About Vishnu
He is shown resting on the serpent Shesha in the cosmic ocean, with Lakshmi at his feet, or standing with four arms holding the conch (shankha), discus (chakra), mace (gada) and lotus (padma). His great temples include Badrinath, Tirupati, Srirangam and Padmanabhaswamy.
Vaishnava devotion is built on his names — the Vishnu Sahasranama gives a thousand of them — and on the Ekadashi fasts, Tulsi worship and the recitation of his stories in the Bhagavata and Vishnu Puranas.
Vishnu mantra
Dvadashakshari mantra
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Om, salutations to Bhagavan Vasudeva, who dwells in all beings.
Prayers to Vishnu 11
Chalisas, aartis, stotras and mantras for Vishnu, each with the full text, transliteration and meaning.
Daily shlokas
Festivals of Vishnu
- अAkshaya Tritiyaअक्षय तृतीयाShukla Tritiya, Vaishakh month
- बुBuddha Purnimaबुद्ध पूर्णिमाPurnima of Vaishakh
- पूKartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali)कार्तिक पूर्णिमाPurnima of Kartik
- पिPitru Paksha (Shraddh)पितृ पक्षBhadrapada Purnima to Ashvin Amavasya (Mahalaya)
- अAnant Chaturdashi (Ganesh Visarjan)अनंत चतुर्दशीShukla Chaturdashi, Bhadrapada month
- वVat Savitri Vratवट सावित्री व्रतJyeshtha Amavasya (North); Jyeshtha Purnima (Maharashtra, Gujarat, South)
- नृNarasimha Jayantiनृसिंह जयन्तीShukla Chaturdashi, Vaishakha month (at dusk)
- ओOnam (Thiruvonam)ओणमThiruvonam (Shravana) nakshatra in the Malayalam month of Chingam
- दDatta Jayantiदत्त जयन्तीMargashirsha Purnima (at dusk)
Other observances
- Devshayani Ekadashi देवशयनी एकादशी
Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi, when Vishnu is said to go into yogic sleep — the start of Chaturmas. Pandharpur's great Ashadhi Wari of the Warkaris reaches Vitthala on this day.
Dates for every observance are on the festival calendar; for muhurat timings check the Panchang.
Temples of Vishnu
Badrinath Temple बद्रीनाथ मंदिर
Badrinath, Uttarakhand · Vishnu
One of the Char Dham. Vishnu as Badri Narayan under a wild badri tree. 3,133m altitude. Lakshmi stayed as the badri tree while Vishnu meditated. Open only May-November.
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple तिरुमला वेंकटेश्वर मंदिर
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh · Venkateswara (Vishnu)
Richest and most visited temple in the world — ~75,000 visitors daily. 7th Divya Desam. Vishnu as Balaji on Tirumala Hills (7 hills = 7 heads of Adi Sesha). Hair offering tradition. Famous Laddu prasad (GI-tagged).
Padmanabhaswamy Temple पद्मनाभस्वामी मंदिर
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala · Vishnu (reclining)
Divya Desam. Vishnu reclining on Adi Sesha in Anantha Shayana pose. Visible through 3 doors. World's richest temple by discovered treasure (estimated $22 billion+). Strict dress code — dhoti required for men.
Ranganathaswamy Temple रंगनाथस्वामी मंदिर
Srirangam, Tamil Nadu · Vishnu (reclining)
Largest functioning Hindu temple in the world (156 acres). Foremost of 108 Divya Desams. 21 gopurams, 7 concentric enclosures. Reclining Vishnu on Adi Sesha.
Lingaraja Temple लिंगराज मंदिर
Bhubaneswar, Odisha · Harihara (Shiva-Vishnu)
Largest temple in Bhubaneswar. 55m tall deul. Harihara — half Shiva, half Vishnu (unique). Non-Hindus restricted from inner sanctum. One of oldest surviving Kalinga style temples.
Golden Temple Vellore वेल्लोर स्वर्ण मंदिर
Vellore, Tamil Nadu · Lakshmi Narayani
Temple covered in gold — often reported as about 1,500 kg. Lakshmi Narayani (Mahalakshmi) consecrated 2007. Built over 100-acre complex. Star-shaped path.
Chennakeshava Temple Belur चेन्नकेशव मंदिर बेलूर
Belur, Karnataka · Vishnu (Chennakeshava)
UNESCO (Hoysala Temples). 103 years to complete. Darpana Sundari (lady with mirror) is iconic sculpture. Star-shaped platform. Finest Hoysala soapstone carvings.
