Vishnu is one of the five primary forms of God and is worshiped by the followers of Adi Shankara. He is the Supreme God for Vaishnavites.Vishnu Sahasranama asserts Vishnu as ‘Param’-‘atma’ (supreme soul) and ‘Param’-‘eshwara’ (supreme God). It illustrates Vishnu as the very essence of past, present and future of all beings, the creator of the Universe who supports, sustains and governs the same and originates and develops all elements within.

The pictures of Vishnu shows him whose complexion is as dark and blue as clouds and have four arms each holding a lotus, mace, conch and sudarshan chakra usually seen lying on the huge serpent ‘Sheshnag’. Bhagavad Gita says Vishnu is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception.
Lord Vishnu is one among the triad gods or Trimurti in Hinduism; Lord Brahma and lord Mahesh or Shiva are the other two gods.
Brahma acts as the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer or transformer. The consort of Vishnu is the goddess of wealth-Lakshmi.
Dashavatara
The ancient scriptures suggest lord Vishnu has ten forms which are described as Dasavataras. Among these ten key avatars, nine have transpired in the past and one will take place by the end of Kali Yuga.
In Vishnu Sahasranamam Brahma referred Vishnu "Sahasrakoti Yuga Dharine", which means that these embodiments occur in all Yugas in enormous scales to refresh Dharma and to overcome pessimistic forces.
The first four have appeared in the Satya Yuga, the next three avatars appeared in the Treta Yuga, eighth descent in Dwapara Yuga and the ninth in the Kali Yuga. The tenth, Kalki, is envisaged to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga. The descents or Dasavatara of Vishnu are included in the Garuda Purana (1.86.10"11) are as follows:
- Matsya, the fish-avatar who saved Manu - the progenitor of mankind from the great inundation and rescued the Vedic scriptures by killing a demon
- Kurma, the tortoise-avatar, who helped in the Samudra manthan - the churning of the ocean to distill Amrit out of it.
- Varaha, the boar-avatar, who rescued the earth from the ocean, by killing demo Hiranyaksha who kidnapped her.
- Narasimha, the partially man and partial lion avatar, who killed the bully demon-king Hiranyakashipu, to rescue the demon's son Prahlada, who was a Vishnu-devotee
- Vamana, the dwarf Brahmin avatar, who defeated the demon-king Bali
- Parashurama, sage with the axe who killed the thousand-armed king Kartavirya Arjuna.
- Rama, the king of Ayodhya and the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana
- Krishna, the king of Dwarka, also an important character of Bhagavata Purana and the Mahabharata.
- Gautama Buddha
- Kalki ("Eternity", or "time", or "The Destroyer of foulness"), who is expected to appear at the end of Kali Yuga.
- Instead of Gautam Buddha sometimes Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna, is considered as one of the Dasavatar.

Other avatars according to Bhagavata Purana
- Four Kumaras [BP 1.3.6] - the four Sons of god Brahma
- Narada [BP 1.3.8] the divine-sage who travels the worlds as a devotee of Vishnu
- Nara-Narayana [BP 1.3.9] - the twin-sages
- Kapila [BP 1.3.10] - a sage and one of the founders of the Samkhya school of philosophy
- Dattatreya [BP 1.3.11] - the combined avatar of the Hindu trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
- Yajna [BP 1.3.12] - the lord of fire-sacrifice, who took was the Indra - the lord of heaven
- Rishabha [BP 1.3.13] - the father of King Bharata and Bahubali
- Prithu [BP 1.3.14] - the sovereign-king who milked the earth as a cow to get the world's grain and vegetation and also invented agriculture
- Dhanvantari [BP 1.3.17] - the father of Ayurveda medicine
- Mohini [BP 1.3.17] - the enchantress and is the only female incarnation of Vishnu
- Vyasa [BP] 1.3.21] - the compiler of the scriptures - Vedas and writer of the scriptures Puranas and the epic Mahabharata
Besides these, another four avatars are described later on in the text as follows:
- Prshnigarbha [BP 10.3.41] - the son of Prshni
- Hayagriva [BP 2.7.11] - the horse-faced avatar
- Hamsa [BP 11.13.19] - the swan
- Golden avatra [BP 11.5.32] - the avatara in Kali-yuga for propagating hari-namasankirtan
Names of Vishnu
- Achintya-Incomprehensible, beyond understanding
- Acyutah -infallible
- Ananta -endless, eternal, infinite
- Balaji -another name of Vishnu
- Damodara (having a rope (dama) around his belly (udara): a name of Krishna)
- Govinda (protector of the cows & brahmins; master of the senses: a name of Krishna)
- Hari (one who takes away)
- Hayagriva (giver of knowledge)
- Jagannatha (Owner/Ruler of the world/universe)
- Janardana (One who is worshiped by people for Wealth)
- Kesava (slayer of Keshi, having long or much or handsome hair, from Atharvaveda viii , 6 , 23)
- Krishna (born during the third epoch or yuga, his deeds range from cow protection (go rakshya) to absolving the earth of load of sins)
- Madhava (relating to the season of spring)
- Madhusudana (he who destroyed the demon called Madhu)
- Narayana (said to mean "he who is the abode of nar (= ether)", i.e., the whole universe's shelter. Also means "The supreme Man who is the foundation of all men". Another meaning is "He who lays in the water".
