Vishnu and Lakshmi. Union of Creation vs Prosperit

While Shiva and Shakti are the embodiment of the Spiritual Force of the Universe, Vishnu and Lakshmi, according to the ancient Indian Vedas, are responsible for creating the forms (bodies, avatars) of all things in the Universe, maintaining order and balance of forces. Just as Shiva is inconceivable without Shakti, Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi are one and indivisible. Together they fill the manifested worlds with prosperity, harmony and love.

As a consequence of the curse of Brahman Bhrigu, Vishnu is forced to incarnate in the material world as soon as chaos reigns on earth and the scales are ready to tip towards Darkness. Therefore Lakshmi, saddened by the possible separation from her beloved, took a vow to follow him constantly and was married to all his incarnations: in Rama's time she was Sita, in Krishna's time she was Rukmini, when he appeared as Venkateshvara she was Alamelu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwo0CqIKd4Y.

This descent of Vishnu, his birth on earth in the form of an animal or a human being, is called an avatara. It happens when the balance of good and evil in the world is disturbed, evil begins to win and it is necessary to save the world from premature destruction. Vishnu had nine great avatars, and the tenth is yet to come. Who did Vishnu appear on earth as?

1. Vishnu the turtle. Ploughing the Ocean. Once the gods gathered on the top of the great mountain Meru, whose peaks shine like the Sun, and gave themselves up to bitter reflections: they surpass the power of any of the people, but old age and illnesses pursue them as well as mortals. Then they decided to seek advice and help from the Guardian of the World. Vishnu listened to them and said: ‘Amrita, the drink of immortality, can cure old age and illness. But it is difficult to obtain it. For this purpose it is necessary to plough the Ocean - to beat it in the same way as people beat milk to get butter from it. It is a difficult job, and it is necessary to call the asuras for help, promising them half of the amrita.

So the gods set to work. Asuras willingly agreed to help them - after all, they also wanted to get immortality. But the Ocean is not a churn, and the churning whisk needed a huge one. The gods and the Asuras took the huge mountain Mandara, whose top goes upwards for eleven thousand yojanas and its roots go downwards as much, wrapped it with the serpent Vasuki - the king of all serpents, so huge that there is no measure to measure its length. Now it was possible to plunge the mountain into the Ocean and begin to rotate it, whipping amrita from its waters, but there was no support for the huge whorl in the abysses of waters. That's when Vishnu helped the gods: turning into a huge turtle he put his shell under the base of the mountain.

The gods took hold of the serpent's tail and the asuras of the serpent's head and began to rotate the mountain. For thousands of years the work went on and the whorl-Mandara rotated; the gods and the asuras were exhausted, but the asuras had more difficulty. The cunning gods had not accidentally placed them in front of the serpent: fire burst out of Vasuki's mouth and scorched the asuras, depriving them of their strength. But the clouds that arose from its smoke travelled towards the tail and the splashes of rain pouring from them refreshed the tired gods.

Mandara revolved with whistling and rumbling, and trees and stones fell from its slopes into the Ocean. Mixed with the juices of herbs and trees, the waters of the Ocean turned into milk, then into oil... But there was no amrita. Not only the asuras but also the gods began to exhaust themselves, but then a clear month appeared from the waters of the Ocean and shone with its cold light. Seeing this, the gods were revitalised and started winding the whorl with renewed vigour. And then the beautiful Lakshmi in snow-white clothes appeared from the Ocean and approached Vishnu and tenderly clung to him - so the Guardian of the World got a faithful wife. Then many more marvellous creatures appeared from the Ocean - a white horse as fast as a thought, a white elephant, a tree that filled the world with the fragrance of its flowers. Last of all, Dhanvantari, the god of healing and mending, came out of the sea with a bowl of amrita in his hands.

2. Vishnu Rama.  Rama is an avatar of the god Vishnu, ruler of the kingdom of Ayodhya, belonging to the Solar Dynasty. His life story is reflected in one of the most famous Indian epics, the Ramayana, believed to have been written by the sage Valmiki.

Rama is widely revered throughout India and far beyond. His birth anniversary day is celebrated by the entire country with a grand festival of Ram Navami. The legendary ruler of Ayodhya and his wife Sita (an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi) epitomise the ideal of virtue, marital fidelity and immaculate execution of dharma. Their example inspires many believers to perfection, and the principles of behaviour they proclaimed in society are still relevant and important today. Even the mere repetition of Rama's name is believed to be auspicious.

