Vishnu: The Vishnu: The Preserver, The Preserver, The

Protector, The SaviorProtector, The Savior

By Monisha Rallapalli By Monisha Rallapalli

The TrinityThe TrinityBrahma: The Creator

Vishnu: The Preserver

Shiva: The Destroyer

CharacteristicsCharacteristics Gentle and benevolent natureGentle and benevolent nature

Vehicle: Eagle, “Garuda”Vehicle: Eagle, “Garuda”

Guardian, protector, preserver Guardian, protector, preserver of world and law of of world and law of Vedas Vedas

Anantha-Sesha

Characteristics

• Resting State: Narayana • Resides in heaven known as Vaikuntha

LakshmiLakshmi Vishnu’s consort/SpouseVishnu’s consort/Spouse

Goddess of fortune and prosperity Goddess of fortune and prosperity

““balances his male intellect and balances his male intellect and spiritual sophistication with female spiritual sophistication with female physicality and passion” (Cummins physicality and passion” (Cummins et al. 79)et al. 79)

Incarnated herself as consort to Incarnated herself as consort to each of his reincarnations each of his reincarnations

10 Reincarnations 10 Reincarnations (Avatars) of (Avatars) of

Vishnu: Vishnu: “Dashavatar”“Dashavatar”

Matsya AvatarMatsya Avatar Fish Fish

Purpose: Purpose:

Save VedasSave Vedas

Rescue pious/devoted man and Rescue pious/devoted man and creatures from immense flood to creatures from immense flood to ensure survival of life on earth ensure survival of life on earth

Resembles story of Noah’s ArkResembles story of Noah’s Ark

Kurma AvatarKurma Avatar Turtle Turtle

Protects gods, preserves Protects gods, preserves their divine powertheir divine power

““Wealth eludes the Wealth eludes the insecure” (Pattanaik 59)insecure” (Pattanaik 59)

Varaha Avatar Varaha Avatar

Boar Boar Strength, speed, Strength, speed,

braverybravery

Saves goddess of Saves goddess of earth “Bhu Devi” earth “Bhu Devi” from demon from demon Hiranyaksh Hiranyaksh protecting earthprotecting earth No land for humans No land for humans

to build homes on to build homes on otherwise otherwise

NarasimhaNarasimha Half man – half lion Half man – half lion

Purpose: Save pious Purpose: Save pious devotees, protect world from devotees, protect world from demonsdemons

Hiranyaksh’s brother vows Hiranyaksh’s brother vows to avenge brother’s death by to avenge brother’s death by killing all Vishnu devotees killing all Vishnu devotees and Vishnu; ends up being and Vishnu; ends up being killed by Narasimha killed by Narasimha

Irony: Hiranyaksh’s brother’s Irony: Hiranyaksh’s brother’s son (Prahlad) is pious son (Prahlad) is pious devotee of Vishnu devotee of Vishnu

Vamana/Trivikrama Vamana/Trivikrama AvatarAvatar

Dwarf manDwarf man

King Bali exhibits King Bali exhibits arrogancearrogance

Vamana reclaims earth, Vamana reclaims earth, sky, heavens sky, heavens

““Ignorance breeds Ignorance breeds insecurity and insecurity and arrogance” (Pattanaik arrogance” (Pattanaik 91)91)

Parashurama AvatarParashurama Avatar Brahmin warrior with Brahmin warrior with

axe axe

Believed to be Believed to be immortalimmortal

Purpose: end Purpose: end dominance of dominance of Kshatriyas (warrior Kshatriyas (warrior caste) who were caste) who were becoming unrighteous; becoming unrighteous; protect earth from protect earth from unrighteousness unrighteousness

Rama AvatarRama Avatar

Kshatriya prince Kshatriya prince

Prominent figure in Prominent figure in HinduismHinduism

Ramayana Ramayana by Valmikiby Valmiki Rama’s life storyRama’s life story

Famous Hindu epic Famous Hindu epic

Getting rid of demon Getting rid of demon Ravana with excessive Ravana with excessive pride and saving wife Sita pride and saving wife Sita from Ravanafrom Ravana

Purpose: Get rid of evil and Purpose: Get rid of evil and pride, preserve pride, preserve righteousness righteousness

Well worshipped in temples Well worshipped in temples

Krishna AvatarKrishna Avatar One of the most One of the most

prominent figures prominent figures worshipped by Hindus worshipped by Hindus

Mahabharatha, Mahabharatha, Bhagavad Gita Bhagavad Gita Dharma, Bhakti, Dharma, Bhakti,

Vishvarupa (Supreme Vishvarupa (Supreme form)form)

Purpose: getting rid of Purpose: getting rid of evil and excessive pride evil and excessive pride (kills uncle Kamsa), (kills uncle Kamsa), preserve righteousness preserve righteousness and faith in supreme and faith in supreme power, “know the power, “know the thought before the thought before the action” (Pattanaik, 157) action” (Pattanaik, 157)

Buddha AvatarBuddha Avatar Non-Aryan prince, enlightened Non-Aryan prince, enlightened

Originally named Siddhartha Originally named Siddhartha GautamaGautama

Became Buddha (‘Awakened’) after Became Buddha (‘Awakened’) after enlightenment (attaining enlightenment (attaining Bodhi/wisdom) Bodhi/wisdom)

After Krishna’s death, Kali Yuga After Krishna’s death, Kali Yuga (last phase of cycle of existence) (last phase of cycle of existence) enteredentered Everything will gradually disappearEverything will gradually disappear World will end in total destruction World will end in total destruction Buddha born in Kali YugaBuddha born in Kali Yuga

Purpose: Preserve Hindu religion Purpose: Preserve Hindu religion from demons from demons Taught demons to devalue vedas and Taught demons to devalue vedas and

hindu teachingshindu teachings

““As Buddha, Vishnu hastens end of As Buddha, Vishnu hastens end of world” (Cummins et al. 231) world” (Cummins et al. 231)

Not worshipped as much because of Not worshipped as much because of anti-vedic teachings anti-vedic teachings

Kalki AvatarKalki Avatar Final avatarFinal avatar

Future, will come when Kali Future, will come when Kali Yuga ends Yuga ends

Believed that he will be Believed that he will be trained by Parashurama (6trained by Parashurama (6thth avatar) avatar)

Purpose: Purpose: Annihilate world at end of Annihilate world at end of

Kali YugaKali Yuga Restore righteousness, wipe Restore righteousness, wipe

out all evils out all evils Lead world into Satya Yuga Lead world into Satya Yuga

(Age of Truth; religious (Age of Truth; religious principles are preserved and principles are preserved and protected) protected)

Will return to Vaikuntha Will return to Vaikuntha when completing final task when completing final task

Religious HistoryReligious History Vishnu’s prominence didn’t begin Vishnu’s prominence didn’t begin

till post-vedic Hinduism (along till post-vedic Hinduism (along with Shiva) with Shiva) First mentioned as minor deity in First mentioned as minor deity in

Rig VedaRig Veda Rose to prominence over course of Rose to prominence over course of

more than 500 years through more than 500 years through spread by general populace to spread by general populace to aristocracy and priestly orthodoxy aristocracy and priestly orthodoxy

Major deities before Vishnu’s Major deities before Vishnu’s prominence: Indra (god of prominence: Indra (god of lightning), Agni (God of fire), Vayu lightning), Agni (God of fire), Vayu (god of wind) (god of wind) now minor deitiesnow minor deities

Initial worshipping of Vishnu: took Initial worshipping of Vishnu: took place around sacrifical fire without place around sacrifical fire without temple or image of him (typical temple or image of him (typical Vedic manner) Vedic manner)

Earliest known representations of Earliest known representations of Vishnu: first centuries CE Vishnu: first centuries CE

First Vishnu temples: 4First Vishnu temples: 4thth century century CE CE

Worship of VishnuWorship of Vishnu Vishnupadas: sculptures/portrayals of Vishnu’s feet Vishnupadas: sculptures/portrayals of Vishnu’s feet

Rest of body depicted surrounding feet with Rest of body depicted surrounding feet with attributes of Vishnu (lotus flowers, discus, conch attributes of Vishnu (lotus flowers, discus, conch shell, mace)shell, mace)

Devotees, especially priests, apply U-shaped marks Devotees, especially priests, apply U-shaped marks to forehead to forehead Known as “tilak”Known as “tilak” ““believed to help focus mental energy, creating third believed to help focus mental energy, creating third

eye that offers intuition or insight” (Cummins et al. eye that offers intuition or insight” (Cummins et al. 257) 257)

Ritual objects, shrines, sculptures, and paintings Ritual objects, shrines, sculptures, and paintings of/representing Vishnu are worshipped of/representing Vishnu are worshipped

Worshipped in temples dedicated to Vishnu Worshipped in temples dedicated to Vishnu

Still worshipped around sacrificial fire in ancient Still worshipped around sacrificial fire in ancient Vedic manner till this day Vedic manner till this day

Worship of Vishnu Worship of Vishnu