Beloved Aurora is fully deboxed, and is posed free standing. Once the right balance is achieved, she is fairly stable. Her simple and symmetrical dress made it much more easy to balance on her shoes than the Coronation Aurora doll, who had a heavy train on her dress. Photographed in daylight.

 

Review of Beloved Aurora Doll

Both Beloved and Royal Coronation Aurora dolls have identical faces. Her face is pretty, but bland and generic. She only has a passing resemblance to the movie character, as portrayed by Elle Fanning. She doesn't have very realistic features, but looks like an ordinary doll painted to look like an animated character. She has a light complexion, small blue green eyes gazing straight ahead, brown eyebrows, small straight nose, light pink lips on a small mouth, large chin, and light rouge on her cheeks.

 

Her hair out of the box is much neater than Coronation Aurora's hair. Like the other doll, she has a long side curl down the left side of her head. It is bit stiff from hair product, and is a much tighter curl than the one on Coronation Aurora. There is also some hair product in the side bangs right over her forehead. The rest of her hair is loose and gently wavy down the her back to her hips, and is soft and smooth. Her hair is thinly rooted hair over most of her head, so a bald spot is visible right behind her side bangs. Also bald spots are easily visible if her hair is moved around on the top of her head. It would help if she had some hair ornaments or headdress to help hide the bald spots.

 

Her outfit is very simple. It is a full length one piece dress, made of light blue satin, with gold glitter decoration, white organza trim at the collar, flared full length sleeves, and a plastic belt around her waist with a hanging piece down the front of her dress. The satin is shiny and very smooth, and the glitter does not shed at all. In addition to the gold glitter, there is also printed flowers in the hem of the dress. She is wearing the same style high heeled shoes as Coronation Aurora, but these are light blue in color instead of tan.

 

Packaging and Deboxing

Deboxing the Beloved Aurora Doll by Tollytots/Jakks Pacific was more difficult than for the Coronation Aurora doll. In order to remove the front plastic cover from the box, it was necessary to almost tear the back of the box apart, as the two layers of the backing were taped and glued shut. The tabs of the plastic cover were also taped and glued to the inside of the backing. The box would need a lot of tape to put it back together securely, if it were to be reused for storing or displaying the doll in the box. And the tearing apart of the backing of course creased and weakened the cardboard.

 

Aurora is standing on a small cardboard spacer. Behind her is a printed background from the movie, which is common to all the dolls in this series. Unfortunately, the bottom of the backing was not square to the back side, so the doll would fall face forward if I tried to stand her up in the backing.

 

Removing her from the backing was very easy, especially compared to most Disney Store dolls. There was only plastic T-tab fasteners securing her to the backing and the plastic spacer. It was possible to reach all the fasteners and snip them off, without having to remove the large plastic spacer, including the one through the back of her head. The remaining post sticking out of her head was snipped off as close to her scalp as possible, without cutting her hair. Unlike Coronation Aurora, there was no tissue paper around her legs.

 

Purchase Details

I just received the four available Jakks Pacific dolls from the Maleficent movie in single doll packages. I ordered them from Toys R Us on Friday night and got them Tuesday, with free shipping. I appreciated the quick shipping, compared to the Disney Store. The dolls are the following, with links to the TRU site. All the dolls are 12'' H. The Coronation dolls are $39.95 each, the other two are $19.95. They are also available in some ToysRUs stores. The cheaper dolls are also available online, for the same price, from Amazon.

 

Beloved Aurora Doll

Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Dark Beauty Maleficent Doll

Royal Coronation Maleficent Doll

522 Serjeant

H E Holtum MM

12th Bn. Australian Inf.

22nd September 1918

 

Name: HOLTUM, HENRY EDWARD

Rank: Sergeant Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Unit Text: 12th Bn.

Date of Death: 22/09/1918 Service No: 522 Awards: M M

Additional information: Son of H. Raphall and Elizabeth Holtum, of Solly St., Zeehan, Tasmania.

Grave/Memorial Reference: 54. 702. Cemetery: NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803178

 

Sergeant Holtum’s next of kin is given as his father, Richard, in his Australian Army records,

naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=5823069&I=1&am...

 

He was obviously keen, enlisting on the 21st August 1914 in the 12th Battalion at the age of 19 years and eight months. His occupation was listed as Grocer. He was already serving in the militia.

 

He is described as 5 foot 8 and a quarter, weighed 9 stone 10 lbs, with dark brown hair, dark complexion and greyish eyes.

 

He was wounded between 25th/28th April 1915, and then possibly again on the 4th May in the left hip, (could be same wound, the records are not clear). He was medically evacuated on the 4th May on the SS Clan McGilvay to the hospital at Valetta, Malta.

 

He returned to his unit on the 16th July at their base depot in Alexandria, and on the 19th was shipped back to Gallipoli.

 

The whole battalion is recorded as disembarking on the 6th January 1916, back in Alexandria. On the 18th March he was promoted to Lance Corporal. After a spell at a signallers course, (where he received a first class pass), he then embarked with his battalion for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916.

 

A promotion to Corporal came in August, although later in the month he would spend a week in hospital “sick with an infected eye”. During this time he was promoted to “Temporary” Sergeant, which was subsequently made permanent on the 24.11.1916 to replace a Sergeant Stevens, who had been wounded.

 

He had another week in hospital in July 1917 (P.U.O - Pyrexia of Unknown Origin, ie the doctors don’t have a clue !). On the 3rd October he was detached for duty with the 3rd Training Battalion in England. During October and November he moved between the 3rd and 1st Training Battalions, before embarking on what looks like an Instructor qualifying course in Dunstable between the 27th December and the 28th February 1918.In March he was taken permanently on the Training Cadre of 1st Training Battalion. His Military Medal was awarded on the 14th December 1917, which was gazetted in the Third Supplement, no 30431, of the London Gazette for that day.

 

On the 10th September he reported sick to a Field Ambulance unit while on leave at Wroxham, and two days later was admitted to the Norfolk War Hospital with “pleurisy and headaches”. By 4 am on the 22nd he was dead with Tubercular Meningitis. He was buried on the 25th. Army bureaucracy being what it always is, he then had to be formally transferred back to the 12th Battalion.

 

The letter describing the funeral advises that a Mrs Butt, of Manor Farm, Great Ormesley (suspect Ormesby), Yarmouth, was in attendance, along with a Mrs Gill, a Private Atkingson of the New Zealand Machine Gun Company and a Sergeant F E Allchin, as well as 20 Australian patients from the hospital.

 

His actions leading to the award of the Military Medal is described here

 

Military Medal

'In the attack on POLYGON WOOD, east of HOOGE on 20/21st September, 1917, Sgt. HOLTUM commanded the Headquarters Signal Section, the Signalling Officer having been killed. He displayed great initiative and conspicuous bravery under fire, continually moving about the line arranging for the establishment of communications, which were most satisfactory during the whole engagement. Sgt. HOLTUM has been in almost every engagement in which the Battalion has taken part and has commanded his section in 3 of the last 4.'

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 31

Date: 7 March 1918

www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/showPerson?pid=141976

3 Australian Bde

 

The brigade attacked with 11th Battalion, supported by 12th Battalion and with 10th and 9th Battalions in reserve.

 

The 11th was immediately held up by MG fire from concrete positions in the sunken track north of Glencorse Wood and 10th Bn sent up to reinforce. These dealt with both battalions resumed the advance to the eastern edge of Glencorse Wood. 12th Bn then took over having to wend their way along the edges of flooded shellholes in Nonne Boschen. 12th Bn reached it’s objective, the western edge of Polygon Wood, at 7.45 am. 9th and 10th Bns then moved through onto the Red Line.

forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?t=11535&...

  

12th Battalion

The 12th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. Half of the battalion was recruited in Tasmania, a quarter was recruited in South Australia, and a quarter from Western Australia. With the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade.

The battalion was raised within three weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. After a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving in early December. The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and so was the first ashore at around 4:30 am. Lieutenant Colonel L. F. Clarke, commander of the 12th Battalion, was killed by a sniper within hours of the landing. The battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position, and in August contributed two companies to the attack on Lone Pine. It was the only battalion in the brigade to do so. The 12th served at ANZAC until the evacuation in December.

After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 12th Battalion returned to Egypt and, in March 1916, sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918 the battalion took part in bitter trench warfare. The battalion’s first major action in France was at Pozières in the Somme valley in July 1916. After Pozières, the battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders and then returned to the Somme for winter.

In 1917 the battalion took part in the brief advance that followed the German Army’s retreat to the Hindenburg Line. For their valorous actions near Boursies during this advance, Captain J. E. ‘Jim’ Newland, commanding A Company, and Sergeant J. W. Whittle were each awarded the Victoria Cross. The battalion subsequently returned to Belgium to participate in the offensive that became known as the Third Battle of Ypres.

www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11199.asp

 

There are a number of group shots of soldiers from the unit, which possibly include Henry Holtum, here

www.newtownprimary.tased.edu.au/HISTORY/Anzac/HonRoll/12B...

www.henrick.com/ww1/history.htm

 

His Brother’s, (I assume) Herbert and Cyril also made the ultimate sacrifice.

 

Name: HOLTUM, HERBERT DARCY

Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Unit Text: 14th Bn.

Age: 26 Date of Death: 09/06/1915 Service No: 506

Additional information: (Served as WILSON). Son of Richard H. and Elizabeth Holtum, of Solly St., Zeehan, Tasmania. Born at Scottsdale, Tasmania.

Grave/Memorial Reference: M. 41. Cemetery: CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=112859

 

Herbert’s army record can be seen here, which shows he served as Sydney Wilson

naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=2015026&I=1&am...

He joined on the 11th September 1914. He died at Gezirah, of Wounds received in the Dardenelles - GSW head leading to fractured skull.

 

Name: HOLTUM, CYRIL ROBERT

Rank: Lance Corporal Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Unit Text: 12th Bn. Age: 28 Date of Death: 11/08/1918 Service No: 2029

Additional information: Son of Richard and Elizabeth Holtum; husband of Evangeline Holtum, of 215, Brisbane, Launceston, Tasmania. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Memorial: VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1462102

 

Cyril’s Army records can be seen here, and confirm his place of birth as Scottsdale but living in Zeehan, Tasmania at the time of enlistment.

naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=5823068&I=1&am...

 

www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/showPerson?pid=141975

 

Rückseite.

Garza real

Ardea cinerea

Familia: Ardeidos – Ardeidae

Aspecto: Garza grande, de complexión robusta, predominantemente de color gris, con un pico recto, fuerte, en forma de daga. Las garzas pueden diferenciarse de las grullas durante el vuelo, y a menudo también cuando están de pie, por la forma en que encorvan su cuello.

Tamaño: Largo 84-102 cm, envergadura alar 155-175 cm, peso 930-1.150 g.

Nido: Una gran pila desarreglada de ramas, generalmente construido muy alto en un abeto o pino. Las aves pueden usar el mismo nido durante muchos años.

Reproducción: Pone 6 huevos en mayo, incubados de forma alternada por los padres, en 4 a 6 períodos, durante 25 a 28 días. Las aves jóvenes aprenden a volar aproximadamente a los 50 días. Muchas garzas reales anidan en colonias.

Distribución: Ave migratoria de verano que se reproduce poco en Finlandia (solo hay alrededor de 100 parejas). En los últimos años, los avistamientos de invierno se han vuelto más comunes.

Migración: Pasa el invierno en el oeste y sur de Europa. La migración de otoño puede tener lugar entre mediados de agosto y principios de noviembre, y las aves regresan de marzo a mayo.

Alimentación: Acecha inmóvil a lo largo de costas, lista para emboscar, en espera de que peces y animales acuáticos pequeños estén a su alcance.

Sonidos: Un chillido fuerte, molesto, similar al llamado de la pagaza piquirroja.

La garza real tiene partes superiores de color gris claro, y partes inferiores de color blanco grisáceo. Su cabeza es mayormente blanca, excepto por una raya negra que se extiende desde encima de sus ojos hasta la parte posterior de su cuello, donde algunas de sus plumas se alargan para formar una cresta. Los adultos con plumaje de apareamiento pueden tener un color rosáceo a los lados del cuello, y algunas filas de rayas oscuras en el cuello y el pecho. La garza real tiene el pico de color amarillo o naranja amarillento, patas de color marrón opaco e iris amarillo.

Las aves inmaduras generalmente se parecen a las adultas, pero su capuchón y su cuello son más grises (y el cuello no tiene color rosáceo). Su pico es más pardusco y el iris es blanco.

 

SAPPER HENRY JAMES AYRES

 

16947 – Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company

 

Inverell, New South Wales was the birthplace of Henry ‘Harry’ James Ayres in 1895 the son of Henry Jepson and Phoebe Dunbar (nee Hill) Ayres. An apprenticeship as an engineer was served for three years at the Conrad Silver Mine, Howell, NSW which was about twenty kilometres from Inverell and historically was the largest producer of silver in the New England district.

 

At Victoria Barracks, Sydney on October 12, 1916 the twenty-one year old engineer applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination there. Personal particulars on his application state he was single, 165cms (5ft 5ins) tall with a chest expansion of 84-90cms (33-35½ins) and his eyesight was good. Postal address was 12 Dayham Street, Glebe, NSW. The recruiting officer accepted his application and he was sent to the Royal Agricultural Show Ground camp, Sydney, NSW to be attested the same day. Further information from his Attestation Form shows he weighed 63.6kgs (140lbs) with a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown coloured hair. Distinctive marks were three scars on his back situated on the left side of his spine and a scar on his left clavicle. Church of England was his religious faith. Next-of-kin nominated was his father Mr Henry Jepson Ayres of 12 Dayham Street, Glebe, Sydney, NSW and later 12 York Street, Forest Lodge, NSW. He was sworn in the same day.

 

Two days later he was sent to train with “A Coy” of the Reinforcements to the Field Company Engineers at the Engineers’ Depot at Moore Park, Sydney, NSW. His rank was Sapper with the Regimental number 16947 and assigned to the January Reinforcements 1-5 Division Field Company Engineers.

 

The Reinforcement embarked from Sydney, NSW on the RMS Osterley on February 10, 1917 under the Master of the Ship W.J. Jenks. The Royal Mail Ship docked in Melbourne on February 14 for the day and departed for Adelaide arriving in the Outer Harbour on February 16 but left the same day. An overnight stopover in Fremantle from February 20 to 21st concluded the Australian departures and sailed for Durban, South Africa spending March 6 and 7 in port. Capetown was entered on March 10 and continued the next day for Sierra Leone to refuel from March 25 and departed two days later on the last part of their voyage. Officer Commanding Troops was Lt-Colonel F.B. Heritage who oversaw disembarkation at Plymouth on April 11, 1917 where the men were detrained to Tidworth and Amesbury Stations. They marched into No. 3 camp at Parkhouse the following day to prepare for further training for the front. On April 16, 1917 were sent to the Engineers’ Depot at Brightlingsea.

 

The Reinforcement proceeded to France from Southampton on June 26, 1917 arriving at the Aust General Base Depot in Rouelles and Sapper Ayres was taken on strength with the Australian Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company on September 3, 1917 pending absorption.

 

Not many records remain of the Company but Sapper Harry Ayres is mentioned in the Diary of Sergeant 4209 E.G. ‘Hughie’ Dodd also a member of the ‘Alphabetical Company’ and his diary extracts are as follows:

 

“December 4 [1917]

Came down to Noeux-les-Mines this morning, Jerry shelling with shrapnel all day. Learned this morning, that four Germans came over at "E" New Cut and took a machine gun away with them. One of the infantry captains shot one of our men in mistake for a Bosche and immediately after the Huns shot him through the head. New Cut was put in in another place last night. Harry Ayres was telling me that Harry Ralph was killed a few days ago. Piper came out today and told me to send Downie to Wings Way (Hulluch) and put in a new switchboard. Wanted me to be up tomorrow to ballot for conscription. Jerry over with a Gotha bombing machine tonight and dropped two bombs.

 

December 6

Went down to Quarry Tunnel and wired up a half of the New Gallery which 185 Coy drove. Sent Sanderson around to Vigo St to see if it were possible to get through to get Vigo St on. He came back and said it wasn't. While in Coy headquarters his hands fell on two suits of Burberry overalls. They are made of rubber and just the ticket to keep the wind and snow, rain out. These things are worth about £6, so we are not doing so bad. The infantry use them for raiding purposes. Ayres reported back to me two days ago. Sent Sanderson, Marriott and Ayres to Old Kent to finish up wiring. Myself and Ayres put in five lights in the New Gallery that 185 drove.

 

December 7

Newton, Sanderson and Ayres went to Edgeware to spy out the easiest way to bring Potter engines to Cambri dump. Feeling a big crook.

 

December 15

Went to New Cut. Fixed up lights, went out 6.30 am. Harry Ayres found that coupling had been broken at Barts' End. Got back at 10 am for breakfast. Went to Quarry all Jake. Found main galleries in at "H". Coupling broke. Fixed it up. Left Hollingsworth home, the rest of us went to Cambrin and loaded up engines. Self and Newton went down with them. Jack Penn got a smack in neck and shoulder with shrapnel, will get a Blighty out of it.

 

December 18

Ayres and Marriott went to Noeux for pay. Expected them back by ration lorry but did not turn up. Sent their kits up this afternoon. Jerry gassing tonight.

 

December 22

Hollingsworth put five new lights in Stokes Gun position. I went to Quarry and Saville Row and got all lights burning. Ayres and Hollingsworth to Cambrin for rations. Heard today the Jerry put three motor lorries and bath house at HQ yard Noeux out of action.

  

January 22

Ayres and Marriott went to Cambrin dump to see if any lamps were there but there was nothing there for us. Newton and myself went to Old Kent Rd. Givenchy is running that far. Hulluch taking the rest of the load. While in Old Kent we met Morse, Walker and Wigzel. It appears as if one of the engines had broken down completely so with two engines they have enough without us on. We are putting a pump in Coldstream as there is about 3' of water m the tunnel. They are just beginning to take a Jerry. This present system is rotten. When the idea is first mooted, I turned the idea down. Now they talk of installing my system.

