Seven Secrets of the Vishnu  (English, Paperback, Pattanaik Devdutt Dr.)

7 Secrets Of Vishnu explores the beliefs, legends and symbolism related to the Hindu God Vishnu.

Summary Of The Book

The author is proficient in writing about Hindu mythology and beliefs. In this book, 7 Secrets Of Vishnu, he goes into Vaishnavite philosophy and stories of Vishnu.

Vishnu is the Preserver of the Hindu Trinity, Brahma is the Creator, and Shiva is the Destroyer. Being the Preserver, Vishnu is the God who comes to the aid of Devas, humans and even animals when they are in desperate situations.

It is Vishnu who takes numerous avatars or incarnations and descends into the world of humans and restores order. The most famous among his incarnations are celebrated as the Dasavatar or the Ten Avatars. Among these are Rama and Krishna.

This book explores these avatars and other stories. The author presents Vishnu as the God who shows the importance of the material world and the need for material growth in order to fully attain spiritual wisdom.

The book also draws a parallel between the progression of his avatar in different forms, and evolution. The first avatar was Matsya, a fish. Next he is an amphibian, Kurma, the Tortoise. Then comes the Boar, Varaha, followed by a combination of human and beast, Narasimha. This is followed by the dwarf, Vamana, and the fierce Parasurama.

After this comes Rama, a wise and cultured man. As Krishna, he showed that it is possible to indulge in the game of life and yet be a wise person who emphasizes the thoughts behind one’s actions. As the yet to come Kalki, he demonstrates the need to let go of status quo in order to bring in a change for the better.

Besides these, 7 Secrets Of Vishnu also explores the story of Lakshmi and her sister, Alakshmi, and that of Saraswati. It looks at Narada, the sage who is known as a troublemaker, and the reason behind this. It explains why people don’t worship Brahma the Creator. It also explores the philosophical significance of the various stories and the importance and meanings of rituals and symbols used in the worship of Vishnu.

About Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik is a doctor who became a writer.

Some other books by Pattanaik are Devi, The Mother-Goddess: An Introduction, Lakshmi, The Goddess Of Wealth and Fortune: An Introduction, Myth=Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, The Book of Ram, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata.

Devdutt Pattanaik graduated from Grant Medical College in Mumbai. He worked for more than a decade in the pharmaceutical industry. Then, he gave it up and took up his passion for Hindu mythology and turned it into his profession. He conducts workshops and seminars on the wisdom contained in the Hindu epics and legends and their application in management and business.