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Hindu God Vishnu the
Preserver
"Only the unlearned deem
myself (Vishnu) and Shiva to be distinct; he , I , and Brahma are one,
assuming different names for the creation, preservation and destruction of
the universe. We, as the triune Self, pervade all creatures; the
wise therefore regard all others as themselves."
~ Vishnu explains the Nature of the
Trinity (trimurti)~
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Vishnu
is one of the principal Hindu deities, worshipped as the protector and
preserver of the world and restorer of dharma (moral order). He is
known chiefly through his
avatars (incarnations), particularly
Rama, Krishna and
Buddha. In theory, Vishnu manifests a portion of
himself anytime he is needed to fight evil, and his appearances are
innumerable; but in practice, ten incarnations are most commonly
recognized.
Vishnu appears
to be a prime example of how older gods and cults have been
absorbed into Hinduism. Thought to be linked with an
earlier sun god,
Vishnu's ten incarnations may also be examples
of older gods that have been amalgamated.
Vaishnavites,
one of the largest Hindu groups, are the devotees of
Vishnu as Ishvara, the Supreme Being, worshipped in the forms of his
manifestations or incarnations. Because of his pervasive
presence, images as the focus of worship are of great
importance, as are temple architecture and carving.
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Nine Avatars of Vishnu |
Vishnu's
preserving, restoring, and protecting powers have been manifested in the
world in a series of ten earthly incarnations known as avatars. The
avatars arrive either to prevent a great evil or to effect good upon the
earth. Nine are said to have descended already: three in nonhuman
form, one in hybrid form and five in human form. The most important
are Rama, fearless upholder of the law of dharma
and Krishna, youthful hero of the
Bhagavad
Gita
Vishnu's final avatar is expected to arrive at a time when the earth is at
the end of its present cycle, with the purpose of destroying the world and
subsequently recreating it.
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Matsya
the Fish - Saved humanity and
the sacred Veda text from the flood.
The first
avatar, Matsya the fish, was taken by
Vishnu at the end of the last Kalpa
or age, when there was a deluge that destroyed the world. Choosing a
sage, Rishi Satyavrata,
Lord Vishnu commanded him to gather together the
seven great sages, samples of the birds, animals, plants and seeds and
wait in a boat. The gigantic golden fish then dragged the boat through
the turbulent oceans all through the long night till the storm ended and
Brahma created the present world. The story is very similar to the story
of Noah and the arc from the old testament of the Bible.
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Kurma
the Turtle - Helped create the
world by supporting it on his back.
Vishnu’s
second avatar was Kurma the tortoise sent to help the Devas (heavenly
beings or lesser gods). Obtain the nectar of immortality which the Asuras
(demons) also sought. The Devas and Asuras churned the ocean to get this
nectar, using a giant snake, Vasuki, as the churning rope and Mount
Mandara as the churning rod. To prevent the mountain from sinking into
the ocean, Vishnu as a giant tortoise supported the mountain under water
until ht nectar of immorality emerged which
Vishnu gave to the Devas
alone.
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Varaha
the Boar - Raised the earth out
of water with his tusks.
At the end
of the last deluge in the last Kalpa or age, Bhoomi
Devi (Mother Earth)
sank to the bottom of the ocean.
Vishnu, taking the form of a large boar,
Varaha, dived into the ocean and carried the goddess out of the ocean
supported by his two tusks and his massive snout.
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Narasimha,
half-man, half lion -
Destroyed
a tyrant demon king.
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Vamana
the Dwarf - Subdued king Bali, a
powerful demon.
In order to
destroy Bali, king of demons,
Vishnu took the form of a midget, Vamana.
He appeared during a huge yajna or sacrifice being conducted by the king
when the latter was arrogantly distributing gifts to all who asked it to
show his power and wealth. Vamana asked for just three feet of land,
measured by own small feet. With the first foot Vamana, exploding in size
changing from the midget into the immense god
Vishnu, covered the earth.
With the second he covered the heavens. When there was no place for the
third foot to land, Bali, to show his humility before the god
Vishnu,
offered his head for
Vishnu’s third foot. Vishnu third foot pushed him
down into the nether regions but Bali's act of humility before Vishnu was
glorified throughout the ages.
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Parashurama
the Brahmin - Destroyed the
warrior caste.
When the
Kings of the earth became autocratic and started to harm ordinary people
and sages in the forest,
Vishnu took the Avatar of Parasurama and
destroyed all the princes who were harassing the people.
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Rama
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Rescued his wife, Sita, with
his loyal servant
Hanuman and his brother, Lakshmana, and
killed the demon Ravana. |
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Krishna
- told the Epic poem
Bhagavad
Gita to the warrior Arjuna.
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Buddha
- The enlightened one.
When the priesthood became arrogant and
priests used rituals to exploit the people.
Vishnu took the Avatar of the
Buddha to purify Hindu practices of excessive ritualism. He taught that
all sorrow stemmed from attachments and desires. He also advocated a
Middle path consisting of the eight fold path.
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Kalki
the Horse - Yet to come to the
earth.
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In
sculpture the standing
Vishnu is dressed in royal garments and holds in
his four, sometimes two, hands the sankha (conch), cakra
(discus), gada (mace), or padma (lotus). On his chest
is the curl of hair known as the srivatsa mark a sign of his
immortality. Around his neck he wears the auspicious jewel
Kaustubha.
The conch
represents "Om",
the first sound of creation and also the beginning of matter,
since sound and matter are consider to be synonymous.
The discus is
thought to represent the sun.
Vishnu, like
Shiva, was
originally a minor deity with only five out to 1,028 hymns in the
Rig Veda addressed to him. He seems to have been derived
from a solar deity. The discus is a vestige of his
solar origins.
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Vishnu's consort is the goddess Lakshmi.
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Garuda, the
giant eagle or kite, is
Vishnu's vehicle. He is often
shown as a winged human-shaped figure with a beaklike
nose. Garuda carries Vishnu to Vaikuntha (heaven) where he
lives.
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