 

January 23

Hollingsworth slept up here last night. He was up before any of us and got the breakfast on. Ayres and myself went to Barts job. Found cable saturated with water in Vigo St. Doyle and Newton went to Old Kent, they found the lights had been out since "Stand To" 4.45 pm last evening. It appears Jerry landed two shells on it at that time. They sent a telegram to Givenchy telling them because once we do repairs over the top, the Givenchy crowd will swing it on to us always. This measly crowd to whom we are attached forgot purposely to bring our rations up tonight. Had to send a couple of men down to the dump for them.

 

January 24

 

Marriott and myself went to Barts side everything jackaloo. Main gallery squeezing in and it appears to me as if the miners do not know how to stop it. Barts gallery is knocked in just up from 170 Coy officers' dugout. Doyle and Ayres went to Givenchy but they had another engine broken down which had been replaced by one I took away from them more than 12 months ago.

 

January 25

Newton and Doyle went down today. They should have been back tonight but have not yet turned up. They will get our pay books. Marriott and myself wired up a 6" Stokes position which has to be firing by the 27th. Preparing for the Kaiser's Birthday. No rations with Push Party. Ayres and Marriott gone to the dump. No. 3 Section's cook took them up to me. Have been mixed up with section's rations. Any amount of activity in the air today and also tonight. Both sides very busy indeed.

 

January 26

Newton and Doyle came up very early this morning and brought a big mail for me with them and I found out the money had been sent but do not know where. Ayres and myself came out to Noeux-les-Mines. I rang Hazebrouck and told them I was ready to go on leave. Jerry put over four shells today.

 

On February 28, 1918 he proceeded on leave to England and rejoined his Unit on March 14.

 

For twelve months service abroad he was issued with Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform.

 

March 23

Ayres and myself went to Saville Row, Newton went to Old Kent. We have been told that Johnny may attack on Monday morning. The night of the raid he knocked out a few down at the reserve line. Have been a bit crook tonight.

 

March 24

Newton and myself went to Saville Row way everything Jack. Doyle and Ayres went to Old Kent. Things very quiet here. Everyone very much awake.

 

March 27

When Piper was out yesterday he told us to wire and light up Crater Post somewhere in the Brickstacks. I suppose it is over near where the Givenchy crowd have their pumps in. Today Marriott and Ayres went over to Brickstacks. Found fuses blown in Mills Tunnel. We shall be going down the other tonight.

 

March 31

Ayres and Marriott went to Old Kent. Newton and myself went to Saville Row. No news of big battle coming up. In the evening, Dave, Newton and myself went for rations and found one of the wires pulled away from the coupling, could not find who did it.

 

April 5

Ayres and myself went out to Noeux-les-Mines.

 

Sapper Ayres was treated for a Social Disease from May 11 at the 4th Stationary Hospital at Arques, the 7th General Hospital at Wimereux and the 39th General Hospital in Havre and after 68 days curative care rejoined his unit on July 26, 1918 from the A.G.B.D. in Rouelles and was taken on strength on August 1.

  

September 28

Had visitors this morning before I was out of bed. Young, Ayres, Jim Loughrey and McMurry came over.”

 

On October 10, 1918 he went sick with Tonsillitis to the 47th Field Ambulance proceeding to the 6th Casualty Clearing Station and travelled on A.T.16 to the 53rd General Hospital for admittance. After several days was released on October 17 to the 1st Convalescent Depot in Boulogne and discharged the following day as fit to the 5th Rest Camp. Returned to the A.G.B.D. in Rouelles on October 21 and rejoined his Unit on November 1, 1918.

 

He was with his unit when Peace was declared less than a fortnight later and the company remained on the front delivering electricity for lighting and machinery for essential services for the troops in rehabilitation service in their district.

 

On January 22, 1919 proceeded on leave to Paris and returned on January 30. Further leave was granted from April 9, 1919 and he returned on April 23. Orders were issued to return to Base Depot on May 10 to prepare for their return to England.

 

The English Channel was crossed on March 25, 1919 where they entered the No. 1 Group camp and Sapper Ayres reported to Headquarters on March 28 and was granted leave until June 12, 1919 and report to Heytesbury. He marched in as ordered to the No. 1 Group camp to await his return home.

 

Sapper Ayres embarked on July 6, 1919 on board H.T. Boorara for the voyage to Australia. On July 27, 1919 Base Records advised his father of his impending return. The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on August 26, 1919 and sailed for Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D) the same day.

 

Military Discharge was issued in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on October 5, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.

 

Base Records wrote to Headquarters, 2nd Military District on March 29, 1921 advising that records held by their office state the ex-member returned on 26/8/19 on the H.T. Boorara and no later reports were received and referred the case for favour of any information in their possession. Should the reason for discharge be due to medical unfitness kindly include Board Proceedings.

 

Victoria Barracks, Sydney replied on April 5, 1921 that he had been discharged T.P.E. on 5/10/19.

 

The British War Medal (73122) and the Victory Medal (70042) were issued to Sapper 16947 Henry James Ayres, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company for serving his country.

 

He married in 1924 to Hazel Hopetoun Chaffer in Marrickville, NSW.

 

Their residence in 1930 is recorded at 38 Day Street, Marrickville, NSW where his occupation was motor mechanic. In 1937 this changed to 52 Gueudecourt Avenue, Earlwood and he was a motor carrier.

 

The following family notice appeared in the newspaper on the death of his wife:

 

He remarried in 1951 to Una Pearl Burwood with their union registered at Ashfield, NSW and they continued to reside at the Earlwood address.

 

A Statement of Service was issued to the Repatriation Department in Sydney, NSW on January 29, 1969 and medical records and service documents on February 6, 1969.

 

May Anne Hills Grandson.)

Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.

 

In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.

 

Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.

 

The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.

 

The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.

 

Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".

 

Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."

 

SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI

Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.

 

Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.

 

SHRUTI

 

VAISHNAVA CANON

The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.

 

VEDAS

In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".

 

Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.

 

Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.

 

In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.

 

Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.

 

Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.

 

Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.

 

Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.

 

Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.

 

RIGVEDA

In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.

 

The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.

 

An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:

 

When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)

 

Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.

 

Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)

 

Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:

 

Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)

 

This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.

 

However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:

 

Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)

 

The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.

 

He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)

 

No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)

 

The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)

 

Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.

 

Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.

 

In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.

 

THREE STEPS

Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:

 

The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)

 

Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.

 

Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.

 

In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.

 

BRAHMANAS

The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.

 

The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".

 

Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.

 

Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.

 

In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.

 

In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.

 

Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."

 

However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).

 

Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

SMRITI

 

VISHNU SMRITI

The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.

 

BHAGAVATA PURANA

Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."

 

VISHNU PURANA

In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:

 

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā

 

Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:

 

jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ

bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ

 

"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."

 

SANGAM LITERATURE

Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.

 

Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:

 

"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"

 

The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries

 

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):

 

āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ

 

pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum

 

On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.

 

THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:

 

Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;

Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;

Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;

Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;

Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;

Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.

 

Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.

 

The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.

 

FIVE FORMS

In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:

 

In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).

In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.

In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.

In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.

In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be

Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or

Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or

Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.

 

RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES

 

SHIVA

The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.

 

Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.

 

Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.

 

LAKSHMI

Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)

 

SARASWATI & GANGA

According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.

 

GARUDA

Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.

 

ICONOGRAPHY

According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:

 

He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.

The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.

He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.

A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.

He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.

He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.

 

Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:

 

A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.

The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.

A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.

A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.

 

To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.

 

In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:

 

Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.

Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.

Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.

 

AVATARS

Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.

 

The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:

 

Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.

Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.

Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.

Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.

Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.

Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.

Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.

 

Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".

 

BEYOND HINDUISM

 

SIKHISM

Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:

 

The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.

 

BUDDHISM

While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.

 

OTHERS

James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.

 

During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"

 

THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU

Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.

 

The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).

 

According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are

 

Vasudeva

Sankarshana

Pradyumna

Anirudha

Keshava

Narayana

Madhava

Govinda

Vishnu

Madhusudana

Trivikrama

Vamana

Sridhara

Hrishikesha

Padmanabha

Damodara

Purushottama

Achyuta

Narasimha

Janardana

Hari

Krishna

Adhokshaja

 

Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)

 

WIKIPEDIA

Kathleen Ryan Indoor Bedroom Headshot

hello, photoshop and perfect complexion! ....aaand still having a wonky eye. damn.

ahaha :)

Such perfect complexion. My first "Big Wow" convention.

It seemed highly improbable that Billy Shawtuck should have got the nickname 'Wild Bill' but nevertheless there it was. He was a ruddy-complexioned man in his early forties, shortish and not even stocky. He always wore long-sleeved shirts, even at the height of summer when, even out here near the shore, there was more sweat than wind around.

 

Ask his buddies at Grendel's and they would tell you that was because he didn't like to show off his enormous biceps. Of course, if pressed, they would also tell you he came to his nickname by way of eschewing beers for a double Scotch on the rocks every time. Apparently the heat didn't bother him much.

 

Billy worked for Lilco, riding power-lines, and, he always said to those he beat at arm wrestling off-hours at Grendel's, he came by his muscles honestly. 'I didn't have to go to no f@g gym every day to get these,' he'd say, downing the double Scotch on the rocks in a swallow and raising his arm to order another. 'Sh!t, my job does all that. Honest work you can sweat at.' Then he would shake his head full of sandy hair. 'I'm not one of those g0ddamned desk jockeys.'

 

Grendel's was a local watering hole - almost exclusively blue-collar - several miles outside West Bay Bridge, roadside to Montauk Highway.

 

Late in the evening, Billy Shawtuck stood in the doorway of Grendel's preparatory to leaving. The sky was turning from indigo to black, the traffic from the highway taking on a spectral quality as headlights and tail-lights flicked by like the inquisitive eyes of nocturnal animals.

 

On the top of the steps, Billy took a deep breath and cursed the summer influx. We're all gonna die of carbon monoxide poisoning one of these days, he thought.

 

Not four paces away, his Lilco truck stood waiting for him, but this evening he was reluctant to leave the cheery warmth of the bar. Music blatted at his back from the juke inside. Tony Bennett singing 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

 

You could take San Francisco, Billy thought, take the whole of the West Coast and shove it up your @ss. He'd been out there in the Army and had come to hate it. I didn't leave anything there but a good case of the clap. He laughed. But, damn, I'm sure sorry I took this late job. Time and a half was all well and good but some days - well, some days it just wasn't worth it. He had a feeling that this was one of those days.

 

Sighing deeply, he went down the stairs but not before giving the finger to Tony Bennett and his sh!t-@ss city.

 

His mood changed, however, as he banged down one of the dark side roads and he began to whistle tunelessly. He didn't think this job was going to take too long.

 

And, of course, by that time he was thinking of Helene and the stuff he had bought her from the Frederick's of Hollywood catalogue. Agh, he thought, maybe it came in the mail today. It was about due.

 

He was picturing Helene's long-legged frame in the clothes -he laughed: if you could call them that - as he came around the last bend to the beach-front property and saw the black-clad figure step right into the beam of his left-side headlight...

 

'What the f#ck!' He stepped on the brakes and swerved over to the right shoulder. Leaning out of the window, he called, 'You stupid bastard! I mighta killed you. What's the matter with -'

 

The door on his side crashed open and it felt as if a tornado hurled him out of the cab. 'Hey!' He rolled across the cool tarmac. 'Hey, buddy!'

 

He got to his feet in a boxer's semi-crouch, his fists up in front of his chest.

 

'Not to fool around, you sonovabitch.'

ROQUE DALTON Y LA CIA: LA HISTORIA JAMÁS CONTADA

 

Por Charles Lane

WASHINGTON- Harold F. Swenson, “Hal”, de 1.80 metros de estatura y complexión atlética, veterano de operaciones encubiertas durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, era el epítome del cuerpo de oficiales de caso de la Agencia Central de Inteligencia en el momento álgido de la Guerra Fría. Hal combatía a los comunistas con la misma determinación y astucia que alguna vez usara contra alemanes y japoneses.

La noche del 23 de septiembre de 1964, el deber llevó a Swenson a una prisión local de Cojutepeque, un pueblo de mala muerte en Centroamérica, en El Salvador, donde un prisionero macilento se hallaba sentado a solas en una celda húmeda, sin ventanas. El prisionero era Roque Dalton García.

Hoy, Dalton es un héroe literario nacional y su rostro adorna los timbres postales de El Salvador. Pero en 1964, con veintinueve años de edad, era un enemigo del Estado envuelto en la ola política de izquierdas que había barrido la región a partir de la Revolución cubana de 1959.

En pocas palabras, Dalton era el tipo de persona con la que Hal Swenson lidiaba para ganarse el pan. Al tiempo que abría un grueso informe sobre las actividades subversivas de Dalton, Swenson fijó sus ojos avellanados sobre el poeta y le dijo que tenía solo dos opciones: colaborar con la CIA o “enfrentar las consecuencias sin posibilidad alguna de escapar”.

***

Así comenzó uno de los encuentros clandestinos más intrigantes de la historia contemporánea de América Latina. Dalton sobreviviría y llegaría a producir una impresionante obra escrita, incluida una novela autobiográfica en la que el poeta se retrata valeroso y desafiante de cara a las presiones de la CIA.

No obstante, en los años por venir, sus enemigos murmurarían que Dalton era en realidad un traidor: si había salido libre de Cojutepeque, decían, había sido a cambio de su colaboración con la agencia estadounidense. El 10 de mayo de 1975, esos rumores le costarían a Dalton la vida. Sus camaradas marxistas de guerrilla lo asesinaron tras un “juicio” secreto en el que lo acusaron de ser un agente de la CIA. Fue aquel un acto de brutalidad fanática que hasta el día de hoy resuena en la política latinoamericana, pues la familia de Dalton ha defendido su causa contra los dos exguerrilleros a los que culpa del asesinato: Jorge Meléndez, hoy un alto funcionario salvadoreño, y Joaquín Villalobos, consejero de seguridad nacional del presidente de México.

Quizá nunca sepamos toda la verdad acerca del asesinato de Dalton, o de su relación con la CIA. Pero se pueden encontrar muchas respuestas en los Archivos Nacionales de Estados Unidos, en documentos desclasificados que incluyen numerosos informes sobre los esfuerzos de Hal Swenson por reclutar al poeta salvadoreño. El retrato de Dalton que de ahí surge no es ni traicionero ni heroico.

Dalton no cedió al chantaje de la CIA, pero su comportamiento durante el interrogatorio no fue tan audaz como él mismo sugeriría más tarde. Además, al parecer, Dalton manipuló la verdad tiempo después para ocultar el hecho de que en verdad era un agente de inteligencia... de Cuba.

***

El 21 de abril de 1964, un vuelo de Cubana de Aviación que se dirigía a Praga se detuvo a reabastecer combustible en Halifax, Nueva Escocia. Mientras el avión permanecía en la pista, Vladimir Rodríguez Lahera salió disparado de entre los demás pasajeros y pidió asilo a un oficial canadiense. No se trataba de una deserción cualquiera. Rodríguez era el encargado de Centroamérica para la Dirección General de Inteligencia (DGI), la principal agencia cubana de espionaje.

Rodríguez terminaría entregando una maleta llena de documentos a Hal Swenson, jefe de contrainteligencia de la unidad de “Asuntos Especiales” de la CIA, que implementaba las operaciones encubiertas contra el régimen de Fidel Castro. Para el mes de junio, Swenson había logrado que Rodríguez le diera todo el parte y había ideado un plan para “reclutar, desertar o anular” a los numerosos elementos cubanos en Centroamérica a los que Rodríguez identificara, tal como diría más tarde un memorándum de la CIA. Entre los blancos potenciales en la lista de Rodríguez, Swenson consideró a Roque Dalton como un caso especialmente interesante.

Hijo de padre estadounidense y madre salvadoreña, Dalton se había unido al Partido Comunista Salvadoreño (PCS) en 1957 y había viajado a Cuba en septiembre de 1962, junto con otros veintitrés jóvenes del Partido, para recibir entrenamiento guerrillero. Su entrenamiento duró hasta marzo de 1963 y, según los documentos de la CIA, incluyó un mes en Rostock, Alemania del Este, en octubre de 1962.

El curso en Cuba comprendía lecciones de “liderazgo” con un veterano de la Guerra Civil española que había adquirido la ciudadanía soviética y se había convertido en general. Dalton debió de impresionar a sus instructores, ya que lo seleccionaron junto con otros cuatro salvadoreños para seguir entrenándose como agente de la DGI... sin informar al PCS.

Los cubanos le dieron a Dalton un alias: “Juan Montenegro”, y le enseñaron escritura en clave, vigilancia y comunicaciones de onda corta. Cuando se preparaba para regresar a El Salvador, a finales de octubre de 1963, la DGI le proporcionó al poeta seiscientos dólares para comprar un transmisor, y una cinta de microfilm que contenía radiofrecuencias fue escondida en la suela hueca de su zapato.

Swenson veía a Dalton como un “candidato destacado” para el reclutamiento, pues era un comunista salvadoreño de primer orden y también un agente secreto cubano.

En tanto tal, “se podría esperar que proporcionara bastante información tanto sobre el PCS en El Salvador como sobre sus actividades para la DGI”, escribió Swenson el 19 de junio de 1964. Rodríguez le dijo a Swenson que Dalton se mostraría receptivo a una oferta de la CIA porque era “muy inteligente, pero nunca demostró un verdadero deseo por aprender” en Cuba, y porque tenía “una debilidad por las mujeres y la vida fácil”. Aun así, a Swenson le preocupaba que las “características personales” de Dalton pudieran ocasionarle a la CIA “problemas de manejo” en el futuro, tal como le había sucedido a los cubanos. Rodríguez, que había sido el oficial de caso de Dalton, explicó que este había malversado los seiscientos dólares y no se había reportado con sus superiores antes del 27 de enero de 1964, cuando las autoridades salvadoreñas lo arrestaron y deportaron. El jefe de la estación de la CIA en San Salvador también externó sus reservas. La agencia ya tenía un espía en el PCS, señaló en un cable del 12 de agosto de 1964, así que, ¿para qué incorporar a Dalton?

