Mahavishnu: Difference between revisions

{{Blockquote|text=All the worlds, from the realm of Brahma included in the Brahmanda (cosmic sphere), are spheres in which experiences conferring Aisvarya (prosperity and power) can be obtained. But they are destructible and those who attain them are subject to return. Therefore destruction, i.e., return is unavoidable for the aspirants for Aisvarya, as the regions where it is attained perish. On the contrary there is no birth to those who attain Me, the Omniscient, who has true resolves, whose sport is creation, sustentation and dissolution of the entire universe, who is supremely compassionate and who is always of the same form. For these reasons there is no destruction in the case of those who attain Me. He now elucidates the time-period settled by the Supreme Person's will in regard to the evolution and dissolution of the worlds up to the cosmic sphere of Brahma and of those who are within them.|author=Vyasa|title=Bhagavata}} According to [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism |Gaudiya]] tradition of [[Bhagavatam]], [[Krishna]] is the Supreme Being, who expands first as [[Balarama]], then into the first quadruple expansion of [[Saṃkarṣaṇa|Sankarshana]], [[Vāsudeva|Vasudeva]], [[Pradyumna]], and [[Aniruddha]]. Sankarshana expands into [[Narayana]], then Narayana expands into the second quadruple expansion of Sankarshana, Vasudeva, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, then Sankarshana expands into Karanodakasayi-Visnu (Maha-Vishnu), who reclines within the Mahat-Tattva, creating innumerable universes from the pores on his body. He then expands into each universe as [[Garbhodaksayi Vishnu|Garbhodakasayi-Vishnu]], from which [[Brahma]] emerges.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Knapp |first=Stephen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a2KPChj7lTwC&dq=Sankarshana,+Vasudeva,+Pradyumna,+and+Aniruddha,+then+Sankarshana+expands+into+Narayana,&pg=PA163 |title=The Heart of Hinduism: The Eastern Path to Freedom, Empowerment And Illumination |date=2005 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=978-0-595-35075-9 |pages=163 |language=en |access-date=28 July 2022 |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426210617/https://books.google.com/books?id=a2KPChj7lTwC&dq=Sankarshana,+Vasudeva,+Pradyumna,+and+Aniruddha,+then+Sankarshana+expands+into+Narayana,&pg=PA163 |url-status=live }}</ref> Here, the first expansion Purusha is used interchangeably for Mahavishnu. From sattva emerges Vishnu (Garbhodakshayi), and from tamas arises [[Shiva|Shankara]]. These are known as the guna avatars of Krishna.