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ABOUT VISHNU

Vishnu is usually conceptualised as the Preserver of everything in existence, the

Permeater or Pervader of everything in existence, and the Permitter of

everything in existence.

1. Vishnu as Preserver. Vishnu is depicted as Aliveness or the life-force ina living body, in an insentient object and in anything in existence,

including the universe. In us, the life-breath is an evidence of aliveness

or Vishnu. We are preserved through the movements of the life-breath.

Through the life-breath, there is heat in the body, beat in the heart,

awareness in the mind and experience of sensations, emotions, thoughts,

objects, events, self, of everything knowable. Without this unique

Preserving Presence, nothing in the whole universe can exist (sarva loka

eka naatham). Vishnu is the Life of everything and everyone in existence(suresham).

As we follow the breath movement, we feel the aliveness and heat in the

body and we experience awareness of self and non-self. This feeling of

being preserved in this universe gives joy to the mind and heart

(shubhaangam).

2. Vishnu as Permeater / Pervader. Vishnu has been referred to as theOmnipresent Permeater, being all pervading presence. Vishnu is said to

be present in the smallest particle (anu) and in the whole universe

(vishvam), just like space (gagana sadrisham) which is the container and

permeater of everything in existence. Vishnu is ever present in every

particle of the universe (bhu-jaga shayanam), in every cell of living

organisms, in every state of consciousness, whether waking, dream, sleep

or enlightened. Vishnu maintains the whole universe in existence

through Vishnus preserving and all-pervading presence. Vishnu has

been depicted as being like space, boundless, omnipresent, indwelling

everything and permeating everything.

As we follow the movement of the breath through awareness, we look

around us and see everything, including ourselves, as permeated by

aliveness and boundless space (Vishnu) that contains and maintains

everything. As we close our eyes, all external objects just vanish from

our sight and we are faced with the same space emptied of everything

except consciousness. As we stay calmly in that boundless dark space

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(megha varnam) of living awareness, we feel the presence of Vishnu

everywhere in that space as aliveness, awareness and boundlessness.

This presence gives us a sense of deep peace (shaantaakaaram) that fills

the entire space. As we open our eyes, the peace exuding from the inner

space fills the outer space and everything on the earth and in the universe.

Let us stay with that boundless and peaceful presence for as long as we

can. Let us feel the joy in every cell of our being (shubhaangam).

3. Vishnu as Permitter. Vishnu is also depicted as the Life and Space thatpermit or allow everything and every potential in the universe to develop

along certain parameters and according to certain patterns (padma

naabham). Vishnu thus permits the whole universe to flow as it is

flowing now (vishvaadhaaram). Every potential and force, whether

creative, static or destructive, is allowed to manifest, is preserved, ispermeated. Everything is allowed to manifest, grow, and cease to exist.

This human body exists because it has been and is being permitted to

exist as it is. The hair grows, the heart beats, the breath comes and goes,

the body moves, the brain works, the nails grow because they are allowed

to do so. Vishnu is thus Freedom, Liberty par excellence. Vishnu

permits the whole complex game of existence to unfold, permits people to

move out of ignorance and delusion, permits people to get carried away

by ignorance and delusion, permits both error and intelligence to express

themselves and even to compete. Without this permission and freedom,nothing can exist nor evolve (sarva loka eka naatham).

As we remain in the presence, in the boundless space of awareness and

aliveness, we feel the freedom given to the whole of existence exuding

from that space. As we stay with that sense of great freedom, we feel free,

boundless, spacious, alive, aware. We are then very closely attuned with

the real and living Vishnu (lakshmi kaantam). As the attunement deepens

through meditation (dhyaana), we see ourselves as Vishnu witnessing the

whole game of existence (kamala nayanam), both internally and

externally, without any fear of being submerged by the ups and downs of

existence (bhava bhaya haram). Vishnu is what we are essentially and

this truth has been realised by meditating yogis (yogibhir dhyaana

gamyam).

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How to be with Vishnu, in Vishnu and as Vishnu?

To be with Vishnu, the practitioner should learn to live attentively in the

present moment, in the now, where the aliveness, awareness and

boundlessness shines in attentive consciousness. One may pay attention

to the breathing and feel the sense of aliveness. It is this aliveness which

shines through the mind as awareness and presence. This aliveness,

awareness and presence is Vishnu, the preserver.

To be in Vishnu, the practitioner should learn to enter into the space of

attentive presence, the space of unconditioned presence or being, which is

boundless, omnipresent, free, without parts, without any centre or border;

which is peacefulness, delightfulness, lifefulness. This boundless space

of unconditioned, pure presence and awareness or knowingness is Vishnu,

the permeater, the pervader, the sustainer and support of everything inexistence.

To be as Vishnu, the practitioner should learn to channel full attention to

the boundless space of pure knowingness and presence so that the mind

gives up its chattering and self-talking. When silence ensues in the

attentive mind, the ego vanishes and the mind merges into the boundless

space of pure being, knowing and oneness. This is the state of Vishnu,

the permitter and ultimate freedom. Attaining this state, one is Vishnu,

the preserver, permeater and permitter.

What is the form of Vishnu?

Vishnu has been symbolically represented as the four armed blue god,

reclining on a cosmic serpent in the cosmic ocean. This is but one

representation.

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Vishnu has also been represented as the sun, the source of life, light and

awareness.

Vishnu has equally been represented as the cosmic being containing the

aggregate of all cosmic forces or gods, of all objects, entities, happenings

in the universe in the Gita.

Thus, the representation of Vishnu is varied depending on the

conceptualisation of the person. These representations are depictions of

Vishnu but Vishnu is not such depictions though Vishnu is present to

some extent in the symbols.

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If some persons in a group are asked to draw a tree, each will draw a tree

according to his personal knowledge, personal preferences and even

fantasy. One may draw a banana tree, one a mango tree, one a palm tree,

one a filao tree and another one a banyan tree. All of these representations

depict the different types of trees that exist or might exist but they do not

represent a tree because a tree is a category that the mind cannot represent.

Moreover, the mental and graphic representation of a banana tree is not

the living banana tree existing in the universe.

In the same manner, the representations of Vishnu are not Vishnu; they

are only mental representations, created by the mind and sustained therein.

Vishnu is a living reality that can be apprehended, comprehended and

realised (gamyam) only through meditation (dhyana). So let us start

meditating in order to realise Vishnu, the preserver, the permeater and thepermitter. Vishnu is out true ultimate being beyond thinking, imagination

and belief.

Vishnu: Vivifying Infinite Space Holding Numberless Universes

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