Puesto que anteriormente Dalton no había hecho nada para la DGI, los cubanos, siempre sospechosos, “vincularían su reactivación a la deserción de Rodríguez Lahera”, argumentaba el jefe de la estación de la CIA. En lugar de hacer el intento por reclutar a Dalton, la CIA debía “anularlo” haciendo públicos sus lazos con Cuba y dejando que el gobierno salvadoreño se encargara del resto. Pero después de la crisis de los misiles y de Bahía de Cochinos, la CIA estaba desesperada por penetrar la red que rodeaba a Fidel Castro. Swenson quería darle una oportunidad a Dalton. Así que envió un cable al jefe de la CIA en San Salvador agradeciéndole sus comentarios, y siguió adelante con sus planes de reclutar al poeta.

***

El 3 de septiembre, Swenson se reunió en San Salvador con el presidente de El Salvador, el coronel Julio Rivera, y le presentó el plan de la CIA para captar a los guerrilleros y espías entrenados por Cuba en su país. Rivera se mostró encantado y le dijo a su jefe de inteligencia, José Alberto “Chele” Medrano, que hiciera todo lo que la CIA quisiera.

Dalton había regresado a El Salvador en junio. Con la esperanza de evitar que su arresto y expulsión de enero se repitieran, permaneció en casa mientras los abogados de la Universidad Nacional, donde Dalton estaba inscrito como estudiante de Derecho, solicitaban a las cortes poner fin a la constante vigilancia policiaca fuera de su domicilio. Pero Dalton no pudo reprimir su necesidad de beber y socializar. El 4 de septiembre –un día después de que Swenson se entrevistara con Rivera– se aventuró en un bar donde policías vestidos de civil lo arrestaron. Cinco días más tarde fue transferido en secreto a la cárcel de Cojutepeque, a fin de frustrar los esfuerzos de la familia del poeta por lograr que un juez ordenara su liberación.

Si bien la policía no golpeó ni torturó físicamente a Dalton, fue mantenido en solitario, privado de duchas y comida decente, y obligado a dormir en el frío suelo de la celda. El resultado fue un semblante lastimoso al momento que Swenson llegó, ya caída la oscuridad, el 23 de septiembre.

Las condiciones de la cárcel no dejaron contento a Swenson, en particular el hecho de que el único espacio disponible para un interrogatorio fuera una gran sala de juntas, con guardias presentes y un oficial de alto rango de la policía salvadoreña que deambulaba dentro y fuera. Pese a las circunstancias poco satisfactorias, Swenson prosiguió con su “oferta” a Dalton. Hal le dijo al poeta que “fuentes internas” habían revelado que no solo era un comunista salvadoreño de primer orden, sino también un agente de inteligencia cubano. Dalton negó todo, y comenzó a sermonear a Swenson sobre sus derechos legales.

Pero cuando este último le mostró el archivo de la DGI que había obtenido de Rodríguez, el poeta “se encogió de miedo”, tal como informó más adelante el hombre de la CIA. La situación de Dalton “no tenía remedio”, dijo Swenson... a menos que cooperara, en cuyo caso, Estados Unidos se encargaría de darle a él y a su familia una buena vida. Dalton pasó de la provocación al regateo. Los dirigentes militares de El Salvador “me cortarán la cabeza”, suplicó. “Lamento haberme involucrado alguna vez en todo esto.” El poeta juró abandonar la política y El Salvador si el hombre de la CIA ponía fin al interrogatorio y lo dejaba ir. Pese a todo, Dalton no admitió trabajar para Cuba ni pertenecer al Partido Comunista. Y tampoco accedió a espiar para la CIA.

Frustrado, Swenson envió a Dalton de vuelta a su celda, y se quedó cavilando sobre las formas de quebrar su resistencia. Swenson decidió que un bon vivant como Dalton respondería mejor en un ambiente más cómodo. Así que dio instrucciones a Chele Medrano de trasladar a Dalton a un lugar más tranquilo, donde pudieran hablar a solas.

La noche del 25 de septiembre, Swenson se reunió con Dalton en la lujosa casa de un coronel salvadoreño, en las frescas colinas de Planes de Renderos, al sureste de San Salvador. Dalton se había duchado y había conseguido una cama adecuada y comida decente. Swenson informó que, sin guardias, “hubo una mejor compenetración y Dalton habló con mayor holgura”. Charlaron sobre la historia personal del poeta, sobre sus primeros días como miembro del Partido Comunista y sobre sus viajes por México y Cuba. Pero Dalton insistía en que había renunciado al Partido Comunista debido a sus métodos “cuestionables”. Sus visitas a Cuba, decía, respondían a actividades estrictamente culturales y literarias.

Swenson hojeó de nuevo el archivo de la DGI. Dalton insistía en que los papeles eran falsos. El poeta “suplicó misericordia con elocuencia, por [su] esposa y sus hijos”, informó Swenson, y “rogó” una vez más que se le enviara al exilio. El hombre de la CIA dijo que quizás podría organizar una nueva vida para Dalton en México, pero solo si cooperaba plenamente. Al ver que el poeta no se doblegaba, Swenson recogió sus papeles y se marchó, advirtiéndole a Dalton que se le estaba acabando la paciencia.

Dalton parecía “agitado, pero terco”, y “probablemente no se rendiría sino después de repetidas y largas sesiones de interrogatorios”, informó Swenson. Antes de recurrir a eso, Swenson quería probar una última táctica: confrontar a Dalton con Vladimir Rodríguez Lahera, quien había acompañado a Swenson a San Salvador. Seguramente Dalton no podría negar sus vínculos con los cubanos en presencia de su antiguo oficial de caso de la DGI.

La mañana del 30 de septiembre, Rodríguez apareció en Planes de Renderos. De apenas 1.60 metros de estatura y con un acento cubano inconfundible, Rodríguez debió de resultar instantáneamente reconocible para Dalton, en especial cuando habló sobre el entrenamiento del poeta en Cuba y se dirigió a él por sus pseudónimos ante la DGI.

Sin embargo, Dalton se las arregló de alguna manera para negar que conociera al cubano. El poeta se atuvo a esa historia incluso después de que Swenson entrara y se uniera al desertor. Una vez más, Dalton rogó que se le liberara y se le enviara al extranjero.

“Obtener la verdad de Dalton llevará mucho tiempo”, informó un Swenson exasperado. Dalton estaba “plenamente consciente [de las] pruebas en su contra”, pero quizás esperaba que la presión política y legal de sus camaradas finalmente obligara al gobierno a liberarlo. Por otra parte, añadía Swenson, Dalton “probablemente teme que admitir su complicidad no sea de ayuda”.

Estaba en manos del gobierno salvadoreño “convencerlo de que de una u otra forma [se] equivoca”, escribió Swenson, lo que quería decir que el gobierno debía retener a Dalton en aquella oscura celda de la cárcel de Cojutepeque hasta que el poeta cambiara de opinión. Y el 1 de octubre fue exactamente ahí adonde Dalton fue a parar, mientras Swenson regresaba a Washington.

***

La desaparición de Dalton en verdad se había vuelto una cause célèbre para los comunistas salvadoreños y otros opositores al gobierno militar. El mismo día en que la policía transfirió en secreto al poeta de vuelta a Cojutepeque, un grupo de escritores y artistas publicó una carta en protesta por su arresto. Dos semanas más tarde, el 15 de octubre, el Diario Latino de San Salvador publicó una carta abierta al presidente Rivera firmada por la esposa de Dalton, Aída Cañas de Dalton. A continuación, las asociaciones de abogados llamaron al gobierno a respetar los derechos del poeta.

El 29 de octubre, al tiempo que la campaña a favor de Dalton alcanzaba un crescendo, un cable de la CIA le dio a Hal Swenson una noticia asombrosa: se decía que Dalton había escapado.

Tal como lo explicarían los cables posteriores de la CIA, de alguna manera el poeta había llegado de la cárcel de Cojutepeque a un escondite en la Universidad Nacional, en San Salvador.

Los oficiales de la CIA estaban alarmados por el titular del 30 de octubre de El Diario de Hoy, de San Salvador: “Dalton García confirma la fuga”. El periódico contenía una carta de Dalton en la que él mismo describía su arresto, cautiverio y las extrañas reuniones con dos interrogadores extranjeros.

Un “estadounidense vestido de civil” lo había acusado de participar en una conspiración encabezada por cubanos contra el gobierno salvadoreño, escribió Dalton. El gringo le había enseñado “una serie de documentos, obviamente inventados y fabricados ad hoc”, y amenazó con “eliminarlo” a menos que admitiera los cargos.

En la villa de Planes de Renderos, el estadounidense “continuó con sus amenazas y ofertas”, escribió Dalton, e incluso le presentó a un cubano desconocido, quien “afirmó ser el que había conspirado en Cuba conmigo”. El cubano lo amenazó con mandarlo asesinar a menos que confesara, afirmaba Dalton.

Tras ser enviado de vuelta a la cárcel de Cojutepeque, escribió el poeta, permaneció incomunicado hasta la noche del 25 de octubre, “cuando, aprovechando una debilidad en la pared de mi celda ocasionada por temblores y trabajos de construcción en las cercanías, pude escapar y llegar por mi cuenta a San Salvador”.

Los oficiales de la CIA trataron de contener los estragos. El jefe de la agencia en San Salvador dio instrucciones al encargado de negocios de Estados Unidos, Edward G. Curtis, de decir a la prensa que las acusaciones de Dalton eran “demasiado ridículas para comentarlas” o que Dalton estaba “usando ‘licencias poéticas’”.

Mientras tanto, la CIA trató de despistar a Cuba. Un oficial de caso le dijo a un agente conocido de la DGI que un funcionario estadounidense se había reunido con Dalton, pero solo a petición de Chele Medrano, quien pensaba que Dalton podría hablar más libremente con un compatriota de su padre. El oficial le aseguró al agente cubano que Dalton no había traicionado ninguna confianza, y que no tenía “nada que temer desde el punto de vista de la seguridad”.

El 3 de noviembre, el jefe de la CIA en San Salvador envió un cable a las oficinas centrales informando que las repercusiones políticas eran “sorprendentemente leves” y que el gobierno salvadoreño “podría capear el temporal sin tener que admitir nada”.

Sin embargo, un destinatario del mensaje no quedó satisfecho. “Este cable no tiene sentido”, escribió el 4 de noviembre un alto cargo de la CIA. “Nuestro objetivo es obviamente reclutar, desertar o anular a Dalton. Su fuga de la prisión no altera de ninguna forma lo que queremos hacer.” De hecho, se argumentaba en el memorándum, la fuga y las declaraciones de Dalton en la prensa salvadoreña podrían aumentar su valor como agente doble, pues constituían una pantalla perfecta.

La negativa de Dalton a aceptar el reclutamiento hasta ese momento “no significa que debamos rendirnos, más bien significa que deberíamos intensificar nuestros esfuerzos o estar dispuestos a tomar medidas más drásticas de ser necesarias”, agregaba el memorándum. Después de todo, el caso Dalton debía ser considerado a la luz “del asesinato de agentes de la CIA en Cuba”.

“No estamos involucrados en partidas de ajedrez o en juegos olímpicos, sino en operaciones serias que, ya se trate de una guerra caliente o fría, se calculan bajo la definición clásica de destruir la voluntad del enemigo para resistir o, más realistamente, destruir la capacidad del enemigo”, concluía el documento.

Y, con esa nota ominosa, termina el informe desclasificado del intento de Hal Swenson por reclutar a Roque Dalton.

***

¿Podría haber orquestado la CIA una vendetta contra Dalton, o haberlo reclutado durante el tiempo transcurrido entre su fuga en 1964 y su asesinato en 1975? Es posible, pero probablemente no fue así.

La CIA continuó rastreando a Dalton desde febrero de 1965, cuando este se reubicó en Praga, hasta al menos el verano de 1971, cuando el poeta asistió a un congreso de las juventudes comunistas en Pyongyang, Corea del Norte.

No existe evidencia en los archivos desclasificados de que la CIA tuviera siquiera noticia del regreso de Dalton a El Salvador en 1973, o de la existencia del grupo al que se unió, el Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo (ERP).

Además, para ese momento, “Asuntos Especiales”, al igual que la mayor parte del aparato anti Castro de la CIA, se había disuelto. Hal Swenson y otros oficiales involucrados en el caso Dalton habían sido reasignados, se habían retirado, o habían muerto. La prioridad de la CIA en América Latina era el Chile de Salvador Allende, y no Centroamérica. Para 1975, la agencia quizás estaba demasiado ocupada combatiendo los escándalos por sus intentos de asesinato previos como para emprender uno contra alguien como Dalton.

Mientras tanto, la relación de Dalton con la inteligencia cubana se mantuvo. Aunque no está claro cómo salió de El Salvador a principios de noviembre de 1964, el poeta no pudo haber llegado a Praga sin ayuda cubana. Cuando tiempo después regresó a La Habana, Dalton gozó de un estatus privilegiado, con fácil acceso a funcionarios como Manuel Piñeiro, que encabezaba las operaciones secretas del régimen de Castro en América Latina.

En retrospectiva, el comportamiento de Dalton durante el interrogatorio con Swenson y Rodríguez, así como la historia que contó en la prensa salvadoreña –y, mucho más tarde, en las páginas de su novela Pobrecito poeta que era yo– parecen calculados no solo para protegerse a sí mismo, sino también a la DGI.

Sí: durante sus encuentros con el hombre de la CIA y con el desertor cubano estaba asustado, más asustado de lo que su recuento en Pobrecito poeta que era yo podría revelar. Debió de quedar impactado al enterarse de que Rodríguez lo había traicionado. Pero sus ruegos y sus súplicas probablemente fueron en parte una actuación, una puesta en escena destinada a darles tiempo a sus camaradas para hacer campaña a favor de su liberación, tal como lo sospechó Swenson. Incluso pudo haber aprendido esta táctica de la DGI.

Un cable del jefe de la CIA en San Salvador, fechado el 28 de septiembre de 1964 y consistente con esta hipótesis, describe una reunión secreta sobre el caso Dalton con un informante del PCS, quien reportó que la política del partido en el caso Dalton era “ejercer presión [sobre el gobierno] a través de los diputados” en la asamblea nacional, y “aceptar la expulsión [de Dalton] del país antes que dejarlo podrirse en alguna cárcel local”.

La dramática carta de Dalton a El Diario de Hoy resulta digna de atención tanto por lo que dice como por lo que no dice.

En Pobrecito poeta que era yo, escrito después de su salida de El Salvador, Dalton llamaba al interrogador estadounidense “oficial de la CIA”. Pero en la carta a El Diario de Hoy, escrita mientras aún se ocultaba en el país y esperaba irse, se refería al gringo con más cuidado, como “uno de los asesores extranjeros de la policía nacional y otras instituciones militares”. En cuanto a Rodríguez, Dalton decía que había descubierto que el cubano sin nombre era “un instructor de la policía nacional”.

En pocas palabras, Dalton solo reveló lo suficiente de la verdad como para alertar a sus superiores cubanos de que sus operaciones habían sido expuestas, pero no tanto como para orillar a la CIA a tomar “medidas drásticas”.

***

La narración de Dalton sobre su fuga en El Diario de Hoy, aunque vaga y breve, es consistente con su elaborado relato en la novela, donde habla de la excavación de un túnel a través de una porosa pared de adobe, de carreras a través de bosques, y de autobuses a los que subió, lleno de ansiedad, camino a San Salvador.

Siempre ha parecido una historia improbable. Un viejo camarada que entrenó en Cuba con Dalton, Ricardo Castrorrivas, le dijo al biógrafo del poeta, Luis Alvarenga, que según había escuchado, Dalton logró salir en realidad gracias a Pedro Geoffroy Rivas, un eminente y adinerado poeta de izquierda que utilizó sus influencias a favor de Dalton. Resultaría irónico, pues Dalton y Rivas eran rivales en aquel tiempo; es de notar, empero, que Pobrecito poeta que era yo es una línea de un poema de Rivas.

No obstante, el hijo de Dalton, Juan José Dalton, ha escrito sobre la lejana noche en que su padre apareció en la casa de un pariente, con barba y cubierto de arañazos, y le enseñó a su hijo un pedacito de acero que había utilizado para atravesar los ladrillos.

La única versión de la fuga de Dalton que claramente no es verdad es la que difundieron sus enemigos: que la CIA la orquestó para encubrir su reclutamiento. El narrador más agresivo de este relato fue Cayetano Carpio, el comunista veterano que abandonó el partido salvadoreño en 1970 para fundar las Fuerzas Populares de Liberación (FPL). Carpio afirmaba que los miembros del Partido habían visto a Dalton reunirse con un oficial de la CIA en un hotel de San Salvador después de que saliera de la cárcel de Cojutepeque.

Si tal reunión tuvo lugar, no existe registro de ella en los documentos desclasificados de la CIA. Por el contrario, los cables secretos de la agencia, cuyo propósito nunca fue hacerlos públicos, reflejan sorpresa y enojo genuinos frente a la noticia de la fuga de Dalton. Los oficiales de la CIA en San Salvador ni siquiera averiguaron que Dalton había llegado a la Universidad Nacional sino hasta diez días después de su huida de Cojutepeque. Chele Medrano también parece haber permanecido en la ignorancia; según un cable de la CIA, “arremetió contra la dejadez de la Policía Nacional”.

El apoyo de Cuba a Dalton después de que abandonara El Salvador en 1964 contradice la acusación de Carpio; resulta extraño, sin embargo, que el régimen de Castro tolerara las murmuraciones de Carpio contra el poeta cuando ambos hombres se encontraban en La Habana a principios de la década de 1970.

