Vishnu was married to Lakshmi (the goddess of good fortune), Sarawati (the goddess of wisdom) and Ganga (the goddess who is the personification of the River Ganges). However, unable to live with the quarrels between his three wives, Vishnu eventually sent Ganga to Shiva and Sarawati to Brahma. In some accounts, another wife of Vishnu’s is Bhumi-Devi (goddess of the Earth). He is considered to live in the city of Vaikuntha on Mt. Meru, where everything is made of shining gold and fabulous jewels and where there are lakes resplendent with lotus flowers.
Vishnu has ten avatars or worldly appearances, which are people, animals or a mix of both. He is Buddha, the heroes: Krishna, Rama and Parashurama, Nara-Simha or Narasimba (the man-lion), Vamana (the dwarf), Matsya (the fish), Kurma (the tortoise), Varaha (the boar) and finally he will be Kalki, who will appear when the world ends, riding a white horse and heralding the start of a new golden age.
Stories
Like any major god, Vishnu is involved in a number of colourful stories which illustrate his virtues as the protector of cosmic order. As Varaha, the gigantic boar, he defeated the giant Daitya after Hiranyaksha had mischievously taken the Earth (Bhumi-devi) to the bottom of the sea. The incredible fight between the two lasted for a thousand years but Vishnu prevailed and finally raised the Earth from the watery depths, carrying it on his tusk.
In the Baghavata-Purana, a collection of Vaishnavite stories, Vishnu is also credited with giving all the other gods the gift of immortality. The story goes that the gods wanted to churn up the ocean of milk in order to create the nectar (amrita) which gave its drinker eternal life. To mix the ocean they decided to use the holy Mt. Mandara with the giant serpent Vasuki (or Ananta) as a turning rope; one end to be pulled by Demons and the other by the gods. However, neither group could handle such a weight and they called for Vishnu to hold it. This he did in the form of Kurma, the giant tortoise, supporting the mountain on his shell. The nectar was duly created from the foaming sea but the Demons, true to character, tried to make off with it. Fortunately, Vishnu interceded in the form of the beautiful Maya (the personification of Illusion) and, suitably distracted, the Demons relinquished the nectar which Vishnu graciously gave to the gods, allowing them the possibility of immortality.
Vishnu appears as another avatar in the form of the fish Matsya. Manu, the sage and son of Vivsavat-Sun, was washing in a river one day when a small fish suddenly jumped into his hand. About to throw the fish back into the water, he was stopped by the pleadings of the fish, who was afraid of the monsters that might eat him. Manu, therefore, kept the fish in a small bowl but, overnight, the fish grew bigger and so had to be moved to a jar. Still the fish kept growing and so Manu threw it into a lake. However, the fish continued to grow and reached such a prodigious size that Manu was obliged to put it into the sea. The fish then made a prophecy that in seven days there would be a great flood but Manu was not to worry about this catastrophe as the fish would send him a large boat so that he might escape unharmed. The fish instructed Manu to fill the boat with pairs of all the creatures of the world and seeds of all the plants and, during the flood, to tie his boat to the fish by using a giant snake – Vasuki. After some time, just as the fish had predicted, the ocean slowly and relentlessly rose up and flooded the world. Vishnu then reappeared on the scene as the gigantic fish, this time with golden scales and a single horn, and carrying the promised ship for Manu. The sage promptly boarded with his vast collection of animals and so, by surviving the flood, became the founder of the human race.
Avatars
The three previously mentioned avatars of Vishnu all appeared in the first creation stage of the kalpa – or worldly cycle, of which each breath of the god is one cycle. The next stage involved the battle with demons for control of the world. Here Vishnu appeared as both the hero Rama, who had many adventures fighting rakshasas and as the axe-wielding monk, Parasurama, who fought the kshatriyas.
As a warning to unbelievers, Vishnu appeared as the man-lion Nara-Simha when Hiranya-Kasipu (King of the Asuras or Demons) not only impiously called for people to worship him as a god but also foolishly challenged Vishnu to show himself there and then if the god really were omnipresent. Lo and behold, Vishnu immediately leapt from a nearby column and, in the form of a ferocious lion, ripped the unbeliever to pieces with his claws and made a fearsome necklace of his entrails. Compelling evidence indeed, of the dangers of impiety.
