Abhishekam is a ceremony of ablutions and symbolic offerings. The meaning of the word abhishekam, is 'to make one wet all around', so an abhishekam is the process of bathing the deity. It may be simple by just using water or elaborate when milk, curds, honey, ghee, sugar, coconut water, sandal paste, fruit juice to name a few in addition to water are poured in a steady stream over a murti, or divine figurine.. Mantras are chanted during this activity and the temple bell is sounded. The ablutions symbolize spiritual purification and each of the offerings represents fulfillment on every level. Throughout the abhishekam deity specific mantras are chanted to invoke blessings that uplift, protect and spiritually benefit us.
Sri Vishnu: In the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva; Lord Vishnu is the preserver and protector of creation. Lord Vishnu is often represented resting on the coiled serpent Shesha with Lakshmi massaging his feet.Lord vishnu is very often shown with four weapons.In one hand Vishnu holds the conch or Shankha. In the second hand He holds the disc or Sudarshan Chakra. The third hand holds a mace or gada and the fourth hand holds a lotus or Padma.Vishnu has a bow called Saranga and a sword called Nandaka.
Throughout ages, Lord Vishnu, has incarnated in various life forms through different yugas (ages or eons) in situations where Dharma was in danger, because of certain evil elements in the world. In mythology, there are ten incarnations or avatars of Lord Vishnu. Throughout ages Lord Vishnu has incarnated in various life forms through different yugas (ages or eons) in situations where Dharma was in danger, because of certain evil elements in the world. In mythology, there are ten incarnations or avatars of Lord Vishnu.
The First avatar: Matsya (Fish) Avatar: Vishnu appeared as fish. The fish had a horn. When the earth was getting destroyed by floods, he gave Sage Vaivaswata help by towing his boat with the serpent Vasuki tied to the horn . This was to save sage Vaivaswata (the seventh Manu) who was the progenitor of the human race . Fish took all of them to Mt Himavan and kept them there till the flood was over and in the new era, the king started procreation; for the new era.
The Second Avatar: Kurma (Tortoise) Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a tortoise. In the ongoing saga of battle between the gods and asuras, on one occasion the gods suddenly lost all their strength due to a curse by the short-tempered sage Durvasa. The sage had once presented a garland of flowers to Indra,king of gods, who carelessly gave it away to his elephant which trampled it.
The Devtas approached Vishnu for help. Vishnu then asked them to churn the ocean of milk after adding medicines into the ocean. Mt Mandara could be used a the churning stick he said. He requested them to ask them help of Asuras in lifting the mountain in exchange for offer of the share of nectar of immortality that would ensue from the churning. Both the devatas and the asuras churned the ocean using the serpent Vasuki as the rope. At the start, playing a Machiavellian trick, Indra, king of the gods asked the asuras for the head end of vasuki. But asuras suspecting foul play, took the head end, only to be deceived as the poison from Vasuki was slowly weakening them. But as churning was proceeding the mountain was sinking and then Lord Vishnu took the form of the Kurma and kept the mountain afloat. As soon as the bowl of amrita, the nectar of immortality was out, the asuras grabbed it. Then Lord Vishnu took the form of an apsara, a beautiful maiden, and seduced the asuras into letting her distribute the nectar and also to abide by her order of distribution. As soon as the devatas were served the maiden disappeared thus totally deceiving the asuras and making them totally weak.
The Third Avatar: Varaha (Boar) Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a boar . A demon Hiranyaksha, prayed for Lord Brahma and got a boon that no beast nor man nor god could kill him. But somehow from the list of beasts the name of boar was missing. He then started a campaign of plunder across the worlds. He pushed the world to the Pataal loka, or the under of the sea. He stole the Vedas, the holy scriptures from the Lord Brahma, while he was asleep and performed huge atrocities.
To retrieve the Vedas and to save the world the Lord Vishnu assumed the role of a boar and brought out the earth from the under of the ocean, using its two tusks. It then killed Hiranyaksha and retrieved the Vedas from the asura and brought it back to the safe custody of the Lord Brahma.
The Fourth Avatar: Narasimha (Lion) Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a half-man,half-lion. The king of asuras, Hiranyakasyapa, wanted to become immortal and wanted to remain young forever. He meditated for Lord Brahma aThe nd because of his severe penance, the gods were frightened and asked Brahma to pacify the king. Brahma was impressed by his austerity and granted him a wish. HiranyaKasyapa wished that he be neither killed by a man or beast, nor in daylight or at night and neither inside or outside a building. Having obtained the wish he considered himself the supreme God and frobade all worship of gods by anyone. But his son Prahlada, was an ardent devotee of Vishnu. This enraged Hiranyakasyapa very much. He ordered numerous ways to kill Prahlada including asking his sister Holika to sit with Prahlada in the fire. But everytime Prahlada escaped unhurt. Enraged, once he asked Prahlad to show him the Lord Vishnu. Prahlad said, "He is everywhere". Further enraged, Hiranyakasyapa knocked down a pillar, and asked if Lord was present there. Lord Vishnu then emerged as a half lion, half man from the pillar which was neither inside the house nor outside, and the time was evening, neither night nor day. He then killed Hiranyakasyapa thus saving the life of his devotee Prahlada.