Después de que Carpio rechazara la oferta del poeta de unirse a las FPL, la inteligencia Cubana instó a Alejandro Rivas Mina, el primer jefe del ERP, a aceptar a Dalton como “asesor político” dentro de El Salvador, según un artículo de David Hernández, escritor e investigador salvadoreño del caso Dalton, en La Prensa Gráfica de mayo de 2011.

Dado el potencial de conflicto entre Rivas Mina y el más viejo y más logrado –pero notablemente indisciplinado– Dalton, era como si los cubanos estuvieran enfrentándolos deliberadamente.

Según las memorias del exguerrillero salvadoreño Eduardo Sancho, Crónicas entre los espejos, en una reunión en San Salvador, en 1973, poco después de la llegada de Dalton, Carpio le reiteró a Rivas Mina el rumor sobre los vínculos de Dalton con la CIA.

Para sus admiradores, Dalton fue un brillante intelectual revolucionario. Los servicios secretos de Cuba, empero, lo conocieron como un bohemio sarcástico que le había robado seiscientos dólares a la DGI, que no podía resistirse a la bebida y que metió la pata en una peligrosa trampa de la CIA.

La inteligencia cubana había tolerado sus defectos durante años debido a sus dotes literarias. Sin embargo, para principios de la década de 1970, Dalton sabía más sobre el funcionamiento interno del Estado cubano que una década atrás, y su afición por la bebida y las mujeres había empeorado mucho.

De una u otra forma, por el riesgo que representaba, Roque Dalton estaba destinado a ser anulado. Y, el 10 de mayo de 1975, lo fue.

Traducción de Marianela Santoveña

Tomado de revista Letras Libres, edición octubre 2012.

Título original: “Reclutar, desertar o anular. La historia jamás contada de Roque Dalton, la inteligencia cubana y la CIA”

 

Foto DIGITAL:Alexseander R. Antonio.

  

Articulo propiedad de :http://www.contracultura.com.sv/la-historia-jamas-contada-de-roque-dalton-la-inteligencia-cubana-y-la-cia

  

Because of their distinction with the other Sudanese social groups, the Rashayda maintained a kind of pride on their particularities. Their thin features, light complexion, men with swords ("it's our tradition and we keep it by fear... to defend our selves" said Ahmed), women with their facial tattoos and black dresses enlivened with colourful beadwork.

 

Because of their marginal nomadic lifestyle, most of the Rashayda remains illiterate but developed a strong oral tradition. Their stories relates the news they collected from their incursions. The Rashayda tribe challenges the borders: they got involved in Eritrea or keep "family" relations in Arabia. During the war in Eritrea, they smuggled everything and guns ("this tribe is more efficient than any Antonov!" told me a friend). They also took advantage of the Baja decay and the war tensions to extend their pasturages in the increasing no man's land.

 

No man's land as a tribal territory, is there a paradox? No man's land becoming the territory of marginals is quite common. But the no man's gained by marginal groups to take an important social position, it is quite original. Moreover, when those marginal enter the guerrilla, it becomes more worrying. The Rashayda rebel group, the Free Lions sized a real regional power. No man's land as a territory of the lords of war?

 

The monument has a distinctive plan of a square surrounded by an octagonal wall.

External detail of the mausoleum. A private cemetery of historical interest in St Margarets/ Isleworth. A full history and description is included in the set. This mausoleum which is now a grade II* listed building, was originally commissioned by the notorious eccentric of his day, the 2nd Earl of Kilmorey (also nicknamed as 'Black Jack’ Needham due to his dark complexion at times), .

 

The monument was built in 1854 for his mistress, Priscilla Hoste, who had originally been his ward of court.

  

They suddenly eloped abroad and then eventually returned to Twickenham, where she had a son called Charles in 1844. Unfortunately, Priscilla then became seriously ill in 1851 with a terminal heart condition, with the Earl deciding to set about constructing a suitable memorial for her in 1853.

 

She eventually died in October 1854, and was interred in secret, with no-one knowing about it for years afterwards.

 

A noted Victorian architect of his time, Henry Edward Kendall was employed to design the mausoleum, which he did in the popular and fashionable Egyptian revival style. This Egyptian design is believed to have been derived from a plate in a French book ‘Description de I'Eqypte ’ published in 1809. The shape of the building relates to the shrines at the heart of Egyptian Temples - the place where a treasured image of a god was installed.

  

Inside the Mausoleum is a fine white marble carved relief of the death bed scene of Priscilla, with the young son Charles and the Earl in attendance. It was carved in Rome by portrait sculptor Lawrence Macdonald, using more than one artistic style.

 

It is thought that the pink and grey granite Egyptian style mausoleum cost around £30,000? (a very large sum of money in the 1850’s!) not including the subsequent moving costs.

 

The Mausoleum was originally erected on a plot that the Earl had secured at the Brompton Cemetery in London, then subsequently dismantled, moved and re-built twice.

 

First when the Earl moved to Woburn Park Chertsey in 1862, and being of unconventional nature and restless as well; six years later he was on the move again. The next time, it was moved to its present site at Twickenham in 1868, where he lived in Gordon House; eventually to be part of the Brunel University complex which has subsequently been re-developed.

 

In his day, Lord Kilmorey owned all the land between the mausoleum site and Gordon House. According to some rumours and fact, and being the true Victorian eccentric; some tunnels were built, the main one apparently having a tramway between Gordon House and the Mausoleum. This ensured his privacy could be maintained, and would not have to leave his own property when the time came for him to join Priscilla in the Mausoleum. It is said that ‘when in the mood’ he would summon his servants, and in secret, dress in ‘white garb’ and proceed through the tunnel to the mausoleum, where he would lie in his coffin. He lived to the grand age of 92, and in 1880 on his death, his final wishes were carried out.

 

Since then the mausoleum has had a chequered history, and the site passed eventually to Hounslow Borough Council on condition that access would be maintained, although it was not for some time that anyone entered this hidden burial site.

 

In an extremely neglected condition, responsibility for the site was passed to Richmond Council, and the maintenance of the grounds to The Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames, where volunteers have worked exceptionally hard over several years, to get the gardens into the condition you see them today.

 

This is a complexion comparison between 1959 Debut Barbie and Fuchsia 'N Fur Francie. Their complexions differ. Compare FnF Francie's shoulder with Barbie's chest area. FnF has a reddish-brown complexion while 1959 Barbie Repro has more gray undertones to her dark carmel complexion.

CASTLETON, CLAUD CHARLES

Rank:……………………….....Sergeant

Service No:…………………1352

Date of Death:……………29/07/1916

Age:…………………………....23

Regiment/Service:……..Australian Machine Gun Corps

……………………………........5th Coy.

Awards:……………………...V C

Grave Reference:………IV. L. 43.

Cemetery:

POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas Charles and Edith Lucy Castleton, of 18, Wilson Rd., Lowestoft, England.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/588626/CASTLETON,%20C...

 

His Australian Army Service record can be accessed online from here:-

recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/Details...

 

Claud Charles Castleton was born Kirkley, Lowestoft and at the time of his enlistment on the 15th March 1915 at Liverpool, New South Wales, his age was recorded as 21 years 11 months. A single man, he gave his occupation as a Prospector. He gave his next of kin as his father, Mr T(?) Castleton, of 18 Wilson Road, South Lowestoft. (Mr Castleton subsequently moved to 20 Rochester Road, South Lowestoft, Suffolk, circa 1924).

 

At his medical he was described at 5 feet 7 and a half inches tall, weighed 160lbs and had a fair complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair.

 

He was initially assigned to “D” Company, 18th Battalion. He sailed from Sydney aboard H.M.A.T. “Ceramic” on the 25th June 1915.

 

He was sent to the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 16th August 1915.

 

He was transferred from the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station at “Anzac” to the Hospital Ship “Nevaska” on the 15th September 1915, before being admitted to the 1st Australian Hospital at “Luna Park” (Egypt) on the 19th. He was diagnosed with Dysentery. After a couple of moves he was discharged to duty on the 22nd October 1915. Promoted to Corporal on the 7th December 1915, he was sent back to Gallipoli on the 8th. He was evacuated with his unit, returning to Alexandria via Mudros on the 9th January 1916.

 

He was admitted to hospital in Egypt again on the 27th January 1916, this time with Malaria, being discharged on the 15th February 1916 and rejoining his unit on the 17th. On the 20th he was promoted Temporary Sergeant. On the 8th March 1916 he was transferred from the 18th Battalion to the 5th Machine Gun Company, retaining his original service number. His promotion to Sergeant was confirmed on the 16th March 1916. On the 23rd March 1916 he landed at Marseilles.

 

He was recorded as Killed in Action on the 29th July 1916. He was buried between Pozieres + Bazentin-Le-Grand-Petit, 4 and three quarter miles N.E. of Albert.

 

There is a note that pension claims from Thomas and mother Edith Lucy Castleton were rejected in May 1917 as they had adequate means. However a pension of 5 shilling “p.f.” – (Per fortnight?) was awarded in January 1918.

 

There are papers from 1968 – an enquiry from his brother as the local council were planning a memorial.

 

12th April 1893 – Birth

 

(Source – newspaper clipping in his Army Service record – see “On the day” below>)

 

The birth of a Claud Charles Castleton was registered in the Mutford District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1893.

 

(Mutford District covered Lowestoft and the nearby villages. As Lowestoft extended southwards in the late Victorian era, it joined up with the small town of Kirkley.)

 

1901 Census of England and Wales

 

The 7 year old “Claude” Castleton, born Kirkley, Suffolk, was recorded living at Rose Cottage, Wilson Road, Kirkley, Lowestoft. This was the household of his parents, Thomas, (aged 34, a Bricklayer, born Lowestoft) and Edith, (aged 32, born Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire). As well as Claude the couple also have an older son living with them, Francis, (13, born Kirkley).

 

1911 Census of England and Wales

 

The Castleton family were still probably living in the same building, but now the address is given as 18 Wilson Road, South Lowestoft. Parents Thomas C, (44) and Edith L. (42), have been married 23 years and have had 2 children, both then still alive and living with them. Older son Francis W, (23), was a Law Clerk for a firm of Solicitors. His younger brother Claud C, (17), was a Student Teacher. Both are shown as born Lowestoft.

 

1912 – bound for Australia.

 

A 19 year old Claude Castleton boarded the “Orama” at London in 1912, bound for Melbourne, Australia.

 

His Wikipedia article adds

 

In 1912 he set off on a long adventure, stopping first at Melbourne, Australia. He worked in various parts of Australia before heading to New Guinea, intending to earn funds for the return journey to England via New Zealand, India and Africa. Matters changed with the outbreak of the First World War; he joined the Australian force formed in New Guinea for the defence of the area in the face of German warship activities.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claud_Castleton

 

On the day

 

POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE

 

Location Information

Pozieres is a village some 6 kilometres north-east of Albert, and the Cemetery, which is enclosed by the Pozieres Memorial, is a little south-west of the village on the north side of the main road (D929) from Albert to Pozieres.

 

Historical Information

The village of Pozieres was attacked on 23 July 1916 by the 1st Australian and 48th (South Midland) Divisions, and was taken on the following day. It was lost on 24-25 March 1918, during the great German advance, and recaptured by the 17th Division on the following 24 August.

 

Plot II of POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY contains the original burials of 1916, 1917 and 1918, carried out by fighting units and field ambulances. The remaining plots were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the cemetery, the majority of them of soldiers who died in the Autumn of 1916, but a few represent the fighting in August 1918.

 

The following were among the more important burial grounds from which British graves were concentrated to Pozieres British Cemetery:-

 

CASUALTY CORNER CEMETERY, CONTALMAISON, on the road from Pozieres to Fricourt, used in the summer and autumn of 1916, which contained the graves of 21 Canadian soldiers, 21 Australian and 13 from the United Kingdom.

 

DANUBE POST CEMETERY, THIEPVAL (named from a trench and a Dressing Station), between the site of Thiepval village and Mouquet Farm. Here were buried, in the winter of 1916-17, 34 soldiers from the United Kingdom, mainly of the R.F.A.

 

NAB JUNCTION CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE, at the crossing of the Thiepval-Pozieres Road and "Nab Valley", in which 60 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one German prisoner were buried in the winter of 1916-17.

 

There are now 2,760 Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 1,382 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There is also 1 German soldier buried here.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2000092/POZIERES%20...

 

As part of the commemoration of the outbreak of the Great War, the CWGC have added a number of original documents to their website. One of these on their webpage for Claud is a Concentration Report – details of his move to his current resting place. However other than adding the information he was in a grave with two markers, (a battalion one and a standard issue army one), its not very clear where he was originally interred.

 

Citation

An extract from "The London Gazette", No. 29765, dated, 26th Sept., 1916, records the following:-"For most conspicuous bravery. During an attack on the enemy''s trenches the infantry was temporarily driven back by the intense machine gun fire opened by the enemy. Many wounded were left in "No Man''s Land" lying in shell holes. Serjt. Castleton went out twice in face of this intense fire and each time brought in a wounded man on his back. He went out a third time and was bringing in another wounded man when he was himself hit in the back and killed instantly. He set a splendid example of courage and self-sacrifice"

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/588626/CASTLETON,%20C...

www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29765/supplement/9418/d...

 

There is an undated newspaper cutting in his service record, which gives this account. (The reverse side includes an article about the 1980 Australia Day Honours, so presumably it dates from that time.) It has a picture of Claud to accompany the text.

 

The same picture is also held at the Australian War Memorial archive.

www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1497?search

 

Events leading to the action began with an ill-fated night attack, which failed because of planning faults, the enemy’s alertness and the severity of enemy reaction.

 

The attack was to be delivered by the 17th, 18th, and 20th Battalions against a section of the enemy lines known as the “O.G. Trenches” on Pozieres Heights.

Makeshift “jumping-off” arrangements, without a covering barrage, led to the enemy detecting waves of troops as they moved across an open basin in front of the objective, in order to be within easy striking distance of the trenches after the conclusion of a one-minute intense barrage on O.G.1 shortly after midnight on July 28th, 1916.

 

The Germans, who regularly sent up flares over this part of the battlefield, quickly spotted the advance.

 

The enemy immediately opened fire. Flares began to rise thickly; other machine-guns came into action and soon afterwards a barrage of high explosive, phosgene gas and tear-gas shells began to fall.

 

All movement was completely stopped. Parties tried to advance by crawling from crater to crater, but by now the flares had turned the night into day.

 

Machine-gun fire was so fierce that zero-hour arrived and passed without the slightest hope of advancing.

 

For three hours the troops lay out in this withering fire, until their withdrawal an hour before dawn.

 

The 5th Brigade casualties amounted to six officers and 140 men, mostly in the 20th Battalion.

 

It was under these terrible conditions, while waiting for withdrawal, that Sgt Castleton, serving with 5th Machine Gun Company, AIF, sacrifice his life for wounded comrades.

 

Despite the intensity of enemy fire, he succeeded in bringing two comrades to safety without sustain injury to himself, but on his third foray, while carrying another soldier to allied lines, he was hit in the back and killed instantly”

 

It goes on to add that he was born South Lowestoft, England, on April 12,1893 and emigrated to Australia, in 1912, aged 19. At the time war broke out he was living in Port Moresby. He enlisted immediately and was placed in charge of native troops for coastal defence duties. It was after that that he enlisted for overseas service in March 1915.

 

(Cropped from the original newspaper article)

 

Royal Coronation Aurora is fully deboxed, and is posed standing, supported by a Kaiser stand. She can free stand, but is very unstable that way. Photographed in daylight.

 

Review of Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Her face is pretty, but bland and generic. She only has a passing resemblance to the movie character, as portrayed by Elle Fanning. She doesn't have very realistic features, but looks like an ordinary doll painted to look like an animated character. She has a light complexion, small blue green eyes gazing straight ahead, brown eyebrows, small straight nose, light pink lips on a small mouth, large chin, and light rouge on her cheeks.

 

She has long golden blonde hair that reaches her hips. There is a solitary long curl hanging from her left side. The rest of her hair is slightly wavy, and is grouped in a single mass, which I left alone. It would look better if it were combed out, but I was afraid that it might get frizzy if I attempted to do so. The hair is shiny and soft, and doesn't appear to have any hair product.

 

The dress is golden brocaded satin, with a floral design. The underside is very light tan in color. There is also a painted floral overlay in pink and green, which is only in the front of the dress (the front of the skirt and bodice). There is golden lace trim at the hem, waist and collar and cuffs. Her collar and cuffs end in white organza. The skirt is pleated, and almost floor length. The bodice has a high waist, with a golden belt sewn around it. Her sleeves are full length. There is a over sized train sewn to the back of the dress, just below the waist. It made of the same material and has the same decoration as the front of the skirt. Its underside is fully lined with gold satin. The dress looks and feels luxurious, and fit for royalty.

 

She is wearing tan colored heels, with a simulated strap and an unpainted embossed floral design. She is wearing a gold colored plastic crown that is made to look like a floral wreath, that goes halfway around her head. It is secured only by two T-tab fasteners, so it is not meant to be removed or used on other dolls.

 

Her body is made of hard plastic throughout. She has seven points of articulation: her neck, shoulders, elbows and hips. Her hands are permanently tilted back to make the standard Princess pose. Her feet are fixed at an angle to wear high heels. Her head can turn 360 degrees around, and can tilt up about 20 degrees, and tilt down 10 degrees. Her arms can swivel about the shoulders 360 degrees, and can tilt about 20 degrees. Her forearms can swivel around her elbows almost 360 degrees, but cannot go completely around. They can tilt back about 20 degrees, and forward about 60 degrees. Her hips can swivel 90 degrees both back and forth, and can tilt out about 30 degrees. She has white painted on underwear, which looks like a strapless one piece bathing suit.

 

Packaging and Deboxing

It was easy to debox Coronation Aurora, compared to most Disney Store dolls. First step was to remove the clear plastic cover from the box, by cutting the tape around the edges, and lifting the tabs free from the cardboard. Aurora is standing on a small cardboard spacer. Behind her is a printed background from the movie, which is common to all the dolls in this series. There was only plastic T-tab fasteners securing her to the backing and the plastic spacer. It was possible to reach all the fasteners and snip them off, without having to remove the large plastic spacer. It turned out that the fastener that was supposed to go into the back of her head didn't make it past her hair, so she didn't have a post sticking out of her head when I snipped the fastener loose. The other end of the fastener was just laying loose in her hair. There was tissue paper around her legs, but only up to her knees, to make the skirt look fuller in the box.

