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[विष् व्यापने नुक् Uṇ.3.39]

1. The second deity of the sacred Triad, entrusted with the preservation of the world, which duty he is represented to have duly discharged by his various incarnations; (for their descriptions see the several avatāras sub voic, see under tbe word and also under अवतार); the word is thus popularly derived: यस्माद्विश्व- मिदं सर्वं तस्य शक्त्या महात्मनः । तस्मादेवोच्यते विष्णुर्विशधातोः प्रवेशनात् ॥.
2. Name of Agni; विष्णुर्नामेह योऽग्निः Mb.3.221.12.
3. A pious man.
4. Name of a law-giver, author of a Smṛiti called विष्णुस्मृति.
5. Name of one of the Vasus.
6. The lunar mansion called Śravaṇa (presided over by Viṣṇu).
7. Name of the month चैत्र.

1. masculine gender (probably from √विष्, "All-pervader" or "Worker") Name of one of the principal Hindu1 Hindu deities (in the later mythology regarded as "the preserver", and with Brahma1 ब्रह्मा "the creator" and S3iva शिव "the destroyer", constituting the well-known Tri-mu1rti त्रि-मूर्ति or triad; although Vishn2u विष्णु comes second in the triad he is identified with the supreme deity by his worshippers; in the Vedic period, however, he is not placed in the foremost rank, although he is frequently invoked with other gods [especially with Indra इन्द्र whom he assists in killing Vr2itra वृत्र and with whom he drinks the Soma सोम juice; confer, compare his later names Indra7nuja इन्द्रानुज and Upe7ndra उपेन्द्र]; as distinguished from the other Vedic deities, he is a personification of the light and of the sun, especially in his striding over the heavens, which he is said to do in three paces [see त्रि-विक्रम and confer, compare बलि, वामन], explained as denoting the threefold manifestations of light in the form of fire, lightning, and the sun, or as designating the three daily stations of the sun in his rising, culminating, and setting Page999,2; Vishn2u विष्णु does not appear to have been included at first among the A1dityas आदित्य s [quod vide], although in later times he is accorded the foremost place among them; in the Bra1hman2as ब्राह्मण s he is identified with sacrifice, and in one described as a dwarf; in the Maha1-bha1rata महा-भारत and Ra1ma7yan2a रामायण he rises to the supremacy which in some places he now enjoys as the most popular deity of modern Hindu1 Hindu worship; the great rivalry between him and S3iva शिव [confer, compare वैष्णव and शैव] is not fully developed till the period of the Pura1n2as पुराण s : the distinguishing feature in the character of the Post-vedic Vishn2u विष्णु is his condescending to become incarnate in a portion of his essence on ten principal occasions, to deliver mankind from certain great dangers [confer, compare अवतार and IW. 327]; some of the Pura1n2as पुराण s make 22 incarnations, or even 24, instead of 10; the Vaishn2avas वैष्णव s regard Vishn2u विष्णु as the supreme being, and often identify him with Na1ra1yan2a नारायण, the personified Purusha पुरुष or primeval living spirit [described as moving on the waters, reclining on S3esha शेष, the serpent of infinity, while the god Brahma1 ब्रह्मा emerges from a lotus growing from his navel; confer, compare Manu i, 10]; the wives of Vishn2u विष्णु are Aditi अदिति and Sini1va1li1 सिनीवाली, later Lakshmi1 लक्ष्मी or S3ri1 श्री and even Sarasvati1 सरस्वती; his son is Ka1ma-deva काम-देव, god of love, and his paradise is called Vaikun2t2ha वैकुण्ठ; he is usually represented with a peculiar mark on his breast called S3ri1-vatsa श्री-वत्स, and as holding a शङ्ख, or conch-shell called Pa1n5cajanya पाञ्चजन्य, a चक्र or quoit-like missile-weapon called Su-dars3ana सु-दर्शन, a गदा or club called Kaumodaki1 कौमोदकी and a पद्म or lotus; he has also a bow called S3a1rn3ga शार्ङ्ग, and a sword called Nandaka नन्दक; his वाहन or vehicle is Garud2a गरुड quod vide; he has a jewel on his wrist called Syamantaka स्यमन्तक, another on his breast called Kaustubha कौस्तुभ, and the river Ganges is said to issue from his foot; the demons slain by him in his character of "preserver from evil", or by Kr2ishn2a कृष्ण as identified with him, are Madhu मधु, Dhenuka धेनुक, Ca1n2u1ra चाणूर, Yamala यमल, and Arjuna अर्जुन [see यमला*र्जुन], Ka1la-nemi काल-नेमि, Haya-gri1va हय-ग्रीव, S3akat2a शकट, Arisht2a अरिष्ट, Kait2abha कैटभ, Kan6sa कंस, Kes3in केशिन्, Mura मुर, S3a1lva शाल्व, Mainda मैन्द, Dvi-vida द्वि-विद, Ra1hu राहु, Hiran2ya-kas3ipu हिरण्य-कशिपु, Ba1n2a बाण, Ka1liya कालिय, Naraka नरक, Bali बलि; he is worshipped under a thousand names, which are all enumerated in MBh. xiii, 6950-7056; he is sometimes regarded as the divinity of the lunar mansion called S3ravan2a श्रवण) fg-veda etc. (confer, compare RTL. 44 IW. 324)
2. masculine gender Name of the month Caitra चैत्र VarBr2S.
3. masculine gender (with प्राजापत्य) of the author of fg-veda x, 84
4. masculine gender of a son of Manu मनु Sa1varn2a सावर्ण and Bhautya भौत्य Ma1rkP.
5. masculine gender of the writer of a law-book Ya1jn5.
6. masculine gender of the father of the 11th Arhat अर्हत् of the present Avasarpin2i1 अवसर्पिणी Lexicographers
7. masculine gender (also with गणक, कवि, दैवज्ञ, पण्डित, भट्ट, मिश्र, यती*न्द्र, वाजपेयिन्, शास्त्रिन् etc.) of various authors and according to others Inscriptions catalogue or catalogues
8. masculine gender Equivalent to अग्नि Lexicographers
9. masculine gender Equivalent to वसु-देवता Lexicographers
10. masculine gender Equivalent to शुद्ध Lexicographers
11. feminine Name of the mother of the 11th Arhat अर्हत् of the present Avasarpin2i1 अवसर्पिणी Lexicographers
12. neuter gender plural (in a formula) A1pS3r.
13. neuter gender (विष्णोर् with अपमर्णम्, आज्य-दोहम्, व्रतम्; [ओः] साम, स्वरीयः Name of Sa1mans सामन् s; with षोडश-नाम-स्तोत्रम्, अनुस्मृतिः, अष्टाविंशति-नाम-स्तोत्रम्, and महा-स्तुतिः Name of works.)

1. indeclinable after Vishn2u विष्णु .
2. indeclinable after Vishn2u विष्णु, Laghuk. 972 .