The tri-murti-Vishnu.

• Vishnu


  The Preserver and sustainer of the universe. He is present everywhere. He represents the soul of the universe. He preserves and restores moral order and has the power to prevent suffering and disaster in the world.
• The Tri-murti


  • Brahma - The Creator
  • Vishnu - The Preserver
  • Shiva - The destroyer
• Vishnu


  • Has 10 avatars. The most famous being Rama and Krishna
  • Followers of Vishnu are called Vaishnavas. They are very kind and generous people, including the Hare Krishna movement
  • He is married to Lakshmi
• Avatar


  A deity (god/goddess) in human form
• Avatars of Vishnu


  1. When humanity is threatened by chaos or evil, Vishnu will descend into the world in one of his incarnations to restore righteousness

  2. The incarnations that Vishnu takes are called avatars

  3. The Hindu scriptures speak of ten avatars

  4. The avatars are thought to have been present in the Satya Yuga (the Golden Age or Age of Truth), when mankind was ruled by gods
• Dasavatara


  The ten avatars of Vishnu
• Each avatar has a different form and purpose. When an individual is faced with a challenge, a particular avatar descends to address the issue.
• Avatars are a feature of Vaishnavite Hinduism, the avatar doctrine is neither universally accepted nor commonly adopted in Shaivism.
• Belief in avatars is one of the main differences between Vaishnavism and Shaivism, in addition to their differences on the role of householder life versus monastic life for spiritual release.
• The Purana texts refer to avatars of Vishnu, Ganesh, Brahma, Shiva and Lakshmi.
• Most Hindus focus on the avatars of Vishnu.
• Hindus distinguish between full avatar (purna avatars) and partial avatars (ansha avatars). Krishna, Rama and Narasimha were full avatars, while others were partial avatars.
• Some Hindus believe Buddha and Jesus to be avatars of Vishnu.
• Some Hindus believe that every living creature is an avatar of Vishnu.
• Krishna


  The eighth avatar of Vishnu, a divine statesman who was a cowherd (sometimes depicted as a charioteer or statesman) who shrewdly changed rules. The famous poem, the Bhagavad Gita, is spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield. Krishna is depicted in a variety of forms because there are so many stories surrounding him. The most common story describes Krishna as a divine lover who plays the flute; he is also described in his child form. In paintings, Krishna often has blue skin and wears a crown of peacock feathers with a yellow loincloth.
• Rama


  The seventh avatar of Vishnu, a major deity of Hinduism who is considered supreme in some traditions. He is the central figure of the ancient Hindu epic "Ramayana" and is known as King of Ayodhya, the city believed to be Rama's birthplace. Rama is often depicted with blue skin, standing with a bow and arrow.
• An avatar is a god or goddess in human form.
• Some Hindus believe that all living things are avatars.
• Shaivites (followers of Shiva) do not believe in avatars.
• Vaishnavite Hinduism is the largest sect, followers believe in avatars.
• Hindu gods do not meddle in human affairs just for fun.
• Vishnu is believed to have ten avatars.
• Avatars are real in Hinduism.
• Rama is an avatar of Vishnu, not Shiva.
• Vishnu is not the only deity who Hindus believe has had avatars.
• Avatars are not the children of deities (gods and goddesses).