 

Purchase Details

I just received the four available Jakks Pacific dolls from the Maleficent movie in single doll packages. I ordered them from Toys R Us on Friday night and got them Tuesday, with free shipping. I appreciated the quick shipping, compared to the Disney Store. The dolls are the following, with links to the TRU site. All the dolls are 11 1/2'' H. The Coronation dolls are $39.95 each, the other two are $19.95.

 

Beloved Aurora Doll

Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Dark Beauty Maleficent Doll

Royal Coronation Maleficent Doll

Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.

 

In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.

 

Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.

 

The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.

 

The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.

 

Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".

 

Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."

 

SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI

Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.

 

Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.

 

SHRUTI

 

VAISHNAVA CANON

The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.

 

VEDAS

In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".

 

Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.

 

Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.

 

In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.

 

Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.

 

Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.

 

Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.

 

Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.

 

Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.

 

RIGVEDA

In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.

 

The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.

 

An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:

 

When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)

 

Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.

 

Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)

 

Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:

 

Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)

 

This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.

 

However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:

 

Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)

 

The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.

 

He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)

 

No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)

 

The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)

 

Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.

 

Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.

 

In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.

 

THREE STEPS

Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:

 

The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)

 

Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.

 

Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.

 

In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.

 

BRAHMANAS

The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.

 

The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".

 

Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.

 

Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.

 

In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.

 

In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.

 

Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."

 

However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).

 

Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

SMRITI

 

VISHNU SMRITI

The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.

 

BHAGAVATA PURANA

Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."

 

VISHNU PURANA

In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:

 

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā

 

Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:

 

jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ

bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ

 

"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."

 

SANGAM LITERATURE

Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.

 

Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:

 

"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"

 

The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries

 

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):

 

āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ

 

pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum

 

On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.

 

THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:

 

Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;

Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;

Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;

Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;

Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;

Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.

 

Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.

 

The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.

 

FIVE FORMS

In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:

 

In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).

In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.

In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.

In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.

In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be

Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or

Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or

Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.

 

RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES

 

SHIVA

The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.

 

Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.

 

Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.

 

LAKSHMI

Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)

 

SARASWATI & GANGA

According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.

 

GARUDA

Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.

 

ICONOGRAPHY

According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:

 

He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.

The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.

He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.

A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.

He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.

He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.

 

Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:

 

A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.

The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.

A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.

A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.

 

To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.

 

In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:

 

Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.

Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.

Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.

 

AVATARS

Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.

 

The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:

 

Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.

Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.

Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.

Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.

Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.

Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.

Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.

 

Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".

 

BEYOND HINDUISM

 

SIKHISM

Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:

 

The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.

 

BUDDHISM

While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.

 

OTHERS

James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.

 

During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"

 

THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU

Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.

 

The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).

 

According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are

 

Vasudeva

Sankarshana

Pradyumna

Anirudha

Keshava

Narayana

Madhava

Govinda

Vishnu

Madhusudana

Trivikrama

Vamana

Sridhara

Hrishikesha

Padmanabha

Damodara

Purushottama

Achyuta

Narasimha

Janardana

Hari

Krishna

Adhokshaja

 

Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)

 

WIKIPEDIA

Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.

 

In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.

 

Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.

 

The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.

 

The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.

 

Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".

 

Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."

 

SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI

Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.

 

Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.

 

SHRUTI

 

VAISHNAVA CANON

The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.

 

VEDAS

In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".

 

Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.

 

Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.

 

In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.

 

Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.

 

Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.

 

Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.

 

Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.

 

Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.

 

RIGVEDA

In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.

 

The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.

 

An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:

 

When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)

 

Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.

 

Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)

 

Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:

 

Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)

 

This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.

 

However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:

 

Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)

 

The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.

 

He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)

 

No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)

 

The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)

 

Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.

 

Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.

 

In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.

 

THREE STEPS

Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:

 

The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)

 

Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.

 

Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.

 

In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.

 

BRAHMANAS

The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.

 

The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".

 

Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.

 

Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.

 

In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.

 

In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.

 

Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."

 

However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).

 

Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

SMRITI

 

VISHNU SMRITI

The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.

 

BHAGAVATA PURANA

Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."

 

VISHNU PURANA

In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:

 

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā

 

Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:

 

jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ

bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ

 

"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."

 

SANGAM LITERATURE

Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.

 

Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:

 

"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"

 

The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries

 

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):

 

āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ

 

pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum

 

On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.

 

THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:

 

Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;

Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;

Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;

Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;

Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;

Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.

 

Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.

 

The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.

 

FIVE FORMS

In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:

 

In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).

In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.

In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.

In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.

In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be

Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or

Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or

Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.

 

RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES

 

SHIVA

The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.

 

Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.

 

Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.

 

LAKSHMI

Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)

 

SARASWATI & GANGA

According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.

 

GARUDA

Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.

 

ICONOGRAPHY

According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:

 

He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.

The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.

He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.

A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.

He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.

He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.

 

Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:

 

A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.

The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.

A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.

A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.

 

To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.

 

In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:

 

Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.

Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.

Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.

 

AVATARS

Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.

 

The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:

 

Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.

Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.

Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.

Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.

Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.

Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.

Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.

 

Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".

 

BEYOND HINDUISM

 

SIKHISM

Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:

 

The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.

 

BUDDHISM

While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.

 

OTHERS

James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.

 

During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"

 

THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU

Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.

 

The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).

 

According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are

 

Vasudeva

Sankarshana

Pradyumna

Anirudha

Keshava

Narayana

Madhava

Govinda

Vishnu

Madhusudana

Trivikrama

Vamana

Sridhara

Hrishikesha

Padmanabha

Damodara

Purushottama

Achyuta

Narasimha

Janardana

Hari

Krishna

Adhokshaja

 

Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)

 

WIKIPEDIA

Royal Coronation Aurora is fully deboxed, and is posed standing, supported by a Kaiser stand. She can free stand, but is very unstable that way. Photographed in daylight.

 

Review of Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Her face is pretty, but bland and generic. She only has a passing resemblance to the movie character, as portrayed by Elle Fanning. She doesn't have very realistic features, but looks like an ordinary doll painted to look like an animated character. She has a light complexion, small blue green eyes gazing straight ahead, brown eyebrows, small straight nose, light pink lips on a small mouth, large chin, and light rouge on her cheeks.

 

She has long golden blonde hair that reaches her hips. There is a solitary long curl hanging from her left side. The rest of her hair is slightly wavy, and is grouped in a single mass, which I left alone. It would look better if it were combed out, but I was afraid that it might get frizzy if I attempted to do so. The hair is shiny and soft, and doesn't appear to have any hair product.

 

The dress is golden brocaded satin, with a floral design. The underside is very light tan in color. There is also a painted floral overlay in pink and green, which is only in the front of the dress (the front of the skirt and bodice). There is golden lace trim at the hem, waist and collar and cuffs. Her collar and cuffs end in white organza. The skirt is pleated, and almost floor length. The bodice has a high waist, with a golden belt sewn around it. Her sleeves are full length. There is a over sized train sewn to the back of the dress, just below the waist. It made of the same material and has the same decoration as the front of the skirt. Its underside is fully lined with gold satin. The dress looks and feels luxurious, and fit for royalty.

 

She is wearing tan colored heels, with a simulated strap and an unpainted embossed floral design. She is wearing a gold colored plastic crown that is made to look like a floral wreath, that goes halfway around her head. It is secured only by two T-tab fasteners, so it is not meant to be removed or used on other dolls.

 

Her body is made of hard plastic throughout. She has seven points of articulation: her neck, shoulders, elbows and hips. Her hands are permanently tilted back to make the standard Princess pose. Her feet are fixed at an angle to wear high heels. Her head can turn 360 degrees around, and can tilt up about 20 degrees, and tilt down 10 degrees. Her arms can swivel about the shoulders 360 degrees, and can tilt about 20 degrees. Her forearms can swivel around her elbows almost 360 degrees, but cannot go completely around. They can tilt back about 20 degrees, and forward about 60 degrees. Her hips can swivel 90 degrees both back and forth, and can tilt out about 30 degrees. She has white painted on underwear, which looks like a strapless one piece bathing suit.

 

Packaging and Deboxing

It was easy to debox Coronation Aurora, compared to most Disney Store dolls. First step was to remove the clear plastic cover from the box, by cutting the tape around the edges, and lifting the tabs free from the cardboard. Aurora is standing on a small cardboard spacer. Behind her is a printed background from the movie, which is common to all the dolls in this series. There was only plastic T-tab fasteners securing her to the backing and the plastic spacer. It was possible to reach all the fasteners and snip them off, without having to remove the large plastic spacer. It turned out that the fastener that was supposed to go into the back of her head didn't make it past her hair, so she didn't have a post sticking out of her head when I snipped the fastener loose. The other end of the fastener was just laying loose in her hair. There was tissue paper around her legs, but only up to her knees, to make the skirt look fuller in the box.

 

Purchase Details

I just received the four available Jakks Pacific dolls from the Maleficent movie in single doll packages. I ordered them from Toys R Us on Friday night and got them Tuesday, with free shipping. I appreciated the quick shipping, compared to the Disney Store. The dolls are the following, with links to the TRU site. All the dolls are 11 1/2'' H. The Coronation dolls are $39.95 each, the other two are $19.95.

 

Beloved Aurora Doll

Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Dark Beauty Maleficent Doll

Royal Coronation Maleficent Doll

Royal Coronation Aurora is fully deboxed, and is posed standing, supported by a Kaiser stand. She can free stand, but is very unstable that way. Photographed in daylight.

 

Review of Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Her face is pretty, but bland and generic. She only has a passing resemblance to the movie character, as portrayed by Elle Fanning. She doesn't have very realistic features, but looks like an ordinary doll painted to look like an animated character. She has a light complexion, small blue green eyes gazing straight ahead, brown eyebrows, small straight nose, light pink lips on a small mouth, large chin, and light rouge on her cheeks.

 

She has long golden blonde hair that reaches her hips. There is a solitary long curl hanging from her left side. The rest of her hair is slightly wavy, and is grouped in a single mass, which I left alone. It would look better if it were combed out, but I was afraid that it might get frizzy if I attempted to do so. The hair is shiny and soft, and doesn't appear to have any hair product.

 

The dress is golden brocaded satin, with a floral design. The underside is very light tan in color. There is also a painted floral overlay in pink and green, which is only in the front of the dress (the front of the skirt and bodice). There is golden lace trim at the hem, waist and collar and cuffs. Her collar and cuffs end in white organza. The skirt is pleated, and almost floor length. The bodice has a high waist, with a golden belt sewn around it. Her sleeves are full length. There is a over sized train sewn to the back of the dress, just below the waist. It made of the same material and has the same decoration as the front of the skirt. Its underside is fully lined with gold satin. The dress looks and feels luxurious, and fit for royalty.

 

She is wearing tan colored heels, with a simulated strap and an unpainted embossed floral design. She is wearing a gold colored plastic crown that is made to look like a floral wreath, that goes halfway around her head. It is secured only by two T-tab fasteners, so it is not meant to be removed or used on other dolls.

 

Her body is made of hard plastic throughout. She has seven points of articulation: her neck, shoulders, elbows and hips. Her hands are permanently tilted back to make the standard Princess pose. Her feet are fixed at an angle to wear high heels. Her head can turn 360 degrees around, and can tilt up about 20 degrees, and tilt down 10 degrees. Her arms can swivel about the shoulders 360 degrees, and can tilt about 20 degrees. Her forearms can swivel around her elbows almost 360 degrees, but cannot go completely around. They can tilt back about 20 degrees, and forward about 60 degrees. Her hips can swivel 90 degrees both back and forth, and can tilt out about 30 degrees. She has white painted on underwear, which looks like a strapless one piece bathing suit.

 

Packaging and Deboxing

It was easy to debox Coronation Aurora, compared to most Disney Store dolls. First step was to remove the clear plastic cover from the box, by cutting the tape around the edges, and lifting the tabs free from the cardboard. Aurora is standing on a small cardboard spacer. Behind her is a printed background from the movie, which is common to all the dolls in this series. There was only plastic T-tab fasteners securing her to the backing and the plastic spacer. It was possible to reach all the fasteners and snip them off, without having to remove the large plastic spacer. It turned out that the fastener that was supposed to go into the back of her head didn't make it past her hair, so she didn't have a post sticking out of her head when I snipped the fastener loose. The other end of the fastener was just laying loose in her hair. There was tissue paper around her legs, but only up to her knees, to make the skirt look fuller in the box.

 

Purchase Details

I just received the four available Jakks Pacific dolls from the Maleficent movie in single doll packages. I ordered them from Toys R Us on Friday night and got them Tuesday, with free shipping. I appreciated the quick shipping, compared to the Disney Store. The dolls are the following, with links to the TRU site. All the dolls are 11 1/2'' H. The Coronation dolls are $39.95 each, the other two are $19.95.

 

Beloved Aurora Doll

Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Dark Beauty Maleficent Doll

Royal Coronation Maleficent Doll

Got a new umbrella, wanted to see how it turns up on my complexion. Speedlight camera left around 1/16th power into 45" shoot-through.

Internal detail of the mausoleum. A private cemetery of historical interest in St Margarets/ Isleworth. A full history and description is included in the set. This mausoleum which is now a grade II* listed building, was originally commissioned by the notorious eccentric of his day, the 2nd Earl of Kilmorey (also nicknamed as 'Black Jack’ Needham due to his dark complexion at times),

 

The monument was built in 1854 for his mistress, Priscilla Hoste, who had originally been his ward of court.

  

They suddenly eloped abroad and then eventually returned to Twickenham, where she had a son called Charles in 1844. Unfortunately, Priscilla then became seriously ill in 1851 with a terminal heart condition, with the Earl deciding to set about constructing a suitable memorial for her in 1853.

 

She eventually died in October 1854, and was interred in secret, with no-one knowing about it for years afterwards.

 

A noted Victorian architect of his time, Henry Edward Kendall was employed to design the mausoleum, which he did in the popular and fashionable Egyptian revival style. This Egyptian design is believed to have been derived from a plate in a French book ‘Description de I'Eqypte ’ published in 1809. The shape of the building relates to the shrines at the heart of Egyptian Temples - the place where a treasured image of a god was installed.

  

Inside the Mausoleum is a fine white marble carved relief of the death bed scene of Priscilla, with the young son Charles and the Earl in attendance. It was carved in Rome by portrait sculptor Lawrence Macdonald, using more than one artistic style.

 

It is thought that the pink and grey granite Egyptian style mausoleum cost around £30,000? (a very large sum of money in the 1850’s!) not including the subsequent moving costs.

 

The Mausoleum was originally erected on a plot that the Earl had secured at the Brompton Cemetery in London, then subsequently dismantled, moved and re-built twice.

 

First when the Earl moved to Woburn Park Chertsey in 1862, and being of unconventional nature and restless as well; six years later he was on the move again. The next time, it was moved to its present site at Twickenham in 1868, where he lived in Gordon House; eventually to be part of the Brunel University complex which has subsequently been re-developed.

 

In his day, Lord Kilmorey owned all the land between the mausoleum site and Gordon House. According to some rumours and fact, and being the true Victorian eccentric; some tunnels were built, the main one apparently having a tramway between Gordon House and the Mausoleum. This ensured his privacy could be maintained, and would not have to leave his own property when the time came for him to join Priscilla in the Mausoleum. It is said that ‘when in the mood’ he would summon his servants, and in secret, dress in ‘white garb’ and proceed through the tunnel to the mausoleum, where he would lie in his coffin. He lived to the grand age of 92, and in 1880 on his death, his final wishes were carried out.

 

Since then the mausoleum has had a chequered history, and the site passed eventually to Hounslow Borough Council on condition that access would be maintained, although it was not for some time that anyone entered this hidden burial site.

 

In an extremely neglected condition, responsibility for the site was passed to Richmond Council, and the maintenance of the grounds to The Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames, where volunteers have worked exceptionally hard over several years, to get the gardens into the condition you see them today.

 

Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.

 

In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.

 

Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.

 

The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.

 

The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.

 

Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".

 

Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."

 

SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI

Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.

 

Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.

 

SHRUTI

 

VAISHNAVA CANON

The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.

 

VEDAS

In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".

 

Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.

 

Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.

 

In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.

 

Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.

 

Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.

 

Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.

 

Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.

 

Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.

 

RIGVEDA

In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.

 

The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.

 

An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:

 

When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)

 

Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.

 

Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)

 

Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:

 

Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)

 

This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.

 

However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:

 

Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)

 

The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.

 

He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)

 

No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)

 

The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)

 

Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.

 

Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.

 

In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.

 

THREE STEPS

Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:

 

The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)

 

Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.

 

Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.

 

In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.

 

BRAHMANAS

The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.

 

The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".

 

Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.

 

Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.

 

In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.

 

In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.

 

Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."

 

However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).

 

Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)

 

SMRITI

 

VISHNU SMRITI

The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.

 

BHAGAVATA PURANA

Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."

 

VISHNU PURANA

In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:

 

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā

 

Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:

 

jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ

bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ

 

"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."

 

SANGAM LITERATURE

Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.

 

Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:

 

"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"

 

The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries

 

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):

 

āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ

 

pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum

 

On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.

 

THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:

 

Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;

Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;

Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;

Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;

Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;

Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.

 

Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.

 

The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.

 

FIVE FORMS

In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:

 

In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).

In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.

In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.

In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.

In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be

Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or

Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or

Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.

 

RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES

 

SHIVA

The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.

 

Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.

 

Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.

 

LAKSHMI

Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)

 

SARASWATI & GANGA

According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.

 

GARUDA

Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.

 

ICONOGRAPHY

According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:

 

He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.

The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.

He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.

A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.

He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.

He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.

 

Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:

 

A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.

The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.

A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.

A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.

 

To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.

 

In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:

 

Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.

Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.

Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.

 

AVATARS

Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.

 

The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:

 

Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.

Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.

Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.

Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.

Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.

Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.

Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.

 

Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".

 

BEYOND HINDUISM

 

SIKHISM

Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:

 

The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.

