Bhagavad Gita · Mahabharata Codex

Vishnu

विष्णु · viṣṇu

The all-pervading Lord who preserves the worlds

Arjuna looks at his friend and finds himself saying, 'O Vishnu.'

In the Veda Vishnu is one of the twelve Adityas, the god who measured out the universe in three strides. In later tradition he is the preserver, who descends to earth whenever dharma declines; Krishna is revered as such a descent. Krishna names Vishnu as the foremost of the Adityas, and in chapter 11 Arjuna twice addresses the terrifying cosmic form by this name.