Vishnu

Vishnu is one of the main gods in Hinduism. He is called the god of preservation and is very important in a tradition named Vaishnavism. In this tradition, Vishnu is seen as the greatest Lord who creates, protects, and changes the universe.

Vishnu is part of a triple deity called the Trimurti, which also includes Brahma and Shiva. In this group, Vishnu is the preserver. He has a partner named Lakshmi, who is his equal and helps bring energy and creativity to the world.

When the world has danger or trouble, Vishnu comes down in different forms called avatars to bring balance and protect what is right. There are ten main avatars, and two of the most famous are Rama and Krishna. People honor Vishnu in many temples in India and other places.

Etymology

Vishnu, also spelled Viṣṇu, means 'all pervasive'. This means 'one who is everything and inside everything'. An old scholar named Yaska described Vishnu as someone who 'enters everywhere'.

Some old books list many names for Vishnu. Each name describes a special quality or feature of God. These names show different ways to think about Vishnu.

Origins and development

Origins

Vishnu is a sun god from old Hindu texts called the Rigveda. He is not as famous as gods like Indra or Agni, but he was important to many people. Later, Vishnu became one of the most important gods in Hinduism.

Avatars

Main articles: Avatar and Dashavatara

In Hinduism, Vishnu is the preserver of the world. He sometimes appears in human form, called avatars, to help good people. A famous book, the Bhagavad Gita, says Vishnu appears when goodness is in danger. Many stories tell of Vishnu’s avatars, with Krishna and Rama being the most famous. In the Mahabharata, Vishnu lists ten ways he will appear.

The Mahabharata

In the Mahabharata, Vishnu tells a character named Narada that he will appear in ten different forms.

The Puranas

Specified avatars of Vishnu are listed against some of the Puranas in the table below. However, this is a complicated process, and the lists are unlikely to be complete.

Dashavatara

Main article: Dashavatara

The Dashavatara is a list of ten important avatars of Vishnu. The list includes the Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, the Man-Lion, the Dwarf, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.

Perumal

Main article: Perumal (deity)

Perumal, also known as Thirumal or Mayon, was accepted as a form of Vishnu when South Indian traditions joined mainstream Hinduism. Tamil writings talk about Mayon as a supreme god. Perumal is loved by many Tamils and is especially honored in places like Tirupati and Srirangam.

The Trimurti

Main article: Trimurti

In later Hindu traditions, the Trimurti shows three main gods who control the universe’s cycles. Brahma creates, Vishnu preserves, and Shiva destroys. Together, they represent the three forces that shape the world.

Textual development

Vedas

Vishnu is an important god in Hinduism, even though he is only mentioned a little in the Vedas. In some old hymns, Vishnu is described as holding up the sky and the earth. He is also called the one who lives in the highest place, where spirits go after life.

In the Vedas, Vishnu works with other gods, like Indra. Together, they fight a symbol of evil called Vritra. Vishnu is also linked to light and is sometimes thought of as the sun god, Surya.

Brahmanas

Later texts called Brahmanas describe Vishnu as being everywhere, in all things. They say he is like the truth found in all knowledge and ideas.

Upanishads

Some later writings, called Upanishads, focus more on Vishnu. They see him as the highest truth in the world.

Puranas

Many stories about Vishnu come from texts called Puranas. These tell of Vishnu’s many forms and his role in creating and protecting the world. Two important Puranas about Vishnu are the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana.

The Bhagavata Purana tells how Vishnu, in the form of Krishna, helps bring back good after evil wins. These stories are loved and performed in plays and dances.

Agama

Special writings called Agamas describe how people can honor and worship Vishnu.

Sangam and Post-Sangam literature

In ancient Tamil writings, Vishnu is called Mayon, meaning one who is dark-colored. Stories about Krishna, one of Vishnu’s forms, appear in Tamil poems and books from this time.

Bhakti movement

Later, during a movement called Bhakti, people began singing and writing poems about their love for Vishnu. These poets, called Alvars, traveled and helped spread the worship of Vishnu across India.

Vaishnava theology

Main articles: Vaishnavism and Pañcaratra

In Vaishnavism, Vishnu is seen as the Lord of All Being. The world is thought to be his breath. At the end of time, he will bring everything back into himself and then create the world again.

Vishnu is described as all-knowing, powerful, and full of energy. In one tradition started by Madhvacharya, Vishnu, in the form of Krishna, is seen as the supreme creator and personal God. In another tradition called Sri Vaishnavism, Vishnu and the goddess Lakshmi are described as inseparable. Together, they create and fill everything.

The Bhagavad Gita talks about the universe as the body of Vishnu. He is connected to everything and everyone. The Bhagavata Purana explains how individuals can return to their true nature. This idea is about finding unity with the highest reality.

Iconography

Vishnu is shown in artwork with dark blue, blue-grey, or black skin. He wears beautiful jewelry and fine clothes. He is often pictured with four arms, but sometimes he has just two.

In his hands, Vishnu holds special items with important meanings. One hand holds a spiral conch shell, which stands for the never-ending cycles of life. Another holds a discus that represents his power to protect what is right. A third hand may carry a club, showing his strength and wisdom, and the fourth holds a lotus flower, a symbol of purity. These items give rise to many different forms of Vishnu, each with its own name in ancient texts. Sometimes Vishnu is shown with a bow or a sword, a precious gem, and a flower garland. He wears a special mark on his chest and a crown, and his clothes are usually yellow.

Vishnu can be shown standing, sitting in a peaceful pose, or lying down. One famous picture shows him resting on a big snake, dreaming the whole world into existence, with his partner Lakshmi beside him. His home is called Vaikuntha, and his special helper is a large bird named Garuda.