In the third phase of the kalpa, Vishnu appeared as Buddha and Krishna, both important figures in their own right. Krishna, or the ‘Black Prince’, was reared in the forests by cowherds after his mother, Devaki, feared for the safety of her eighth child after his uncle Kamsa had received a prophesy that he would be killed by his eighth nephew. Brought up by the shepherd Nanda and his wife, the young Krishna already displayed his divine capabilities by performing prodigious feats of strength and he also killed many demons and monsters. He was, perhaps unsurprisingly, also greatly admired by the ladies of the forest. However, this idyllic existence came to an abrupt end when his mother cursed her son for not having intervened in the great battle between the warring families of the Kurus and Pandus (although Krishna was, in fact, present at the Battle of Kurukshetra in the form of Prince Arjuna’s charioteer, as told in The Bhagavad-Gita). Consequently, while peacefully meditating one day, he was struck by a wayward arrow from a hapless hunter and alas the arrow hit his one weak spot – his heel. It was said that to mark such a sad end to such a popular figure, even the sun itself died with him.
In Hindu art Vishnu is variously portrayed depending on specific cultures – Indian, Cambodian, Javanese etc. but he is most often depicted coloured blue and sometimes rides Garuda, a gigantic half-man, half-bird creature which devours snakes. On occasion he sleeps on the giant snake Sesha (or Ananta), whose seven heads form a canopy over the god. His weapon is the Sudarsanacakra or discus (chakra), perhaps representative of his association with the sun but also, with its thousand spokes, symbolic of the wheel of time. He often holds various other objects in his (usually) four hands such as a conch shell trumpet which sounds the Creation, a mace (gada) or a sword which represents strength, and a lotus, representing freedom and the beauty of life.
Lord Vishnu is one of the most important gods in the Hindu pantheon and, along with Brahma and Shiva, is considered a member of the holy trinity (trimurti) of Hinduism. He is the most important god of Vaishnaism, the largest Hindu sect. Indeed, to illustrate Vishnu’s superior status, Brahma is, in some accounts, considered to have been born from a lotus flower which grew from Vishnu’s naval. A complex character, Vishnu is the Preserver and guardian of men (Narayana), he protects the order of things (dharma) and, when necessary, he appears on earth in various incarnations or avatars to fight demons and fierce creatures and so maintain cosmic harmony.
Vishnu was married to Lakshmi (the goddess of good fortune), Sarawati (the goddess of wisdom) and Ganga (the goddess who is the personification of the River Ganges). However, unable to live with the quarrels between his three wives, Vishnu eventually sent Ganga to Shiva and Sarawati to Brahma. In some accounts, another wife of Vishnu’s is Bhumi-Devi (goddess of the Earth). He is considered to live in the city of Vaikuntha on Mt. Meru, where everything is made of shining gold and fabulous jewels and where there are lakes resplendent with lotus flowers.
Vishnu has ten avatars or worldly appearances, which are people, animals or a mix of both. He is Buddha, the heroes: Krishna, Rama and Parashurama, Nara-Simha or Narasimba (the man-lion), Vamana (the dwarf), Matsya (the fish), Kurma (the tortoise), Varaha (the boar) and finally he will be Kalki, who will appear when the world ends, riding a white horse and heralding the start of a new golden age.
Like any major god, Vishnu is involved in a number of colourful stories which illustrate his virtues as the protector of cosmic order. As Varaha, the gigantic boar, he defeated the giant Daitya after Hiranyaksha had mischievously taken the Earth (Bhumi-devi) to the bottom of the sea. The incredible fight between the two lasted for a thousand years but Vishnu prevailed and finally raised the Earth from the watery depths, carrying it on his tusk.
In the Baghavata-Purana, a collection of Vaishnavite stories, Vishnu is also credited with giving all the other gods the gift of immortality. The story goes that the gods wanted to churn up the ocean of milk in order to create the nectar (amrita) which gave its drinker eternal life. To mix the ocean they decided to use the holy Mt. Mandara with the giant serpent Vasuki (or Ananta) as a turning rope; one end to be pulled by Demons and the other by the gods. However, neither group could handle such a weight and they called for Vishnu to hold it. This he did in the form of Kurma, the giant tortoise, supporting the mountain on his shell. The nectar was duly created from the foaming sea but the Demons, true to character, tried to make off with it. Fortunately, Vishnu interceded in the form of the beautiful Maya (the personification of Illusion) and, suitably distracted, the Demons relinquished the nectar which Vishnu graciously gave to the gods, allowing them the possibility of immortality.
Vishnu appears as another avatar in the form of the fish Matsya. Manu, the sage and son of Vivsavat-Sun, was washing in a river one day when a small fish suddenly jumped into his hand. About to throw the fish back into the water, he was stopped by the pleadings of the fish, who was afraid of the monsters that might eat him. Manu, therefore, kept the fish in a small bowl but, overnight, the fish grew bigger and so had to be moved to a jar. Still the fish kept growing and so Manu threw it into a lake. However, the fish continued to grow and reached such a prodigious size that Manu was obliged to put it into the sea. The fish then made a prophecy that in seven days there would be a great flood but Manu was not to worry about this catastrophe as the fish would send him a large boat so that he might escape unharmed. The fish instructed Manu to fill the boat with pairs of all the creatures of the world and seeds of all the plants and, during the flood, to tie his boat to the fish by using a giant snake – Vasuki. After some time, just as the fish had predicted, the ocean slowly and relentlessly rose up and flooded the world. Vishnu then reappeared on the scene as the gigantic fish, this time with golden scales and a single horn, and carrying the promised ship for Manu. The sage promptly boarded with his vast collection of animals and so, by surviving the flood, became the founder of the human race.
The three previously mentioned avatars of Vishnu all appeared in the first creation stage of the kalpa – or worldly cycle, of which each breath of the god is one cycle. The next stage involved the battle with demons for control of the world. Here Vishnu appeared as both the hero Rama, who had many adventures fighting rakshasas and as the axe-wielding monk, Parasurama, who fought the kshatriyas.
One of the more famous episodes involving the god in this second phase of the world is the Legend of the Three Steps. In the battle between gods and giants for control of the world, the latter were gaining the upper hand. However, Vishnu was persuaded by the gods to interrupt his meditations and confront the giant warrior Bali, which he did in the form of a dwarf Brahman (or priest) called Vamana. Vishnu offered a compromise: if the fighting stopped, the gods would settle for a small territory covered by three of Vamana’s steps and the giants could have the rest of the universe. Looking at the tiny legs of the dwarf, this seemed a good bargain and so Bali agreed. The dwarf was really of course a great god though and with his first step he cleared the sky, with the second the Earth and, with his final step, the Underworld, thus leaving nothing for the poor giants. For this reason, Vishnu is often also called Trivikrama, meaning ‘of the three steps’. The story may also represent the three movements of the sun: rise, zenith and setting. Certainly, Vishnu was associated with the sun, as one of his other names suggests – Surya Narayana.
As a warning to unbelievers, Vishnu appeared as the man-lion Nara-Simha when Hiranya-Kasipu (King of the Asuras or Demons) not only impiously called for people to worship him as a god but also foolishly challenged Vishnu to show himself there and then if the god really were omnipresent. Lo and behold, Vishnu immediately leapt from a nearby column and, in the form of a ferocious lion, ripped the unbeliever to pieces with his claws and made a fearsome necklace of his entrails. Compelling evidence indeed, of the dangers of impiety.
In the third phase of the kalpa, Vishnu appeared as Buddha and Krishna, both important figures in their own right. Krishna, or the ‘Black Prince’, was reared in the forests by cowherds after his mother, Devaki, feared for the safety of her eighth child after his uncle Kamsa had received a prophesy that he would be killed by his eighth nephew. Brought up by the shepherd Nanda and his wife, the young Krishna already displayed his divine capabilities by performing prodigious feats of strength and he also killed many demons and monsters. He was, perhaps unsurprisingly, also greatly admired by the ladies of the forest. However, this idyllic existence came to an abrupt end when his mother cursed her son for not having intervened in the great battle between the warring families of the Kurus and Pandus (although Krishna was, in fact, present at the Battle of Kurukshetra in the form of Prince Arjuna’s charioteer, as told in The Bhagavad-Gita). Consequently, while peacefully meditating one day, he was struck by a wayward arrow from a hapless hunter and alas the arrow hit his one weak spot – his heel. It was said that to mark such a sad end to such a popular figure, even the sun itself died with him.
In Hindu art Vishnu is variously portrayed depending on specific cultures – Indian, Cambodian, Javanese etc. but he is most often depicted coloured blue and sometimes rides Garuda, a gigantic half-man, half-bird creature which devours snakes. On occasion he sleeps on the giant snake Sesha (or Ananta), whose seven heads form a canopy over the god. His weapon is the Sudarsanacakra or discus (chakra), perhaps representative of his association with the sun but also, with its thousand spokes, symbolic of the wheel of time. He often holds various other objects in his (usually) four hands such as a conch shell trumpet which sounds the Creation, a mace (gada) or a sword which represents strength, and a lotus, representing freedom and the beauty of life.
Lord Vishnu Family
Lord Vishnu’s consort is Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth.
Lord Vishnu Mantra
“Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya”
(ॐ नमोः नारायणाय. ॐ नमोः भगवते वासुदेवाय)
Lord Vishnu Avatars – Dashavatar
Following is an overview of the 10 principal avatars of Vishnu:
First incarnation of Vishnu : Matsya or the Fish incarnation : in this form Vishnu saved the Saint Vaivaswata, the hindu variety of the biblical Noah (or vice versa).
Second incarnation of Vishnu : Kurma or the Turtle incarnation : at the Churning of the Ocean, Vishnu as Koorma (or Kurma) offered his back as a pivot on which to rest the Mount Mandara, used as a churning stick by gods and demons. More information also on the Kurma page.
Third incarnation of Vishnu : Varaha or the Boar incarnation of Vishnu : he killed the demon Hiranyaksha, recovered the stolen Veda’s and released the Earth from the bottom of the ocean.
Fourth incarnation of Vishnu : Narasingha or the Lion incarnation : as a creature who was half-lion and half-man, Vishnu killed the demon Hiranyashasipu, brother of Niranyaksha, who had gained the boon of immunity from attacks by man, beast or god.
Fifth incarnation of Vishnu : Vamana or the Dwarf incarnation : he killed the demon Bali, who had gained dominion over the Earth and had chased the gods from the heavens. More can be read on the Vamana page.
Sixth incarnation of Vishnu : Parasurama : he killed the King Kartavirya, who had stolen the holy cow Kamadhenu, which could grant all desires.
Seventh incarnation of Vishnu : Ram : he killed the demon King Ravana, who had abducted Sita. More on Ram can be read on the Ramayana page.
Eigth incarnation of Vishnu : Krishna : he killed Kansa, son of a demon and the tyrannical King of Mathura. More on Krishna can be read in the Life of Krishna.
Ninth incarnation of Vishnu : Buddha : Vishnu incarnated to remove suffering from the world. More on Buddha can be read on the Buddha page. While some Hindus may oppose to seeing Buddha as a Vishnu incarnation, many other Hindus in fact embrace Buddha as such and worship Buddha both in Buddhist temples as in Hindu temples.
Tenth Incarnation of Vishnu : Kalki : still to come at the end of the Kaliyuga or the present age of decline, when Vishnu will appear in person on Earth, seated on a white horse, Kalki, which is his tenth incarnation.
Other Lord Vishnu Avatars
These are gods who descended into this world for a specific task and with an aspect of Lord Vishnu. Mention may be made of Dattatreya, Kapila, Dhanvantari, Mohini, Hayagriva, Naranarayana, Vedavyasa and Yajna.
Lord Vishnu Temples
Lord Vishnu is one of the widely worshiped gods in India. In Hinduism, Vishnu is one of the five primary gods. In Hinduism Vishnu is worshiped as Preserver of the universe. He is married to Lakshmi, goddess of wealth. Every time mankind faced a threat from demon, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu came to earth to save humanity. Today some of the grandest and wealthiest temples in India are dedicated to Lord Vishnu or his incarnations. Here are some must visit temples of Lord Vishnu in India.