 

BUDDHISM

While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.

 

OTHERS

James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.

 

During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"

 

THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU

Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.

 

The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).

 

According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are

 

Vasudeva

Sankarshana

Pradyumna

Anirudha

Keshava

Narayana

Madhava

Govinda

Vishnu

Madhusudana

Trivikrama

Vamana

Sridhara

Hrishikesha

Padmanabha

Damodara

Purushottama

Achyuta

Narasimha

Janardana

Hari

Krishna

Adhokshaja

 

Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)

 

WIKIPEDIA

I really dont have any dolls with Shiny Faces, I think on the shelf they look so pretty but in pix sometimes they look sweaty lol

This beautiful diamond halo engagement ring is set in 18k rose gold. A tone which tends to compliment the Irish complexion. The band has a row of scallop set diamonds which lead upward towards a 0.65 carat round cut GIA certified centre diamond. The total carat weight comes to a sizable 1.00 carats.

 

To view this ring and the rest of the Commins & Co Halo Collections please click on the link provided or visit the family run store located in the prestigious Powerscourt Town House, Dublin, Ireland.

 

Link: goo.gl/AL3pc1

 

Internal detail of the mausoleum. A private cemetery of historical interest in St Margarets/ Isleworth. A full history and description is included in the set. This mausoleum which is now a grade II* listed building, was originally commissioned by the notorious eccentric of his day, the 2nd Earl of Kilmorey (also nicknamed as 'Black Jack’ Needham due to his dark complexion at times).

 

The monument was built in 1854 for his mistress, Priscilla Hoste, who had originally been his ward of court.

  

They suddenly eloped abroad and then eventually returned to Twickenham, where she had a son called Charles in 1844. Unfortunately, Priscilla then became seriously ill in 1851 with a terminal heart condition, with the Earl deciding to set about constructing a suitable memorial for her in 1853.

 

She eventually died in October 1854, and was interred in secret, with no-one knowing about it for years afterwards.

 

A noted Victorian architect of his time, Henry Edward Kendall was employed to design the mausoleum, which he did in the popular and fashionable Egyptian revival style. This Egyptian design is believed to have been derived from a plate in a French book ‘Description de I'Eqypte ’ published in 1809. The shape of the building relates to the shrines at the heart of Egyptian Temples - the place where a treasured image of a god was installed.

  

Inside the Mausoleum is a fine white marble carved relief of the death bed scene of Priscilla, with the young son Charles and the Earl in attendance. It was carved in Rome by portrait sculptor Lawrence Macdonald, using more than one artistic style.

 

It is thought that the pink and grey granite Egyptian style mausoleum cost around £30,000? (a very large sum of money in the 1850’s!) not including the subsequent moving costs.

 

The Mausoleum was originally erected on a plot that the Earl had secured at the Brompton Cemetery in London, then subsequently dismantled, moved and re-built twice.

 

First when the Earl moved to Woburn Park Chertsey in 1862, and being of unconventional nature and restless as well; six years later he was on the move again. The next time, it was moved to its present site at Twickenham in 1868, where he lived in Gordon House; eventually to be part of the Brunel University complex which has subsequently been re-developed.

 

In his day, Lord Kilmorey owned all the land between the mausoleum site and Gordon House. According to some rumours and fact, and being the true Victorian eccentric; some tunnels were built, the main one apparently having a tramway between Gordon House and the Mausoleum. This ensured his privacy could be maintained, and would not have to leave his own property when the time came for him to join Priscilla in the Mausoleum. It is said that ‘when in the mood’ he would summon his servants, and in secret, dress in ‘white garb’ and proceed through the tunnel to the mausoleum, where he would lie in his coffin. He lived to the grand age of 92, and in 1880 on his death, his final wishes were carried out.

 

Since then the mausoleum has had a chequered history, and the site passed eventually to Hounslow Borough Council on condition that access would be maintained, although it was not for some time that anyone entered this hidden burial site.

 

In an extremely neglected condition, responsibility for the site was passed to Richmond Council, and the maintenance of the grounds to The Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames, where volunteers have worked exceptionally hard over several years, to get the gardens into the condition you see them today.

 

This is a photo of my g-g-grandfather during The Civil War. He fought for the Indiana 74th Regiment. I was able to get a scan of the original photo from a distant cousin I met on the internet. I have a bunch of original letters he wrote to his parents while he was in the war.

 

Full Bio-

 

Individual Narrative of John Zimmerman

 

John Zimmerman was born on 9 September 1843 at Porter, Cass County,

Michigan. He was the second son born to John and Sarah (Rheinhold) Zimmerman.

 

On 7 August 1862, at the age of 18, he enlisted for military service

during the Civil War and was described as follows: 5 feet 8 inches tall,

fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, and a farmer by occupation. The

following is an excerpt from Certificate of Record No. 62365, dated 18

February 1907, of the the Soldiers and Sailors Historical and Benevolent

Society:

(over)

“This certifies that John Zimmerman enlisted from Elkhart County, Indiana,

to serve three years during the war, and was mustered into the United

States service at Indianapolis, Ind., on the 7th day of August, 1862, as a

Private of Captain Philip F. Davis’ Company “G”, 74th Regiment Indiana

Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles W. Chapman, later Colonel Myron Baker,

commanding. This regiment was partially organized at Fort Wayne, and

proceeded to Indianapolis, where eight companies were mustered into the

U.S. service, August 21, 1862, and at once moved to Louisville, Ky., under

command of Colonel Charles W. Chapman. It was sent to Bowling Green, Ky.,

where it remained until September 5, then returned to Louisville. October

1, it marched with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, in

pursuit of Bragg, and participated in that campaign and in the battle of

Perryville or Chaplin Hills, Ky. Companies C and K joined the regiment at

Castillian Springs, Tenn., December 4, 1862, making the organization

complete. December 7, it aided in driving Morgan’s rebel force across the

Cumberland River at Hartsville, and on the 25th marched northward,

overtaking the enemy December 30, and driving them across the Rolling Fork

of Salt River. It was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th

Corps, Army of the Cumberland, and participated in the following

engagements, viz., Stone River or Murfreesboro and Hoover’s Gap, Tenn.; Dug

Gap, Chickamauga, Ga. Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge,

Tenn.; Buzzard Roost or Tunnel Hill, Resaca, Rome, Dallas or New Hope

Church, Kenesaw Mountain, Lost Mountain, Chattahoochie River, Peach Tree

Creek, Siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, March to the Sea and

Savannah, Ga.; Averasboro and Bentonville, N.C. and a number of minor

engagements. April 30, 1865, the regiment started for Washington, D. C.,

encamping near Richmond, Va. on May 7, and arriving at Washington, D.C.,

May 19, where it participated in the Grand Review on the 24th; remaining

there until June 9, when it was mustered out of service. They said John

Zimmerman was wounded at Chickamauga, Ga., September 19, 1863, by gunshot

in forehead, and was confined in Hospital No. 3, Nashville, Tenn., and

rejoined his regiment at Chattanooga, Tenn., in time for the battle of

Missionary Ridge, Nov. 5, 1863. He was wounded during the Siege of

Atlanta, Ga., by gunshot in his chest, and was confined in Field Hospital

for two days, then rejoined his regiment. He was sick of Typhoid fever at

Laverne, Tenn., while the regiment was in winter quarters at that place.

He was constantly with his command during its service as outlined above,

except while in hospital at Nashville, Tenn., bore a gallant part in all

its engagements, and rendered faithful and meritorious service to his Country.”

 

John Zimmerman and Mary Ann Frizzel were married on 7 October 1866 by a

(over)

Justice of the Peace at Porter, Cass County, Michigan. They had three

children, two of whom lived to adulthood: Clara May was born at Bristol,

Elkhart County, Indiana on 16 May 1867; Raymond S. was born at Bristol,

Elkhart County, Indiana on 8 August 1868; S. Elizabeth was born at

Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana on 14 November 1872, and died on 28

November 1872.

 

In July 1870 they were living in Washington township in Elkhart County,

Indiana, and they were still residing in Elkhart County on 12 December

1872 when probate documents were filed for the estate of John’s father. It

is believed that the family moved to Kansas in the spring of 1873 (probably

with Mary Ann’s brother James G. Frizzell and his family, who homesteaded

on an adjoining quarter). John applied for land under the Homestead Act on

9 June 1873 at the Land Office at Salina, Kansas, for the NW 1/4 of Section

18, Township 20, Range 5 West, consisting of 155 04/100 acres. This land

was on the west side of McPherson County, Kansas. They initially lived in a

sod house, and in the fall of 1875 a 17x23 feet stone house with a

cellar was built. John’s final homestead proof indicated improvements to

the homestead included a stone lined well, frame granary, corn crib and sod

stable. He had planted forest and fruit trees, and had broken and

cultivated 106 acres on which wheat, oats, corn, and vegetables had been

raised. He received the final homestead certificate on 6 September 1878 at

the Receiver’s Office at Salina, Kansas.

 

John’s occupation was usually listed as farmer, although in the 1880 U.S.

Census his occupation was listed as a stone mason. The local newspaper

dated July 28, 1886 indicated John was chairman of the Broom-Corn Growers

Association of Windom. He apparently also bought and sold horses,

according to the following note in the local newspaper in 1886: “Rube

Yoder, John Zimmerman and Geo. Strouse started on Wednesday for Missouri

where they will purchase a number of horses which will be shipped to this

place for sale.”

 

He was elected sheriff of McPherson County, Kansas on 7

November 1893. He ran on the Republican ticket, and received 1882 votes

compared to 1651 votes received by J.W. Freeborn, the incumbent. In

preparation for his four year term as sheriff, he moved to South Walnut

Street in McPherson, Kansas, on 22 December 1893. Around October 1894 he

moved to the new jail, which was built during the same time period as the

present McPherson County Courthouse. The local newspaper reported: “Sheriff

Zimmerman has already moved into his new home,

(over)

in the rear end of the jail building.”

 

By 1900, he and Mary Ann were again residing on the farm in Hayes

Township, and the U.S. census shows Agnes Farnes, servant, and George

Ferge, laborer, were also living with them. In April of 1910, John and

Mary Ann were living at 515 North Main in McPherson, Kansas. John’s

occupation was listed as “own income”, probably indicating that he had

retired from farming.

 

Mary Ann died in March of 1921, and by 1925 John was living at the

McPherson, Kansas residence of his daughter and son-in-law, Clara May and

George R. Strouse. In December of 1928, he was living in Dover, Oklahoma,

presumably with his son Ray. He died on 24 June 1931 at the National

Military Home Kansas, Leavenworth County, Ks, at age 87. He was buried at

McPherson City Cemetery, McPherson, McPherson County, Kansas.

 

The End

 

File name: 10_03_002090b

Binder label: Perfume/Hair Products

Title: For the hands, face, skin and complexion [back]

Copyright date: 1891

Physical description: 1 print : chromolithograph ; 9 x 14 cm.

Genre: Advertising cards

Subject: Children; Cosmetics

Notes: Title from item.

Statement of responsibility: A. S. Hinds

Collection: 19th Century American Trade Cards

Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department

Rights: No known restrictions.

Gaby ♥♥♥

A report of the visit by Major C H B Readman, 2-4 July 1946, further to a previous inspection on 2-4 January 1946 (appendices omitted):

 

“...Special Objects of Visit:- Re-education progress report. Select candidates for B[eacons]field*.

 

Strength... Off[icers]: 2. O[ther] R[anks]: 2578. Total: 2580, of which:

746 at HQ; 454 in Kirkby hostel...; 129 in Garswood I Hostel...; 131 in Garswood II Hostel...; 125 in Golborne I Hostel...; 117 in Golborne [II] Hostel...; 404 in Penketh Hostel...; 102 in Wheathill Hostel...; 76 in Bickerstaffe Hostel...; 61 in Aughton Green Hostel...; 235 in billets.

 

Screening (by PID, March 1946) figures: A+ 1. A 17. A- 1. B+ 26. B 315. B- 31. C 66. unscreened 2123. Present complexion: grey/black. Candidates for B'field: 13.

 

Personnel: Acting O.C: Major Benett-Dampier. Interpreter: S/Sgt Bloch.

HQ Camp Leader: O/Fw. Dlugosch (B-). German MO: St.Arzt Koech (C ). Hostel Leaders: Kirkby – St. Fw. Kaesler (B), Garswood I – Wm. Wirtz (B), Garswood II – O/Fw. Ender (B), Golborne I – Fw. Ehmke (B+), Golborne II – Fw Ullbrich (A). [Ex-290 Camp -at former Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, South Lane Farm, Barrow's Green- Hostels:] Penketh – St. Fw. Bergwardt (B), Wheathill – O/Fw. Juch (B-), Bickerstaffe – O/Maat. Schulz (?), Aughton Green – Fw. Kotscha (?).

 

RECEPTION Very good. The present OC is most co-operative and interested in re-education. His predecessor, Lt Col Ireland, was demobilised a fortnight ago. Major Dampier was previously 2nd i/c the camp, has been there a year and knows the PW very well. The key man in re-education is the interpreter, S/Sgt Bloch, a German Jewish refugee. He is quite one of the best and most efficient interpreters I have yet encountered and takes a most active part in the re-education of the PW.

 

HISTORY OF THE CAMP. Since the last TA visit six months ago, the number of PW has increased from 416 to 2580 and the camp has been entirely germanised. There are now 9 hostels, including 4 just taken over from the recently disbanded 290 camp.

 

The intakes almost all of whom were from the USA were from the following camps: 550 from 176 Camp [Glen Mill, Oldham] in February; 270 from 126 [Melland Camp, Morton, Manchester] and 189 Camp [Dunham Park, Altringham] in March; 202 from 189 Camp in May; 600 from 180 Camp [Marbury Hall, Northwhich] in May; 726 from 290 Camp [Penketh] (disbanded) in June.

 

Within the last fortnight some 270 PW have been transferred to other camps in the south of England. The main camp and hostel leaders were appointed by the late Commandant on the basis of seniority. With the exception of Fw. Ullbrich (A), hostel leader at Golborne II, whose name I am putting forward for Wilton Park*, none of the other camp/hostel leaders take much interest in re-education, although they are not obstructive.

 

All the PW are living in huts with electric light, with the exception of the hostel at Wheathill, where they are living in a country house. This is the blackest of the hostels with 85 SS men out of a strength of 102 PW. On my recommendation, these men will be transferred to the main camp in the near future and the hostel probably closed down.

 

Owing to shortage of transport, I was unable to visit the hostels at Kirkby, Bickerstaffe and Aughton Green. The majority of PW are working on farms and the 235 billetees are distributed over 83 farms. They work well and there have been no complaints from the farmers up to date.

 

Two PW have just returned from Beaconsfield*, Soldat Caemmerer (A+) and Gefr Radermaker. They were both enthusiastic about their experience there and anxious to pass on their knowledge. Two more are going to the next course, O/Maat Behrens and O'Gefr Junker. I have taken the names of a further 13 suitable candidates.

 

MORALE This is only fair, despite good treatment and little evidence of barbed wire. As almost all the new intakes come from USA their disappointment at not being repatriated had a depressing effect on the others. Morale has improved somewhat recently owing to the fact that most PW are now going out to work. Post is still very bad from the American and French [occupied] zones [in Germany]. The anti-Nazi PW hope they will be granted more privileges on the lines of the Italian co-operators.

 

POLITICAL PROGRESS Apart from the official PID screening figures on page 1, of the 2123 PW unscreened, the following have been ballot-screened in other camps: A 122; B 766; C 57, leaving 1178 whose gradings are unknown. The S/Sgt and a reliable white PW estimate that, with the exception of the 4 hostels just taken over from 290 camp [Penketh], there are between 10%-15% Nazis with the balance represented by 70% of varying shades of grey and the rest white. A promising feature is the fact that many of the keenest PW on re-education are those under 25. Of the very few communists among the men, none of them are active. I estimate the political colour of the whole camp is grey/black but recommend that it be screened as soon as possible.

 

YOUTH In the main camp the figures are as follows:- under 20: 80; 20-25: 310; over 25: 336. A special youth political class is run by Artur Daniel (A), which is well-attended.

 

RE-EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES Most of the PW are peasants and working class men. Accommodation is adequate. The Welfare fund has only about £30, but this should improve now that PW are working. PW in charge of re-education for the whole camp is Dr Heinz Mohrhoff (A), age 39, a former bank official and economist. He is a most suitable man and is also on the staff of the camp newspaper. Each hostel has or will have its own re-educational leader and in each there is or will be a small democratic study group. The leaders are:- Garswood I – Hans Behrens (BC/ Beaconsfield candidate), Garswood II – Alfred Junker (BC), Golborne I – Walter Schmidt (BC), Golborne II – Wilhelm Heuter, Kirkby – Josef Ringelmann, Penketh – Heinz Helbig (probably). \ In the other 3 hostels ex-290 camp they have not yet been arranged, but S'Sgt Bloch has the matter in hand. It is also proposed to bring the re-educational leaders from the hostels into the main camp for 2/3 weeks' training.

WOCHENPOST & AUSBLICK**: 600 of the former, 40 of the latter. See Appendix B.

NEWSPAPERS: 14 daily papers are purchased out of welfare for the whole camp and in addition they get papers from the Officers' and Sgts' Messes. Steps are being taken to see that all the hostels get at least one daily paper. Some German papers are received from PID, but more are wanted. Blick in Die Welt is very popular.

LIBRARY: there are 672 books in the camp library of various types. A very good selection of some 80 books was recently received from PID, the only criticism being that there were too few of them. In a camp of this size with 9 hostels and 235 billetees, more are urgently required. I understand the camp has recently written to PID about this.

LECTURES (PID): These are now a regular feature of camp life, once every 3 weeks, PW from the two Garswood hostels come to the main camp. The following have been given:- March: “Call to German Youth”, Miss Buller; April: “Church and State in England”, Rev D Thomas; “The English View about the Rise of Nazism”, Mr Chandler; May: “Switzerland as a model for the Reconstruction of Germany”, Dr Gottschalk; “What is Democracy?”, Dr Ulrich; June: “Government by the German People or ...?”, Mr Bullough; “German Trade Unions”, Mr Berger. These are very popular and the dining hall holding 350 in the main camp, where they are given, is always packed, and it has been necessary to give two lectures. Intellectual level – moderate. Future lecturers should be prepared to visit the hostels as well, especially Kirkby and Penketh.

DISCUSSION GROUPS: There is an active democratic study group of abt. 15 PW which meets twice a week under Mohrhoff. I pointed out to him that its activities should be increased to embrace all those interested in democracy in the camp. On my recommendation, a question box and brains trust will shortly be started. I left a set of Oxford pamphlets in German. The reports on the Nuremberg trial are posted up in the Information Room and followed with interest. The following lectures have been given in the main camp and hostels:- March: “Nuremberg. Yes or No?”, Dr Mohrhoff; April: “What is Democracy?”,Dr Mohrhoff; “World Food Crisis and Population Problem”; “What is the meaning of Being German?: The Jewish Question”, S/Sgt Bloch (Camp interpreter); May: “Germany between two wars”; “Germany, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”, S/Sgt Bloch; June: “German Trade Unions”, H Haehnert; “Socialism and Capitalism”, Walter Kresse; “The Jewish Question – seen by a Jew”, S/Sgt Bloch.

FILMS: The camp is on a YMCA circuit and gets a show every 3 weeks. It appears that the operator, Doufel (?) from 189 camp, is an undesirable type. A separate report on him is being submitted.

RADIO: There are 5 sets in the main camp and at least one in every hostel. Foreign stations are difficult to get, so almost all listening is confined to the BBC German programme...

PRESS REVIEW: in the main camp twice a week by Drinnhausen, also in most hostels. Steps are being taken to ensure it is given in all hostels.

ENGLISH INSTRUCTION: at the main camp and in most hostels. See appendix A for details. An English inspector (Miller) recently paid the camp a very brief visit.

ENGLISH FOR ALL: 250 copies received. It is well liked.

 

Other Camp Activities

RELIGION: The evangelical padre is O/Fkmeister Dantz, an unattractive personality. He is not popular in camp and takes no part in re-educational activity. He takes the view that politics and religion should not be mixed. He visits most of the hostels. There is a church hut in the main camp. Schornstein, a monk, holds prayers for the RCs who also get an occasional visit from a British priest***. In the hostels, PW either go to the local church or are visited by the local priest.

EDUCATION: There are no organised classes apart from English. It is hoped to start some when the PW return earlier from work.

THEATRE: There is a theatre group under Broehl and their first play, “Der Hochstapler” (“The Swindler”), written by a PW is in rehearsal. Up till now only variety turns and sketches have been given. The theatre holds 150.

ORCHESTRA: There is a small orchestra of 5 men under Wernter. They are short of a pianist at present, but have an accordion and player. Light music and jazz are played.

 

CONCLUSIONS. Re-education is making satisfactory progress. The key man is undoubtedly the interpreter, S/Sgt Bloch. If and when he is released, possibly in two months' time, re-education will have a setback. The present commandant is most co-operative and in full sympathy with the aims of PID, more so than his predecessor. The PW re-educational staff under Dr Mohrhoff is satisfactory. Accommodation is adequate.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) that the camp be screened as soon as possible. (b) that more copies of Ausblick** be sent – 40 is too few. (c) that more German papers be sent by PID. (d) that more books be sent. The recent consignment from PID of some 80 books was excellent. (e) that lecturers should also visit, as far as possible, the hostels. Intellectual level – moderate.”

[From National Archives ref. FO 939/132 “Prisoner of War Camps: 50 Working Camp, Garswood Park, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire”]

 

*Camp 300 “Wilton Park”, north-east of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, had at first been used to detain and interrogate high-ranking German military personnel. From January 1946 it took on a new role as PID Training Centre. Two distinct programmes were offered. One focussed on preparing Grade A/White POWs with specialist skills or expertise for early repatriation and employment with the Allied Control Commission in Germany. The other was a 6-8 week course for up to 60 students -described by Director of Re-education Cyrus Brooks as “missionary teams”- who would then return to their own camps, suitably equipped and inspired to co-ordinate local de-Nazification and re-education efforts.

**“Wochenpost” and “Ausblick” were PID-produced publications for German-speaking POWs in the UK. “Wochenpost”, a weekly newspaper, sought not only to inform its readers but also to further the process of “re-educating” them. Consequently, some POWs dismissed it as British government propaganda. The monthly “Ausblick” was more popular. As “Neue Auslese”, the latter was also sold in Germany.

***The “British priest” was almost certainly Fr Michael Casey, curate at St Oswald's RC Church, Ashton-in-Makerfield. According to Mary Whittle's “He Walked Tall: The Story of Canon Michael Casey” (self-published, 2002): “Fr Michael also cared for a contingent of German POWs who were confined at a nearby camp for about a year. Again he coached and formed them into football teams – one centre-half being the famous Bert Trautmann... Again, he formed life-long friendships with them, calling to see their families years later when he was stationed in their country...”.

MashaAllah

File name: 10_03_001265b

Binder label: Medical

Title: Carter's Iron Pills for the blood, nerves and complexion. Donât rise - I know how you feel - weak back, trembling, palpitation, headache. - I've had all - but thanks to Carter's Iron Pills I am fully restored and can guarantee they'll do as much for you. (back)

Date issued: 1870-1900 (approximate)

Physical description: 1 print : lithograph ; 11 x 8 cm.

Subject: Women; Patent medicines

Notes: Title from item.

Statement of responsibility: Carter Medicine Co.

Collection: 19th Century American Trade Cards

Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department

Rights: No known restrictions.

Available here: www.nexusmods.com/dragonageinquisition/mods/652/?

From the August 1915 edition of Photoplay magazine.

It's supposed to be good for the complexion.

 

The Dead Sea is a salt lake 67 km long and 18 km wide at its widest point, bordering Jordan to the east, and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are 422 metres below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface on dry land. It is one of the world's saltiest bodies of water, with 33.7% salinity, 8.6 times more salty than the ocean. This salinity makes for a harsh environment where animals cannot flourish, hence its name. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.

 

The sea has a density of 1.24kg/L, making swimming difficult.

Garza real

Ardea cinerea

Familia: Ardeidos – Ardeidae

Aspecto: Garza grande, de complexión robusta, predominantemente de color gris, con un pico recto, fuerte, en forma de daga. Las garzas pueden diferenciarse de las grullas durante el vuelo, y a menudo también cuando están de pie, por la forma en que encorvan su cuello.

Tamaño: Largo 84-102 cm, envergadura alar 155-175 cm, peso 930-1.150 g.

Nido: Una gran pila desarreglada de ramas, generalmente construido muy alto en un abeto o pino. Las aves pueden usar el mismo nido durante muchos años.

Reproducción: Pone 6 huevos en mayo, incubados de forma alternada por los padres, en 4 a 6 períodos, durante 25 a 28 días. Las aves jóvenes aprenden a volar aproximadamente a los 50 días. Muchas garzas reales anidan en colonias.

Distribución: Ave migratoria de verano que se reproduce poco en Finlandia (solo hay alrededor de 100 parejas). En los últimos años, los avistamientos de invierno se han vuelto más comunes.

Migración: Pasa el invierno en el oeste y sur de Europa. La migración de otoño puede tener lugar entre mediados de agosto y principios de noviembre, y las aves regresan de marzo a mayo.

Alimentación: Acecha inmóvil a lo largo de costas, lista para emboscar, en espera de que peces y animales acuáticos pequeños estén a su alcance.

Sonidos: Un chillido fuerte, molesto, similar al llamado de la pagaza piquirroja.

La garza real tiene partes superiores de color gris claro, y partes inferiores de color blanco grisáceo. Su cabeza es mayormente blanca, excepto por una raya negra que se extiende desde encima de sus ojos hasta la parte posterior de su cuello, donde algunas de sus plumas se alargan para formar una cresta. Los adultos con plumaje de apareamiento pueden tener un color rosáceo a los lados del cuello, y algunas filas de rayas oscuras en el cuello y el pecho. La garza real tiene el pico de color amarillo o naranja amarillento, patas de color marrón opaco e iris amarillo.

Las aves inmaduras generalmente se parecen a las adultas, pero su capuchón y su cuello son más grises (y el cuello no tiene color rosáceo). Su pico es más pardusco y el iris es blanco.

 

~ Basics ~

   

Name: Adinlaunimgos Teken'ervs

 

Age: 230

 

Gender: Male

 

Class: Druid

 

Race: Drow

 

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

 

Kingdom Citizenship: None

     

~ Appearance ~

   

Height: 4ft 8

 

Weight: 75lbs

 

Eyes: red

 

Hair Color: Originally, silver but is now brown and black with grime.

 

Hair Style: long, clumped with blood, dirt and sweat, bits of bone and sinew to keep it out of his eyes

 

Complexion: ebony

 

Build: thin, wiry and scrawny

 

Scars: Pincer bites on his stomach and back, jagged slashes on his torso, clean cuts across his left cheek.

 

Distinguishing Features:

   

~ Personal ~

   

Weapons: Bare hands and teeth

 

Clothing His general lack of clothing or usually found with the furs or skins draped around him.

 

Important Items: None

 

Dialects Spoken: Drow, Under-common, Drow sign

   

~ Self ~

   

Fear: Being caught on the end of a hook horror claws and eaten alive

 

Dislike: luminous mushrooms

 

Like: fire beetles

 

Flaws: Feral, speechless, animalistic

 

Personality: Although highly intelligent, a century and a half of surviving the terrors of the Underdark has strengthened and reinforced the ?lizard brain? (the fights and flight instinct). There are only extremes in his mind. No middle ground. You are prey or predator.

   

Character History:

   

Born over two hundred years ago, Adinlaunimgos Teken'ervs was the second son but sixth child in a borderline major house within his city of Ssapithra. From the age he was old enough to walk, he was beaten by his sisters which is customary and expected from future Matrons. Accepting each lash of the whip, the young male would continually rise up onto his feet to accept another beating. Back than, he was proud to be the whipping boy so that his sisters could practice and improve their skills with the dreaded snake-headed whips of Loth?s clerics.

   

Reaching the proper age for formal training, his Matron Mother discovered that his levels concentration was above normal. Probably due to being able to separate his mind from the pain of his body when it came time for whip training, with that in mind he was sent to the wizard academy with hopes that he might be able to rise up through the wizarding ranks to become top in his class or at the very least be killed in training. The loss of a son meant little to his mother.

   

Anyways, in the university he did excel in the brewing of potions and poisons but when it came to tapping into raw arcane, Adinlaunimgos failed abysmally. Try as he might, any spell he attempted to cast fizzled out and his instructors were baffled by this. The drow?s concentration was flawless, so to were his pronunciation and semantic components. For whatever reason, the magic did not flow through his veins, which was confusing since he could expertly call upon the innate powers of his heritage. Giving up on him, he was sent to the swordmaster training academy. There he once again excelled at certain skills such as sneaking, hiding, awareness and battleground first aid but was completely inept when it came to actual swordplay. Much to the annoyance of his teachers, he would often throw down his weapons and fling himself upon his opponent in hopes of catching them off guard. Once latched on, he would claw, bite, and gouge whatever he could until he was pulled off. Proud of his enthusiasm but dismayed by the lack of control, they kept him but only trained him in the arts of stealth, if anything he could be a scout. That was all he could hope to achieve.

   

Making it to graduation, he was sent out on more than a hundred patrols through the Underdark with the other warriors he was assigned to. They made it a sport to beat on and torment him because of his lack of grace and style when it came to fighting. He was much like the monsters they hunted and slaughtered within the tunnels. Yet none of that bothered him. For the hours he spent alone in the dark, feeling the chill of the stone and exhilaration. There was just something about wandering the infinitely complex tunnel systems that called out to him.

   

Answering that call, his feet were almost possessed as they took him deeper and deeper into the bowls of the earth. Miles away from his patrol and hopelessly lost, Adinlaunimgos roamed for weeks, feeding off the carcasses of fire beetles and wild Rothe that he had come across. As those weeks turned to months, turned to years, turned to decades and finally over a century, he became completely attuned with the Underdark. He could feel the movement of creatures in the very stone around him. Losing much of his social skills, he gained a more in-depth and intimate knowledge of the stony world.

   

For over a 130 years, he had traveled and survived in the dark. Over those long years, his connection with the stone had yielded him amazing powers and he had always followed the call of the stone for it never led him stray. Then one day, he answered the call and came across something unusual. It was stone but not like the raw earth carved stone of the Underdark, it was smooth and deliberately placed. Hearing voices, he hides within the shadows, then coming into view were beings he had never seen before Dwarves.

   

Hunger drove him to kill that first time and never again will he view such hairy animals as food. Unfortunately, that murder brought the furry of the dwarves upon him. They hunted their tunnels looking for whatever it was that killed their kin. Feeling towards the upper tunnels, he erupts forth from the darkness into a world of sneering unimaginable brightness. Screaming out in pain, he blindly stumbles and falls down the embankment. Twisting and being jostled, he finally comes to rest face down in a brook. Scrambling naked from the water, he hides his face from the sun and cries openly. Hours later, the sun finally dipped down behind the mountains. Waking, his eyes more accustomed to the night, peered in wonder at the world around him.

   

Now free of the confines of the earth, he wanders be night, oblivious to the hate his kin has earned and to ways of the upper world. Pure instincts guide him to continue on, provided he could still hear the song of stone, he feels confident in his abilities.

Garza real

Ardea cinereaFamilia: Ardeidos – ArdeidaeAspecto: Garza grande, de complexión robusta, predominantemente de color gris, con un pico recto, fuerte, en forma de daga. Las garzas pueden diferenciarse de las grullas durante el vuelo, y a menudo también cuando están de pie, por la forma en que encorvan su cuello.Tamaño: Largo 84-102 cm, envergadura alar 155-175 cm, peso 930-1.150 g.Nido: Una gran pila desarreglada de ramas, generalmente construido muy alto en un abeto o pino. Las aves pueden usar el mismo nido durante muchos años.Reproducción: Pone 6 huevos en mayo, incubados de forma alternada por los padres, en 4 a 6 períodos, durante 25 a 28 días. Las aves jóvenes aprenden a volar aproximadamente a los 50 días. Muchas garzas reales anidan en colonias.Distribución: Ave migratoria de verano que se reproduce poco en Finlandia (solo hay alrededor de 100 parejas). En los últimos años, los avistamientos de invierno se han vuelto más comunes.Migración: Pasa el invierno en el oeste y sur de Europa. La migración de otoño puede tener lugar entre mediados de agosto y principios de noviembre, y las aves regresan de marzo a mayo.

Alimentación: Acecha inmóvil a lo largo de costas, lista para emboscar, en espera de que peces y animales acuáticos pequeños estén a su alcance.Sonidos: Un chillido fuerte, molesto, similar al llamado de la pagaza piquirroja.

La garza real tiene partes superiores de color gris claro, y partes inferiores de color blanco grisáceo. Su cabeza es mayormente blanca, excepto por una raya negra que se extiende desde encima de sus ojos hasta la parte posterior de su cuello, donde algunas de sus plumas se alargan para formar una cresta. Los adultos con plumaje de apareamiento pueden tener un color rosáceo a los lados del cuello, y algunas filas de rayas oscuras en el cuello y el pecho. La garza real tiene el pico de color amarillo o naranja amarillento, patas de color marrón opaco e iris amarillo.

Las aves inmaduras generalmente se parecen a las adultas, pero su capuchón y su cuello son más grises (y el cuello no tiene color rosáceo). Su pico es más pardusco y el iris es blanco.

 

It had been quite a few hours since Krishna jumped into the river and all villagers were worried about Krishna…

    

It happened long, long ago. There was a small village by the name of Vrindavan, in India. There was a dark-complexioned, beautiful little boy named Krishna, who lived in this village, with his parents. His father, Nandbaba, was the village head while his mother, Jashoda, looked after the family.

    

There was a river named Yamuna, near their village, on the banks of which, the kids played all kinds of game; all day. But, these days, the villagers advised their kids not to go near this river after Kalia Naag devoured some of the village kids.

    

Kalia Naag was a huge snake with five heads and it was so poisonous that the waters of the river, Yamuna, turned green due to the intensity of the poison of this snake. Kalia Naag used to devour kids of the village when they disturbed him from his sleep, even if by mistake. Villagers were frightened to face this snake and so, kept away from this river.

    

One day, Krishna asked his mother for a ball. “Mother, please give me the ball so that me and my friends can go and play with it. Its holiday time and we are all getting bored, sitting inside the house.” His mother tried to ignore his pleas, but after sometime, she gave up and gave Krishna the ball, but, at the same time, she strictly instructed him not to go near the river and play.

    

Having got the ball, Krishna was just too excited to pay any heed to his mother’s warning and he nodded his head absent-mindedly and off he ran over to his friends.

    

His friends were eagerly waiting for him to get the ball. They decided to play the catch and throw game they had played innumerable times. It was one of their favorite games. No one knows if a short time passed by or long, but someone threw the ball and it landed straight on top of the tree on the riverbank and got entangled in its dense branches. No one had the courage to climb on top of the tree to fetch the ball, as the tree was right above the river, where Kalia Naag, the five-headed serpent was believed to live. They had heard of the stories of kids disappearing while playing on the river bank and they did not want to risk their lives. But, Krishna was not to be frightened by these stories. He told his friends, “Friends, do not worry. I have heard the stories too about Kalia Naag devouring some of our village kids while they played on the river banks. But, I don’t believe in all this. This is just to scare us and keep us away from the riverbank and save us from drowning. And, even if it were true, that Kalia Naag has to be taught a lesson so that never again would any such snake or demon try and harm our villagers. Dear friends, do not be afraid of anything. I will climb the tree and fetch the ball for us to continue playing.” His friends pleaded with him, “Please Krishna, don’t do this. The snake may harm you. We would not be able to show our faces to your parents. We all love you so much; we wouldn’t want any harm to occur to you. We don’t want the ball. We will pool in money and we will buy ourselves a new ball. Krishna, listen to us, please don’t go near the riverbank.” But, unfazed by the pleading and fear of his friends, Krishna made a decision to go and fetch the ball. He climbed up the tree, slowly and carefully treading on the coarse surface of the tree trunk and soon, he reached the branch where the ball was. He shouted happily to his friends, “Look I got it!” and showed off the ball to his friends. In his excitement, he lost his balance and fell into the river. There was complete silence. All his friends were too shocked to do anything. They watched as the turbulent waters of Yamuna engulfed Krishna. There was nothing they could do to save him. They ran to his parents and informed them of the accident and soon, the whole village had gathered near the riverbank and frantically waited for any signs of the kid. They were all too scared to venture near the river. Jashoda had gone completely hysterical worrying about her son. They had to hold her back to stop her from jumping in the river herself to save her son, who was nowhere in sight.

