Other legends and textual references thumb|left|Varaha tramples the killed demon Hiranyaksha with Bhumi on his shoulder, Hoysaleshvara Temple. The Linga Purana, the Shiva Purana and the Shaiva Khanda Book of the Skanda Purana mention Vishnu taking the Varaha form in the tale of the base of Shiva as the linga (the aniconic symbol of Shiva) along with Brahma taking the Hamsa form in the tale of the tip of Shiva as the linga (the aniconic symbol of Shiva). Once, Brahma and Vishnu contest for superiority. A large, fiery pillar which was Shiva himself as the linga appears. Brahma as a hamsa (swan) flies up to find its top; while Varaha as large varaha (boar) digs down to find its bottom. However, both fail the ends of the linga. Shiva appears in the place of linga and enlightens them that he is the Supreme Being. The Shiva Purana says that Vishnu chose the boar form due to the animal's inborn ability to burrow in this story. It also notes that the current kalpa is known as Varaha-kalpa due to Vishnu's form as Varaha in the beginning of the kalpa when this incident happened. This tale is iconographically depicted in the Lingodbhava icon of Shiva where Shiva is shown as emerging from a fiery cosmic pillar which is he himself, while Vishnu as Varaha is seen at the base going down and Brahma as Hamsa is seen at the top going up. The Lingodbhava icon of the Shiva-worshipping Shaiva sect was aimed to counter the avatara theory of Vishnu that presented him as the Supreme Being. The icon elevated Shiva to the Supreme Being position and demoted Vishnu as inferior to Shiva by belittling the Varaha avatara of his by defeating him. Similarly, the Sharabha form of Shiva belittled Narasimha, the lion-man avatar of Vishnu by killing him.
Other legends and textual references thumb|left|Varaha tramples the killed demon Hiranyaksha with Bhumi on his shoulder Hoysaleshvara Temple The Linga Purana the Shiva Purana and the Shaiva Khanda Book of the Skanda Purana mention Vishnu taking the Varaha form in the tale of the base of Shiva as the linga (the aniconic symbol of Shiva) along with Brahma taking the Hamsa form in the tale of the tip of Shiva as the linga (the aniconic symbol of Shiva) Once Brahma and Vishnu contest for superiority A large fiery pillar which was Shiva himself as the linga appears Brahma as a hamsa (swan) flies up to find its top; while Varaha as large varaha (boar) digs down to find its bottom However both fail the ends of the linga Shiva appears in the place of linga and enlightens them that he is the Supreme Being The Shiva Purana says that Vishnu chose the boar form due to the animal's inborn ability to burrow in this story It also notes that the current kalpa is known as Varaha-kalpa due to Vishnu's form as Varaha in the beginning of the kalpa when this incident happened This tale is iconographically depicted in the Lingodbhava icon of Shiva where Shiva is shown as emerging from a fiery cosmic pillar which is he himself while Vishnu as Varaha is seen at the base going down and Brahma as Hamsa is seen at the top going up The Lingodbhava icon of the Shiva-worshipping Shaiva sect was aimed to counter the avatara theory of Vishnu that presented him as the Supreme Being The icon elevated Shiva to the Supreme Being position and demoted Vishnu as inferior to Shiva by belittling the Varaha avatara of his by defeating him Similarly the Sharabha form of Shiva belittled Narasimha the lion-man avatar of Vishnu by killing him