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The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma
After the Vedic era, the triad of gods comprising Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva propelled to power. Among them, Brahma initially became the supreme deity, but he could not hang on to his position for long. A judgmental lapse is said to have caused his downfall. With Brahma's descent, Vishnu took over the reins and steadfastly held onto this position for centuries. Today, in the Hindu pantheon, Vishnu is a juggernaut--a word coined in his honor-- and has a following of more than 700 million devotees.
In the second volume of the series The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. First we'll take a look at a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we'll examine the Churning of Milky Ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions where gods and demons collaborated in search for the nectar of immortality. We will learn that many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.
There will be occasional detours when we look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship, but also one of the finest specimens of ancient art and architecture. In particular, we'll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. We'll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective. Next we'll examine a unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti transformed into a major form of worship supplanting sacrifice and penance, and pervaded throughout the Hindu society
In the second volume of the series The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, we continue our journey beyond the Vedic era. First we'll take a look at a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we'll examine the Churning of Milky Ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions where gods and demons collaborated in search for the nectar of immortality. We will learn that many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu.
There will be occasional detours when we look at art and architecture. Hindu temples are not only serene places of worship, but also one of the finest specimens of ancient art and architecture. In particular, we'll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. We'll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective. Next we'll examine a unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti transformed into a major form of worship supplanting sacrifice and penance, and pervaded throughout the Hindu society
164 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 14, 2018
50 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Swami Achuthananda
6 books10 followersSwami Achuthananda is an award-winning Australian-based Indian author specialising in Hindu mythology. He is an exponent of Indian Carnatic music and researches Hindu mythology in his spare time.
He has published a number of books on Hinduism and Hindu deities. Achuthananda’s books are targeted towards the general audience. Readers vouch that his narratives are concise, well-researched, and delivered with a touch of humor. His books combine mythology with social and political issues and have occasionally been controversial.
When Swami is not discussing Indian mythology, he's seen talking about India's other greatest religion—cricket. Swami just published book 4 (Krishna) of the non-fiction series, The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, and is currently working on book 5 (Shiva).
He has published a number of books on Hinduism and Hindu deities. Achuthananda’s books are targeted towards the general audience. Readers vouch that his narratives are concise, well-researched, and delivered with a touch of humor. His books combine mythology with social and political issues and have occasionally been controversial.
When Swami is not discussing Indian mythology, he's seen talking about India's other greatest religion—cricket. Swami just published book 4 (Krishna) of the non-fiction series, The Galaxy of Hindu Gods, and is currently working on book 5 (Shiva).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 25, 2018
‘Faith is not the clinging to a shrine but an endless pilgrimage of the heart.’
Author Swami Achuthananda loves India passionately but lives outside of it. He is a born Hindu, lived more than two decades in India, and is an exponent of Indian Classical (Carnatic) music and a former student of K.J. Jesudas, India's award-winning playback singer. He appreciates Indian classical music as well as western songs.