The Fifth Avatar: Vamana (Dwarf) Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a dwarf priest . Bali the grandson of Prahlada was a very valorous and mighty asura. By his penance and might, he conquered the whole world. Indra and other gods fearing that he and asuras would conquer all the three worlds, went to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu was then born as a dwarf Vamana in the house of a priest. He went to Bali on growing up and asked for alms. Bali was delighted to offer him anything he requested even though his priest warned him that it was Lord Vishnu.
Vamana then requested for the amount of land that could come under his three feet. Bali gracefully agreed. Lord Vishnu then grew in size and covered the earth and heaven in two stride. And due to lack of space, he put his third leg on Bali himself and crushed Bali to the Patala loka(underground world), thus helping the Gods out.
The Sixth Avatar: Parasurama Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as a brahman. He came in this world to avenge all kshatriyas who had become arrogant and were suppressing the brahmans in the world. He was born to Jamadagni and Renuka, and belonged to the Brighu clan. Parashurama was always carrying an axe presented to him by Lord Shiva of whom he was an ardent devotee. Kartavirya a powerful king, once went to Jamadagni's home when he was out, and after a meal, stole the Kamadhenu cow, which was supposed to give endless quantity of milk. Jamadgni was enraged and he went and killed the king and brought Kamadhenu back. On hearing this the son of the king came back and killed Jamdagni.Parasurama was enraged at this and went and avenged the death of his father by killing all kshatriyas in 21 battles.
The Seventh Avatar: Rama Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as Rama, the central character in the epic Ramayana. In this biggest epic of Indian mythology a myriad of topics are covered, including war, love, brotherhood,ideal man , son etc. It is essentially the story of an ideal king, son, father and man, Rama. As an ideal son, he agrees to abide by wishes of his father King Dasaratha to spend 14 years in forest, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman. During the course of his stay in forest, the demon Ravana abducts his wife Sita. Ram then sets out in search of his wife. During this he makes friends with king of monkeys Sugreeva, and his devotee Hanuman. In the end he wages a war with Ravana and rescues Sita to return to Ayodhya and rule it as an ideal king for 1000 s of years.
The Eighth avatar: Krishna Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as Krishna , the central character in the epic Mahabharata. In this biggest epic of Indian mythology a myriad of topics are covered, including war, love, brotherhood, politics etc. It is essentially the story of two warring groups of cousin brothers, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. As a part of the Mahabahrata, during the war Krishna, gives a long discourse to his disciple Arjuna, collectively termed as Bhagvad-Gita. Krishna, during his child-hood was responsible for the killing of Kansa.
The Ninth Avatar: Buddha Avatar: Lord Vishnu incarnates himself as Buddha. He was born the crown prince of the Kapilavastu to Suddhodana and Maya. He was named Siddhartha, meaning "All thing fulfilled" by the king. But his mother died soon after his birth but Prajapati, the sister of Maya, brought Siddhartha up.Buddha was saddened by death of living creatures, since his childhood days and used to question: "Alas! Do all living creatures kill each other?". He wasn't happy with any answers that were provided to him and he decided to find out the meaning and the absolute truth and he left his wife and child to a hermit's life in the forest and one day, became the enlightened one.
The Tenth Avatar: Kalki Avatar: Lord Vishnu will incarnate himself as Kalki, the machine-man, who will come riding his white horse and with his blazing sword in his hands. This is supposed to be a future avatar of Lord Vishnu. At the end of Kali Yuga,He will punish all evil doers in this world, destroy this world supposedly and recreate a golden age again.
Sri Lakshmi is Vishnu's consort and in hindu pantheon of gods and godesses is personified as godess of fortune.Lakshmi is known in eight different forms called "Ashtalakshmi"- as in Adi Lakshmi, Aishwarya Lakshmi, Dhana Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, Santana Lakshmi,Veera Lakshmi, Vijaya Lakshmi.
Born seated on the lotus flower, she is also called Padma. She as the most faithful companion of life has always appeared as Vishnu's partner in every incarnation of his. She is the pinnacle of chastity. When Vishnu came on earth as Vamana (the Dwarf), Lakshmi came to earth as a Lotus (Padma or Kamla); when he came here as Parashurama, Lakshmi followed him as his wife Dharni; when Vishnu appeared incarnated as Rama, she came here as Sita; and when Vishnu appeared as Krishna, Lakshmi came in two shapes, earlier as Radha and later as his wife Rukmini. According to ancient legends, she resides in the chest of Vishnu. Therefore, Vishnu is called Srinivasa. One in whom 'Sri' (Lakshmi) resides is Srinivasa.