Question: What is Visnu? Who is Visnu?

 

Answer: Visnu – He appears in the Rgveda as Indra's younger brother, but emerges in epics and Puranas as the Supreme Being, with the larges numerical following.  He is usually shown together with his consort Sri or Laksmi.  He is essentially a savior god, called muktidata.  His worship is joyous and often emotional. Pictorially he is represented as having a dark blue body, with four arms, holding cakra (a discus, sign of world-power called Sudarsana), gada (a mace, called Kaumodaki), padma (a lotus), and sanika (a conch, called Panca-janya). On his breast is the curl salles Srivatsa the jewel Kaustubha, on his wrist he wears the jewel Syamantaka.  Usually he is represented standing on seated on a lotus, with Laksmi beside him.  In some temples he is also pictured lying on the coils of Sesa, the world snake, who represents eternity. His Vahana (vehicle) is Garuda.