Associated deities

Lakshmi

Main article: Lakshmi

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. She is the wife of Vishnu. When Vishnu came to earth as Rama and Krishna, Lakshmi appeared as their companions Sita and Radha or Rukmini.

Garuda

Main article: Garuda

Garuda is an eagle and one of Vishnu's main carriers. Vishnu is often shown resting on Garuda's shoulders. Garuda is a sacred bird in the traditions that follow Vishnu.

Shesha

Main article: Shesha

Shesha is a great snake and one of the first beings in Hindu stories. Vishnu rests upon Shesha in a place called Vaikuntha.

Vishvaksena

Main article: Vishvaksena

Vishvaksena leads Vishnu's army.

Harihara

Main article: Harihara

In some Hindu traditions, Shiva and Vishnu are seen as the greatest forms of god. Harihara shows half of Vishnu and half of Shiva. This idea appears in stories like the Vamana Purana and in old temple art from the 6th-century Badami cave temples. Another form called Harirudra, which is also half Vishnu and half Shiva, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.

Sister goddess

Some traditions say Vishnu has a sister goddess. These include Durga, Draupadi, a goddess in Tamil stories, and Meenakshi.

Beyond Hinduism

Sikhism

In Sikhism, Vishnu is called Gorakh. In verse 5 of Japji Sahib, the Guru ('teacher') is praised for giving wisdom and helping people understand important truths. Guru Nanak taught that the Guru can be seen as different divine forces, yet there is one true force that cannot be fully described.

The Chaubis Avtar lists the 24 forms of Vishnu, including well-known figures like Krishna, Rama, and even Buddha. The Dasam Granth also includes stories about Vishnu that match those in Hindu traditions. Some Sikh groups believe the Gurus were forms of Vishnu because they brought hope during difficult times of persecution in the Mughal-era.

Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism

While some Hindus see Buddha as a form of Vishnu, people in Sri Lanka honor Vishnu as a guardian of their land and protector of Buddhism.

Vishnu is also called Upulvan or Upalavarṇā, meaning 'Blue Lotus coloured'. Some believe Upulvan was an old local god who later became linked with Vishnu. According to old stories from Sri Lanka, Buddha himself gave Vishnu the job of protecting the land. Others think Buddha gave this job to Sakra (Indra), who then asked Vishnu to help. Many places in Sri Lanka have shrines for Vishnu, and all Buddhist temples there usually include a small shrine for him nearby.

John Holt explains that Vishnu was one of many Hindu gods welcomed into Buddhist traditions in Sri Lanka, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries. Even though some Buddhist leaders today want to remove Vishnu from temples, his presence shows how cultures have mixed over time. Vishnu statues and carvings have also been found in places like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, showing his importance in ancient Southeast Asia.

Mahayana Buddhism

In Mahayana Buddhism, Vishnu is included among many gods and goddesses. These figures are linked to Avalokiteśvara, a kind and helpful Buddhist figure who can appear in different forms to guide people. For example, the Lotus Sūta says Avalokiteśvara can look like different gods to teach people.

Another writing, the Kāraṇḍavyūhasūtra, says Vishnu (along with other gods) comes from Avalokiteśvara. It explains that Narayana, another name for Vishnu, came from Avalokiteśvara's heart to help everyone. Some stories even call a mix of Vishnu and Shiva a bodhisattva, a very wise and kind person.

Archaeologists have found Vishnu statues from the 5th century in places like Indonesia, which was once home to many Buddhist traditions. Inscriptions and carvings showing Vishnu's "three steps" have also been discovered across southeast Asia. In Japan, Vishnu is known as Bichū-ten and appears in old Japanese Buddhist writings.

In science

4034 Vishnu is the name of an asteroid found by scientist Eleanor F. Helin. There is also a special type of rock called "Vishnu rocks" in the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. Large rock formations there are sometimes called Vishnu's temples.

Outside the Indian subcontinent

Indonesia

In Indonesia, Vishnu is known as Wisnu. He is a famous character in wayang (Indonesian puppetry). He is called Sanghyang Batara Wisnu and is the god of justice and welfare. Wisnu is the fifth son of Batara Guru and Batari Uma.

Wisnu has bluish-black or dark blue skin and four arms. Each arm holds a special item: a mace, a lotus, a trumpet, and a Cakra. He can grow to a very big size. According to Javanese mythology, Wisnu came to Earth as a king named Srimaharaja Suman in Medangpura, now in Central Java. He helped people face challenges and evil rulers. Wisnu's mount is a large garuda named Bhirawan.

Temples

Some of the oldest and most important Vishnu temples in India date back to the time of the Gupta Empire. The Sarvatobhadra temple in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, was built in the early 6th century. It shows the ten forms of Vishnu.

Archaeologists have found signs of Vishnu temples and images from as far back as the 1st century BCE. Important discoveries include old writings and structures in Rajasthan, a stone column in Naneghat cave in Maharashtra, and many findings in Mathura.

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, is a special temple dedicated to Vishnu. It has received many valuable gifts of gold and precious stones throughout its history.

List of temples

1. 108 Divya Desams
2. 108 Abhimana Kshethram
3. Padmanabhaswamy Temple
4. Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
5. Venkateswara Temple
6. Jagannath Temple, Puri
7. Badrinath Temple
8. Swaminarayan temples
9. Candi Wisnu, Prambanan, Java, Indonesia
10. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
11. Birla Mandir
12. Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh
13. Pundarikakshan Perumal Temple
14. Kallalagar temple, Madurai
15. Guruvayur Temple, Thrissur
16. Ananthapura Lake Temple, Kasaragod

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple covers 156 acres and has a wall that is over 4,100 meters long, making it one of the biggest religious places in the world.