7 Secrets Of Vishnu

It is significant that the stories of Vishnu rose to prominence after the rise of Buddhism. Prior to that, Hinduism was the religion of the elite-based complex rituals known as yagna and esoteric speculations captured in texts known as the Aranyakas and the Upanishads. These seemed very distant to the common man who focused on fertility rituals, worship of plants and animals and nature. Buddhism spoke directly to the common man in the language of the people and addressed every day concerns. It naturally became very popular. But the Buddhist worldview leaned towards monasticism. By contrast, the Hindu world view made room for both, the hermit and the householder. To fire the imagination of the people moving towards monasticism this had to be communicated using a tool that the masses relished - stories. Stories of Vishnu communicate the Hindu worldview from the point of view of the householder. This is complemented by stories of Shiva that communicate an equally valid but alternate viewpoint, that of the hermit. Since both Vishnu and Shiva were forms of god, both worldviews, that of the householder and that of the hermit, were held in equal regard.