A Short Introduction to Vaisnavism

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Vaishnavas worship Vishnu in his various forms and are one of the three major groups of Hinduism, the others being Shaivas and Shaktas.

In the trinity of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma, Vishnu is the sattva quality of a centripetal tendency towards light and truth, which holds the universe together by pervading all existence. Vishnu comes from a root meaning “to pervade “, and he is know as the Pervader. Thus Vishnu dwells in everything and defeats the power of destruction.

As the highest deity to the Vaishnavas, Vishnu is expressed symbolically in his mythological form as Anantasayin, reclining on the serpent of eternity called Anata or Sesha. He is floating on the cosmic waters from which reality is manifested. A lotus grows from his navel, symbolising his creative potential, and on the lotus sits Brahma ready to bring about creation at Vishnu’s command. After his active phase, Vishnu returns to his snake bed and is united with Yoganidra, the goddess of sleep, and the process of creation starts again.

A concise manual for the preparation to entering the ever blissful path of Visnu, the most universally worshipped Hindu deity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Subodh Kapoor

Subodh Kapoor is known for the pioneering work he has published, titles The Hindus, Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, in five grand volumes providing, for the first time, an introductory work of enormous range and scope on Hinduism. His second work was an equally enterprising effort when he published The Buddhists, Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, in five large Volumes. But readers are enthusiastically awaiting his magnum opus, the Encyclopaedia of Indian Heritage, in 90 Volumes which has classified in 40 grand division covering the 4000 years of the glorious Indian heritage in a manner never attempted before. The work is a complete record of the Spiritual, Cultural, Social and Philosophical development of India. He has also compiled the most extensive and elaborate Dictionary of Hinduism. His Companion Encyclopaedia of Hindu Philosophy has also been published recently.