According to the Puranas, Lord Vishnu took the shape of ______ in order to rescue the earth, which had sunk into water.

a boar

The correct answer is Option 3- a boar

According to the Puranas, Lord Vishnu took the shape of a boar (Varaha) in order to rescue the earth, which had sunk into water. This mythological event is known as the Varaha Avatar.

According to the legend, the demon king Hiranyaksha had kidnapped and hidden the Earth (Bhudevi) at the bottom of the cosmic ocean (symbolizing the cosmic waters). The Earth's disappearance caused imbalance and chaos in the universe, disrupting the cosmic order (dharma).

In response to this crisis, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Varaha, a divine boar, to rescue the Earth and restore balance to the universe. Varaha dived into the cosmic ocean and located the Earth, which was submerged beneath the waters. With his tusks, Varaha lifted the Earth out of the ocean and placed it back into its rightful position in the cosmos.