Mahabalipuram Shore Temple महाबलिपुरम तट मंदिर
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu · Shiva, Vishnu
UNESCO. One of the oldest structural stone temples in South India. Right at the Bay of Bengal shore. Pallava style. Two Shiva shrines facing east and west, one Vishnu shrine between.
Birla Mandir Delhi बिरला मंदिर दिल्ली
New Delhi, Delhi · Lakshmi Narayan
Inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on condition it be open to all castes. First major temple of modern India. Gita Bhawan next door — place for discussing Gita.
Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura चेन्नकेशव मंदिर, सोमनाथपुर
Somanathapura, Karnataka · Vishnu (Keshava)
A perfectly preserved 13th-century triple-shrined Vishnu temple, one of the finest examples of Hoysala art and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas.
Vishnupad Temple विष्णुपद मंदिर
Gaya, Bihar · Vishnu (sacred footprint)
Temple enshrining the footprint of Lord Vishnu on the bank of the Falgu at Gaya, the foremost place in India for pind daan and shraddha rites for ancestors.
Durgiana Temple दुर्ग्याणा मंदिर
Amritsar, Punjab · Durga, Lakshmi-Narayan
Amritsar's most important Hindu temple, set in a sacred tank like the Golden Temple, with shrines of Durga, Lakshmi-Narayan and the Bada Hanuman temple famous for the Langur Mela.
Simhachalam Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple सिंहाचलम वराह लक्ष्मी नरसिंह मंदिर
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh · Vishnu (Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha)
A hilltop temple near Visakhapatnam where Vishnu is worshipped in a combined Varaha and Narasimha form. The image stays covered in sandalwood paste all year and is revealed only on Akshaya Tritiya, at the famous Chandanotsavam.
Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple यादाद्रि लक्ष्मी नरसिंह मंदिर
Yadagirigutta, Telangana · Vishnu (Lakshmi Narasimha)
The most important Narasimha shrine of Telangana, a hilltop cave temple where tradition says Narasimha appeared in five forms. It was rebuilt on a grand scale in carved black granite and reopened in 2022.
Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir श्री मायापुर चंद्रोदय मंदिर
Mayapur, West Bengal · Radha Madhava, Pancha Tattva and Narasimha
The main temple of ISKCON's world headquarters at Mayapur, on the Ganga, revered in Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition as the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Pilgrims come here for kirtan, darshan of Radha Madhava and the Pancha Tattva, and the Gaura Purnima festival.
Badami Cave Temples बादामी गुफा मंदिर
Badami, Karnataka · Shiva, Vishnu and Jain Tirthankaras
Four rock-cut cave temples carved into the red sandstone cliffs of Vatapi, the early Chalukya capital, with some of the finest early images of Shiva as Nataraja and Vishnu in his avatars, and a Jain cave.
Varaha Cave Temple वराह गुफा मंदिर
Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu · Vishnu (Varaha)
A small 7th-century Pallava rock-cut shrine at Mamallapuram, part of the UNESCO World Heritage group of monuments, famous for its panel of Vishnu as the boar Varaha lifting the earth goddess from the ocean.
Varadharaja Perumal Temple वरदराज पेरुमाल मंदिर
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu · Vishnu (Varadaraja)
One of the most sacred Divya Desams, the great Vishnu temple of Kanchipuram on Hastigiri hill, linked with Ramanuja, famous for its hundred-pillared hall, golden and silver lizards and the rare Athi Varadar darshan.
Ananthapura Lake Temple अनंतपुर झील मंदिर
Ananthapura (Kumbla), Kerala · Ananthapadmanabha (Vishnu)
The only lake temple in Kerala, with its sanctum standing in a spring-fed tank in Kasaragod district. Tradition regards it as the original seat (moolasthanam) of Ananthapadmanabha, the deity later enshrined at Thiruvananthapuram.
Kopeshwar Temple कोपेश्वर मंदिर
Khidrapur, Maharashtra · Shiva (Kopeshwar) with Vishnu (Dhopeshwar)
A richly sculpted 12th-century Shiva temple at Khidrapur on the Krishna river, where Shiva and Vishnu are worshipped together and there is no Nandi. Its open-roofed Swarga Mandapa and elephant-lined base make it one of Maharashtra's finest medieval temples.
Arasavalli Sun Temple अरसवल्ली सूर्य मंदिर
Arasavalli (Srikakulam), Andhra Pradesh · Surya (Suryanarayana)
One of the few Sun temples in India still in daily worship, at Arasavalli near Srikakulam. Twice a year the rising sun's rays fall on the feet of the deity, and the Ratha Saptami festival draws huge crowds.
