In Hinduism, one of the principal gods, the preserver and sustainer of the universe in the Hindu trinity.
From Sanskrit 'Viṣṇu,' possibly derived from 'vish' (to pervade or enter). The name appears in the Rigveda, the oldest Hindu texts. Vishnu is typically depicted as the preserver, contrasting with Brahma (creator) and Shiva (destroyer).
Vishnu is famous for taking multiple human forms called 'avatars' to restore balance when evil threatens the world. The idea of a god learning what it's like to be human by being reborn repeatedly is completely different from Western theology—it's like cosmic method acting, and it influenced how later religions like Christianity interpreted the divine in human form.
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