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File:Picture of Vaikunda - Garuda eagle is the vehicle of Vishnu.jpg
An illustration of Vaikuntha, presided over by Vishnu

Template:VaishnavismVaikuntha (Template:Langx),<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> also called Vishnuloka (Template:IAST), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> is the abode of Vishnu,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Flood 1996, p. 17">Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism (1996).</ref>Template:Rp and his consort, Lakshmi, the supreme goddess of the sect.

According to Ramanuja, Vaikuntha is the Parama Padam or Nitya Vibhuti, an "eternal heavenly realm", and is the "divine imperishable world that is God's abode". In Vaishnava literature, Vaikuntha is described as the highest realm above the fourteen lokas (worlds), and the place where the devotees of Vishnu go upon achieving liberation.<ref name="Flood 1996, p. 17" />Template:Rp It is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya and Vijaya, the dvarapalakas, or gatekeepers of Vaikuntha.<ref name=nityavibhuti>Template:Cite book</ref> The army of Vishnu, stationed at Vaikuntha, is led by Vishvaksena.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The planets of Vaikuntha are described as being full of golden palaces and hanging gardens that grow fragrant fruits and flowers.

The planets of Vaikuntha begins 26,200,000 yojanas (209,600,000 miles) above Satyaloka.<ref>Template:Citation </ref> This does not refer to the physical distance. In most of the extant Puranas and Vaishnava traditions, Vaikuntha is located in the direction of the Makara rashi, which corresponds with the Capricorn constellation. One version of the cosmology states that Vishnu's eye is present at the south celestial pole, from where he watches the cosmos.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

LiteratureEdit

File:Vishnu.jpg
Vishnu, ruler of Vaikuntha

VedasEdit

The Vedas do not mention Vaikuntha, but a verse in the Rigveda mentions Vishnu's feet as a potential abode:<ref>Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: With a Short Life Sketch of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Ideal Preacher of Bhāgavata-dharma, and the Original Sanskrit Text, Its Roman Transliteration, Synonyms, Translation and Elaborate Purports 11, Part 4.</ref><ref>Rigveda (1.22.20)</ref>

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Bhagavata PuranaEdit

Vaikuntha and its characteristics are described in the Bhagavata Purana, a revered text in Vaishnavism, which was composed between the eighth and the tenth century CE, and maybe as early as the 6th century CE.<ref>Bryant, Edwin Francis, (2007). Krishna: A Sourcebook, Oxford University Press.</ref>

American Indologist Edwin Bryant, in his book from 2003, comments about the verses describing Vaikuntha in the text of Bhagavata Purana:

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Translation of some verses in Canto 2, by Bibek Debroy:

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It is also said that Vaikuntha is the liberated world or the world after moksha.

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Seshanarayana (Oleographic print).jpg
Narayana with Sridevi and Bhudevi, painting by Raja Ravi Varma

Narayana UpanishadEdit

The Narayana Upanishad mentions the abode:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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pratyag ananda brahma purusam pranava svarupam
a kara u karo ma kara iti
ta anekadha sam etad om iti
yam uktva mucyate yogi
janma samsara bandhanat
om namo narayanayeti mantropasakah
vaikuntha bhuvanam gamisyati
tad idam pundarikam vijnanan ghanam
tasmad taridabha matram
brahmanyo devakiputro brahmanyo madhusudanah brahmanyah
pundarikakso brahmanyo visnur acyuta iti
sarva bhuta stham ekam narayanam
karana rupam akaranam param brahma om

The syllable "om" is directly the Supreme Lord full of bliss. Composed of three sounds "a", "u" and "m", the pranava becomes "om". The yogi who utters the pranava many times becomes free from the bondage of repeated material birth. One who worships the Lord with this mantra Om Namo Narayanaya will certainly go to the transcendental realm of vaikuntha, which is a lotus full of consciousness shining effulgently. The transcendental Lord is known as the son of Devaki, as Madhusudana, as Pundarikaksa, as Visnu and Acyuta. The one Narayana is situated in all living entities. He is the cause of all causes, the supreme brahman.{{#if:Narayana Upanishad|{{#if:|}}

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Brihad BhagavatamritaEdit

The Brihad Bhagavatamrita paints a picture of Vishnu's activities at Vaikuntha:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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kadāpi tatropavaneṣu līlayā tathā lasantaṃ niciteṣu go-gaṇaiḥ |
paśyāmy amuṃ karhy api pūrvavat sthitaṃ nijāsane sva-prabhuvac ca sarvathā || 112 ||

Sometimes the Lord would go to the gardens in Vaikuṇṭha where He would enact pastimes similar to those of Vraja, and I would see the gardens full of cows. Other times I would see Him sitting majestically on His throne as before. At that time, He would appear just like my Lord Gopāla in all respects.{{#if:Verse 2.4.112Brihad Bhagavatamrita|{{#if:|}}

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File:Brooklyn Museum - A Vision of Vishnu (Vaikuntha Darshana).jpg
A painting of Vishnu and Lakshmi (Vaikuntha Darshana) - Brooklyn Museum

TiruvaymoliEdit

In the work of Nammalvar, Vaikuntha is referred to as Tirunatu (sacred land) in the Tamil literary tradition. In Sri Vaishnava tradition, this abode is listed as the one hundred and eighth, and the last of the Divya Desams, the divine realms of Vishnu on earth and beyond.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The verses of the Tiruvaymoli describe this abode as the following:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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Even the unthinking clouds, by adorning and filling the sky, applaud the Srivaisnavas proceeding heavenwards. . . (10.9.1)

As some [residents of heaven) gave the fruit of their sacrifices, others worshipfully offered fragrance and lamps; some blew trumpets and conches. . . (10.9.6)

Like a mother overjoyed at the sight of a long absent son, [the Lord’s consorts] are filled with love at seeing [the new arrivals] . . .[and] come with their divine attendants, bringing . . . their greatest treasure, which is Sri Sathakopa, along with fragrant powder, large lamps, and other auspicious articles with which to honor them. (10.9.10){{#if:Tiruvaymoli|{{#if:|}}

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See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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BibliographyEdit

  • Dallapiccola, Anna. Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend. Template:ISBN.
  • Gail, Adalbert J. 1983. "On the Symbolism of Three- and Four-Faced Vishnu Images: A Reconsideration of Evidence." Artibus Asiae 44(4):297–307. pp. 298–99.

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