Boar-headed Varaha jumping right, with sphere to right // Nagari legend in two lines (Srimad Adi)/varaha, with stylized fire altars below. 16mm, 3.89 grams. Deyell, Living Without Silver, #8

 

Bhoja was the most powerful Indian ruler of his day. It was his strong cavalry that kept the new Muslim rulers of Sind at bay. So fearsome was his reputation among Arabs that India was protected from Muslim invasion for over a century.

 

Bhoja's famous adivaraha coinage depicts the protection that the Varaha avatar of Lord Vishnu gave to the Earth in the battle between the gods and demons over the nectar of immortality.