विष्णु
Vishnu
(viṣṇu)The all-pervading one — preserver of the universe, source of the ten avatāras
Full Meaning
Viṣṇu means "the all-pervading." He is the preserver of the universe in the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). Whenever dharma declines, Vishnu descends as an avatāra. His ten principal avatāras (Daśāvatāra) include Rāma and Krishna. He rests on the cosmic serpent Śeṣa (Ananta), floating on the ocean of consciousness.
Etymology
From the root viś (विश्) — to pervade, to enter, to be everywhere. Viṣṇu is "the one who pervades everything."
Usage in Sanskrit Texts
Vaishnavism (devotion to Vishnu and his avatāras) is the largest denomination of Hinduism. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa tells the stories of Vishnu's avatāras across cosmic time.
विष्णुर्व्यापी जगत् — Vishnu pervades the entire universe.
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