Vajra Vārāhī (Sanskrit: Vajra Vārāhī, Devanagari:वज्र वाराही)is the tantric goddess of the Siddhas. . She is one of the most important deities of Vajrayana which was ealier called Vajra Ayana. As per Siddha Dharma, Vajra Vārāhī is the goddess of the of the Vajra Yoginī pantheon. While she is traditionally seen as one manifestation or avatar of Vajra Yoginī, she has her own Kula with elaborate tradition and associated Siddhas. She is extensively worshipped in the Himalayan areas and mostly by the shamans because she bestows her worshipper the brute force to achieve anything in this universe and also to achieve impossible feats. Furthermore, her worship is also performed as a form of kula kundalini because she is by nature shakti and she is the epitome of brute force of this universe which can create or annihilate.

Vajra Yogini manifested from tamasic Shakti of Kaal Ratri from her navel and the root chakra with Vajra diamond that Kaal Bhairava revealed in his spine to his consort Kaal Ratri. Since she manifested in the extreme Tamasic environment of Maha Cremation ground, she became the favourite Goddess of all those practitioners who want to achieve the state of transcendence through the Tamas and dark qualities.

Vajra Vārāhī who is an avatar of Vajra Yogini, embodies qualities of Vāma, Aghora, Lakulisha, Kapālika, Pashupata and Kubjikā traditions. It is the tamasic manifestation of Vajra Yoginī. Vajra Vārāhī is depicted to have extremely fierce & wrathful character.

In her iconography she is often shown boldly flaunting all the ‘tamas’ tattva qualities. She is in fact the goddess of the ‘Tamas’. Her path is all about the path of ‘Tamas’ to achieve the transcendental state of beyond all qualities and Gunas.

Vajra Yoginī is the avadhuta goddess predominantly of rajas guṇa. Vajra Vārāhī is manifestation with extreme tamas guṇa. All three goddesses come under aghora, vāma and kapāli vidyā. All three vidyā are full of animalistic tendencies.

Siddha Dharma revere Vajra Vārāhī as a goddess of shamans as well. Her worship is done by many to achieve worldly and other worldly boons. She bestows everything to her worshipper who become capable to achieve impossible feats. If Vajra Varahi goddess in invoked, then the Shamans have to make animal sacrifices as a sign of sacrificing one’s own animal instinct to the goddess.

As per ‘Siddha Dharma’, she is the goddess perfected only through ‘miscrachara’. She is the path of the tamas to yoga so ‘Siddha Dharma’ never prescribes only tantra for her worship. Yoga is by nature ‘rajasic’ and the infusion of Yoga into her practice only cultivates those needed ‘tamas’ for the betterment of sadhaka’s spiritual journey. Her tantra infused with Yoga is solely done by Mahasiddhas to restrict ‘Tamas’ to the acceptable standards.

Etymology

As per “Siddha Dharma”, Vajra Vārāhī is made up of two words, Vajra and Vārāhī.  Vajra in Vajra Vārāhī is different meaning than Vajra in Vajra yogini.

In Vajra Vārāhī, Vajra is taken as three beej mantra. Vaṃ, jaṃ and raṃ. Vaṃ represent the ākāṣa manḍala, jaṃ represents the prithvī manḍala and raṃ represents the pātāla manḍala. So Vajra Vārāhī is the goddess who is supremely expanded and present throughout these three manḍala.

Vārāhī is often confused with boar or pig. But actually Vārāhī is now an extinct species belonging to the boar/pig family. Vārāhī species was called Kiratra also.

Iconography

As per ‘Siddha Dharma’, Vajra Vārāhī is depicted as standing on the almost dead human form Vajra Vārāha Purusha. Her one leg is bent upward symbolizing her being rooted in the world yet being beyond it in her transcendental form. She has three faces. Two vārāha face on the side. Her animalistic vārāha face is representing the animalistic tendencies in nature. To understand extreme tamas and darkness and to understand the workings of this extreme tamas in the universe, vārāha dishṭi or vārāha vision is required. Vajra Vārāhī has taken these two vārāha faces to accomplish those extreme tamasic acts. Right side has red vārāh face depicting that she dwells in the entrapments of senses. This is symbolic of extreme tamas and is important for understanding the practical matters. The vārāha face on left side is over deep blue color. This face signifies the realms beyond senses. It signifies the cosmic reality of transcendental senses. This is also full of extreme tamas.  The central face which is her divine persona is symbolic of her being goddess who is beyond it all and is witnessing the acts of the universe with most inner understanding of it all. Goddesses are depicted in nude. But she is not in human nude form who is wandering in the cosmos. Nudity here implies the truth. Her skull necklace signifies the Varna Beej and Tantrik sounds. She is carrying a Khatvang weapon on her shoulder which represents her ruling over universe by transcending the three gunas. It also represents great capability (Maha Samarthya), courage (Veerta), glory (Saurya) and spontaneous bold judgement (Maha Saahas).“Khatvaang is also symbolic of Saumya Maha Danda. This means that she metes out justice in a way that her punishments do not seem like punishments. One does not notice that he or she is being punished but suffers greatly through that punishment. She is wearing a divine crown made of five skulls which represents the five elements and also hints at the presence of Devi inside the five sheaths of human body or Pancha Koshas (Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vigyanmaya & Anandmaya). Vajra Vārāhī holds a skull bowl in her hand which is called Akshay Patra or Anand Patra. This symbolizes that she manifests the whole creation and is dissolving it all by consuming it. She is shown to be unaffected by these acts of creation and dissolution. In one of her hand she has a weapon called ‘Vajra kirtika ‘. This has a garuḍa on top and sharp knife edge at the bottom. The top garuḍa signifies liberation and wisdom that bestows freedom. The bottom knife signifies the darkness and violent nature of the universe. Vajra Vārāhī is supremely adept in both worldly and other worldly ways.

She is sometimes portrayed as a red dakini with skull garlands, and who holds a skull cup in one hand. She is portrayed on a top of Kala Bhairava and Kala Ratri. Her other leg is above the ground. The leg which stands upon Kala Bhairava and Kala Ratri is little bent. It is also a warrior pose. She is portrayed as red in color which is the epitome of rajas. She is further portrayed with three eyes and a half moon in her forehead.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, she is either portrayed as a young exotic naked woman or a woman who has the face of a boar with two hyper elongated lower canines. Those two lower canines symbolically represent Himalaya.

Origin

The common confusion that has to be dispelled first is that Vārāhī temple is mostly about Lord Vishṇu avatar Vārāha devata and his shakti goddess Laxmi as Vārāhī.

We all know that Lord Viṣṇu took the Vārāha avatar to save the prithvi from the misdeed of Hiraṇyāksha who was the son of Diti and Maha Rishi Kashyapa Nath. Hiraṇyāksha took prithvi and used it as pillow while surrounding it with filth and excreta around it. None of the devatas wanted to go and save prithvi because of this vile and disgusting environment created by Hiraṇyaksha. So Lord Vishnu took the Vārāha avatar. Because Vārāha is extremely tamasic as it even eats its own excreta. Lord Vishnu took this Vārāha avatar with the help of his sadhana of Vajra Vārāhī.

Vajra Vārāhī is a form of goddess Parvati.

Origin of Vajra Varāhī begins innumerable years after Vajra Yoginī manifested in the great cremation ground and went to her grand Vajra Mandala. When Vajra Yoginī got established in her manḍala, then shiva also takes the form of Bhairav as protectors around the devi’s mandala. These forms of shiva established themselves facing with their back towards the mandala of goddess. Then Vajra Yogini requests Shiva to also establish his own manḍala. Then upon devi’s request, the supreme leader of all the jeevas, Pashupati Shiva manifests the Vajra Vārāha form. In this form, Shiva has two Vārāha face and one deity or Deva face. Then around the Vajra Vārāha manḍala, sixteen Vajra Vārāha purusha gods establish themselves. Seeing Vajra Vārāha form of Shiva, Vajra Yogini leaves her manḍala and dissolves her form. Seeing Vajra Yogini disaapearing from her manḍala, Vajra Vārāha also disappears from his manḍala. Both dissolve amidst the supreme and extreme darkness of the universe. Both of them then establish themselves in the ardha paryanka mudra in that darkness. Around this deep darkness, the whole creation and cosmos appears to be dancing around.  In this mudra, Vajra Vārāha  and Vajra Yoginī does various lilā and manifests many form.  This particular mysterious forms of Vajra Vārāha and Vajra Yoginī in ardha paryank mudra and their various līlā is not visible to everybody. Only supreme siddhas are able to witness this līlā. In this līlā inside the deepest darkness, devi assimilates all the energies of Vajra Vārāha in twenty-four forms and becomes victorious in this divine tantra līlā. In the end, Vajra Vārāha has to turn into a man who is almost dead, devoid of all the shakti. Then Devi manifests with Vārāha face standing on top of almost dead human form of Vajra Vārāha. This form of goddess showed all three divine, animalistic and human qualities simultaneously in the form of Vārāha faced goddess. This new manifestation creates a new kula of Vajra Yogini. This new kula is called Vajra Vārāhī kula. Although Vajra Vārāha form of Shiva is the foundation of all the diversity, all the līlā is done by Vajra Vārāhī.