- Padmanabha (lotus-naveled one, from whose navel sprang the lotus which contained Brahma, who created the universe)
- Perumal Name he is known in Tamil
- Purushottama - The Supreme Eternal Being
- Rama (born during the second epoch or Yuga, his deeds primarily established the ideal living principles for a man)
- Hrishikesh (Lord of the senses or Lord within the heart; "hri" root meaning the heart)
- Satyanarayana ('protector of truth')
- Shikhandee: He who wears a peacock feather.
- Souryarayan (the one who destroys the evil/sins and who comforts us) described in Vishnu kautuvam.
- Sridhara (consort of Sri = Lakshmi or Ultimate wealth)
- Siddhartha (one who attains perfection, birth name of Buddha avatar in the last epoch of Kali Yuga)
- Sriman (the pride of Shri or Lakshmi); Often Sriman is combined with the name, Narayana , to form a compound word, Sriman Narayana.
- Srinivasa (the abode of Shri) (also specifically referring to his form in the temple at Tirupati). Also the form of Vishnu at Tirupati is well-known as Venkateswara.
- Trivikrama (Conqueror of the three worlds, as in Vamana avatara).
- Vishal (Immense, The Unstoppable One).
- Vamana (dwarfish, small or short in stature, a dwarf brahmana)
- Vasudeva ( "All-Pervading god", with the long vowel A; it also means "the son of Vasudeva", i.e. Krishna)
- Shreesh (Husband of Goddess Lakshmi).
- Guruvayurappan Lord of Guruvayur (Temple made by Guru (Brihaspati) & Vayu deva)
- Jaganath is the south eastern name of Vishnu.
- Sohama means the most intelligent, it is strongest form of Vishnu with a thousand brains and hands
Vishnu Mantra
"Shaantaakaaram Bhujagashayanam Padmanaabham Suresham
Vishwaadhaaram Gaganasadrasham Meghavarnam Shubhaangam
Lakshmikaantam Kamalanayanam Yogibhirdhyaanagamyam
Vande Vishnum Bhavabhayaharam Sarvalokaikanaatham"
Meaning: Lord Vishnu is the preserver and protector of the Universe. He is always quiet and rests on the great serpent bed. The lotus of the creative power springs from the navel of Lord Vishnu. He is the Ultimate Power, who supports the entire universe.
The divine Lord Vishnu is all-pervading as the sky and dark like the clouds. Vishnu, the lotus-eyed one, is the Lord of Lakshmi. The ascetics (yogis) observe Lord Vishnu through meditation. Lord Vishnu is the destroyer of the fear of Samsar. We surrender to such great lord.
Vishnu Aarti
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare / Swami Jaye Jagdish Hare
Bhagt Jano Ke Sankat / Khshan Mein Dur Kare ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Jo Dhaywe Phal Pave / Dukh Vinshe Man Ka
Sukh Sampati Ghar Aave / Kasht Mite Tan Ka ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Maat-Pita Tum Mere / Sharan Gahun Kiskee
Tum Bin Aur Na Duja / Aas Karun Jiskee ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Tum Puran Parmatma / Tum Antaryami
Par-Brahm Parmeshwar / Tum Sabke Swami ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Tum Karuna Ke Saagar / Tum Palankarta
Mein Moorakh Khal Kami, Mein Sewak Tum Swami
Kripa Karo Bharta ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Tum Ho Ek Agochar / Sabke Pran Pati
Kis Vidhi Milun Dayamay / Tumko Mein Kumti ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Deenbandhu Dukh Harta / Thakur Tum Mere
Apne Hath Badao, Apni Sharan Lagao Dwar Para Tere ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Vishay Vikaar Mitao / Paap Haro Deva
Shradha Bhakti Barao / Santan Ki Sewa ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
Tan Man Dhan / Sab Hai Tera
Tera Tujhko Arpan / Kya Lage Mera ...
Om Jaye Jagdish Hare ||
इस आर्टिकल को हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें