Introduction to Vaišnavism

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 known as the Pervader. Thus Vishnu dwells in everything and defeats the power of destruction. Shiva is the centrifugal tendency of destruction and as life depends on death so Vishnu and Shiva are interdependent. As Vishnu pervades the universe, he is the aim and hope of all beings that must die.

As the highest deity to the Vaishnavas, Vishnu is expressed symbolically in his mythological form as Anantasayin, reclining on the serpent of eternity called Ananta 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. Of his different forms, that of Rama and Krishna have been and still are the most popular figures in Hinduism. Hundreds of millions of Hindus can be described as Vaishnavas, though divided into the many sects.