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 in

a 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 the

Omnipresent 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 Vishnu’s 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
 (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 that
permit 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, is
permeated. 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).
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 in
existence.
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.
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.
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 the
permitter. Vishnu is out true ultimate being beyond thinking, imagination
and belief.

Vishnu: Vivifying Infinite Space Holding Numberless Universes

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