Saṅkaṣṭatāriṇī Vārāhī | Canvas Art Print

Saṅkaṣṭatāriṇī Vārāhī is the destroyer of fear and saviour from suffering — the form of Vārāhī described in the first paṭala of the Vārāhī Tantra.

This canvas art print by Swaroop is part of the Forms of Vārāhī series.

• In her hands: a trident and scissors (and, as she is invoked, a trident and a skull)
• Titles: Tribhuvanēśvarī, mother of the universe, saviour from suffering

In the early period of the Kṛtayuga there was a demon known in the three worlds as Viḍālarakṣasa, having a spear. He, the Great Mighty One, was victorious in battles and tyrannized the whole world. He was a worshipper of the Goddess Vārāhī, who would follow his commands and of whom the gods were so frightened that they would tremble by only hearing her name (vv.6-9). Later, at the time of the events of the Rāmāyaṇa (Tretayuga), when Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa were exiled in the forest and the gods incarnated as humans to help Rama defeat Ravaṇa, the demon who kidnapped his wife Sītā. In order to liberate his beloved, Rāma went to Laṅkā and a battle ensued between the demon Viḍāla and His army (vv.10-30). When Hanumān began to kill the rakṣasās with his mace, Viḍāla invoked Vārāhī, the Great Goddess who holds in her hands a trident and a skull, the Destroyer of Fear and the Savior from Suffering. After hearing his call, Vārāhī–Who is the Mistress of the three Worlds (Tribhuvaneśvarī) and the Mother of the Universe–arrived, holding a trident and scissors; and with a contemptuous outcry she swallowed the entire army of Rāmacandra, with the exception of Rāma and Hanumān. After seeing this, the astonished Rāma fainted.

• Medium: cotton canvas, matte finish, 300–350 GSM
• Sizes: 12 × 18″, 24 × 18″, 24 × 20″, 30 × 20″, 36 × 24″, 30 × 40″, 36 × 48″ and 40 × 60″ (canvas size; the blank border adds 4″ to each side measurement, e.g. 12 × 18″ becomes 16 × 22″ outer)
• Border: a blank border on all sides, ready for stretching or framing
• Proportions: the artwork keeps its original proportions — it is never cropped or stretched; any extra space is left blank
• Format: unframed, shipped rolled in a protective tube
• Made to order: printed in 2 working days, dispatched on the 3rd working day
• Artist: Swaroop

The print arrives rolled and unframed. Any local framer can stretch it on a wooden frame (gallery stretch) or mount it under glass; the border gives them room to work. Hang it away from direct sunlight and damp walls, and dust it gently with a soft, dry cloth.