According to legends in the epoch of Treta-yuga Vishnu was born on the earth in the form of Rama at the request of gods to put an end to the atrocities of king Ravana - the ruler of the island of Lanka (modern Sri Lanka). His faithful allies and helpers in this endeavour were his half-brother Lakshmana and the god Hanuman (an incarnation of Rudra). It is this plot that is central to the Ramayana epic. Prior to this episode, the text describes the formation of Rama: his studies with the sage Vasishtha, his struggle with the rakshasas, his exile from the kingdom for 14 years and his life in the forest. Each new challenge helped to prepare the future king of Ayodhya to fulfil his main purpose in life. Of course, Rama, with the help of his allies, defeated Ravana and rescued from captivity the demon king's abducted Sita, who, after being tested by fire, proved her loyalty to her beloved husband. The monkeys built a stone bridge in one night, connecting Lanka to the mainland. Ravana, to torment Hanuman, set fire to his tail. Running through the streets of Lanka, Hanuman set the entire city on fire with his flaming tail and thus effectively destroyed the power of Ravana, who fell in battle, succumbing to the bravery of the divine Rama.

3. Vishnu Krishna. Sri Krishna is a widely respected deity in the Hindu religion.He is considered the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, and his life and teachings are recorded in the Bhagavad-Gita, one of the most important and widely read texts in Hinduism. The name Krishna means ‘dark’ or ‘black’ and he is often depicted as a young, handsome man with blue skin playing the flute.His life story is rich in symbolism and meaning, and his teachings have had a profound influence on Hindu philosophy and culture.

To understand the significance of Sri Krishna, it is important to study his life and teachings in detail.Here are some ideas to consider:

~ Sri Krishna's birth and childhood: according to Hindu mythology, Sri Krishna was born in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva.His birth was foreshadowed to bring about the end of the tyrannical rule of his uncle, Kamsa.Sri Krishna was raised by his foster parents in the village of Vrindavan, where he spent his childhood playing with his friends and performing marvellous deeds.

~ Sri Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad Gita:The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between Sri Krishna and his disciple Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.Sri Krishna imparts knowledge on various topics such as Dharma, Karma and the nature of the self.His teachings emphasise the importance of doing one's duty without attachment to the outcome and the need to surrender to a higher power.

~ Sri Krishna's role in Hindu mythology:Sri Krishna is a central figure in Hindu mythology, and his stories are the subject of many festivals and holidays.For example, Janmashtami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Sri Krishna, while Holi is a festival that celebrates his playful nature.Sri Krishna's life and teachings continue to inspire millions of people around the world, and his legacy remains an important part of Hindu culture and philosophy.

Sri Krishna is the divine personality of Lord Vishnu, who has had a profound influence on Hindu philosophy and culture.His life and teachings are rich in symbolism and meaning, and his legacy continues to inspire people around the world.By deeply exploring the story of Sri Krishna, we can gain a deeper understanding of Hinduism and the importance of spiritual practice in our lives.

Besides the avatars we have told about, Vishnu had other incarnations. He was also Narasinha, the lion with the face of a man (sphinx), the Buddha, the Christ.... For each nation of this world he appears in the form that is more understandable for it, in order to bring universal knowledge about peace, balance, harmony and spiritual self-development, so that a man could also come out of the period of incarnations and ascend to the world of Light and unite with the creative Power of the Universe.

But the main avatara of Vishnu is yet to come. When the kingdom of evil will come in the world, when villains will gain power over people, when faithlessness will settle in people's hearts, when ancient laws will not be observed - then Vishnu will appear on the earth in the form of Kalki - the Warrior of Light. With his sword he will destroy all enemies of justice in the world and people will live happily again. But when it will be - no one knows. Till now in India thousands of people worship Vishnu, hope for him and eagerly wait for this avatar of Vishnu.

