VISHNU - the Preserver of the World

Vishnu the preserver of the World

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Vishnu as supreme god

Of enormous size, he is showing eight arms, that means universal power. In the background are numerous adorants.

Prasat Kravan

The creative Vishnu

Between times Vishnu is reclining on the naga Ananta, an endless snake, swimming in the cosmic sea. The array of the naga's heads is protecting Vishnu. Lakshmi, his consort, is holding his legs.

A golden lotus is growing up, in its blossom appears Brahma (with four faces, three are visible); he will create the world.

Angkor Wat

Churning of the Sea of Milk See ...
The assault of the demons

Vishnu has cheated the demons out of amrita, they want to attack the gods.
First Vishnu can ward them off but then it gets to a battle where the gods eventually win.

Bayon

The belligerent Vishnu

Vishnu is holding weapons in two of his four arms, a sword and a discus.
Vishnu's mount is Garuda , the king of the birds. He has an eagle's face, wings, and feet.
Vishnu and Garuda are ready to fight against any demon who wants to disturb the harmony of the world.

Thommanon (right)
Vishnu on Garuda, fighting the Chams. Bayon (left)

Incarnations of Vishnu
Time and again Vishnu descends from the heaven in order to restore the harmony on the earth. His best known incarnations are: Krishna & Rama.

Gods inviting Vishnu to descend on Earth (Angkor Wat)

Vishnu's Three Strides

The demon king Bali has gained power over the Three Worlds, the Heavens, the Earth, and the Sea, by penance and bravery. The gods are homeless and they don't receive any more offerings.
Vishnu knows what to do. He appears to King Bali as a Brahmin boy and asks him for a small piece of soil for meditation, three steps long. Bali grants the request.
Now the tiny boy changes to a giant. With his first step (depicted in the relief) he conquers the Earth and the Sea, with the second he conquers the Heavens. There is one step over, King Bali cannot keep to his grant; for this Vishnu banishes him to the Hell. From now on, Vishu will get many reasons to fight angry demons.

Prasat Kravan

Narasimha

The demon king Hiranyakasha, a son of Bali, persecutes his son Prahlada, who is an ardent follower of Vishnu. Vishnu wants to avenge this insult of his divinity and to protect Prahlada. But god Brahma has promised to Hiranyakasha that he cannot be killed, neither by a man nor by a god, nor by an animal, neither at daytime nor at night, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither by a weapon nor by poison. Vishnu comes to him as a narasimha , a 'lion man' - neither god, nor man, nor animal, at night break, and 'tore him apart with his claws' at the threshold of his palace.

Lakshmi

Creqated at the Churning of the Sea of Milk, Vishnu's consort Lakshmi is the goddess of luck; she manifests Vishnu's creative energy.

References: Zimmer; Roveda 2003; Roveda 2005.---- Top

Click the pics to enlarge. Vishnu as supreme god Of enormous size, he is showing eight arms, that means universal power. In the background are numerous adorants. Prasat Kravan
The creative Vishnu Between times Vishnu is reclining on the naga Ananta, an endless snake, swimming in the cosmic sea. The array of the naga's heads is protecting Vishnu. Lakshmi, his consort, is holding his legs. A golden lotus is growing up, in its blossom appears Brahma (with four faces, three are visible); he will create the world. Angkor Wat
Churning of the Sea of Milk See ... The assault of the demons Vishnu has cheated the demons out of amrita, they want to attack the gods. First Vishnu can ward them off but then it gets to a battle where the gods eventually win. Bayon
The belligerent Vishnu Vishnu is holding weapons in two of his four arms, a sword and a discus. Vishnu's mount is Garuda , the king of the birds. He has an eagle's face, wings, and feet. Vishnu and Garuda are ready to fight against any demon who wants to disturb the harmony of the world. Thommanon (right) Vishnu on Garuda, fighting the Chams. Bayon (left)
Incarnations of Vishnu Time and again Vishnu descends from the heaven in order to restore the harmony on the earth. His best known incarnations are: Krishna & Rama. Gods inviting Vishnu to descend on Earth (Angkor Wat)
Vishnu's Three Strides The demon king Bali has gained power over the Three Worlds, the Heavens, the Earth, and the Sea, by penance and bravery. The gods are homeless and they don't receive any more offerings. Vishnu knows what to do. He appears to King Bali as a Brahmin boy and asks him for a small piece of soil for meditation, three steps long. Bali grants the request. Now the tiny boy changes to a giant. With his first step (depicted in the relief) he conquers the Earth and the Sea, with the second he conquers the Heavens. There is one step over, King Bali cannot keep to his grant; for this Vishnu banishes him to the Hell. From now on, Vishu will get many reasons to fight angry demons. Prasat Kravan
Narasimha The demon king Hiranyakasha, a son of Bali, persecutes his son Prahlada, who is an ardent follower of Vishnu. Vishnu wants to avenge this insult of his divinity and to protect Prahlada. But god Brahma has promised to Hiranyakasha that he cannot be killed, neither by a man nor by a god, nor by an animal, neither at daytime nor at night, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither by a weapon nor by poison. Vishnu comes to him as a narasimha , a 'lion man' - neither god, nor man, nor animal, at night break, and 'tore him apart with his claws' at the threshold of his palace.
Lakshmi Creqated at the Churning of the Sea of Milk, Vishnu's consort Lakshmi is the goddess of luck; she manifests Vishnu's creative energy. References: Zimmer; Roveda 2003; Roveda 2005.---- Top