m. (prob. fr.viṣ-,"All-pervader"or"Worker") Name of one of the principal Hindu deities (in the later mythology regarded as"the preserver", and with brahmā-"the creator"and śiva-"the destroyer" , constituting the well-known tri-mūrti- or triad;although viṣṇu- 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- whom he assists in killing vṛtra- and with whom he drinks the soma- juice; see his later names indrānuja- and upendra-];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 [Seetri-vikrama-and seebali-, vāmana-],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; viṣṇu- does not appear to have been included at first among the āditya-s [ q.v ], although in later times he is accorded the foremost place among them;in the brāhmaṇa-s he is identified with sacrifice, and in one described as a dwarf;in the mahā-bhārata- and rāmāyaṇa- he rises to the supremacy which in some places he now enjoys as the most popular deity of modern Hindu worship;the great rivalry between him and śiva-[ seevaiṣṇava-and śaiva-]is not fully developed till the period of the purāṇa-s: the distinguishing feature in the character of the Post-vedic viṣṇu- is his condescending to become incarnate in a portion of his essence on ten principal occasions, to deliver mankind from certain great dangers[ seeavatāra-and ];some of the purāṇa-s make 22 incarnations, or even 24, instead of 10;the vaiṣṇava-s regard viṣṇu- as the supreme being, and often identify him with nārāyaṇa-, the personified puruṣa- or primeval living spirit [described as moving on the waters, reclining on śeṣa-, the serpent of infinity, while the god brahmā- emerges from a lotus growing from his navel; see ];the wives of viṣṇu- are aditi- and sinīvālī-, later lakṣmī- or śrī- and even sarasvatī-;his son is kāma-deva-, god of love, and his paradise is called vaikuṇṭha-;he is usually represented with a peculiar mark on his breast called śrī-vatsa-, and as holding a śaṅkha-,or conch-shell called pāñcajanya-, a cakra-or quoit-like missile-weapon called su-darśana-, a gadā-or club called kaumodakī- and a padma-or lotus;he has also a bow called śārṅga-, and a sword called nandaka-;his vāhana-or vehicle is garuḍa-q.v;he has a jewel on his wrist called syamantaka-, another on his breast called kaustubha-, 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 kṛṣṇa- as identified with him, are madhu-, dhenuka-, cāṇūra-, yamala-, and arjuna- [see yamalārjuna-], kāla-nemi-, haya-grīva-, śakaṭa-, ariṣṭa-, kaiṭabha-, kaṃsa-, keśin-, mura-, śālva-, mainda-, dvi-vida-, rāhu-, hiraṇya-kaśipu-, bāṇa-, kāliya-, naraka-, bali-;he is worshipped under a thousand names, which are all enumerated in ;he is sometimes regarded as the divinity of the lunar mansion called śravaṇa-) etc. (see)
n.Name of one of the most celebrated of the 18 purāṇa-s (it conforms more than any other to the definition pañca-lakṣaṇa-[q.v.];and consists of 6 books, the 1st treating of the creation of the universe from prakṛti-, and the peopling of the world by the prajā-pati-s;the 2nd giving a list of kings with many curious geographical and astronomical details;the 3rd treating of the veda-s and caste;the 4th continuing the chronicle of dynasties;the 5th giving the life of kṛṣṇa-;the 6th describing the dissolution of the world)
n.Name of one of the most celebrated of the 18 purāṇa-s (it conforms more than any other to the definition pañca-lakṣaṇa-[q.v.];and consists of 6 books, the 1st treating of the creation of the universe from prakṛti-, and the peopling of the world by the prajā-pati-s;the 2nd giving a list of kings with many curious geographical and astronomical details;the 3rd treating of the veda-s and caste;the 4th continuing the chronicle of dynasties;the 5th giving the life of kṛṣṇa-;the 6th describing the dissolution of the world)
विष्णुः [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 s. v. and also under अवतार); the word is thus popularly derived :- यस्माद्विश्व- मिदं सर्वं तस्य शक्त्या महात्मनः । तस्मादेवोच्यते विष्णुर्विशधातोः प्रवेशनात् ॥. -2 N. of Agni; विष्णुर्नामेह यो$ग्निः Mb.3.221.12. -3 A pious man. -4 N. of a law-giver, author of a Smṛiti called विष्णुस्मृति. -5 N. of one of the Vasus. -6 The lunar mansion called Śravaṇa (presided over by Viṣṇu). -7 N. of the month चैत्र. -Comp. -काञ्ची N. of a town. -क्रमः the step or stride of Viṣṇu. -क्रान्ता N. of various plants. -गुप्तः N. of Chāṇakya. -ग्रन्थिः a particular joint of the body. -जनः a devotee, saint; अध्यगान्मह- दाख्यानं नित्यं विष्णुजनप्रियः Bhāg.1.7.11. -तिथिः N. of the 11th and 12th lunar days of each fortnight. -तैलम् a kind of medicinal oil. -दत्तः N. of परीक्षित. -दैवत्या N. of the eleventh and twelfth days of each fortnight (of a lunar month). -धर्मः 1 Dharma enjoining the proper worship of Viṣṇu. -2 a kind of श्राद्ध. -धर्मोत्तरपुराणम् N. of an उपपुराण. -पदम् 1 the sky, atmosphere. -2 the sea of milk. -3 the foot of Viṣṇu (worshipped at Gayā). -4 a lotus. -पदी 1 an epithet of the Ganges; निर्गता विष्णुपादाब्जात् तेन विष्णुपदी स्मृता Brav. P.; Bhāg.1.19. 7. -2 the sun's passage (into the zodiacal signs वृषभ, सिंह, वृश्चिक and कुम्भ). -पुराणम् N. of one of the most celebrated of the eighteen Purāṇas. -प्रिया 1 basil. -2 Lakṣmī. -प्रीतिः f. land granted rent-free to Brāhmaṇas to maintain Viṣṇu's worship. -माया N. of Durgā. -मित्रः a common name (like अमुक); तस्मादपि विष्णुमित्र इत्यनवस्थितिः Bhāg.5.14.24. -रथः an epithet of Garuḍa. -रातः N. of king Parīkṣita; स विष्णुरातो$तिथय आगताय तस्मै सपर्यां शिरसा जहार Bhāg.1.19.29. -विङ्गी a quail. -लोकः Viṣṇu's world; मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति Stotra. -वल्लभा 1 an epithet of Lakṣmī. -2 the holy basil. -वाहनः, -वाह्यः epithets of Garuḍa. -शक्तिः Lakṣmī -हिता basil.