Vishnu's consort Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, light, wisdom, lotus, luck and fortune, beauty, courage and fertility. Images akin to Lakshmi or Sri are also found in Jainism and Buddhism, not to mention numerous Hindu temples. She is kind to children and generous with gifts. Because of her maternal feelings and because she is the wife of Narayan (the Supreme Being) the image of the Mother of the universe is transferred to her as well as Shakti.
Lakshmi is described as a humble wife. Where she is present, royalty flourishes and where she is absent, royalty weakens and disappears, so she is the embodiment of royalty.  She embodies the principle of active integration of consciousness with all external perceptions (sahajya-spandu), the principle of mindfulness, through the generation of which the emptiness of all perceptions and their inseparability from consciousness is revealed.

Lakshmi is a devotee, she is humble and loving, she does not walk far on her own without her master - awareness. Lakshmi is always close to the natural state (sahajya). She is subordinate to her master and does nothing without him. All her actions are service. She personifies the energy that emanates from a pure mind in presence, which never moves on its own. That is why she is depicted as smaller in stature or massaging the feet of Vishnu. Lakshmi represents the principle of energy serving the natural mind:

‘16. Eternal and immutable is the mother of the world Sri, (consort of) Vishnu. As Vishnu pervades everywhere, so does she, O highest of the twice-born.

17. Vishnu is the meaning (of a word), she is its sounding, Hari is guidance, she is good behaviour, Vishnu is enlightenment, she is (o)consciousness, he is dharma, she is beneficence.

18. Vishnu is the creator, she is the creation; Hari is the Holder of the earth, she is the earth; Bhagavan is joy, and Lakshmi is constant contentment, O Maitreya.

19. Sri is desire, and Bhagavan is love; he is the sacrifice, she is the sacrificial gift; Goddess is the offering of purified butter, Janardana is the (sacrificial) cakes of ground rice.

20. Lakshmi, O hermit, is the temple for women, and Madhu the destroyer is the temple for husbands; Lakshmi is the (sacrificial) altar, Hari is the pole (to which the sacrifice is tied); Sri is the fuel, and Bhagavan is the (herb) kusha.

21. Bhagavan is the embodied Samaveda, and She who abides in the lotus is the rhythm (of the verses of the Samaveda); Lakshmi is the sacrifice to the gods, and Vasudeva, the Protector of the world, is the (sacrificial fire).

22. Bhagavan Gauri is Shankara, and Sri is (his consort) Gauri; Keshava is the sun, O Maitreya, and She who abides in the lotus is its light.

23. Vishnu is the hosts of the Pitaras, and Padme (their consort) is the sacrifice to the Pitaras, the constant giver of nourishment; Sri is the sky, and Vishnu, the manifested essence of all things, is the wide-spreading space.

24. Sri's patron is the month, and Sri is its eternal radiance; Lakshmi is the support of the world, Hari is the all-pervading air.

25. Govinda is the ocean, O twice-born, and She who abides in the lotus is its shore; Madhu the destroyer is the leader of the gods (Indra), and Lakshmi is (his consort), Indrani incarnate.

26. The holder of the disc is Yama, and the Abiding in the lotus is (his consort) Dhumorna who is before him; the god Lord Sri is Dhaneshvara (Lord of Wealth) himself, and Sri is (his consort) Riddhi (Rising).

27. Lakshmi is Gauri, O endowed with great wealth, Keshava is Varuna himself; Sri is the army of gods. Hari is the leader of the army of the gods, its protector.

28. He who holds the stick in his hand is the spirit of being, and Lakshmi is the energy-shakti, O best of the twice-born, Lakshmi is kashtha, he is nimeshe; he is muhurta, she is kala.

29. Lakshmi is the moonlight, and Hari (who is) all and the Ruler of all is the lamp; the mother of the world Sri is the liana, Vishnu is the tree (around which) she coils.

30. Sri is the night, and the god, the Holder of the disc and the stick is the day; Vishnu, who bestows gifts, is the bridegroom, in the Abiding between the lotuses is the bride.

31. The original image of Bhagavan is rivers (personified as men), and the original image of Sri is rivers, (personified as women); the lotus-holder is the shaft, and She who abides in the lotus is the banner.

32. Lakshmi is lust (of pleasures), and the Master of the world, the supreme Narayana, is (the satisfaction of) lust; Lakshmi and Govinda are like pleasure and (love) passion, O knower of dharma.

33. But why so many words! In short, Bhagavan Hari is (all) that among gods, animals, men and others is called man, and Lakshmi is (all) that is called woman. And apart from them, O Maitreya, there is nothing other than them.’

‘Vishnu Purana, ch. 8