Symbolism of Vishnu

It has been a tradition in civilized nation to provide hidden messages in places where people will least search for it...

The best example would be art forms, which are used to convey messages to those who are ready to take it, or in the state where they would grasp the subtle meaning in the display. Sometimes the messages are not that subtle but very simple and yet we don’t seem to recognize them, maybe because of our ignorance or biased thinking.

One of the oldest civilization in the world is Vedic, and the art forms of this civilization has simple symbols, which had tons to say, but the essence of the art has been lost. I would like to discuss about the symbolism of gods, what the vedic saints would have thought about it while they created these images of god.

We would find lots of discrepancies in the mythology of vedic civilization concerning the origin of the universe and superiority of god. Yes the Vaishnavas and the shaivites fought over the superiority of their gods, but the attributes to their gods have been given well before this war started. When we consider the actual meaning of the gods and then reconsider the myths, it would become clear that they actually don’t contradict. They create an ambiguity only to those who don’t understand them, but then Physics in its extreme also creates Ambiguities and paradoxes.

The west think that the Vedic civilization was obsessed with wild animals, infact they will call vedic gods to be paganic, in a way they are, but they are more than what they appear.

Vishnu, the most patient, intelligent of the trinity has been symbolized in a very special way. He has a four arms like many of the other gods in this pantheon. He is represented with a blue skin, he is shown wearing the Kaustubha mani and a flower garland. On his chest there is a mark of srivatsa. He also has crown like all other gods(exceptions exists) in vedic civilization. He also wears two earrings.





He is always shown having the

1. Conch (Panchajanya ) in left upper hand
2. Chakra (Sudarshan) in upper right hand
3. Mace (kaumodaki) in left lower hand
4. Lotus (Padma) in right lower hand

He is sometimes shown standing Upright with Laksmi on a lotus. He is also shown reclined on the Sesha Naaga/Ananta naaga , with Lakshmi and the sesha naaga resting on the Ksheer Saagar (Ocean of milk), Here Brahma is shown sitting on the lotus which came out of Vishnu’s Navel. Another way this divinity is represented is while flying the Garuda.

Now the symbolism of all this representations…

Vishnu :
The name itself means the “All pervading one”, so he literally means everything that exists, this is nothing but one of the attribute of Brahman. Vishnu in technical sense is nothing but the space that exists, so he is the one who manifests space in the void or is the space itself.

Blue Skin:
He is shown with a blue skin, the reason is simple, he is the representation of Ether, so he has to be blue, the color of sky.


Kaustubha Mani:
He is the owner of the most precious of material possessions anyone can have, this is just another way to say that human life is not only about spirituality but also about materialism, or the dualism of being the everything and still having material possession.
Kaustubham is also were Sri Lakshmi(Consort of Vishnu) resides.

Srivatsa mark:
This mark is present on the chest, where Laksmi resides, venerating the goddess.

Crown:
This is just to reinforce that he is “The Lord”.

Earrings:
He is shown wearing two earrings. This represents the extreme opposites, like knowledge and ignorance, pleasure and pain. He is the source of everything, the good and bad etc.

Panchajanya (Conch):
This is the conch, which is the source of creation. It is believed that the Universe is created by the sound “Om”, and Adi narayanan used this Conch to create the sound of creation. It can also be said that this conch is used to sustain the universe by creating vibration of life. Having the conch in his left upper arm symbolises that he is the creator or cause for everything that is. Or scientifically speaking The Vishnu (Space) has created the vibration of creation(symbolizing the self created universe). It may seem that I am applying naasthik ideals in the symbology, but this is just my rational approach. I believe it would be easy for the Saints to explain scientific concepts to the Disciples using symbols like this than some 3rd degree Differential equations.

Also Panchajanya represents the five basic elements of universe, thus reinforcing itself to be the source of origin.

Sudarshana Chakra:
This weapon is a Chakra (spinning discus) which symbolises Purity of mind. Su-Darshan means good/superior vision. This chakra has been used many a times by Vishnu to destroy the demons, The Chakra as such cannot destroy, infact its name suggests that it was used to destroy only the ego or bad element of the entities and provide a Superior vision to him towards Spirituality.

Kaumodaki Mace:
This represents destructive nature of the god. It symbolizes the destruction of egos and negative traits or even the destruction of universe itself.

Padma Lotus:
The lotus represents Awakening consciousness and in hands of Vishnu it means that to awaken our consciousness we have to understand Vishnu or Vishnu is the source of individual awakening.

Now we will try to understand the meaning of one of the popular images of Vishnu, in which he is shown reclined on the Shesha naaga. Shesha Naaga is a representation of time. Shesha means remaining, shesha naga refers to the time remaining after each creation cycle, which is always Infinity. The other name of shesha naga is Ananta naga which means endless, thus saying that after each cycle what is left is endless time. Vishnu (Space) reclined on Time for me is a perfect way to show the relation between space and time. Space lying on the bed of time is a perfect analogy to our universe. This whole setup is shown on the Ksheer sagar, or the ocean of milk, this could be a possible analogy to Milky way as in Mayan civilization and also represent the Chaos outside universe(I know there is no outside universe, this is the chaos before universe is created). This picture shows that universe(space and time) is created or lies in the ocean of Chaos, and out of space and consciousness(Vishnu) the Material creator(Brahma on the lotus from the navel of Vishnu) has come into existence. Brahma here is not actually the God as such but the personification of creation process.

