Lord Sri Varaha at Tirumala:

Chapter 6 of the Varaha Purana states that the King poured cow’s milk from golden pots down the opening in the ant hill on Tirumala and that after some time the Lord appeared in the form of Varaha (Boar incarnation). His greatness is further detailed there. In all of the Puranas where Sri Venkateswara Mahatmyam is spoken, the appearance of Sri Varaha in the western portion of Swami Pushkarini much earlier than Venkateswara is mentioned. Though His fame is well-established and though He was the earlier one to appear on Tirumala, fes­tivals like Brahmotsava were being celebrated only for Srinivasa who appeared later. This fact is mentioned in the Puranas. Even now important festivals are celebrated only to Srinivasa.

The Ananda Samhita of Sri Vaikhanasagama states that if there two temples in a street, one of the gods should be given a secondary (less important) status and should be worshipped by daily puja but without the daily sacrificial offering rbali’ and `homa’). So this Lord Varaha is being worshipped with the three daily pujas (morning, noon and night) but without sacrificial of­fering and festivals.

The eighth chapter of Brahma Puranam states that the four-faced Brahma declared in the presence of all. “This holy water will become famous as Varaha tirta. People should not worship Lord Varaha without cleans­ing themselves by bathing in it. People should not wor. ship Srinivasa without worshipping Sri Varaha earlier. Srinivasa will not be satisfied by such worship.” Then he worshipped Srinivasa praising Him by many hymns and holding onto His feet, he begged, “Lord of Sri! Puja in the form of bath, offering of flowers, sandal paste, food, worship should be done to this Lord Varaha whom I have established before they are done to you daily.” Srinivasa agreed “So be it and put it into action also. Varaha Him­self is reported to have told a hunter “You should bathe in my (Varaha) tirta before bathing in Srinivasa’s Swami Pushkarini and you should worship my vimana (shrine) before worshipping Srinivasa’s Vimanan.” Since that time, it is the custom to bathe in the Varaha tirta first.

The fifth chapter of Bhavishyothara Puranam con­tains this conversation between the two forms of the Lord. Srinivasa addresses Sri Varaha thus: “0 Lord of Mother Earth! It is my good fortune to see you on this hill. I would very much like to live here till the end of the kali age. Please permit me to do so.” Varaha replied, “Pay for the place of residence on this hill” and Srinivasa said, “All people will worship you first. Milk bath and food offering will be given to you first. My conducting this will be price enough. Compassionate Lord! Please grant my request.” By His sweet words, Srinivasa obtained the gift one ‘hundred square feet of land from Varaha.

In deference to these accounts in the Puranas, Sri Ramanuja decided that daily puja to Varaha should be done before the puja to Sri Venkateswara and that pilgrims coming to Tirumala should bathe first in the Varaha Tirta and worship His shrine first and then worship Srinivasa. He also established a utsava idol of Varaha and ordered `adhyayana utsava’ for a day to that deity. Since Varaha first appeared near the Swami Pushkarini on the Sravana day of Dhanur masa, Ramanuja ordained that a special festival be celebrated for Sri Venkatavaraha on that day in addition to the regular Varaha jayanti in the month of Mesha.