Avantiswami Temple अवन्तिस्वामी मंदिर
Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir · Vishnu
The ruins of a 9th-century Vishnu temple built by King Avantivarman beside the Jhelum. With its colonnaded courtyard and fine carvings, it is one of the best surviving examples of early Kashmiri temple architecture.
Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple चोट्टानिक्करा भगवती मंदिर
Chottanikkara (Ernakulam), Kerala · Rajarajeshwari (Bhagavathy) with Vishnu
One of Kerala's most revered goddess temples, where the Divine Mother is worshipped as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga at different times of day. It is widely believed to bring relief from mental distress and troubles.
Birla Mandir, Jaipur बिड़ला मंदिर, जयपुर
Jaipur, Rajasthan · Lakshmi Narayan
A gleaming white marble temple of Lakshmi and Narayan below Moti Dungri hill, one of Jaipur's best-known modern landmarks. Its carved marble, stained glass and evening illumination draw both devotees and visitors.
Thousand Pillar Temple रुद्रेश्वर स्वामी मंदिर (हज़ार स्तंभ मंदिर)
Hanamkonda, Telangana · Shiva (Rudreshwara), Vishnu and Surya
A star-shaped triple shrine of Shiva, Vishnu and Surya built under the Kakatiya king Rudra Deva in Hanamkonda. Its richly carved pillars, polished black-stone Nandi and fine stonework make it a showpiece of Kakatiya art.
Hayagriva Madhava Temple हयग्रीव माधव मंदिर
Hajo, Assam · Vishnu (Hayagriva Madhava)
A hilltop Vishnu temple at Hajo, the centre of a sacred town revered by Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims. Its walls bear a frieze of elephants and carvings of Vishnu's avatars, and a lamp is said to burn here without break.
Ananthasayana Temple अनंतशयन मंदिर
Ananthasayanagudi (Hosapete), Karnataka · Vishnu (Ananthasayana)
A large Vijayanagara temple built in 1524 for a reclining Vishnu, famous for its unusual tall vaulted roof over a long, empty sanctum; a quiet monument near Hosapete on the way to Hampi.
Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple तिरुनावाया नवमुकुंद मंदिर
Tirunavaya, Kerala · Vishnu (Navamukunda)
One of the 108 Divya Desams, on the bank of the Bharathappuzha, where Vishnu is worshipped as Navamukunda; it was the historic venue of the Mamankam festival and is a major site for ancestral rites.
Sahasra Bahu (Sas-Bahu) Temples, Nagda सहस्रबाहु (सास-बहू) मंदिर, नागदा
Nagda (near Eklingji), Rajasthan · Vishnu (Sahasrabahu)
A richly carved pair of late 10th-century temples at Nagda, the old Mewar capital near Udaipur, popularly called Sas-Bahu; a protected monument celebrated for its ornate halls and torana.
Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradia राम लक्ष्मण मंदिर, बरडिया
Baradia, near Dwarka, Gujarat · Vishnu (historic Vaishnava shrines)
A pair of late 12th-century Solanki-style temples near Dwarka, considered among the earliest surviving Vaishnava temples in Gujarat and protected as a monument of national importance.
Kamala Narayana Temple, Degaon कमल नारायण मंदिर, देगांव
Degaon, near Kittur, Karnataka · Vishnu (Narayana)
A 12th-century three-shrined Vishnu temple built for Kamala Devi, queen of the Goa Kadamba king Shivachitta Permadi, admired for its carved pillars and inverted lotus ceiling.
Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple तिरुमित्तकोड अञ्चुमूर्ति मंदिर
Thirumittakode, near Pattambi, Kerala · Vishnu (Uyyavandha Perumal / Abhayapradhan) and Shiva
A Divya Desam on the banks of the Bharathapuzha, praised by Kulasekhara Alvar, where Vishnu and Shiva are worshipped together among five deities. It is also counted among the 108 Shiva temples of Kerala.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ten avatars of Vishnu?
The common Dashavatara list is Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha (Balarama in some lists) and Kalki, who is yet to come.
Why is Ekadashi linked with Vishnu?
The Puranas describe Ekadashi as dear to Vishnu, and fasting on it as a way to purify the mind and earn his grace. Devotees fast or avoid grains and chant his names on both Ekadashis of each month.
What is the difference between Vishnu and Narayana?
They are the same deity. Narayana — 'the refuge of all beings' — is one of Vishnu's principal names, used especially in the mantra Om Namo Narayanaya.