Vishnu, preserver of human life is one of the three gods of the Trimurti. He is a generous God and known as being ‘Sattvaguna’ (kind and merciful). Vishnu is the only God of the Trimurti who is reborn whenever there is a crisis on earth.

If ‘Dharma’ (righteousness) is disturbed, Vishnu descends to earth as an avatar (a human form) to fight the forces of evil.

The Puranas list the Dasavatars’, ten avatars, Vishnu took on to sustain the cosmos. Seen in order, they represent the evolution of mankind from the fish stage to ‘Purusha’ (man).

These avatars were Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar ), Nara-simha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama (a powerful warrior), Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki (white horse).

A romantic aspect of the myths, is that whenever Vishnu descends to earth he marries Lakshmi (his Goddess wife). They are destined to marry on earth as in heaven. When Vishnu is Rama, Lakshmi is born as Sita. As Krishna he marries her as Rukmini.