Badrinath Temple
The most important temple of Lord Vishnu is Badrinath temple. It is also most important of four char dham yatra destinations. It is believed that idol of Lord Vishnu inside the temple was found by Adi Shankara in the Alaknanda river. He had a dream in which Lord Vishnu directed him to dive in the river and recover the idol. Since them, Badrinath, a hill station in Uttarakhand has become an important pilgrimage spot. During the summer months, when the gates of temple are opened, millions of devotees flock to Badrinath. It is also believed that Badrinath is permanent residence of Lord Vishnu.
Jagannath Puri Temple
Similarly to Badrinath, Puri is also a char dham destination. The main temple here is dedicated to Lord Krishna who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Jagannath Puri temple is one of the holiest temples in India. It was built some 1500 years ago. Even today it does not allow non Hindus to enter the main hall of the temple. Despite that thousands of non Hindus travel Puri just to see amazing architecture of the temple from outside. The best time to visit Puri is the cooler months of October to March. However devotees should also consider the months of June and July when annual rath yatra takes place in Puri. It is one of the biggest religious events in the world.
Dwarkadhish Temple
Interestingly, Dwarka too is part of char dham yatra. Three out of four temples mentioned in the holy char dham yatra are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Dwarka is a coastal city in Gujarat. It is believed to be built by none other than Lord Krishna. The Dwarkadhish temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and it was built by his great grandson. Although over the years the temple went through major renovation by Kings in the region. Make sure you include a visit to Dwarkadhish temple. The best time perhaps is around Janamashtmi which takes place either in August or September.
Kesava Deo Temple
This temple is built on one of the most sacred sites for Hindus in India. The Kesava Deo Temple also known as Krishna Janmasthan is built exactly on the prison where Lord Krishna was born. It is believed that the first temple was built around 5000 years ago by great grandson of Lord Krishna. Over the years Muslims destroyed the temple several times. Last time around Aurangzeb destroyed the sacred Hindu temple in 1670 and a mosque was built. However in 1965, the temple was once again constructed but was forced to share the space with a mosque. The temple is located in the holy city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
Also known as Tirupati Balaji is one of the most popular Lord Vishnu temples in India. At present it is second richest temple in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara which is a form of Vishnu. The name Venkateswara means Lord who destroys the sins of people. It is believed that Lord Venkateswara will remain in this temple till the end of Kali Yuga. Around 75,000 devotees visit the temple every day. It is the most visited temple in the world. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is located near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.
Lord Vishnu Festival and Vrats
Several Festivals are celebrated in glory of the Lord Vishnu in all parts of the country, these are held to celebrate the many trimphs of the Lord.
- Chaturmasa
Vishnu rests on Anant- Sesha the four rainy months every year. This period is known as Chaturmasa the time of social dormancy when journeys are not undertaken and marriages are not solemnized. People stay at home and pray because the sun is on its inauspious southern course, the dakshinayana making the nights longer and days colder.
The divine retreat begins on Shayani-ekadashi, the eleventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Ashadha and ends the four months. On the eleventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Kartika, Prabodhini- ekadashi.
The new moon night that comes after Dussera ushers in the festival of lights “Deepavali” or Diwali.
On the new moon night Lakshmi the consort Lord Visnu is worshipped by all. Lamps are lit and sacred symbols are drawn on the floors to welcome her into our homes. Diwali also commemorates the return of Shri Rama to the kingdom of Ayodhaya after 14 years in the forest. Hence devotees express their joy by lighting lamps and bursting crackers to mark the end of Chaturmasa and to herald the return of Vishnu to drive away the demons and all evil.
- Gokul-Ashtami
This festival commemorates the auspious descent of Vishnu upon this earth as Krishna. It is celebrated in the dark half of the lunar month, on the eight day of the waning moon of Shravana. This festival is celebrated late at night. Laddo gopal are placed in cradles in temples. The Lord is adorned with new poshaks, jewellery and flowers. The tale of his descent is read out from the Bhagwat Puran and the devootes in large numbers gather and listen to the parvachan and sing bhajans in his praise. Then maha prasad is distributed.
