PRINCIPLE GODS Śiva Vişnu (Rāmā Kŗşna)

Vişnu Vişnu is the deity primarily responsible for the maintenance of dharma; in it’s cosmic sense. Many devotees regard Vişnu as “the god”.

Vişnu Iconographic representations of Vişnu focus upon his beauty & attraction to mankind.

Vişnu Avatāras Because of his interest in preserving dharma, on occasion Vişnu descends into the human world as an “avatār” (descent. This is when dharma is threatened, and he acts to restore it. There are ten universally recognised avatārs of Vişnu, and many traditions recognise more (22, 26, or even an infinite number; Gandhi, and even Jesus have been acclaimed as avatārs.

Vişnu Avatāras Matsya Kurma Varaha Narasinha Vamana Parasurama Buddha Ramachandra Krishna Kalki

Narasinha Slew the tyrannical demon Hiranyakashipu who could not be killed by day or night, by man or animal, by weapon, indoors or out. As the man\lion, he slew him on his threshold at sunset, by ripping him apart.

Rāmā Hero of the Ramayana, came to earth to slay the demon Ravana, and rescue Sita. Portrayed as the ideal of king, and of man.

Kŗşna Kŗşna means “All attractive”, and is the most popular god in Hinduism. One reason for this may be that devotees can approach Kŗşna in any one of a number of forms, through which to experience love for the divine: as a child, as Kŗşna gopāla (the cowherd), as a lover, as the warrior.

As a child Kŗşna was brought up in hiding from a demon who had sworn to kill him. He was very naughty, and his mother caught him stealing butter, when she looked in his mouth, she saw the whole universe.

Kŗşna gopāla Kŗşna steals the clothes of the gopis of Vrindravan. Their nudity symbolises the soul’s nakedness before God.

The sound of Kŗşna’s flute enchants the gopis, who steal away from their husbands to dance in the forest with him. Each one believes that she alone is dancing with him, just as each believer has a unique relationship with God.

Radha Kŗşna’s favourite gopi & consort is Radha, who steals away from her husband to join Kŗşna’s dance.

Kŗşna the warrior king In the mahabharata, Kŗşna drives the chariot of Arjuna, the warrior prince, and speaks the Bhagavad Gita, to him on the battlefield of kurukshetra