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Vishnu-Lakshmi- Ashish Khokar & Saraswati Swaminathan |
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Vishnu is one of the premier deities worshipped in Hinduism. There are several accounts of Vishnu in the massive quantum of religious literature written in Sanskrit and Tamil in the ancient period and subsequently in the other languages of India. |
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These accounts vary to quite an extent and there are often disputes among scholars regarding their interpretation. But there are certain aspects of the deity that are currently accepted in almost all the communities that worship Lord Vishnu, and these are the qualities that are given here. |
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Two special features of Hinduism must be known, before the various deities of the religious tradition are understood. The first is that, there are a number of deities in the religious tradition, some of whom are gods and others are goddesses. Then there are other divine forms as well, which are embodied in the animals, birds, serpents and so on. The important goal of religion is the worship of God, and Hinduism has accepted the worship of divinity in any form. This is the reason why there are so many deities in any of the Hindu temples, and the devotees worship them in the manner of their faith. |
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© “Vishnu-Lakshmi” by Ashish Khokar & Saraswati Swaminathan, published by Rupa & Co, 7/16, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110 002. Reprinted with permission. |