- Tulsi-Vivaha
When Vishnu rises after his four month repose, he renews his pact of protecting the earth by ceremonially marrying the earth-goddess on the twelfth day of the waxing moon in the month of Kartika.
The goddess represented by the Tulsi plant is wedded to the Lord who is represented by his idol or a shalagrama stone or a cane of sugar. This Tulsi- vivaha marks the beginning of the Hindu marriage season.
- Akshaya- Tritiya
On the third day of the bright half of Vaishaka, Renuka gave birth to Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On this holy day, people buy gold, safe with the knowledge that the lord will protect their wealth from thieves just as he stopped the thousand armed Kartaviryarjuna from stealing the cow Kamadhenu from the hermitage of sage Jamadagni.
- Makara- Sankranti
The shortest day of the year is 22nd December after which the sun begins its northward journey known as the Uttarayana. On the 14th of Janauary each year the Sun God, Surya- Narayana rides his golden chariot into the house of Makara, the abode of Madana the lord of love. It is a very auspious day and is known as Makara-Sankranti and also marks the winter harvest celebrated as Lohri in North India and Pongal in the South of India.
Phalguna marks the end of winter and beginning of Spring It is a festival of love, joy, colours and excitement welcoming the Lord of pleasure Madana who is the son of Lakshmi and Vishnu. It is a joyous festival and was the favourite festival of Krishna and Radha. On the eve of Holi great bonfires are lit to mark the end of the female demon Holika who got burnt herself while trying to burn and kill “PRAHALADA” the devotee of Vishnu- Narasimha.
- Datta Jayanti
Dattatreya Jayanti is in the month of Margashisha on the full moon day marks the day when Datta the great yogi and tantric was born to the chaste Anasuya wife of the sage Atri. Datta embodies the spirit of Vishnu and is worshipped as a Divine Teacher.
Narali Poornima
On the full moon night in the month of Shravana fishermen throw coconuts in the sea thanking the Sea God ‘Varuna’ for holding aloft the bridge that enabled Rama to go Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from the clutches of the evil king Ravan. This day also marks the retreat of monsoon which enables the fishermen to return to the sea.
In some parts of India oxen are worshipped to celebrate the birth of Balrama, Krishna’s elder brother who is the lord of farmers. On this day sisters tie a sacred thread on the wrist of their brothers and seek their
- Dev Diwali
The full moon day that follow’s the day of Tulsi’s marriage is called Dev- Diwali, to commemorate this day the Lord descended upon eath as Matsya, the divine fish who saved the children of the earth, animals and plants from the cosmic deluge.
- Nag Pachami
Nag Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the waxing moon of the month of Shravana during which cobras are offered milk and worshipped as representatives of Ananta-Sesha the cosmic serpent, keeper of the earth’s fertility and destroyer of pests.
- Ram Navami
This festival celebrates the birth of Seventh Avatar of Lord Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana, the Sanskrit epic of 24,000 stanzas, Shri Rama who was born on the 9th day of Chaitra month. Shri Ramchandra killed the evil king Ravana. A continuous recital of the book takes place for about a week prior to the celebration and on the day itself, the highlights of the story are read in the temple.
- Perumal Tirumala
Perumal Tirumala is a festival in honour of Lord Vishnu celebrated by the Vishnubhaktis. This festival lasts for eleven days or longer. In the first two days the idols of Lord Vishnu and his companions are carried about in the streets with great pomp in a palanquin. On the third day he is carried on his vehicle Garuda. On the fourth Vishnu is carried on the monkey Hanuman, on the fifth day He is carried on a lion, the sixth under a small arch or bow of metal called Tiruvasi, on the seventh under a large Tiruvasi, on the eighth on a horse and on the ninth in a large car. On the last day, the tenth day, which is the great day of the feast, Vishnu is for the last time carried about early in the morning. In the evening of the eleventh day, which is called Dhar-ba-tirumal, he and his consort Lakshmi are seated on a couch of Dharba-grass, placed on a aft in a tank and Brahmans, musicians and dancing girls, having entered on the same raft, it is floated from one end of the tank to the other, thrice, in the sight of a multitude of people standing on the banks.