Vishnu

Introduction

Visnu, also known as Mahavisnu, is the second deity of the Hindu Trinity. He represents Sattvaguna and is the centripetal force as it were, responsible for sustenance, protection and maintenance of the created universe, Etymologically speaking, the word 'Visnu' means 'one who pervades, one who has entered into everything.'

He is the transcendent as well the immanent reality of the universe. He is the inner cause and power by which things exist.

Another name of Visnu which is extremely common and popular is Narayana. The word means:

• One who has made the causal waters his abode;

• One who is the abode of all human beings.

• One who has made the hearts of human beings his abode;

• One who is the final goal of all human beings.

Various Intrepretations

The first interpretation has given rise to a description of Narayana which is common and popular, as follows:

After the destruction of the universe of the previous cycle and before the creation of the next, Narayana, the Supreme God, falls asleep on his bed of the great serpent Sesa (also called Ananta), which is floating on the waters of the ocean Ksirasamudra ('ocean of milk ). One of his legs is resting on the lap of his consort LaksmI, who is gently pressing it. When he is dreaming as it were, of the next creation, a lotus springs forth from his navel along with god Brahma seated on it. After waking tip, he instructs Brahma to proceed with the act of creation.

This is a highly allegorical picture. The ocean represents causal waters from which all life springs a concept not uncommonly found in other religions also. Or, since it is Ksirasamudra, the ocean of milk, it stands for the purest form of Prakrti or nature in its undifferentiated state, whiteness' indicating this purity.

Out of the several equivalents of the word Apas (water), is the word Amrta (nectar, signifying bliss also). Hence we can say that the Lord Narayana is floating on the ocean of bliss, which is as it should be.

The serpent Sesa or Ananta is said to have a thousand heads and is supporting the worlds on its hoods. Ananta, which literally means the 'endless' or 'infinite' actually stands for cosmic time which is infinite or endless. Created worlds come into being in time and are sustained in time. This is the meaning of the thousand hoods supporting the worlds. The thousand hoods, simply indicate the innumerable divisions of time.

The concept of the thousand hoods supporting the worlds can also lead to the interpretation that the serpent represents the cosmic space, in which everything exists.

The word Sesa is also significant. It actually means 'the remainder', 'what is left over at the end'. Since creation cannot proceed out of nothing, it is to be assumed that 'something' is 'left over' (sesa) from the previous creation, which forms the seed as it were, for the next. So, Sesa represents the totality of the Jivas or individual souls in their subtle form, left over from the previous cycle and needing more opportunities for regeneration.

Serpent can also represent Kama or desire which is always left over (sesa), even after acquisition and enjoyment of the desired object. This goes on until Moksa or final liberation. Hence, in a cosmic sense, it can stand for the desire of the Lord to proceed with the next cycle of creation after rest!

Visnu is always described as Nilameghasyama, of a dark blue hue like that of the rain-bearing cloud. Since the infinite empty space appears as deep blue in colour, it is but proper that Visnu the all-pervading cosmic power, be depicted as blue in colour.

The commonest form of the Visnu icon has one face, four arms holding Sahkha (conch), Cakra (discus), Gada (mace), Padma (lotus) and wears a necklace with the famous gem Kaustubha dangling on the lock of hair Srivatsa, on the left chest. He is also wearing a garland (of gems, or fragrant flowers) Vaijayanti by name.

The four arms represents the four quaters, hence, absolute power of the Lord in all directions. The Sahkha represents the five elements like the earth, water etc., Cakra stands for the cosmic mind, Gada indicates the cosmic intellect and the Padma points to the evolving world. Just as the lotus is born out of water and unfolds gradually in all its glory, this world also is born out of the causal waters and evolves gradually in all its splendour.

Hence the lotus stands for the evolved world. This world can be created only by a combination of the five elements, the mind and the intellect. Hence the total meaning of this symbology would be that the Lord Visnu is the creator and master of this world.

