Lord Vishnu
Here's everything you wanted to know about Lord Vishnu, the supreme god.
The preserver of universe
Known as the 'preserver' of the universe in the Hindu Triad, Lord Vishnu is revered as the supreme god amongst Hindu community of Vaishnavas or Vaishnavites. Along with Shiva and Brahma, Lord Vishnu form the 'Trimurti' aka, Triumvirate. Within it, Brahma is the creator of the universe, Shiva is the destroyer and Vishnu god is the preserver and protector of the universe.
The supreme god
Lord Vishnu is believed to possess powers that are greater than any other Hindu god. He is also said to have the power to maneuver energies on a universal scale, hence, one can immediately relate how his powers make him the preserver of the universe. Hindu god Vishnu is usually portrayed in a dark blue hue having 4 arms, a pair in the front, depicting his relationship with the physical world and the material world. The other pair is behind him, portraying his presence in the spiritual realm. He is said to have been married to Goddess Laxmi, Saraswati, and Ganga.
His many avatars
It is believed that Sri Vishnu god returned to earth in different avatars during troubled times and restored the balance of good and evil. As per believers, lord Vishnu has been reincarnated nine times. The first was Matsya the fish; the first physical being on Earth. He also took the form of Kurma, the tortoise to carry the weight of the mountain on his back. The third time, lord Vishnu returned to Earth as Varaha, the boar, to fight a war with a demon for 1000 years. In the next life, he was reincarnated as Narasimha, the Man-Lion, to protect a young devotee from a demon. Vamana was Vishnu's very first human incarnation. He later came back to Earth as Parshurama, the Lumberjack.
After this, he came as one of the most famously known avatars, lord Rama. During the battle of Kurukshetra, he played a crucial role as Lord Krishna. Buddha is said to be the ninth and the last of his avatars on Earth. Hindus believe that Lord Vishnu will be reincarnated one last time before the world comes to an end.
Lord Vishnu’s most famous abode: Srirangam Temple
Lord Vishnu is worshipped as Ranganatha in the southern part of India. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple or Thiruvarangam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Vishnu, standing tall in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Dravidian Architecture, this temple is glorified by Alvars in their Divya Prabhanda and has the unique distinction of not only being the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Vishnu, but also of being the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world.
Millions of visitors come to his shrine to be a part of various prayers and take in his divinity. The temple has such a spiritual vibe that one can sense the power of his presence not just at the place where the Lord rests but all around the temple as well.