Vishnu is not the creator but Brahma is, but Brahma came out of Vishnu, this is a very subtle way of explaining the creation of Universe. Initially came the space and time, and then came the material existence.

Another popular image is where Vishnu is shown flying the Garuda. It is said that when Garuda flaps his wings a chanting sound of Vedas is created, this in essence means that Garuda itself is the personification of knowledge. Also Garuda is a strong enemy of snakes bringing him in a position against the Shesha naaga, in a way saying that knowledge is superior to time(illusion) or ignorance. Vishnu being on both of them shows his mastery over knowledge and his control on time.

Ekam sat, viprah bahuda vadanti

Relativity in Vedic religion

For long I have wondered, if the Mythology that we read are true(atleast to some extent) or just pure fiction. The kind of theories that come out of this Mythologies are so fantastic to be true. One such fact (or fiction) is the age of human species on Earth, according to Indian mythology this world (or universe) has come into existence many times or even that humans have existed for 4,320,000 yrs and more.

A gist of the Timescale

A note on the time-scale of Brahma's Days and nights:(by Swami Sivananda)
Dvapara Yuga = 432,000 Years
Tretayuga (= twice Dvapara Yuga) 864,000 years
Kritayuga (=thrice Dvapara yuga) 1,296,000 years
Kaliyuga (=four times Dvapara Yuga) 1,728,000 years
The four yugas add up to a Mahayuga = (1+2+3+4=10 times Dvapara yuga)comprised of 4,320,000 years
71 such Mahayugas with an additional Sandhya, at the close of 1,728,000 years make one Manvantrara of 308,448,00014 such Manvantaras with another Sandhya, at the close of 1,728,000years constitute one Kalpa of 4,320,000,000 (1000 maha yugas)Two Kalpas make a day and night of Brahmaof 8,640,000,000 (2000 Maha Yugas)360 such days and nights make one year ofBrahma consisting of 3,110,400,000,000100 such years constitute His lifetime of 311,040,000,000,000

Another such fantastic inference comes about the Concept of relativity in Vedic religion, did they really had the knowledge of the General theory of relativity?
Let Us analyze some stories which seem to exhibit such intriguing knowledge of General Relativity.

Kakudmi in Brahmalok:

Brahma is the creator of the Universe according to Hindu religion and he lives in Brahma-Lok a different plane of existence and from the above explanation of Time scale you would have understood that time dilation is very much visible in these levels of existence.

Kakudmi was of pure character, and a benevolent ruler. He had one very beautiful daughter named Revati , endowed with all auspicious qualities. Although considered human, Kakudmi seemed to have been endowed with mystic powers, not found in ordinary humans today. Kakudmi was able to take his daughter Revati with him and travel to Brahma-lok (the plane of existence where Brahma, the Creator, resides) and to speak with Brahma at will.
Kakudmi’s Daughter was so beautiful that he thought there was no one eligible to marry her, so he took her to Brahma the creator himself to seek his help.When they arrived, Brahma was listening to a musical performance by the Gandharvas (Celestial Dancers), so they waited patiently until the performance was finished. Brahma explained that time runs differently on different planes of existence, and that during the short time they had waited in Brahma-loka to see him, 27 catur-yugas (a cycle of four yugas, totalling 108 yugas, or Ages of Man) had passed on earth . Brahma said to Kakudmi, "O King, all those whom you may have decided within the core of your heart to accept as your son-in-law have passed away in the course of time. Twenty-seven catur-yugas have already passed. You must therefore bestow this virgin gem (i.e. Revati) upon some other husband, for you are now alone, and your friends, your ministers, servants, wives, kinsmen, armies, and treasures, have long since been swept away by the hand of time."

Later on Brahma’s advice, Kakudmi arranged for the marriage of Balaram (Brother of lord Krishna) and Revati.
Let us assume that Kakudmi and Brahma waited in Brahmalok for an hour(for the musical performance) then Brahma’s one hour is Equal to 27 catur yuga
Which ,means 1 hr of Brahma = 27 X 4,320,000 human yrs.

Now another story Brahma vimohana Lila:
Once Lord Krishna was playing with the cows and shepherds in the Brindavan(a place near New Delhi), when Lord Brahma comes and steals all the cows and boys and put them in a secluded place in suspended animation for one year. Now lord Krishna creates out of him the cows and shepherds, when brahma returns to find the same boys playing with Krishna after a year, he was bewildered. After seeing the Vishwaroopam(universal image) in Krishna he leaves for Brahma lok. Even though Brahma spent one human year in Earth only a truti was passed on his time scale.

Now according to vedic definition a truti is equal to 1/33,750 of a second. Now based on our previous story, if we calculate how much time Kakudmi and Revati spent in Brahma lok
Time spent in Brahma lok = 27 X 4,320,000 = 116,640,000 Human yrs
1 human yr = 1 truti of Brahma.
116,640,000 human yr = 116,640,000 X 1/33,750 Seconds of Brahma
Time spent on brahma lok = 116,640,000 Human yrs = 3456 seconds in Brahma lok = 57 min 36 Seconds.
Which seems to be a logical assumption that a musical performance has taken place for about an hour.
Will come back with some more interesting food for thoughts…
Till then
Blessed Be.