦਯੋ ਬਾਟ ਮਦਿਯੰ ਅਮਦਿਯੰ ਭਗਵਾਨੰ ॥ ਗਏ ਠਾਮ ਠਾਮੰ ਸਬੈ ਦੇਵ ਦਾਨੰ ॥ ਪੁਨਰ ਦ੍ਰੋਹ ਬਢਿਯੋ ਸੁ ਆਪੰ ਮਝਾਰੰ ॥ ਭਜੇ ਦੇਵਤਾ ਦਈਤ ਜਿਤੇ ਜੁਝਾਰੰ ॥੧॥

Lord Mohini distributed mead and ambrosial nectar between the demons and gods. This way all the gods and demons returned to their abodes satisfied. It wasn’t long till tension grew once again between both of them. The gods fled as the demons won over them.

ਹਿਰਿਨ੍ਰਯੋ ਹਿਰਿੰਨਾਛਸੰ ਦੋਇ ਬੀਰੰ ॥ ਸਬੈ ਲੋਗ ਕੈ ਜੀਤ ਲੀਨੇ ਗਹੀਰੰ ॥ ਜਲੰ ਬਾ ਥਲੇਯੰ ਕੀਯੋ ਰਾਜ ਸਰਬੰ ॥ ਭੁਜਾ ਦੇਖਿ ਭਾਰੀ ਬਢਿਯੋ ਤਾਹਿ ਗਰਬੰ ॥੨॥

Demons, Hiranayaksha and Hiranyakashipu, were both brothers who were mighty warriors. They had conquered all the lands, enslaving everyone. They ruled both water and earth as one and seeing their own accomplishments and great physical strength, their ego knew no bounds.

ਚਹੈ ਜੁਧ ਮੋ ਸੋ ਕਰੇ ਆਨਿ ਕੋਊ ॥ ਬਲੀ ਹੋਏ ਵਾ ਸੋ ਭਿਰੇ ਆਨਿ ਸੋਊ ॥ ਚੜਿਯੋ ਮੇਰ ਸ੍ਰਿੰਗ ਪਗੰ ਗੁਸਟ ਸੰਗੰ ॥ ਹਰੇ ਬੇਦ ਭੂਮੰ ਕੀਏ ਸਰਬ ਭੰਗੰ ॥੩॥

Both of them desired for someone to come forth and challenge them in war. But only he could offer such a challenge, who was as mighty and great as them. One day Hiranayaksha climbed to the peak of the mountain of Sumer. He pressed the mountain below using his toe and stole the Vedas. As result, the Earth became submerged under the ocean causing devastation everywhere. 

ਧਸੀ ਭੂਮਿ ਬੇਦੰ ਰਹੀ ਹੁਐ ਪਤਾਰੰ ॥ ਧਰਿਯੋ ਬਿਸਨ ਤਉ ਦਾੜ ਗਾੜਾਵਤਾਰੰ ॥ ਧਸ੍ਰਯੋ ਨੀਰ ਮਧੰ ਕੀਯੋ ਊਚ ਨਾਦੰ ॥ ਰਹੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਪੂਰੰ ਧੁਨੰ ਨਿਰਬਖਾਦੰ ॥੪॥

By depressing the peak of Sumer all the Vedas and Earth submerged into the ocean. Then Vishnu took the form of a cruel and terrible boar. Becoming the Boar Incarnation, Vishnu went under the ocean and roared loudly. The sound of the boar’s taunt was heard throughout the heavens and universe.

 

ਬਜੇ ਡਾਕ ਡਉਰੂ ਦੋਊ ਬੀਰ ਜਾਗੇ ॥ ਸੁਣੇ ਨਾਦਿ ਬੰਕੇ ਮਹਾ ਭੀਰ ਭਾਗੇ ॥ ਝਮੀ ਤੇਗ ਤੇਜੰ ਸਰੋਸੰ ਪ੍ਰਹਾਰੰ ॥ ਖਿਵੀ ਦਾਮਿਨੀ ਜਾਣੁ ਭਾਦੋ ਮਝਾਰੰ ॥੫॥

The boar continued to roar and beat on his drum. The warrior brothers heard the boar’s sounds and awoke from their sleep. Listening to both of the brothers screams heroes and warriors all fled like cowards. The brothers swung their glistening blades as the metal clatters. The glistening of the swords was like the lightning which struck in the month of Bhadon.

ਮੁਖੰ ਮੁਛ ਬੰਕੀ ਬਕੈ ਸੂਰ ਬੀਰੰ ॥ ਤੜੰਕਾਰ ਤੇਗੰ ਸੜੰਕਾਰ ਤੀਰੰ ॥ ਧਮਕਾਰ ਸਾਗੰ ਖੜਕਾਰ ਖਗੰ ॥ ਟੁਟੇ ਟੂਕ ਟੋਪੰ ਉਠੇ ਨਾਲ ਅਗੰ ॥੬॥

The warriors with fashioned mustaches roared at the enemy, striking blades were heard all around along with the traveling arrows speeding by the ear. Blades clashed ferociously. The heads of warriors were cut into pieces, falling to the ground as sparks came out of the blades as they struck the flesh.

ਉਠੇ ਨਦ ਨਾਦੰ ਢਮਕਾਰ ਢੋਲੰ ॥ ਢਲੰਕਾਰ ਢਾਲੰ ਮੁਖੰ ਮਾਰ ਬੋਲੰ ॥ ਖਹੇ ਖਗ ਖੂਨੀ ਖੁਲੇ ਬੀਰ ਖੇਤੰ ॥ ਨਚੇ ਕੰਧਿ ਹੀਣੰ ਕਮਧੰ ਨ੍ਰਿਚੇਤੰ ॥੭॥

Sounds of trumpets and war drums were heard everywhere. The clatter of blades was heard as warriors chanted “Kill, Kill” all around. The exposed blades colored in blood met with each other on the battlefield. The headless bodies were seen dancing amongst the ongoing war.  

ਭਰੇ ਜੋਗਣੀ ਪਤ੍ਰ ਚਉਸਠ ਚਾਰੀ ॥ ਨਚੀ ਖੋਲਿ ਸੀਸੰ ਬਕੀ ਬਿਕਰਾਰੀ ॥ ਹਸੈ ਭੂਤ ਪ੍ਰੇਤੰ ਮਹਾ ਬਿਕਰਾਲੰ ॥ ਬਜੇ ਡਾਕ ਡਉਰੂ ਕਰੂਰੰ ਕਰਾਲੰ ॥੮॥

The sixty-four evil spirits, known as Kaljoginiyan, filled bowls of blood and let their long black hair loose as they let out deafening screams. The terrifying ghosts and ghouls were laughing at the sight of the chaos. Horrific war drums were heard beating one after the other.

ਪ੍ਰਹਾਰੰਤ ਮੁਸਟੰ ਕਰੈ ਪਾਵ ਘਾਤੰ ॥ 

ਮਨੋ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਿੰਘੰ ਡਹੇ ਗਜ ਮਾਤੰ ॥ ਛੁਟੀ ਈਸ ਤਾੜੀ ਡਗਿਯੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਧਿਆਨੰ ॥ ਭਜ੍ਯੋ ਚੰਦ੍ਰਮਾ ਕਾਪ ਭਾਨੰ ਮਧ੍ਯਾਨੰ ॥੯॥

The demons are throwing fists at the boar along with the blows of their feet like lions were attacking each other or elephants charging at one another. The war was so dreadful that it grabbed the attention of Shiva from his meditation on the saroop of Brahma. Even the sun and moon trembled at the sight of the battlefield and fled in fear amidst the day. 

