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Home > Temples of Kerala > Minor Deities Associated with Vishnu Minor Deities Associated with VishnuMinor Deities Associated with VishnuGarutman or Garuda, the mighty bird vehicle of Lord Vishnu is a minor deity invariably found in all the Vaisnava temples. He is described as the son of the sage couple Kasyapa and Vinata and as the younger brother of Aruna, the charioteer of Sun God. The chief among his multifarious exploits is his bringing of the pot of nectar from Indras heaven. It is precisely this that made Lord Vishnu choose him as his vehicle. Literally, the word Garuda means wings of speech. He actually personifies Vedic Knowledge. On his wings, as it were, Vedic knowledge has come down to us, from the world of God. The Garuda image is usually anthropomorphic. He is shown with a sharp beak, and two wings at the back. The hands may be eight or four or just two. Two of the hands are always in the adoration pose. In the others he carries the conch, wheel, mace, sword, snake and nectar pot. The image is usually installed right opposite the central shrine. It may appear to be rather intriguing that Lord Vishnu has a serpent as his couch and an eagle, its arch enemy, as his vehicle. This is to show that he is the Lord of balance and harmony which is an essential quality for one charged with the responsibility of sustaining this multifarious universe. Another deity invariably found in the Vishnu temples, especially in the south, is Hanuman the monkey god. The Ramayana pictures him as a high erudite, cultured and refined person. He is as strong as he is wise, and as devoted as he is strong and wise, a rare combination indeed. He is represented in two postures, when in the company of Sri Rama, Sita and Laksmana, he is shown standing humbly at a distance or sitting devotedly at the feet of Sree Rama. In shrines specially erected for him, he strikes a heroic pose, usually with the mace in his left hand and carrying the Sanjivini mountain in his right hand. Apart from these, it is common to show the weapons of Lord Vishnu also in human form. They are then called Ayudhapurusas (weapon beings). The Ayudhapurusa may be male, female or neuter, depending upon the gender of the world indicating it. For instance, Gada (mace) is a female deity whereas the Chakra (discus) is neuter deity. The Sudarsana chakra is shown as a person with a hexagon as his background, brilliant as fire and having four or eight or sixteen arms holding bow, arrow, trident, noose, goad and other implements as also weapons, apart from the usual Vaisnavite symbols. It is said to represent the cosmic mind, the will of the Lord to multiply as well as his infinite power to create and destroy the universe. The Sudarsana mantra is said to possess the power to neutralize poisons and exorcise malignant spirits. The Kaumodaki, the Gada (mace) of Lord Vishnu is depicted as female deity, with one face and two hands which are in the posture of adoration. It symbolizes power and sovereignty. No account of Lord Vishnu will be complete without mentioning about the Salagrama, a blackish rounded and polished stone with a hole containing the fossils of tiny mollusks, which is worshipped as an emblem of his. There are several varieties of them representing different aspects of the Lord. Salagramas can be installed in temples but are usually worshipped in one’s home privately. Once it is kept at home, its worship becomes obligatory. Article courtsey : Sri Ramakrishna Math Mylapore, Chennai. Related Reading
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