    

It had been quite a few hours since Krishna jumped into the river and all villagers were worried about Krishna…

    

There, as Krishna fell into the river and went deep into the waters, he stepped by mistake on one of Kalia’s heads and awakened Kalia. Furious, Kalia screamed, “Who is this, who has dared to step on my head? I will not forgive him. I will eat him up in one straight gulp and ensure that he is fittingly punished for his deed. How dare he disturb me in my slumber?”

    

He was about to tilt his head and topple Krishna, when Krishna overpowered him by catching hold of his tail and neck. During the process, the snake hit Krishna hard on his foot with his tail and hurt him but still, Krishna did not give up. He held his tail high in one hand and danced on the serpent’s head. However hard Kalia Naag tried, he couldn’t overpower Krishna. He realized that Krishna was no ordinary human being. He begged of Krishna not to kill him. “Oh young lad, please do not kill me. I understand that you are no ordinary human being. Please tell me who you are.” Krishna smiled and showed him his real form. Krishna was none other than the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Kalia Naag bowed before him and requested him to pardon his life. Krishna smiled, “Kalia Naag, I spare you your life but in return, I want you to never again harm any creature.” To this, Kalia Naag agreed and apologized for his wrong deeds. Lord Vishnu then came back to his human form and dancing on top of Kalia’s head, he rose above the waters of Yamuna. Seeing him alive and dancing on Kalia’s head, all villagers cheered him while his parents had tears of joy in their eyes. They were all amazed to see this young lad come back alive victoriously winning over the dreaded Kalia Naag. They thanked God for the miracle. They were all also relieved that their village and every other creature was now safe and did not have to fear going near the river bank. Kalia Naag would never again harm them, all thanks to Krishna, the brave and chivalrous son of Nandbaba and Jashoda.

    

Moral: Good always wins over the evil. Even God doesn’t support the evil.

Pozzoni and Scovill were pioneers in American cosmetics - making a market, and starting the small metal box for cosmetics.

Garza real

Ardea cinerea

Familia: Ardeidos – Ardeidae

Aspecto: Garza grande, de complexión robusta, predominantemente de color gris, con un pico recto, fuerte, en forma de daga. Las garzas pueden diferenciarse de las grullas durante el vuelo, y a menudo también cuando están de pie, por la forma en que encorvan su cuello.

Tamaño: Largo 84-102 cm, envergadura alar 155-175 cm, peso 930-1.150 g.

Nido: Una gran pila desarreglada de ramas, generalmente construido muy alto en un abeto o pino. Las aves pueden usar el mismo nido durante muchos años.

Reproducción: Pone 6 huevos en mayo, incubados de forma alternada por los padres, en 4 a 6 períodos, durante 25 a 28 días. Las aves jóvenes aprenden a volar aproximadamente a los 50 días. Muchas garzas reales anidan en colonias.

Distribución: Ave migratoria de verano que se reproduce poco en Finlandia (solo hay alrededor de 100 parejas). En los últimos años, los avistamientos de invierno se han vuelto más comunes.

Migración: Pasa el invierno en el oeste y sur de Europa. La migración de otoño puede tener lugar entre mediados de agosto y principios de noviembre, y las aves regresan de marzo a mayo.

Alimentación: Acecha inmóvil a lo largo de costas, lista para emboscar, en espera de que peces y animales acuáticos pequeños estén a su alcance.

Sonidos: Un chillido fuerte, molesto, similar al llamado de la pagaza piquirroja.

La garza real tiene partes superiores de color gris claro, y partes inferiores de color blanco grisáceo. Su cabeza es mayormente blanca, excepto por una raya negra que se extiende desde encima de sus ojos hasta la parte posterior de su cuello, donde algunas de sus plumas se alargan para formar una cresta. Los adultos con plumaje de apareamiento pueden tener un color rosáceo a los lados del cuello, y algunas filas de rayas oscuras en el cuello y el pecho. La garza real tiene el pico de color amarillo o naranja amarillento, patas de color marrón opaco e iris amarillo.

Las aves inmaduras generalmente se parecen a las adultas, pero su capuchón y su cuello son más grises (y el cuello no tiene color rosáceo). Su pico es más pardusco y el iris es blanco.

 

Royal Coronation Aurora is fully deboxed, and is posed standing, supported by a Kaiser stand. She can free stand, but is very unstable that way. Photographed in daylight.

 

Review of Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Her face is pretty, but bland and generic. She only has a passing resemblance to the movie character, as portrayed by Elle Fanning. She doesn't have very realistic features, but looks like an ordinary doll painted to look like an animated character. She has a light complexion, small blue green eyes gazing straight ahead, brown eyebrows, small straight nose, light pink lips on a small mouth, large chin, and light rouge on her cheeks.

 

She has long golden blonde hair that reaches her hips. There is a solitary long curl hanging from her left side. The rest of her hair is slightly wavy, and is grouped in a single mass, which I left alone. It would look better if it were combed out, but I was afraid that it might get frizzy if I attempted to do so. The hair is shiny and soft, and doesn't appear to have any hair product.

 

The dress is golden brocaded satin, with a floral design. The underside is very light tan in color. There is also a painted floral overlay in pink and green, which is only in the front of the dress (the front of the skirt and bodice). There is golden lace trim at the hem, waist and collar and cuffs. Her collar and cuffs end in white organza. The skirt is pleated, and almost floor length. The bodice has a high waist, with a golden belt sewn around it. Her sleeves are full length. There is a over sized train sewn to the back of the dress, just below the waist. It made of the same material and has the same decoration as the front of the skirt. Its underside is fully lined with gold satin. The dress looks and feels luxurious, and fit for royalty.

 

She is wearing tan colored heels, with a simulated strap and an unpainted embossed floral design. She is wearing a gold colored plastic crown that is made to look like a floral wreath, that goes halfway around her head. It is secured only by two T-tab fasteners, so it is not meant to be removed or used on other dolls.

 

Her body is made of hard plastic throughout. She has seven points of articulation: her neck, shoulders, elbows and hips. Her hands are permanently tilted back to make the standard Princess pose. Her feet are fixed at an angle to wear high heels. Her head can turn 360 degrees around, and can tilt up about 20 degrees, and tilt down 10 degrees. Her arms can swivel about the shoulders 360 degrees, and can tilt about 20 degrees. Her forearms can swivel around her elbows almost 360 degrees, but cannot go completely around. They can tilt back about 20 degrees, and forward about 60 degrees. Her hips can swivel 90 degrees both back and forth, and can tilt out about 30 degrees. She has white painted on underwear, which looks like a strapless one piece bathing suit.

 

Packaging and Deboxing

It was easy to debox Coronation Aurora, compared to most Disney Store dolls. First step was to remove the clear plastic cover from the box, by cutting the tape around the edges, and lifting the tabs free from the cardboard. Aurora is standing on a small cardboard spacer. Behind her is a printed background from the movie, which is common to all the dolls in this series. There was only plastic T-tab fasteners securing her to the backing and the plastic spacer. It was possible to reach all the fasteners and snip them off, without having to remove the large plastic spacer. It turned out that the fastener that was supposed to go into the back of her head didn't make it past her hair, so she didn't have a post sticking out of her head when I snipped the fastener loose. The other end of the fastener was just laying loose in her hair. There was tissue paper around her legs, but only up to her knees, to make the skirt look fuller in the box.

 

Purchase Details

I just received the four available Jakks Pacific dolls from the Maleficent movie in single doll packages. I ordered them from Toys R Us on Friday night and got them Tuesday, with free shipping. I appreciated the quick shipping, compared to the Disney Store. The dolls are the following, with links to the TRU site. All the dolls are 11 1/2'' H. The Coronation dolls are $39.95 each, the other two are $19.95.

 

Beloved Aurora Doll

Royal Coronation Aurora Doll

Dark Beauty Maleficent Doll

Royal Coronation Maleficent Doll

~ Basics ~

Name: Dillion Asho

Apparent Age: 21

True Age: 21

Gender: Male

Virtue: Faith

Vice: Envy

 

Tribe: Fire-touch

Pack:

Lodge: None

Profession: Street preacher

 

~ Appearance ~

Height: 5’ 9

Weight: 135

Eyes: green

Hair Color: died a sickly green

Hair Style: long and scraggly

Complexion: pale yellow

Build: malnourished

Scars: None

Distinguishing Features: On his left ear there is a red plastic tag with ID numbers as if he was a wild animal.

 

~ Attributes ~

Strength *

Dexterity**

Stamina ***

 

Charisma ****

Manipulation ***

Appearance *

 

Perception **

Intelligence **

Wits ***

 

~ Skills ~

Mental

Academics:*

Computer:

Crafts:

Investigation:****

Medicine:**

Occult:

Politics:

Science:

 

Physical

Athletics:*

Brawl:

Drive:

Firearms:

Larceny:

Stealth:

Survival: *

Weaponry: ***

 

Social

Animal Ken:

Empathy:*

Expression:**** ( impassioned speeches)

Intimidation:*

Persuasion:*** (conversion)

Socialize:** (fast-talking)

Streetwise:

Subterfuge:

 

~ Advantages ~

Essence: [][][][][][][]

 

>Gifts/rites: Insight-

>>The Right Words + 2 to all social rolls, reflexive

>>Camaraderie- Suspicions are set aside and teamwork becomes more beneficial

Manipulation+ Persuasion+ Wisdom, reflexive

  

>Fervor Gifts

>>Eyes of Gurim Int+Investigation+Purity

The Fire-Touched can judge the state of another werewolf’s soul. Izidakh use this Gift to judge whether an Uratha would be a good candidate for conversion. When used successfully, the Eyes of Gurim can give the Fire- Touched some information about the target’s weaknesses, which he can then exploit when attempting to convert her. This Gift works on any werewolf that the charac- ter can see directly (i.e., it does not work through video cameras or on photographs). The character can recognize members of his own tribe on sight.

 

Merits: Fetish ***

Klaive: Gurim’s Lash: This weapon is a long, barbed whip made of specially treated leather (or, just as often, human skin). The barbs are the end are made of iron or bone, and must be sharpened and tempered in fire once a month. A spirit of disease is bound into the whip. It inflicts two points of lethal damage normally, and can be used to blind opponents with a called shot (see p. 165 of the World of Darkness Rulebook). Also, when activated, Gurim’s Lash inflicts a gibbering madness upon the victim. Anyone damaged by the lash must succeed on a Stamina + Resolve roll (Natural Immunity benefits apply) with a negative modifier equal to the number of Health points suffered from the lash that scene. If this roll fails, the victim suffers fever, sweats and disorienta- tion (in game terms, a –1 on all Physical and Mental rolls) for the rest of the scene. If the roll is a dramatic failure, this penalty persists for a full day.

   

Flaws: Can’t lie, Nightmares

Personality quirks:

 

~ Possessions ~

Weapons:

Health:

Armor type:

Defense rating:

 

Equipment:

Havens:

Vehicles:

 

~ Self ~

Harmony: [][][][][][][]

Primal Urge:*

Renown:

Wisdom**

Purity*

Personality: Passionate and outspoken

History:

 

~ Additional Information ~

Size: 5

Speed: 8

Initiative: 4

 

~ Basics ~

Name: Stoop-gallant Asho

Apparent Age: 21

True Age: 21

Gender: male

Virtue: Justice

Vice: Wrath

Tribe: Fire-touched

Pack:None

Lodge:None

Profession: speaker of tongues

 

~ Appearance ~

Height: 5’ 9

Weight: 135

Eyes: green

Hair Color: died a sickly green

Hair Style: long and scraggly

Complexion: pale yellow

Build: malnourished

Scars: None

Distinguishing Features: On his left ear there is a red plastic tag with ID numbers as if he was a wild animal.

 

~ Attributes ~

Strength ****

Dexterity*

Stamina ***

 

Charisma *

Manipulation *

Presence: ****

 

Perception ***

Intelligence *

Wits ***

 

~ Skills ~

Mental

Academics:

Computer:

Crafts:

Investigation:

Medicine:****

Occult:

Politics:

Science:

 

Physical

Athletics: ***

Brawl:****

Drive:

Firearms:

Larceny:

Stealth:

Survival:****

Weaponry:

 

Social

Animal Ken: *

Empathy: *

Expression:****

Intimidation:*

Persuasion:

Socialize:

Streetwise:

Subterfuge:

 

~ Advantages ~

Essence:[][][][][][][]

Gifts/rites: Disease

Fever Dreams:Presence+Medicine+Wisdom vs resolve+primal urge, 1 essence

The character passes along a spiritual infection to a target. Although this disease runs its course quickly, and rarely does any serious damage to the target, while he is infected he suffers cold sweats, headaches, fever and even mild hallucinations. Needless to say, fighting or even focusing his mind is extremely difficult while the disease holds him.

 

Virulent Rage: Presence+Expression+Purity vsReseolve+primal urge, 1 willpower

The Fire-Touched infects another being with a portion of her Rage. When used on a werewolf, this Gift usually triggers Kuruth. When used a human being, the Gift causes a terrible fit of violent anger. Worse, this anger is contagious, meaning that if the Fire-Touched uses this Gift in a crowd, it will quickly spiral into a brutal, rioting mob.

 

Glorious Agony: Strength+Survival+Glory, 1 essence

By activating this Gift, the werewolf taints his own Essence with a spiritual malady. This illness actually makes the werewolf stronger and deadlier, lending the pain of disease and contagion to his claws and fangs. The Fire-Touched must sacrifice his own regenerative powers to allow the disease to run its course, however, and many an Izidakh has perished under the effects. Once activated, Glorious Agony remains in effect for the remainder of the scene and cannot be terminated early.

 

Merits: Danger Sense **, Quick Healer ****, Natural Immunity *

Flaws: Speaking in tongues, can’t lie, Nightmares, Driving goal (purify the Forsaken),

Personality quirks:

 

~ Possessions ~

Weapons: Fangs and claws

Health:[][][][][][][]

Armor type:

Defense rating:

 

Equipment:

Havens:

Vehicles:

 

~ Self ~

Harmony: 7

Primal Urge: 1

Renown:

Personality:

History:

 

~ Additional Information ~

Size: 5

Speed:6

Initiative:

 

Twins’ History: It isn’t surprising that since birth that this set of twins were incredibly close. They would share some kind of unseen bond or extreme empathic link that let them share emotions and thoughts without need of spoken word. They had a normal childhood growing up in the suburbs. They were part of the boy scouts, their parents were teachers as the local elementary and middle school, and they played in youth soccer league. However, their peaceful and average life would come to a violent end on afternoon.

 

The two boys had come down with a burning fever, their faces were flushed, sweat poured form them endlessly and both were delirious. Strange words were passing their lips, on occasion it would become only gibberish that made no sense. However, the illness burned its way through the twins for almost a week as their parents didn’t want to risk moving them. They were already on death’s door; fear of their only children passing them on was eating them away. The human parents couldn’t possibly know about the Pure blood coursing through the veins of the twins. How could they?

 

One day, when the sun rose to it’s highest point, the temperature outside soared into the hundreds, it happened. The fire coursing through their veins erupted. Both boys, clawed at their flesh, tears heaping chunks off their frames and casting the bloodied scraps aside. Their agonized screams alerted their parents that something was wrong. By the time, their parents entered the bedroom it was too late. They had fully changed, both were standing tall while wearing sickly green fur that was matted down with blood.

 

In the agony of the change, the twins saw the truth behind the world. Saw how the life they before was nothing but a lie, they had never been human. Humans were something beneath them and vile. Their old way of life was full of false truths, disgusting assumptions and utter lies. The truth hit them and drove them both mad. They descended upon their parents, rending them asunder and leaving the house and their life behind.

 

In their flight, they instinctively reverted back to the animal mindset, becoming wolves of sickly and rotting green fur, blood shot eyes and bleeding gums. They prowled the suburbs destroying human buildings and eating whenever they could get a bite. Word spread of the feral animals and soon animal control was called in to handle them. The twins were sedated and tagged. Thinking them nothing but simple wolves gone rabid, animal control caged them and was taking them back to be humanely destroyed.

 

However, the humans weren’t the only ones to hear about the twins. Word of the wolves daylight assaults on humans and rumors of their noon time change drew the attention of the Pure. The Animal Control van was ambushed, its human members murdered and the twins pulled out of their cages. The Pure Immediately recognized these two for what they were and welcomed them. Over the next few years, they were raised properly by the Pure. They found fellowship within the ranks of the Fire-touched. Dillion emerged as a passionate speaker, able to ignite the fires of faith within the hearts of those who listened to him. His brother earned a new name for his condition. The old phrase meaning illness and disease came to represent the other brother, Stoop-gallant. His mind had been broken by the impurities and lies of the world, like the progenitor of the Fire-Touched, Stoop-gallant’s mind was too pure. He would become the new age Gurim-Ur. He was mad and diseased, his affliction would infect the Forsaken.

    

Gua sha is a very old Chinese process that is considered to support the flow of “chi” or energy in the complexion. Gua sha literally means "to scrape sand," which refers to the light, marked bruising on the skin after therapy. To know more, watch the complete video.

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