Vishnu (deity)

Symbols: Lotus flower; mace; conch shell; discus

Culture: Hindu

Vishnu is one of the three most important god figures in Hinduism, along with Shiva and Brahma, and he is the supreme deity for followers of Vishnavism, one of three principal Hindu denominations. Vishnu is widely viewed in Hinduism as the preserver and protector of the universe, whereas Brahma is the creator and Shiva is the transformer and destroyer. Vishnu is married to the goddesses Lakshmi and Sri, who are sometimes seen as separate beings and sometimes conflated into one.

Vishnu is the focus of devotion in an ancient religion with many current practitioners, and within this religion there is an enormous range of belief about the nature of the Hindu deities and about what they symbolize. They also are depicted in many ways. Vishnu is believed to come to Earth as preserver and protector during times of strife and darkness, using his various incarnations. This idea is well expressed in the Bhagavad Gita, where Vishnu explains that "although I am unborn and imperishable, the Lord of all creatures, I do resort to nature, which is mine . . . For whenever law languishes and lawlessness flourishes, I create myself. I take on existence from age to age, for the rescue of the good and the destruction of evil" (Flood 115).

The name Vishnu comes from a Sanskrit root meaning "to enter" or "to settle"; thus, Vishnu becomes known as the one who pervades all things. He is not limited by time, space, or substance.

When Vishnu is depicted in quasi-human form, he generally has four arms and hands, which hold a lotus flower, a mace, a conch shell, and a discuslike object called a chakra. These four objects are given a wide variety of symbolic meanings: The lotus flower symbolizes creative energy, the mace symbolizes mental and physical strength, the conch shell produces the om sound that was the primeval sound of creation, and the chakra symbolizes the mind, or, in many traditions, the sun. Vishnu is most often depicted with a blue-color cast, like rain-filled clouds. Vishnu is a transcendent god who manifests himself in the world of humans through ten incarnations (avatara), the most prominent being as Rama and Krishna.

In Mythology

While a focus of current devotion for a major, living religious group, Vishnu is also a subject of a large body of traditional literature that might well be called mythic. An important mythic story recounts the three steps that Vishnu took to stride across the universe—namely, the length of the strides that measured out the earth, the sky, and the heavens. Among the many Hindu creation narratives is one in which Vishnu sleeps upon the coils of a great snake that floats upon a cosmic ocean. As he awakes, a lotus blossoms from his navel, out of which appears the god Brahma. Brahma creates the physical universe, which is nurtured and sustained by Vishnu until it is destroyed by Shiva. Brahma then retreats back into the lotus, which withdraws into the navel of Vishnu, who then sleeps once more. This narrative resembles many others in which Vishnu is the protector of the embryo and preparer of the womb for birth, which may be related to the idea of Vishnu as one who enters and pervades.

Vishnu has long been an inspiration for thinkers who have systematized a theological school of Vishnavism. The systematic theology of Vishnavism focuses on Vishnu’s omnipotence, as revealed by the narrative of his three steps; on Vishnu’s immanence, as revealed by his relationship with seed and embryo; and on Vishnu’s concern for humanity and for justice, as revealed by his incarnations.

Origins and Cults

Throughout the geographic range of Hinduism, many local deities, rituals, and mythologies have been absorbed into the whole, creating a very rich and complicated tapestry. The veneration of Vishnu is found throughout all local variations of Hinduism, including those that have emerged in the Hindu diaspora that has taken shape since the nineteenth century, primarily in the Western world.

The Hindu pattern of worship usually involves both the making of an offering to a god figure and the receiving of a blessing in return. These offerings may range from a few coins, to a few crumbs of bread, to large acts of animal sacrifice. Worship may occur at home within the family circle, in a wayside shrine, or in a large and elaborate temple to which pilgrims might travel great distances. There is also a strong tradition in Hinduism of private devotion for individual enlightenment. Items that are commonly offered to Vishnu include yellow flowers, fruits, sweets, tulsi leaves, and incense sticks.

Worship of Vishnu often involves chanting from a text called the Vishnu Sahasranama, which lists one thousand sacred names of the god. This text also has a long history of interpretation that has been a central focus of Vishnavism. For instance a twelfth century commentary called the Madhavacharya asserts that each of these thousand names has a minimum of one hundred separate meanings.

Bibliography

Coogan, Michael David, and Vasudha Narayanan. Eastern Religions: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005. Print.

Flood, Gavin D. An Introduction to Hinduism. New York: Cambridge UP, 1996. Print.

Johnson, Judy A. "World Religion Profile: Hinduism." World Religion Profile: Hinduism. EBSCO Information Services, n.d. Web. 25 July 2015.

Klostermaier, Klaus K. Hinduism: A Short History. Oxford: Oneworld, 2000. Print.

Zimmer, Heinrich Robert, and Joseph Campbell. Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1972. Print.