© Richard Randall

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Iconography

According to various Purana, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality, is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs His representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:

• He is to be depicted as a four-armed male-form: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. The physical existence of Vishnu is represented by the two arms in the front while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad titled Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms of Vishnu.

• The color of his skin has to be new-cloud-like-blue: The blue color indicates his all-pervasive nature, blue being the color of the infinite sky as well as the infinite ocean on which he resides.

• He has the mark of sage Bhrigu's feet on his chest.

• Also on his chest is the srivatsa mark, symbolising his consort Lakshmi.

• Around his neck, He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel, and a garland of flowers.

• A crown should adorn his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority.

• He is to shown wearing two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation - knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.

Vishnu is always to be depicted holding the four attributes associated with him, being:

1. A conch shell or Shankhya, named "Panchajanya", held by the lower right hand, which represents creativity. The Panchajanya is the originator of the five elements or Panchabhoota - water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. The sound that evolves from blowing this conch is the primeval sound of creation.

2. The chakra, a sharp-spinning discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", held by the upper right hand, which symbolizes the mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words - Su, which means good, and Darshan, which means vision. The chakra as a weapon thus indicates the necessity of destroying one's ego and illusory self-existence and developing the vision to identify the eternal truth. The discus has six spokes and symbolizes a lotus with six petals, thus representing the power that controls all six seasons.

3. A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", held by the lower left hand, which represents individual existence. The mace symbolizes the primeval force from which all mental and physical strength is derived.

4. A lotus flower or Padma, held by the upper left hand, which represents liberation or dispersion. The lotus symbolizes the power from which the universe emerges. It represents the concentration of truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and knowledge or Gyana in a single symbol.

In general, Vishnu is depicted in one of the following two forms:

1. Standing upright on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, His consort, beside him on a similar pedestal;

2. Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with his consort Lakshmi, seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of Milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.

A slightly less seen depiction of Vishnu is the Vishwaroop representation. The Vishwaroop originates from the words Vishwa which means the cosmos and Roop which means form or manifestation. This grand depiction is the representation of his essence being magnified to contain the entire cosmos. The root for this depiction is probably derived from the ancient Hindu philosophy which indicates that through the diversities of creation there always is a connecting essence that threads everything into a unified whole. The Vishwaroop depiction shows Vishnu as having seven heads on each of his left and right. Each of these has its own cosmic function or represents an aspect of the cosmos. The gods depicted include Shiva, Brahma, Ganesha, Hanuman, Indra, Agni (Fire God), Surya (Sun God), Chandra (Moon God), Maruta (Wind God), Kubera (God of wealth), Varuna (God of water) and Yama (Time) and Brahma's three sons. Vishnu retains the central position. While Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu together form the Hindu Trinity, Ganesha and Hanuman represent faith and divinity. Agni or Fire represents life, energy and vitality. Maruta, the wind-god represents space, while Indra represents rains and cosmic balance. Yama depicts the infinite nature of time while Varuna the ocean God represents water. Kubera represents prosperity and riches. The Sun and Moon represent the cycle of birth, death, decay and finally dissolution. Brahma's three sons represent the entire mankind. Taken together as one entity they constitute the entire cosmos.

Sri Viswaroopa Panchamukha Hanuman is also shown as having five heads, each head potraying an incarnation of Vishnu. The east facing is Hanuman. The north facing in Lord Narasimha. The west facing is Lord Garuda. The south facing is Lord Varaha. The sky facing is Lord Hayagriva.

Note that Vishnu per se is never portrayed in anthropomorphic forms. Attributing anthropomorphic characteristics to Vishnu is a common misconception held by non-Hindus.

Worship

• Vishnu is accepted as the Supreme God in Vaishnavism, or Vishnu monotheism. Followers of Vishnu believe that He is the Supreme Being and distinguish Him from Devas, or demigods, who are celestial beings similar to angels as discussed in Judeo-Christian traditions.

• It is considered that He manifested Himself as a living being in ten avatars. He is also worshiped in the form of these avatars.

It is not clearly known when or how the worship of Vishnu began. In the Vedas, and the information on Aryan beliefs, Vishnu is associated with Indra. However, Shukavak N. Dasa, a Vaishnavite scholar, in reference [1] has commentated that Srivaishnavites would note that:

• The praise of Indra and other devas in the Vedas are not intended for the particular deity, but for the Supreme Being, Vishnu, who is the inner soul of devas and all other beings.

• The various deities addressed in the hymns are simply different forms of this one Supreme Being.

• Vaishnavas cite Rigveda 1.22.20, for the supremacy of Vishnu, "As the blazing sun pervades the entire sky like an eye fixed in the heavens, so the divine seers eternally perceive that supreme abode of Vishnu."

• The foreword of P. Sankaranarayan's translation of Vishnu sahasranama, Bhavan's Book University, cites Rig Veda V.I.15b.3, for the importance of chanting Vishnu's name, "O ye who wish to gain realization of the supreme truth, utter the name of Vishnu at least once in the steadfast faith that it will lead you to such realization."

Nevertheless, it was only later in Hindu history that Vishnu became a member of the Trimurti and hence is one of the most important forms of God in contemporary Hinduism.

• Om Namo Narayana, a mantra

• Purusha Sukta, a Vedic hymn said to describe Vishnu.

• Vishnu sahasranama, a hymn describing the 1000 names of Vishnu.

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