The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma

After the Vedic era, the triad of gods comprising Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva propelled to power. Among them, 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 onto 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.

In the second volume of the series The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. First we'll take a look at a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we'll examine the Churning of Milky Ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions where gods and demons collaborated in search for the nectar of immortality. We will learn that many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.

There will be occasional detours when we look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship, but also one of 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. Next we'll examine a unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti transformed into a major form of worship supplanting sacrifice and penance, and pervaded throughout the Hindu society

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The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma

After the Vedic era, the triad of gods comprising Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva propelled to power. Among them, 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 onto 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.

In the second volume of the series The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. First we'll take a look at a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we'll examine the Churning of Milky Ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions where gods and demons collaborated in search for the nectar of immortality. We will learn that many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.

There will be occasional detours when we look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship, but also one of 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. Next we'll examine a unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti transformed into a major form of worship supplanting sacrifice and penance, and pervaded throughout the Hindu society

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The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma

The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma

by Swami Achuthananda
The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma

The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma

by Swami Achuthananda

Paperback

$12.15 
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Overview

After the Vedic era, the triad of gods comprising Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva propelled to power. Among them, 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 onto 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.

In the second volume of the series The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. First we'll take a look at a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we'll examine the Churning of Milky Ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions where gods and demons collaborated in search for the nectar of immortality. We will learn that many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.

There will be occasional detours when we look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship, but also one of 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. Next we'll examine a unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti transformed into a major form of worship supplanting sacrifice and penance, and pervaded throughout the Hindu society


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780975788332
Publisher: Relianz
Publication date: 08/27/2018
Series: Galaxy of Hindu Gods , #2
Pages: 162
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.37(d)

Table of Contents

1. The Beginning of the World

2. Brahma – The Creator God

3. A Day of Brahma

4. Manu and the Flood Myth

5. Trimurti – The Hindu Triad

6. Brahman – The Ultimate Reality

7. The Churning of the Milky Ocean

8. Who’s the Greatest among the Gods

9. Vishnu – The Preserver God

10. Alexander Conquers India and Retreats

11. The Renaissance of Hinduism

12. Vishnu Sahasranama – A Thousand Names of Vishnu

13. How Dhruva became the Unwavering Polaris

14. Vaishnavism – The Most Dominant Sect of Hinduism

15. The Abode of Gods – Temples

16. Bhakti Sweeps India

17. Vishnu is Not Easy to Impress

18. Anatomy of a Hindu Temple

19. Angkor Wat – The Mother of All Temples

20. Exploring Mythology through Paintings

21. Andal – The Girl Who Ruled Over the Lord

22. Are you the Scientific Type?

23. Ragamala – A Garland of Melodies

24. Mira Bai – The Princess-cum-Poet Saint

25. Devotion is Superior to Erudition

26. Char Dham Yatra – A Pilgrimage of a Lifetime

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