Vishnu
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English: Vishnu (Sanskrit:विष्णु) is one of the primary deities of Hinduism.
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English: Vishnu blessing a worshiper, cast of sardonyx seal, Afghanistan or Pakistan, 4th-6th century CE, currently in the British Museum, London.
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English: Vishnu seated upon the serpent Shesha, Cave 3, Badami Cave Temples, Karnataka, circa 6th Century CE, rock-cut sandstone sculpted in situ. Shesha is considered as both a servant and manifestation of Vishnu.
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English: Anantashayana Vishnu, Dhenkanal district, Orissa, early 9th Century CE.
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English: Gilt bronze standing figure, 10th century CE, currently in Brooklyn Museum, New York.
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English: Vishnu and his avatars, black schist, 11th Century CE, currently in Brooklyn Museum, New York.
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English: An idol of Lord Vishnu at Kumartuli Park Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, North Kolkata, 2010.
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English: Vishnu and Lakshmi on Shesha Naga, watercolour on paper, circa 1870, currently in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The Avatars of Vishnu
[edit]English: The Dashavatara are the ten major avatars of Vishnu.
Matsya
[edit]English: Matsya is the first of the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, taking the form of a giant fish, or of a human torso joined to the tail of a fish.
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English: Sandstone, 9th-10th century, from central India, currently in the British Museum, London.
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English: Matsya prepares to slay the demon, who had attempted to steal the vedas.
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English: Gouche on paper, circa 1816, currently in the British Museum, London.
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English: Matsya with the Vedas as infants, lithograph, Raja Ravi Varma Press, 1910-1920.
Kurma
[edit]English: Taking the form of a turtle Kurma, is the second Avatar of Vishnu.
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English: Stele, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India, unknown date
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English: During Samudra manthan, Vishnu in the form of Kurma aided the Devas in the churning of the Ocean of Milk, to produce the nectar of immortality to restore the Devas.
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English: Kurma at Saptashrungi Temple