Lord Vishnu: The Preserver Of Universe

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Lord Vishnu, the preserver of Universe, is one of the Tridevas in Hinduism. Though there are different images of him, ideally Lord Vishnu is a God with four arms, wearing an embellished crown and carrying a conch (shankh), a mace (gada), and discus (chakra). One common thing that you will see in any Vishnu idol or image is the blue-coloured body and yellow-coloured clothes. In Hinduism, yellow is considered to be a sacred colour that represents knowledge and learning. Since Thursday is the day dedicated to him, devotees and worshipers generally wear yellow-coloured clothes on Thursday to honour him.

Goddess Lakshmi is the wife of this omnipresent Lord. She is the Goddess of wealth. So to bring wealth and prosperity in the house, many Hindu believers worship both Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi together.

Thursday or Guruvar is commonly known as Brihaspativar as it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu whose another incarnation of Lord Brihaspati, the guru of Gods. Lord Brihaspati is also associated with planet Jupiter.

Lord Vishnu's Association With Thursday

Devotees offer yellow flowers and clothes to Lord Vishnu. Tulsi, is one of the most important offerings to him. It is said that the Basil plant had a boon because of which it is always offered to him in every puja. Bananas and other yellow fruits, as well as yellow sweets, are other primary offerings made to Lord Vishnu. That is one reason why banana plants and tulsi plants are often seen in outdoor gardens of Hindus houses.

Many devotees fast every Thursday to impress Lord Vishnu and earn prosperity. They eat once in a day and prefer yellow-coloured dishes. Most of the devotees eat Bengal gram (chana dal) and bananas. Devotees pour turmeric and chana dal water with jaggery on the banana plant on Thursdays. These rituals are done in an attempt to honour him who in turn will bring wealth, prosperity, happiness and fame in an individual's life.

There are many beliefs attached to Thursday or Brihaspativar. Some of which are as follows:

• Women should not wash their hair on Thursdays.
• One should not cut nails on Brihaspativar.
• Many devotees believe that to impress Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, you should not wash clothes on Thursday.
• Wearing yellow Sapphire or Pokhraj helps control Jupiter, the planet of Lord Brihaspati.

Lord Vishnu's Association With Snakes

Sometimes you will see Lord Vishnu lying on the right side with numerous snakes over him. These snakes denoting the mind, show the different passions and desires of an individual. It is believed that the snake kills its victim with the venom. Similarly, an uncontrolled mind destroys the world. Snakes coiled around Lord Vishnu signifies that he has control over all the desires and passions of his devotees. There is a belief that, "To impress Lord Vishnu and win his heart, you should control your desires and be happy with whatever you have. Lord Vishnu will then fulfill all your wishes."

Few Incarnations Of Lord Vishnu

Lord Vishnu has appeared in different avatars to curb evil and bring peace and happiness on Earth. He took many forms in order to reestablish Dharma in the world. Given below are some of his most popular incarnations.

• Lord Krishna (blue-coloured idol who wears yellow)
• Rama- a messenger to kill Ravan (demon)
• Matsya - a fish avatar
• Narasimha - a lion face man who killed demon King Hiranyakashipu
• Kurma- a tortoise
• Parasurama- a warrior
• Gautam Buddha- a spiritual teacher
• It is believed that he will take another form in Kalyuga which will be known as Kalki.