The curl of hair, Srivatsa, represents all objects of enjoyment, the products of nature.

The gem Kaustubha, resting on it, stands for the enjoyer. So, this world of duality consisting of the enjoyer and the enjoyed, is like an ornament for the Lord. The garland Vaijayanti is symbolical of the subtle elements (bhnta-tanmatras).

Sometimes two more weapons, Nandaka the sword (representing wisdom) and Sarilga the bow (representing the cosmic senses) are added to the arsenal of Lord Visnu.

AVATARAS (INCARNATIONS) OF LORD VISNU.

To ward off the extraordinary perils to which mankind is prone-maybe the visitations from the demons, maybe from the human malefactors-and to preserve the socio-ethical order, Lord Visnu whose duty it is to preserve this world, often incarnates himself

Though such incarna¬tions are popularly considered to be ten, there is no limit to their number. Nor are there any restrictions regarding the time and place of their appearance. Whenever Dharma declines and Adharma prospers He bodies Himself forth to restore the balance in the world.

In the Matsyavatara (Fish-incarnation), the Lord is said to have saved Manu (the progenitor of mankind) and the Saptarsis (the seven sages, mind-born sons of Brahma) along with their wives during the deluge. The world was repopulated through them later on.

Lord Visnu incarnated himself as the Kurma (the Tortoise) in order to support the mount Mandara which started sinking during the churning of the ocean (Samudramathana). The gods and the demons had jointly undertaken this adventure to get Amrta (nectar) from the ocean.

Next in the series is the Varahavatara (Boar-incarnation) in which the Lord killed the demon Hiranyaksa and lifted the earth out of the flood waters in which it had been submerged. This may be a symbolic representation of the extrication of the world from the deluge of sin by the power of the Supreme Being.

When Prahlada, the great devotee of Visnu was being severely tortured by his father, the demon Hiranyakasipu, (who was a non- believer in the existence of an omnipresent and omnipotent God), Narasimha (Man-lion) appeared, emerging out of the pillar shown by him and killed him.

Being a combination of man (the best of higher creatures) and lion (the best of lower creatures) Narasimha represents the best of creation. Incidentally this also proves the omnipresence of God. Narasimha is especially the embodiment of valour which is a divine attribute and hence worshipped by rulers and warriors. His Mantra is said to be very powerful, capable of destroying enemies and exorcising evil.

When Bali the grandson of Prahlada conquered the three worlds, Indra was deprived of his heavenly kingdom. At the request of Aditi, the mother of Indra, Lord Vigm incarnated as Vamana (the Dwarf), a young

Brahmana boy, and approached Bali who was known for his munificence, for a gift of land that could be covered by three steps. With the first and the second he covered the earth and heaven, and with the third, he pushed down Bali to the netherworld. Hence he is also known as Trivikrama, one who encompassed the world with three big steps.

This myth teaches us that since even God had to resort to the dwarfs form while begging, one who begs makes himself small! Secondly, a true Brahmana can conquer the three worlds by the power of the spirit.

Incarnations of Vishnu

These five Avataras have been referred to in the various sections of the Vedas.

The next five incarnations are in the human form. Parasurama (Rama with the battle-axe) is the sixth Avatara. Born as the son of the sage-couple, Jamadagni and Renuka, he exterminated the tyrannical among the Ksattriyas led by Kartavirya, who were oppressing the people. Whether this story has any historical basis and represents the struggle for supremacy between the Brahmanas and Ksattriyas, it is difficult to say.

SrI Rama, the next incarnation, met Parasurama and absorbed his power into himself. Hence the latter is sometimes considered as avesavatara, an incarnation by the temporary possession of Visnu's powers.

SrI Rama, one of the two most popular incarnations of the Lord Visnu, comes next in the series. His story is too well-known to need any repetition. He typifies the ideal man. His story, the Ramayana has now become an immortal epic. His name is known as the 'Taraka-mantra,' the Mantra that takes one across the ocean of transmigration.