Hiraṇyākṣa (Hiranyaksha), elder brother of the demon-king Hiraṇyakaśipu (Hiranyakasipu), plunged the earth into Pralayasamudra (the ocean of great deluge). God Viṣṇu (Vishnu) assumed the form of Ekaśṛṅga Varāha(Ekasringa Varaha; a swine with one horn) and slaying Hiraṇyākṣa (Hiranyaksha), he rescued the earth , holding it at the top of his single horn. So he came to be known as Ekaśṛṅga.

The ancient Vedic form of this Ekaśṛṅga varāha can be found in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (Satapatha Brahmana). As per this scripture, God Viṣṇu, in the shape of a Varāha called Tramūṣa (Tramusha) lifted the Earth from Rasātala (Rasatala; the deep dungeon; a hellish state of doom) — tām tramūṣa iti varāha uhhadhāna.