The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma (The Galaxy of Hindu Gods) - Softcover

Achuthananda, Swami

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0975788337 ISBN 13: 9780975788332

Publisher: Relianz, 2018

Synopsis

"India has two million gods and worships them all. In religion, all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire." In this book, we take a look at two of the most powerful gods of India--Vishnu and Brahma. As a creator god, Brahma holds a prominent position in the Hindu pantheon even though he lost his popularity--we'll learn why. When Brahma's popularity fell, Vishnu rose in power. Today, Vishnu is an important god, and has a following of more than 700 million devotees, occasionally identified by vertical marks on their foreheads.

We begin by examining a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we explore the churning of the milky ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions when gods and demons collaborated in search of the nectar of immortality. Many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu. We also get to know a critical aspect of our ancestry. According to Hinduism, we are all descendants of Manu, who is recognized as the father of human race.

While this book is predominantly about Brahma and Vishnu, there will be occasional detours when we pause to look at art and architecture. In particular, we'll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. Guess what? Angkor Wat is a Vishnu temple located outside India, much to dismay of millions of Hindus. We'll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective, especially the unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music, and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti became a major form of worship and pervaded Hindu society forever. Nothing exemplifies bhakti more than the dancing-and-chanting Hare Krishnas.

About this title

From the Back Cover

After the Vedic era, the triad of gods--Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva--propelled to power. Brahma initially became the supreme deity, but he could not hang on to his position for long. A judgmental lapse is said to have caused his downfall. With Brahma's descent Vishnu took over the reins and steadfastly held on to this position for centuries. Today,in the Hindu pantheon, Vishnu is a juggernaut--a word coined in his honor--and has a following of more than 700 million devotees.
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In the second volume of the series, The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. We begin by examining a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we explore the churning of the milky ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions when gods and demons collaborated to search for the nectar of immortality. Many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.
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There will be occasional detours when we pause to look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship but also among the finest specimens of ancient art and architecture. In particular, we'll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. We'll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective, especially the unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art,music, and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti became a major form of worship and pervaded Hindu society forever.

Edition details

• Publisher: Relianz
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0975788337
• ISBN 13: 9780975788332
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 162