#varahi

Varahi, Nepal, 14th century

Varaha (Hinduism)

One of the ten avatars (incarnations) of the Hindu god Vishnu, Varaha is depicted as a boar or a man with a boar's head. In this form, Vishnu rescues the Earth (personified as the goddess Bhudevi) from the demon Hiranyaksha, who had submerged it in cosmic waters. Varaha lifts the Earth with his tusks, symbolizing protection and restoration. He is widely revered in Hindu temples and iconography, often depicted with a human body and boar head.

Moccus (Celtic Mythology)

A lesser-known Celtic god associated with pigs and boars, Moccus is linked to the Roman god Mercury through an inscription found in Langres, France, among the Lingones tribe. His name connects etymologically to Celtic words for "pig" (e.g., Old Irish mucc, Welsh moch). Moccus likely represented hunting, prosperity, and possibly fertility, as boars were potent symbols in Celtic culture. Evidence like the Euffigneix statue (a god with a boar relief) suggests his veneration.

Kamapua'a (Hawaiian Mythology)

A demigod in Hawaiian tradition, Kamapua'a is known as the "Pig God." He can shapeshift between human and pig forms and is tied to agriculture, fertility, and wild nature. Born to a human mother and a divine father, he’s a trickster figure who often clashes with the volcano goddess Pele. Commoners revered him for his connection to farming and the land, though he’s not a "god" in the supreme sense.

Artwork by Hawaiʻi Artist Dietrich Varez

Shen Zhu (Chinese/Taiwanese Hakka Tradition)

Not a deity in the traditional sense, "Shen Zhu" (God Pig) refers to pigs ritually fattened in Hakka ceremonies, such as the Yimin Festival in Taiwan. These pigs, raised to enormous sizes, are sacrificed to honor local deities or ancestors, symbolizing abundance and devotion. The practice reflects a cultural veneration of pigs rather than worship of a pig god.

Shen Zhu (Holy Pig), Linkou, North, Taiwan (2020), A shen zhu (holy pig) displayed at a temple festival in Linkou. Photo by Nick Mayo

Freyja and Freyr (Norse Mythology)

In Norse mythology, the Vanir gods Freyja and Freyr are associated with boars. Freyja rides Hildisvíni ("Battle Swine"), a boar with possible magical qualities, while Freyr owns Gullinbursti ("Golden Bristles"), a boar with glowing bristles that pulls his chariot. Boars symbolized fertility, prosperity, and warrior strength, though the gods themselves are not pigs.

Artwork by David Wentworth

Set (Egyptian Mythology)

The Egyptian god Set, associated with chaos and storms, is sometimes linked to pigs or boars in later myths. In one story, he transforms into a black boar to harm Osiris, contributing to the pig’s negative reputation in Egyptian culture. While not a "pig god" per se, this association influenced pork taboos.

Calydonian Boar and Erymanthian Boar (Greek Mythology)

These are not gods but divine agents. The Calydonian Boar was sent by Artemis to punish King Oeneus for neglecting her worship, leading to the famous Calydonian Boar Hunt. The Erymanthian Boar was captured by Hercules as one of his Twelve Labors. Boars in Greek myth often represent chaos or challenges posed by the divine.

Venerated Pigmen and Human-Pig Hybrids

Zhu Bajie (Chinese Mythology)

A major character in the novel Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie ("Pig of the Eight Precepts") is a human-pig hybrid with a pig’s head and human body. Once a heavenly marshal, he was banished to Earth for misbehavior and reborn as a pig-man. While not a god, he’s a beloved figure in Chinese folklore, symbolizing gluttony, loyalty, and redemption. Some folk traditions venerate him informally.

Pigmen in Celtic and Irish Lore

In Irish mythology, swineherds (often semi-divine or magical figures) tend sacred or supernatural pigs. For example, in the Táin Bó Cúailnge, swineherds wield magical powers and prophesy. These figures blur the line between human and pig-like beings, reflecting the pig’s revered status in Celtic society, though they’re not explicitly hybrids.

Varahi (Hinduism)

A goddess in the Hindu Tantric tradition, Varahi is one of the seven Matrikas (mother goddesses) and has a sow’s head on a human body. Associated with the god Varaha, she embodies strength, protection, and fertility. Worshipped in esoteric rituals, she’s depicted wielding weapons and riding a buffalo, symbolizing her fierce nature.

Nachzehrer (Germanic Folklore)

A type of undead creature, the Nachzehrer is not a deity but a folkloric hybrid. It’s said to shapeshift into a pig form after death, devouring its own shroud and spreading plague. While not venerated, it reflects a cultural fascination with human-pig transformations tied to the supernatural.

Orcs and Seeq (Fantasy Settings)

In modern fantasy (e.g., Final Fantasy series), pig-like humanoids like the Seeq or orcish pigmen appear as races. These draw from mythological traditions of pig-associated beings, though they’re not worshipped. They echo older tropes of pigmen as brutish or earthy figures.

Cultural Context and Themes

Symbolism: Pigs and boars often symbolize fertility (due to their large litters), prosperity (as a food source), and strength (boars as fierce warriors). However, they can also represent chaos or impurity, as seen in Egyptian and Judeo-Islamic traditions.

Hybrids: Human-pig hybrids tend to appear in trickster or liminal roles (e.g., Zhu Bajie, Kamapua'a), bridging human and animal realms, often with moral ambiguity.

Veneration: True "pig gods" are rare; more often, pigs are sacred to deities (e.g., Demeter in Greece, Cerridwen in Celtic lore) or used in rituals (e.g., Roman sacrifices, Shen Zhu).

Varahi Devi (detail) Gangeswari temple, Bayalisabati, Odisha

Manisha Singh wrote : Goddesses Varahi According to the Shumbha-Nishumbha of the Devi Mahatmya from the Markandeya Purana religious texts, the Matrikas goddesses appear as shaktis from the bodies of the gods.

The scriptures say that Varahi was created from Varaha. She has a boar form, wields a chakra (discus), and fights with a sword. After the battle described in the myth, the Matrikas dance — drunk on their victim’s blood.

i have had the great fortune to visit the United States for the very first time to be with my guru and saṅgha! during my trip, i had the opportunity to visit UMMA and i was mesmerised by its South Asian collection! not only are the sculptures magnificent in their precision and beauty, but their descriptive texts are poetry. attaching excerpts below.

1. Durgā on her lion mount

“In caves and temples, in metal and stone, artists captured the ferocious energy of the Goddess as revealed in her heroic victory [over Mahiṣāsura]. Here, her quiet grace signifies her boundless strength. Her round breasts and belly push forth from beneath her skin, indicating the distinctly feminine force behind her awesome capacities.”

2. Vārāhī

“She is boar-headed, and her rear hands would have held signature weapons. She has taut, youthful flesh and full breasts, signifying fecundity. Her crossed legs form a cradle, offering a tender sanctuary.”

3. Devī

4. Śiva as Bhairava

“Śiva’s sensuous pose and levity communicate liberation as a result of contemplating death in lone wanderings through vast cemeteries.”

5. Pot-bellied Ganeśa, endearing and gentle

6. Viṣṇu

“There is an intimate relationship between the God’s body and his sculptural surroundings: two arms are embedded in the plane behind him, while two project forward, echoing the curved bell of his hips. A garland unites the planes of carving in an elliptical halo, framing his body for the gaze of his devotees.”

7. Śiva

“Here, he is shown in his role as the divine ascetic or yogi, unclad but for an animal skin about his loins, with matted hair piled high on his head.”

8. Viṣṇu as Varaha