Vishnu
(in later Hinduism) “the Preserver,” the second member of the Trimurti, along with Brahma the Creator and Shiva the Destroyer.
(in popular Hinduism) a deity believed to have descended from heaven to earth in several incarnations, or avatars, varying in number from nine to twenty-two, but always including animals. His most important human incarnation is the Krishna of the Bhagavad-Gita.
“the Pervader,” one of a half-dozen solar deities in the Rig-Veda, daily traversing the sky in three strides, morning, afternoon, and night.
Origin of Vishnu
1Other words from Vishnu
- Vish·nu·ism, noun
Words Nearby Vishnu
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use Vishnu in a sentence
I noticed that my three main characters, Sarita, Karun and Jaz, formed a trinity just like Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi.
A Mathematically Impossible Novel: Manil Suri Explains “The City of Devi” | Manil Suri | March 15, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTIt came out of the sacred river; indeed, it might, perhaps, be the incarnation of the god Vishnu himself.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferBrahma was the prince of the angelic army; Vishnu and Siva were His coadjutors.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 1 (of 10) | Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)Siva and Vishnu became worshipped, as well as Brahma and a host of other gods unknown to the earlier Vedas.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I | John LordWhen Vishnu saved the enrapturing Soma, the Maruts sat down like birds on their beloved altar.
Sacred Books of the East | Various
She say Vishnu lay curse on us, dead men come out of graves, be wolves, be tigers—menjelma kramat—follow us everywhere!
Cursed | George Allan England
British Dictionary definitions for Vishnu
/ (ˈvɪʃnuː) /
Hinduism the Pervader or Sustainer: originally a solar deity occupying a secondary place in the Hindu pantheon; later one of the three chief gods, the second member of the Trimurti; and, later still, the saviour appearing in many incarnations
Origin of Vishnu
1Derived forms of Vishnu
- Vishnuism, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for Vishnu
[ (vish-nooh) ]
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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