Vajra Vārāhī Siddha Tradition

Siddha Dharma says that the tradition of this parmā vidyā started from Svacchaanda Bhairav & Svacchanda bhairavī. From them two main tradition of Vajra Vārāhī originated. They are Deva tradition & Rishi tradition.  From Deva tradition & Rishi tradition, along with direct wisdom from Svacchanda Bhairava & Svaccha Bhairavi, this wisdom reached Siddha tradition. From there this tradition reached Kaulantak Peeth. Peculiarly, in Siddha Dharma, certain rishis have been honored in deva tradition as Bhagwāna.

There have been many Siddhas and Rishis who obtained this knowledge but few have made significant contribution to take the Vajra Yogini tradition forward.

1. Deva Tradition
2. Rishi Tradition
3. Mahā Siddha Tradition

Vidyas in Vajra Vārāhī Manḍala

Only supremely adept siddhas, who are classified as Param Siddha, Amogha Siddha and Vajra Siddha are able to view this divine pastimes of goddess Vajra Vārāhī.

In Siddha Dharma, all the knowledge and wisdom of Vajra Vārāhī comes from Mahā Siddha Arjita Shveta Padma Nath.

There are four main Vidyā in Vajra Vārāhī Manḍala.

1. Vajra Vārāhī Ati Vilāsa Vidyā
2. Vajra Vārāhī Jaḍa Vādinī Vidā
3. Vajra Vārāhī Rahasya Kautuka Vidyā
4. Vajra Vārāhī Sāra Vidyā

 

Vajra Vārāhī Varna Kula

In Siddha Dharma, there are seven main kula of Vajra Vārāhī. They are catergorized in seven colors as their representation and hidden symbolic mysticism that is known in guru disiciple tradition only.

1. Shri Sveta Nābha Kula
2. Shri Nīla Nābha Kula
3. Shri Harita Nābha Kula
4. Shri Pīta Nābha Kula
5. Shri Shyāma Nābha Kula
6. Shri Rakta Nābha Kula
7. Shri Svarṇa Nābha Kula

Here, Nābha is the indication of that deep darkness where everything merges in and dissolves.

Vajra Vārāhī Siddha Guru Mandala

In Siddha Dharma, all the knowledge and wisdom of Vajra Vārāhī comes from Mahā Siddha Arjita Shveta Padma Nath. Maha Siddha Matsyendra Nath also has brought most significant wisdom of Vajra Vārāhī in Kaulantak tradition of Siddha Dharma.

Each guru has his own mystical arts of wisdom in Vajra Varahi Parmā Vidya. There are many categories of Vidyā. Parmā Vidyas are the supreme cosmic Vidyā whose place is even above mahā vidyā as there is a whole lifestyle, from morning to night that is given for parmā vidyā. It is to become engrossed in totally to begin gaining the mystical wisdoms hidden in these vidyās.

Shri Vajra Varāhī Manḍala Goddesses

Vajra Varāhī manḍala goddessees are divided in three main manḍala .

