Maya

The boar next told the earth about maya (illusion). The mysteries of maya are unfathomable. Not everyone can learn about its true nature. In fact, everything other than Vishnu himself is maya. The boar recounted the story of a brahmana to illustrate the point.

There was a brahmana named Somasharma who was devoted to Vishnu. He fasted, observed vratas, and performed tapasya in a place named Haridvara. When Vishnu appeared before him and offered to grant him a boon, Somasharma wished that he might get to know the true nature of maya. Vishnu tried to dissuade him, but the brahmana was adamant. He would have that boon and no other. Vishnu asked Somasharma to bathe in the river that flowed nearby.

The brahmana left his clothes, his water-pot and his stick on the banks of the river, and dived into the water.