The Hindu god Vishnu, the protector of the universe

Vishnu , a character from Hindu legend who inspired the Anantâsana posture.

Vishnu , also called Vishou , Narayana, Purushottama or Hari, is one of the most famous gods of India, notably part of the Trimurti , in trio with Brahma and Shiva. Indeed, he is the Hindu deity of protection and time. Thus, he restores order in chaos, accompanied by Garuda, his faithful mount. To do this, he must embody different avatars like Krishna or Rama. The representation of the Hindu god in yoga lying on a multi-headed serpent is at the origin of the asana Anantâsana , also called the posture of Vishnu . Discover the protective god as you have never seen him.

Who is Vishnu, the protective god?

The god Vishnu is known to be the protector and savior of men. However, it is complex to know the date of origin of the cult of Vishnu . Indeed, in the Vedas (sacred texts), this divinity of Hinduism is very little present and what is more linked to Indra (Shiva). At first, Vishnu recovered many of the characteristics of the god Mithra, in particular his "benevolent" and "solar" appearance. Then, this divinity of Hindu mythology became a member of the Trimurti in the same way as Shiva and Brahma. His mission? To descend to Earth to help humans and protect the universe, accompanied by his mount representing an eagle called Garuda, but also by a serpent with many heads.

The branch of Hinduism that worships Vishnu is called Vishnuism. He married Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and luck or according to other sources Bhumi (symbol of the earth) whom the god of India saves from the waters.

How is the deity Vishnu represented?

In the most famous representation, the god Vishnu sleeps on a multi-headed serpent symbolizing the sleeping world, floating on the primordial waters. In reality, the great Hindu divinity prepares the next universe and when she wakes up, creation begins. Thus, Vishnu is blue in color, dressed in a royal habit, a golden tiara ( kirita-mukuta ) and has 4 arms each holding a conch ( shankha ), a disk spinning around his index finger ( chakra ), a lotus ( padma ) and a club ( gadha ).

The different avatars of the Hindu god

Vishnu , a deity of Hindu legend, must take on an avatar ( avataras ) in order to help the universe and restore order when a threat looms over the world. Thus, he takes different forms depending on the events, such as the most famous: Rama (the hero) and Krishna (the merciless warrior), themselves venerated. However, there are still other incarnations such as:

• Matsya, the fish,
• Kurma, the turtle,
• Varâha, the wild boar,
• Narasimha, the lion-man,
• Vamana, the dwarf,
• Parashurama, the fighting prince,
• Siddhartha Gautama also called Buddha,
• Kalkî, the last judgment which shows the end of the current era.

What is Vishnu doing in yoga?

Did you know that Vishnu had his own posture in yoga? The asana Anantâsana is also called the posture of Vishnu , or even the posture of Infinity. In Hindu legend, " Ananta " is another name given to this divinity in India , associated with the multi-headed serpent of the same name. The best-known representation of the Hindu god shows him lying slightly to the side on the famous serpent Ananta. This is why the posture of Vishnu is called this. The virtues of this asana are multiple, in particular for:

• Stretch the muscles of the legs, back and ribs,
• Tone the muscles of the pelvis, hips and abdominals,
• Reduce rheumatic pain,
• Reduce fatigue and stress,
• Improve the immune system,
• Balancing the Root Chakra ( Muladhara ).

To achieve this posture, equip yourself with a quality, eco-friendly yoga mat .