m. [Worker: √ vish] N. of a god of the upper region (personification of the sun) who traverses the world in three strides, companion of Indra, mentioned with the Âdityas, husband of Sinîvâlî (V.); jani tor of the gods (Br.); his head when cut off becomes the sun (Br.). In C. he is the second of the triad, the Preserver, husband of Laksh mî or Srî, and Sarasvatî, father of the god of love, rests on the serpent Sesha, and has Garuda for his vehicle, descends to earth in several Avatârs; N. of a lawgiver.
m. pl. Vishnu's steps (three steps to be taken by the sacrificer be tween Vedi and Âhavanîya); -gupta, m. ep. of Kânakya; N. of a Buddhist; -gâmâtri, m. son-in-law Vishnu; -tva, n.Vishnu's nature; -datta, m. N.; -nya&ndot;ga, a. in which Vishnu is frequently mentioned; -pada, n. zenith; sky; -purâna, n. T. of a Purâna; -mat-î, f. N. of a princess; -maya, a. (î) relating to, having the nature of, Vishnu; -mitra, m. frequent N. (used as an instance like Cajus); -loka, m. Vishnu's world; -vâh ana, n. Vishnu's vehicle, Garuda; -sakti, 1. f. Vishnu's energy, Lakshmî; 2. m. N. of a king; -sarman, m. N. of various men, esp. of the narrator of the Pañkatantra and the Hitopadesa; -sûkta, n. hymn to Vishnu; -svâmin, m. temple or statue of Vishnu.
noun (masculine) śuddha (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a son of Manu Sāvarṇa and Bhautya (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of an author (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of one of the principal Hindū deities (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the father of the 11th Arhat of the present Avasarpiṇi (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the month Caitra (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the writer of a law-book (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of various authors and others (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (neuter) a particular mystical circle (formed from the lines in the hand) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
Viṣṇu's discus (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (masculine) a species of bulbous plant (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a Buddhist (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a follower (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of an astronomer (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the Muni (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the minister and sage (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the saint Kauṇḍinya (said to have been concealed by Viṣṇu when pursued by Śiva) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (feminine) a kind of dark Śaṅkhapuṣpī (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
Clitoria ternatea Linn. (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
Evolvulus Alsinoides (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (masculine) a common name (used like the Latin Caius) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a priest (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a Scholiast (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (neuter) a lotus (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a sacred hill (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
the mark of Viṣṇu's foot worshipped at Gayā (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
the sky (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
the zenith (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (feminine) name of the Ganges (as issuing from Viṣṇu's foot) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the town Dvārikā (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
the sun's passage (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (masculine) a temple or statue of Viṣṇu (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of various men. (esp. of a celebrated Vaiṣṇava teacher) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (feminine) agniśikhā (a kind of plant) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
basil (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
Echites (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a work (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of Lakṣmī (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
Ocymum Sanctum (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (masculine) name of a family descended from Viṣṇuvṛddha, son of Saṃbhūti
name of a man (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of a son of Saṃbhūti Frequency rank 30301/72933
noun (masculine) name of a teacher (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of Kalkin or Kalki (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
name of the father of Kalkin (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
adjective becoming (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
faring well (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
future (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
imminent (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
thriving (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
what is or ought to become or be (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
noun (masculine) name of Kapila (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
the great Viṣṇu (esp. name of Viṣṇu when worshipped by Buddhists) (Monier-Williams, Sir M. (1988))
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