1. Shri Kāla Mukha Varāhī Manḍala
   1. Chinnamunḍa Vajra Varāhī
   2. ḍākinī Vajra Varāhī
   3. Kurma Vajra Varāhī
   4. Artha Siddhi Vajra Varāhī
   5. Rakta Mukhi Vajra Varāhī
   6. Shveta Rupa Vajra Varāhī
   7. Mahārtha Kavacha Vajra Varāhī
   8. Ati Shyāmā Vajra Varāhī

2. Pralaya Mukhī Vārahī Manḍala
   1. Mahā Chapalā Vajra Varāhī
   2. Krīya Padī Vajra Varāhī
   3. Praṇavanādi Vajra Varāhī
   4. Ati Guhya Vajra Varāhī
   5. Vādavajra Vajra Varāhī
   6. Yāmalā Dākinī Vajra Varāhī
   7. Mahāghoṇa Vajra Varāhī
   8. Danḍabheda Vajra Varāhī

3. Andhamukha Vārāhī Manḍala
   1. Dhumra Vajra Varāhī
   2. Ati Shānkarī Vajra Varāhī
   3. Pingala Vajra Varāhī
   4. Pishācī Vajra Varāhī
   5. Mahata Satya Vajra Varāhī
   6. Vishankarī Vajra Varāhī
   7. Māyā Vajra Varāhī
   8. Tripadā Vajra Varāhī

Then apart from these mandala, there are three more significant goddess in hierarchy

1. Vilomā Vajra Varāhī
2. Sulomā Vajra Varāhī
3. Atilomā Vajra Varāhī

At the crux of the Vajra Varāhī pantheon of goddesses lies the Kāmaparnyankā Vajra Varāhī.

There are four extremely powerful protector Vajra Varāhī goddess around the various layers of Vajra Varāhī manḍala. These are extremely fierce, extremely cruel and extremely animalistic forms of Vajra Vārāhī

1. Damana Chakra Shakti Vārāhī
2. Shośaṇa Chakra Shakti Vārāhī
3. Pīḍana Chakra Shakti Vārāhī
4. Mrityu Chakra Shakti Vārāhī

Two more forms of Vajra Vārāhī lies in the outer rims of her manḍala. They are

1. Ati Bhadrā Vajra Vārāhī
2. Ati Chānḍalī Vajra Vārāhī

Vajra Vārāhī Kalpa

In Siddha Dharma, the knowledge and wisdom of Vajra Vārāhī is given in guru disciple tradition since time immemorial. Her compendium volumes of text that is referred for her knowledge systems is Vajra Vārāhī Kalpa.

It contains the following knowledge.

1. Origin
2. Tradition
3. Varaha Mukha Rahasyam
4. Straiṇa Kula Nāyikā Vidhānam
5. Kula Kulavalyā Mantrāvalī
6. Dainika Māntrika Dhyāna & Dhāraṇā Prayoga
7. Pramukha Yantra Dhāraṇ Prayoga & Vidhī
8. Ishṭa Svarupa Dhyāna
9. Nāstika Mat Dhyāna
10. Shri Vajra Vārāhī Darshanaṃ
11. Chatur Vidyā Prayoga
    1. Vajra Varāhi Ati Vidyā Origin
    2. Devi forms
    3. Siddha Katha
    4. Pūjana Krama
12. Kāmya Prayoga

As per “Siddha Dharma”, the most influential role of Varaha avatara is the creation of Himalaya and also the establishment of Himalaya as the spiritual hub in the world. The two lower canine of Varaha avatara therefore represents Himalaya.

Vajra Varahi and Vajra Yogini

As per “Siddha Dharma”, Vajra Yogini and Vajra Varahi is two different forms of a goddess Vajrika. Vajra Yogini, Vajra Varahi and Vajra Vairochini all are the same form of the goddess Vajrika. Vajra Varahi is more popular and more accessible to public then that of Vajra Yogini. Vajra Yogini is very secretive goddess plus she is more dangerous therefore, Vajra Varahi is the recommended path for any Siddhas who wishes to pursue the joint path of tamas and vama marga.

Certain lineages whose nearly extinct Vajra Yogini lineage recommends Vajra Varahi worship because their nature is similar and the latter is more accessible in the mass then the former. In fact, most sadhanas of Vajra Yoginis are the sadhana of Vajra Varahi for them because of both having similar function.

In “Siddha Dharma”, both being the two forms of a same goddess Vajrika, they both have their own relevance and importance. The mastery of both sadhana would ultimately aid in the mastery of Vajrayana and Vajrika goddess.

Vajra Varahi and Varaha Avatara

As per “Siddha Dharma”, when Hiranyaksh, the almighty daitya became powerful and won over all the three worlds, the first thing he did was to take the earth goddess in his control and submerge her in the deep sea. The devtas panicked and surrendered to lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu consoled the devtas and he reincarnated in this earth to defeat the daitya Hiranyaksh.

The legend of “Siddha Dharma” mentions that lord Vishnu had a huge task of defeating Hiranyaksha, so the first thing he did was to perform deep penance of Vajra Varahi. When he perfected Vajra Varahi, he was able to embody and imbibe in him, the brute animalistic forces of the ever powerful Vajra Varahi goddess. Because of his total perfection and by imbibing the Vajra Varahi, lord Vishnu transformed into Varaha (boar). After he transformed into Varaha avatara, he slayed the daitya Hiranyaksh but mother earth was still submerged in the deep sea.

The legend of “Siddha Dharma” further mentions that he revived the mother earth from the ocean and since the earth had been taken into hostage by all dark asuri forces, he with his brute animalistic forces caused the land to erect from their ground. The earth surface that rose formed the hills and mountains. The chain of mountains was then called Himalaya and after the creation of Himalaya, it became the land for sadhanas because of its inaccessibility by asura and daityas. Himalaya would then be known as the land of penances and no encroachment would be tolerated.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, the most influential role of Varaha avatara is the creation of Himalaya and also the establishment of Himalaya as the spiritual hub in the world. The two lower canine of Varaha avatara therefore represents Himalaya.

Vajra Varahi and Varahi Matrika

As per “Siddha Dharma”, after lord Vishnu transformed himself to Varaha avatara and he slayed the daitya Hiranyaksh, a separate shakti which was the amalgamation of Vajra Varahi and lord Vishnu’s rajasic virtues emancipated from his body which was purely the shakti of Varaha avatara.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, the male counterpart of Vajra Varahi is not lord Vishnu but Vajrasamvara or Chakrasamvara who are both Herukas and Herukas are different forms of Rudra because Heruka is a salutation word for Rudra. But the male counterpart of Varahi Matrika is lord Vishnu because of lord Vishnu’s transforming the Vajra Varahi shakti and forming a new Matrika out of her. Therefore, Siddha Dharma believes that the origin of Varahi Matrika is Vajra Varahi but both though have similarities are different.

Vajra Varahi and Animal Instinct

As per “Siddha Dharma”, Vajra Varahi is portrayed with the face of a wild boar with two big canine teeth. Her attributes can be known by deciphering the attributes of a boar. A boar has that brute force to uproot great shrubs and trees from their roots and throw it away. A boar is impulsive in nature and Vajra Varahi whos face is of a boar has that animalistic brute force that can uproot and lift things from its tusk or canine teeth. It is this very power that lord Vishnu wanted to save the mother earth from the deep ocean. Therefore, when he imbibed Vajra Varahi inside him, he with that force of Vajra Varahi lifted the earth through the power of his tusk and saved the earth. The tusk also served the purpose of creation of Himalaya.

Vajra Varahi as Dakini

As per “Siddha Dharma”, she is also a form of Dakini. She is either portrayed as a young naked woman with human skulls garland or a young female body with the head of a boar. Either way she is pictured as a Dakini. A Dakini in Siddha Dharma is a female goddess who is young, exotic but warrior in nature who listens to none. Dakini are the combined path of vama and tamas.

Vajra Varahi as goddess of Shamans

As per “Siddha Dharma”, Dakinis are the goddesses of Shaman faiths. Vajra Varahi is also one of the goddesses. The Shamans invoke the Dakini goddesses and based on the nature of the goddess, offerings have to be made. If Vajra Varahi goddess in invoked, then the Shamans have to make animal sacrifices as a sign of sacrificing one’s own animal instinct to the goddess.

Vajra Varahi temple in Kathmandu

Vajra Varahi temple is located at Godawari village of Kathmandu, Nepal. Inside a park, there is a temple of Vajra Varahi which has no gajur or pinnacle. Furthermore, outside the temple, there is the idol of a bull i.e. Nandi ji which signifies her relation with lord Shiva and Rudra. Outside her temple is the eight auspicious signs which signifies the power of goddess to expel all forms of inauspiciousness. There is also “Asta Matrika” in her door which signifies that when she is invoked, a brutal animalistic force comes with her. The Matrikas protects the worshipper from the negative impacts of her energy.