VISHNU AS VARAHA Blackstone India , 10th century Dimensions: Height 41 cm by 21 cm Weight: 15348 grams Weight: 15346 grams Varaha is the third of the ten avatars of Vishnu and is here shown with human body and the head of a boar or sow. The deity is standing victoriously on Sheesha, here with the body of a snake but human torso, with his right foot and a smaller snake with the left. He has four arms and the Earth Goddess seated on his left elbow with folded hands. With one hand he is holding the dharma chakra and the other a conch shell. Vishnu assumed this form to rescue the Earth Goddess from drowning in the cosmic ocean with his snout.