Lord Vishnu is one of the most significant Gods in Hindu religion. Along with Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma, He is the part of the Trimurti concept of Hinduism. Lord Vishnu is the preserver and the protector of the universe while Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma are the destructor and the creator of the universe respectively.

Lord Vishnu is the supreme god of the Vaishnava Sampradaya.

Lord Vishnu Family

The wife of Lord Vishnu is Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that the Goddess Lakshmi resides in the heart of Lord Vishnu and devotees who worship Lord Vishnu are also blessed with the wealth and prosperity.

As per South Indian traditions, Shridevi and Bhoomadevi are the two consorts of Lord Vishnu. Hence, in few images, Lord Vishnu is flanked by two consorts.

Lord Vishnu resides in Kshir Sagar, the milky ocean. Lord Vishnu rests on the couch made of the serpent Sheshnag. The lotus, the beloved flower of Goddess Lakshmi, originates from the navel of Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma mounts on the same flower.

Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi have 18 sons, named Devasakha, Chiklita, Ananda, Kardama, Shriprada, Jataveda, Anuraga, Samvada, Vijaya, Vallabha, Mada, Harsha, Bala, Teja, Damaka, Salila, Guggula, Kuruntaka.

Lord Vishnu Festivals and Vrats

• Ekadashi
• Anant Chaturdashi

Lord Vishnu Mantra

One of His most important Mool Mantra-

ॐ नमोः नारायणाय। ॐ नमोः भगवते वासुदेवाय॥

Om Namoh Narayanaya। Om Namoh Bhagavate Vasudevaya॥

Lord Vishnu Incarnations and Swaroop

There are 10 popular incarnations of Lord Vishnu which are popularly known as Dashavatara.

1. Matsya
2. Kurma
3. Varaha
4. Lord Narasimha
5. Vamana
6. Parashurama
7. Lord Rama
8. Balarama
9. Lord Krishna
10. Kalki

Dashavatara is the most popular list of incarnations of Lord Vishnu. However another list which gives 24 incarnations of Lord Vishnu is also popular among devotees of Lord Vishnu.

1. Adi Purush Avatar - pre-eminent man
2. Sanat Kumar – Brahma Manasa Putra
3. Varaha Avatar - boar incarnation
4. Narada Avatar
5. Nara Narayana Avatar
6. Kapila Avatar
7. Dattatreya Avatar - Datta incarnation
8. Yajna (यज्ञ) Avatar – Yajna born to Prajapati and Akuti
9. Rishabha Avatar – Rishabhadeva Avatar
10. Prithu Avatar
11. Matsya Avatar – fish incarnation
12. Kurma Avatar or Kachchhap Avatar – tortoise incarnation
13. Dhanvantari Avatar – the Lord of medicine
14. Mohini Avatar – incarnation as a most enchanting woman
15. Narasimha Avatar – incarnation in the form of half-man and half-lion
16. Hayagriva Avatar – incarnation with horse face
17. Vamana Avatar – incarnation as a dwarf
18. Parashurama Avatar
19. Vyasa Avatar – Veda Vyasa incarnation
20. Shri Rama Avatar
21. Balarama Avatar
22. Shri Krishna Avatar
23. Buddha Avatar
24. Kalki Avatar – Lord Vishnu will be incarnated as Kalki at the end of the Kaliyuga

Lord Vishnu Temples

1. Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
2. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
3. Jagannath Temple, Puri
4. Badrinath Temple, Badrinath
5. Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh