Vishnu (Viṣṇu) is one of Hinduism’s principal deities and the Supreme Being within the many traditions collectively known as Vaiṣṇavism. Already praised in the Vedas, Viṣṇu becomes the central divine personality of major epics, Purāṇas, philosophical schools, and devotional traditions.
He is commonly depicted with four arms holding the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, accompanied by the goddess Lakṣmī and resting upon the cosmic serpent Ananta Śeṣa. His celestial realm is Vaikuṇṭha. Viṣṇu’s defining theological characteristic is his willingness to enter the world repeatedly to protect dharma and living beings. This idea gives rise to the famous doctrine of his avatāras, including Rāma, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, and—in many traditions—Krishna.
Viṣṇu represents preservation not as passivity but as divine maintenance of cosmic and moral order. Whenever order deteriorates, the transcendent God becomes personally involved in restoring balance.
