Vishnu

Cosmic Trinity
AGNI
VAYU
Hindu Trinity
The Creator
Brahma
Saraswati
The Preserver
Vishnu
Garuda
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Vamana Avatar
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Lakshmi
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Vishnu

Vishnu - the preserver
VISHNU - THE PRESERVER

Hindu gods and goddesses are phenomenal, but in due course of time Vishnu, as God of all gods, acquired supremacy, which continues till date. He is the central and the major deity of the trinity, viz., Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Though technically amongst these three chiefs gods known as creator, preserver, and destroyer, Vishnu is the Preserver, for all practical purpose he is deemed to be all-powerful, all knowing and all present.

The name Vishnu comes from the root VISH, which means, "to spread in all directions, to pervade". He is the inner center, the core, the nucleus, and the cohesive point through which everything exists. He swells in everything, owns everything and overcomes any thing

Vishnu - the preserver
VISHNU IN HIS VISHWAROOP

At the dawn of Aryan religion's formative stage, Vishnu is found to be a god amongst so many other gods. But his rise on the scale of worship and prayer is very rapid and already before the end of the Vedic times, he rises to the highest pedestal. The form and image of Vishnu as well as its significance is explained in detail in Puranas and several other minor Upanishads.

The two most common representations of Vishnu show him either sleeping over the waves of the ocean on the coils of the serpent-deity, named Shesh Nag, or standing on waves with four hands each hand holding one of his four chief attributes.

Vishnu - the preserver
VISHNU - THE PRESERVER
About the four arms of Vishnu, GOPAL-UTTARTAPANI Upanishad says:

"In my lower right hand, which represents the revolving or creative tendency, I hold the conch, symbol of the five elements.

In the upper right hand, which represents the cohesive tendency I hold the discus, shining like an infant sun, symbol of the mind.

In the upper left hand, which represents the tendency towards dispersion and liberation, I hold the lotus, symbol of the causal power of illusion, from which the universe rises.

In my lower left hand, which represents the notion of individual existence, is the mace, symbol of primeval knowledge."


The Conch (SHANKH) named PANCHJANYA is the fountain that evolves the five elements, i.e., water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. When blown it produces a sound that is associated with primeval sound from which creation developed.