ਜਲੇ ਬਾ ਥਲੇਯੰ ਥਲੰ ਤਥ ਨੀਰੰ ॥ ਕਿਧੋ ਸੰਧਿਯੰ ਬਾਣ ਰਘੁ ਇੰਦ੍ਰ ਬੀਰੰ ॥ ਕਰੈ ਦੈਤ ਆਘਾਤ ਮੁਸਟੰ ਪ੍ਰਹਾਰੰ ॥ ਮਨੋ ਚੋਟ ਬਾਹੈ ਘਰਿਯਾਰੀ ਘਰਿਯਾਰੰ ॥੧੦॥

The war was so immense that it flipped the earth around. Water occupied where there was once ground and ground emerged from where there was once water. Water was everywhere just like when Ram Chandar cocked his bow. Hiranayaksha, who was fighting with the boar, let out a similar sound to an alligator attacking another alligator. 

ਬਜੇ ਡੰਗ ਬੰਕੇ ਸੁ ਕ੍ਰੂਰੰ ਕਰਾਰੇ ॥ ਮਨੋ ਗਜ ਜੁਟੇ ਦੰਤਾਰੇ ਦੰਤਾਰੇ ॥ ਢਮੰਕਾਰ ਢੋਲੰ ਰਣੰਕੇ ਨਫੀਰੰ ॥ ਸੜਕਾਰ ਸਾਗੰ ਤੜਕਾਰ ਤੀਰੰ ॥੧੧॥

Trumpets played the tunes of war and the warriors fought each other on the battleground like elephants with long tusks were fighting with each other. The war drums and horns were heard along with the clattering of spears and shrieking arrows which were roaming openly.

ਦਿਨੰ ਅਸਟ ਜੁਧੰ ਭਯੋ ਅਸਟ ਰੈਣੰ ॥ ਡਗੀ ਭੂਮਿ ਸਰਬੰ ਉਠਿਯੋ ਕਾਪ ਗੈਣੰ ॥ ਰਣੰ ਰੰਗ ਰਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਰੰਗ ਭੂਮੰ ॥ ਹਣ੍ਯੋ ਬਿਸਨ ਸਤ੍ਰੰ ਗਿਰਿਯੋ ਅੰਤਿ ਝੂਮੰ ॥੧੨॥

The war lasted for eight days and eight nights. The entire Earth trembled along with the heavens themselves. Those who were in the battlefield were colored in the dye of war. In the end Vishnu took down the enemy causing his death as he fell to the ground.

ਧਰੇ ਦਾੜ ਅਗ੍ਰੰ ਚਤੁਰ ਬੇਦ ਤਬੰ ॥ ਹਠੀ ਦੁਸਟਿ ਜਿਤੇ ਭਜੇ ਦੈਤ ਸਬੰ ॥ ਦਈ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਆਗਿਆ ਧੁਨੰ ਬੇਦ ਕੀਯੰ ॥ ਸਬੈ ਸੰਤਨੰ ਤਾਨ ਕੋ ਸੁਖ ਦੀਯੰ ॥੧੩॥

Vishnu, manifested as a boar, lifted the Vedas and retrieved them. The legions of all demons fled seeing the death of Hiranayaksha. Vishnu then ordered Brahma to write the Dhanur-Vedas which brought much happiness to all the saints.

ਧਰਿਯੋ ਖਸਟਮੰ ਬਿਸਨ ਐਸਾਵਤਾਰੰ ॥ ਸਬੈ ਦੁਸਟ ਜਿਤੈ ਕੀਯੋ ਬੇਦ ਉਧਾਰੰ ॥ ਥਟਿਯੋ ਧਰਮ ਰਾਜੰ ਜਿਤੇ ਦੇਵ ਸਰਬੰ ॥ ਉਤਾਰਿਯੋ ਭਲੀ ਭਾਤ ਸੋ ਤਾਹਿ ਗਰਬੰ ॥੧੪॥

This way the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, Boar, was manifested. He won over all the demons and rescued the Vedas. He further solidified the rule of Inder and the gods hailed victorious. He broke the ego of the demons once and for all.

ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਬੈਰਾਹ ਖਸਟਮ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤੁ ਸੁਭਮ ਸਤੁ ॥੬॥

End of the description of the sixth boar incarnation in Bachittar Nattak.