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Vishnu
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Forotheruses,seeVishnu(disambiguation).
Vishnu(Sanskritpronunciation:[vu]Sanskrit:,
Viu)isa

Vishnu

centralgodandoneofthethreedeitiesof
thetrimurtiinHinduism.HeistheSupremegodSvayam
BhagavanofVaishnavism(oneoftheprincipaldenominations
ofHinduism).[1]HeisalsoknownasNarayanaandHari.As
oneofthefiveprimaryformsofGodin
theSmartatradition,[1]heisconceivedas"thePreserveror
theProtector"[2]
InHindusacredtexts,Vishnuisusuallydescribedashaving
darkcomplexionofwaterfilledcloudsandhavingfourarms.
Heisdepictedasapalebluebeing,asarehis
incarnationsRamaandKrishna.Heholdsapadma(lotus
flower)inhislowerlefthand,theKaumodakigada(mace)in
hislowerrighthand,thePanchajanyashankha(conch)inhis
upperlefthandandthediscusweaponconsideredtobethe
mostpowerfulweaponaccordingtoHindu
ReligionSudarshanaChakrainhisupperrighthand.
Contents[hide]
1Etymology
2SacredtextsShrutiandSmriti
3Shruti
3.1VaishnavaCanon
3.1.1Vedas
3.1.2Rigveda
3.1.3Threesteps
3.2Brahmanas
4Smriti
4.1VishnuSmriti

Vishnu
Devanagari

Sanskrittransliteration Viu
Tamilscript

Tamiltransliteration

Viu

Affiliation

SupremeBeing
SupremeGod
Trimurti
ParaBrahman

Abode

Vaikuntha
KsheeraSagara

Mantra

OmVishnaveNamah
OmNamoBhagavate
Vasudevaya
OmNamo

4.2BhagavataPurana
5Sangamliterature
6Theologicalattributes
6.1Fiveforms
7Relationswithdeities
7.1Shiva
7.2Lakshmi
7.3Garuda
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Narayanaya
HariOmHariOm

8Avatars
9BeyondHinduism
9.1Sikhism

Weapon

SudarshanaChakra
Kaumodakigada

Consort

Lakshmi

Mount

Garuda

9.2Buddhism
9.3Others
10ThousandnamesofVishnu
11Inpopularculture

Partofaserieson

12Seealso

Hinduism

13References
14Furtherreading
15Externallinks

Etymology

[ edit ]
HinduHistory

ThetraditionalexplanationofthenameVishnuinvolvesthe
rootvi,meaning"tosettle"(cognatewithLatinvicus,English

Concepts

[show]

wich"village,"Slavic:vasves),oralso(intheRigveda)"to

Schools

[show]

enterinto,topervade,"glossingthenameas"theAll

Deities

[show]

PervadingOne".[3]Yaska,anearlycommentatoron

Texts

[show]

Practices

[show]

Gurus,saints,philosophers

[show]

Othertopics

[show]

theVedas,inhisNirukta,(etymologicalinterpretation),defines
Vishnuasviurvivatervvyanoterv,"onewhoenters
everywhere".Healsowrites,athayadviitobhavatitad
vinurbhavati,"thatwhichisfreefromfettersandbondagesis

GlossaryofHinduismterms
Hinduismportal

Vishnu".[4]
AdiShankarainhiscommentaryontheSahasranamastates

VTE

derivationfromvi,withameaning"presenceeverywhere"
("Ashepervadeseverything,vevesti,heis
calledVishnu").AdiShankarastates(regardingVishnuPurana,
3.1.45):"ThePoweroftheSupremeBeinghasenteredwithinthe
universe.Therootvimeans'enterinto'."SwamiChinmayananda,in
histranslationofVishnuSahasranamafurtherelaboratesonthat
verse:"Therootvismeanstoenter.Theentireworldofthingsand
beingsispervadedbyHimandtheUpanishademphaticallyinsistsin
itsmantra'whateverthatisthereistheworldofchange.'Hence,it
meansthatHeisnotlimitedbyspace,timeorsubstance.
Chinmayanandastatesthat,thatwhichpervadeseverythingis
Vishnu."[5]

SacredtextsShrutiandSmriti

[ edit ]

Shrutiisconsideredtobesolelyofdivineorigin.Itispreservedasa
whole,insteadofversebyverse.Itincludesthe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu

A4th6thcenturyCESardonyx
sealrepresentingVishnuwitha
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fourVedas(Rigveda,Yajurveda,SamavedaandAtharvaveda)
theBrahmanas,theAranyakasandtheUpanishadswithcommentaries
onthem.

worshipper.Theinscriptionin
cursiveBactrianreads:"Mihira,
Vishnu(right)andShiva".

SmtireferstoalltheknowledgederivedandinculcatedafterShruti
hadbeenreceived.Smrtiisnot'divine'inorigin,butwas'remembered'bylaterRishis(sagesbyinsight,
whowerethescribes)bytranscendentalmeansandpasseddownthroughtheirfollowers.Itincludes
theBhagavataPuranaandtheVishnuPuranawhichareSattvaPuranas.[6]ThesebothdeclareVishnu
asParaBrahmanSupremeLordwhocreatesunlimiteduniversesandenterseachoneofthemasLordof
Universe.

Shruti

[ edit ]

VaishnavaCanon

[ edit ]

TheVaishnavacanonpresentsVishnuasthesupremebeing,rather
thananothernamefortheSunGod,whoalsoborethe
nameSuryanarayanaandisconsideredonlyasaformofVishnu.
Vedas [ edit ]
IntheYajurVeda,TaittiriyaAranyaka(10131),Narayanasuktam,
LordNarayanaismentionedasthesupremebeing.Thefirstverseof
NarayanaSuktammentionsthewords"paramampadam",which
literallymean"highestpost"andmaybeunderstoodasthe"supreme
abodeforallsouls".ThisisalsoknownasParamDhama,
Paramapadam,orVaikuntha.RigVeda1:22:20aalsomentionsthe
same"paramampadam".Thisspecialstatusisnotgiventoanydeity

A13thcenturyCambodianstatue
ofVishnu

intheVedasapartfromLordVishnu/Narayana.[citationneeded]Narayana
isoneofthethousandnamesofVishnuasmentioned
intheVishnuSahasranama.[7]ItdescribesVishnuas
theAllPervadingessenceofallbeings,themasterof
andbeyondthepast,presentandfuture,onewho
supports,sustainsandgovernstheUniverseand
originatesanddevelopsallelementswithin.This
illustratestheomnipresentcharacteristicofVishnu.
Vishnugovernstheaspectofpreservationand
sustenanceoftheuniverse,soheiscalled"Preserver
oftheuniverse".
VishnuistheSupremeGodwhotakesmanifestforms
oravatarsacrossvariousagesorperiodstosave

SeshashayinformofVishnu

humanityfromevilbeings,demonsorAsuras.
AccordingtotheextantHindutextsandtraditions,LordVishnuisconsideredtoberesidentinthedirection
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ofthe"MakaraRashi"(the"ShravanaNakshatra"),whichisaboutcoincidentwiththeCapricorn
constellation.[8]InsomeoftheextantPuranas,andVaishnavatraditions,Vishnu'seyeisconsideredtobe
situatedattheinfinitelydistantSouthernCelestialPole.[9]
FollowingthedefeatofIndraandhisdisplacementastheLordofHeavenorSwarga,IndraasksLord
VishnuforhelpandthusLordVishnutakeshisincarnationsoravatarstoEarthtosavemankind,thus
showinghispositionasSupremeGodtoallofcreation.
InthePuranas,Indrafrequentlyappearsproudandhaughty.Thesebadqualitiesaretemporarilyremoved
whenBrahmaand/orShivagiveboonstoAsurasorRakshasassuch
asHiranyaksha,HiranyakashipuandRavana,whoarethenabletodefeatIndrainwars
betweenDevasandAsuras.ThereceivedboonsoftenmadeAsurasvirtuallyindestructible.
IndrahasnooptionbuttoseekhelpfromVishnu.IndrapraysbeforeVishnuforprotectionandthe
SupremeLordobligeshimbytakingavatarsandgeneratinghimselfonEarthinvariousforms,firstasa
waterdweller(Matsya,fish),thenasanamphibiouscreature(KurmaavatarorTortoise),thenasahalf
manhalfanimal(VarahatheBoarfaced,humanbodiedLord,andNarasimhatheLordwithlion'sfaceand
clawsandahumanbody).Later,Vishnuappearsashumanbeings(Vamanatheshortheightedperson),
Parashurama,Rama,Balarama[orBuddhaaccordingtocertainschools],Krishna,andfinallyasKalkifor
performinghistaskofprotectinghisdevoteesfromdemonsandantireligiousentities.
Vishnu'ssupremacyisattestedbyhisvictoriesoverthoseverypowerfulentities.Itisfurtherattestedbythe
acceptediconographyandsculpturesofVishnuinrecliningpositionasproducingBrahmaemergingfrom
hisnavel.BrahmathecreatoristhuscreatedinturnbyVishnuoutofhisownperson.InsteadVishnutakes
variousavatarstoslayordefeatthosedemons.ButitistobenotedthatVishnualsoprovidedboonsto
Akupresura,abearfaceddemonwhowasdestroyedbyLordShiva.[10][11]
Vishnu'sactionsloweredIndra'srankingamongHindudeitiesandledtotheascendancyofVishnu.[10]
Rigveda [ edit ]
IntheRigveda,Vishnuismentioned93times.Heisfrequentlyinvoked
alongsideotherdeities,especiallyIndra,whomhehelpsin
killingVritraandwithwhomhedrinksSoma.Hisdistinguishing
characteristicintheVedasishisassociationwithlight.TwoRigvedic
hymnsinMandala7arededicatedtoVishnu.In7.99,Vishnuis
addressedasthegodwhoseparatesheavenandearth,a
characteristicheshareswithIndra.
TheRigVedadescribesVishnuasclosefriendofIndra.InVaishnava
canonthe'Vishnu'whoisyoungerbrothertoIndraisidentified
asVamana,AvatarofVishnu,hencereferredtoasVishnuby
Vaishnavites.[10][12]VishnuistheSupremeGodwholivesinthe
highestcelestialregion,contrastedagainstthosewholiveinthe
atmosphericorterrestrialregions.Vishnuiscontentwithmereprayer,
unlikealmostalloftheothergodswhoreceivesacrificialofferings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu

12thcenturystonesculptureof
GodVishnuflankedbytwoapsaras
onewithafan(left)andtheother
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suchasHavis,whichisgivenusingclarifiedbutter,orSoma.[12]Later

withTumburu(right).

foreigntranslatorshaveview[citationneeded]thatVedasplaceIndraina
superiorpositiontoVishnu'sAvatarofVamanabutinfactVamana
helpsIndrabyrestoringhisKingdom.
JanGonda,thelateIndologist,statesthatVishnu,althoughremaining
inthebackgroundofIndra'sexploits,contributesbyhispresence,oris
keytoIndra'ssuccess.Vishnuismorethanamerecompanion,equal
inrankorpowertoIndra,orsometimetheonewhomadeIndra's
successpossible.
DescriptionsofVishnuasyoungertoIndraarefoundinonlythe
hymnstoIndra,butinakathenotheismreligionlikethatoftheRigveda,
eachgod,foratime,issupremeinthemindofthedevotee.

LordVishnu(Sheshnarayan)in
asmallpondoutsideSheshnarayan
Temple,Kathmandu

IntheRigVedictexts,thedeityorgodreferredtoasVishnuistheSun
God,whoalsobearsthename'Suryanarayana'.Bycontrast,the'Vishnu'referredtoin'VishnuPurana',
'VishnuSahasranamam'and'PurushaSktam'isLordNarayana,theConsortofLakshmi.Vaishnavites
makeafurtherdistinctionbyextollingthequalitiesofVishnubyhighlightinghisdifferencesfromother
deitiessuchasShiva,[citationneeded]BrahmaorSurya.[10]
Threesteps [ edit ]
Hymn7.100referstothecelebrated'threesteps'ofVishnu(as
Trivikrama)bywhichhestrodeovertheuniverseandinthree
placesplantedhisstep.The'VishnuSuktam'(RV1.154)saysthat
thefirstandsecondofVishnu'sstrides(thoseencompassingthe
earthandair)arevisibletomenandthethirdisintheheightsof
heaven(sky).ThislastplaceisdescribedasVishnu'ssupreme
abodeinRV1.22.20:
Theprincesevermorebehold/thatloftiestplace
where
GodVishnuis/Laidasitwereaneyeinheaven.
(trans.Griffith)
Griffith's"princes"arethesri,either"inciters"orlordsofa
sacrifice,orpriestschargedwithpressingtheSoma.Theverseis

GodVishnuBronze,10th11th
century,Coimbatore,TamilNadu,India

quotedasexpressingVishnu'ssupremacybyVaishnavites.
ThoughsuchsolaraspectshavebeenassociatedwithVishnubytraditionaswellasmodern
scholarship,[citationneeded]hewasnotjusttherepresentationofthesun,ashemovesbothverticallyand
horizontally.
Inhymns1.22.17,1.154.3,1.154.4hestridesacrosstheearthwiththreesteps,in6.49.13,7.100.3strides
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acrosstheearththreetimesandin1.154.1,1.155.5,7.29.7hestridesvertically,withthefinalstepinthe
heavens.ThesameVedaalsosayshestrodewideandcreatedspaceinthecosmosforIndratofight
Vritra.Byhisstridehemadedwellingformenpossible,thethreeformingasymbolicrepresentationofthe
dwelling'sallencompassingnature.ThisnatureandbenevolencetomenwereVishnu'senduring
attributes.AsthetriplestriderheisknownasTrivikramaandasUrukrama,forthestrideswerewide.

Brahmanas

[ edit ]

TheBrahmanasarecommentariesontheVedasandformpartof
theShrutiliterature.Theyareconcernedwiththedetailofthe
properperformanceofrituals.IntheRigveda,
ShakalaShakha:AitareyaBrahmanaVerse1declares:agnirvai
devnmavamoviuparamus,tadantareasarvany
devatAgniisthelowestoryoungestgodandVishnuisthe
greatestandthehighestGod.
TheBrahmanasassertthesupremacyofLordVishnu,addressing
himas"Gajapati",theonewhomallsacrificesaremeanttoplease.
LordVishnuacceptsallsacrificestothedemigodsandallotsthe
respectivefruitstotheperformer.Inoneincident,ademonic
personperformsasacrificebyabductingtheRishis(sages),who
meditatebyconstantlychantingGod'sname.Thesacrificeis
meanttodestroyIndra.Buttherishis,whoworshipIndraasa
demigod,alteronepronunciationoftheVedaMantra,reversingthe
purposeofthesacrifice.Whenthefruitofthesacrificeisgivenand

Astatue
inBangkok,ThailanddepictingGod
VishnumountedonhisvahanaGaruda,
theeagle

thedemonisonthevergeofdying,hecallstoVishnu,whomhe
addressesasSupremeGodheadand"thefatherofalllivingentities
includinghimself".
AitareyaBrahmana1:1:1mentionsVishnuastheSupremeGod.ButintheVaishnavacanon,indifferent
ages,withVishnuindifferentavatars,hisrelationshipwiththeasurasordemons,wasalwaysadversarial.
Theasurasalwayscausedharm,whilethesagesanddevasorcelestialbeings,didpenanceandcalledto
Vishnuforprotection.Vishnualwaysobligedbytakinganavatartovanquishtheasuras.IntheVaishnava
canon,Vishnunevergaveorgrantedanyboonstotheasuras,distinguishinghimfromthegodsShivaand
Brahma,whodid.HeistheonlyGodcalledupontosavegoodbeingsbydefeatingorkillingtheasuras.[10]
SayanawritesthatinAitareyaBrahmana1:1:1thedeclarationagnirvaidevnmavamoviu
paramus,tadantareasarvanydevatdoesnotindicateanyhierarchyamonggods.EveninRigveda
Samhita,avamaandparamaarenotappliedtodenoterankanddignity,butonlytomarkplaceand
locality.
InRigveda1:108:9,:yadindrghnavamasypthivymadhyamasyparamasymutastha|i.e.,in
thelowestplace,themiddle(place),andthehighest(place).Agni,thefire,has,amongthegods,the
lowestplaceforheresideswithmanontheearthwhiletheothergodsareeitherintheair,orinthesky.
Vishnuoccupiesthehighestplace.Thewordsavamaandparamaareunderstoodas'First'and'Last'
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respectively.Tosupportthisclaim,Sayanaadducesthemantra(1,4.As'val.Sr.S.4,2),agnirmukham
prathamodevathanamsamathanamuttamovishnurasit,i.e.,Agniwasthefirstofthedeitiesassembled,
(and)Vishnuthelast.
IntheKausitakiBrahmana(7.1)AgniiscalledAaradhya(insteadofavama),andVisnuparardha(insteadof
parama),i.e.,belongingtothelowerandhigherhalves(orformingthelowerandhigherhalves).[13]The
VishnuPuranagivestremendousimportancetotheworshipofVishnuandmentionsthatsacrificesareto
beginonlywithboththelightingoffireor'Agni',pouringofsacrificialofferingstoVishnuin'Agni'sothat
thoseofferingsreachandareacceptedbyVishnu.WorshipofVishnuthroughYajnas(orHomams)and
otherrituals,willnotachievethedesiredresultifAgni'sroleisneglected.[10].Mahabharata(Vanaparva
CCXX)describesVishnuasoneofthefortyninefires"Andthefireinwhosehonouroblationsofclarified
butterareenjoinedtobemadehereattheDarsaandPaurnamasyasacrificesandwhoisknownasVishnu
inthisworld,is(thethirdsonofBhanu)calledAngiras,orDhritiman."
Mullersays"Althoughthegodsaresometimesdistinctlyinvokedasthegreatandthesmall,theyoungand
theold(Rigveda1:27:13),thisisonlyanattempttofindthemostcomprehensiveexpressionforthedivine
powers,andnowhereisanyofthegodsrepresentedasthesubordinatetoothers.Itwouldbeeasytofind,
inthenumeroushymnsoftheVeda,passagesinwhichalmosteverysinglegodisrepresentedas
supremeandabsolute."[14]

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