Quite simply stated this is a reference book about Hindu gods and goddesses – the second volume of what Swami promises will be an ongoing series. Much of the joy of reading this well scribed resource book is the warm humor that permeates the description of his topic – ‘If you come across a Hindu on the street, chances are she’s a Vaishnava. That’s no sheer coincidence since three-fifths of all Hindus are Vaishnavas; that is, devotees of Vishnu or his various incarnations, such as Rama and Krishna. The Hare Krishnas who brighten busy streets with their chanting and dancing also belong to this sect. That said, Vaishnavas may also worship other gods and goddesses, although their primary object of devotion is Vishnu or his many forms. Scholars call this form of worship henotheism—not polytheism.1 In fact worshipping many deities is typical of most Hindu sects. Vishnu occupies a dominant place in the Hindu pantheon. Known to be a gentlemanly god, he’s the most lovable of the members of the Trimurti and full of mercy. So you want to ace an exam or secure the best paying job? Okay, head to the nearest Vishnu temple and empty your savings at the temple coffers, right? If you were to take this route, chances are you may fail the exam or ruin your employment prospects for a long time. Why? I am afraid Vishnu is not the god to consult for matters that require instant gratification. That’s because token worship does not please Vishnu, who has been known to put his devotees through severe hardships before showering them with blessings. The story of Kuchela2 amplifies this peculiar trait of Vishnu. Vishnu once denied even his ardent devotee Narada his wish. (We describe this story in this book.) Although Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, is an important deity in India, he maintained a low profile during the Vedic period. In fact he was so low key that Brahma, the creator god, became more prominent toward the end of Vedic times. Scholars believe that for a time Brahma was the most powerful deity. But Brahma’s luster faded as Vishnu and Shiva gained significance and attracted more followers. Mythology is teeming with stories that explain why Brahma lost stature. Scholars also believe that during this power transition, the myths originally attributed to Brahma were adapted to Vishnu. And Vishnu’s numerous avatars, Rama and Krishna in particular, further accelerated his popularity. By the way, the concept of avatar is a specialty of Vishnu when he turns into a cosmic undercover law enforcement agent to maintain law and order in the universe. After the Vedic period a major shift took place in Hindus’ form of worship. Worship through bhakti (devotion to a particular god) was considered superior to making sacrifices or doing penance. In this book—the second in The Galaxy of Hindu Gods series—we take a closer look at the ascent of Vishnu and the decline of Brahma. We also dissect bhakti in detail. If the first book was about sacrifice, this book is about bhakti. We will also describe pivotal mythological events during this period, such as the churning of the milky ocean (samudra manthan) and the creation myths. Although Hindu mythology has many stories about how the world came into being, we’ll begin with a popular version that finds Brahma enclosed in a lotus that is sprouting from the naval of Vishnu, who in turn is reclining in his famous Ananda Sayana posture. In case you are not familiar with this pose, this is pretty much the same position we adopt while watching TV from the couch, with the remote control replacing Vishnu’s conch shell. The concepts of manvantaras and the cycles of creation—a fascination for the late American scientist Carl Sagan—are also introduced in this book. No real journey takes place without detours. At times we will take a broader view of mythology by examining temple architecture, paintings, and other artifacts of the past. If you have noticed the differences in temples in northern and southern India, you will learn why. Classical music also is different in northern and southern India. Furthermore, ancient paintings and sculptures provide insights about deities but only if you look closely. Although early paintings are never perfect—often filtered by the sources and distorted by the ravages of time—they present the beliefs of a bygone era. Above all they provide a cornucopia of information that deepen our understanding of the culture and heritage of ancient India.
Swami opens with a wonderfully rounded description of the Creator God Brahma and continues through twenty six chapters introducing the gods and goddesses of India. As his synopsis states, ‘With a population of a billion people, India is the largest democratic country in the world. India is also home to a million gods and worships them all, according to Mark Twain. In this book, we take a look at two of the powerful gods of Hinduism--Vishnu and Brahma. As a creator god, Brahma holds a prominent position in the Hindu pantheon even though he lost his popularity--we'll learn why. When Brahma's popularity fell, Vishnu rose in power. Today, Vishnu is an important god, and has a following of more than 700 million devotees, occasionally identified by vertical marks on their foreheads. How did it all began? In this short book on Vishnu and Brahma, we begin by examining a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we explore the churning of the milky ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions when gods and demons collaborated in search the nectar of immortality. Many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu. We also get to know a critical aspect of our ancestry. According to Hinduism, we are all descendants of Manu, who is recognized as the father of human race. While this book is predominantly about Brahma and Vishnu, there will be occasional detours when we pause to look at art and architecture. In particular, we'll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. Guess what? Angkor Wat is a Vishnu temple located outside India, much to dismay of millions of Hindus. We'll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective, especially the unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music, and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti became a major form of worship and pervaded Hindu society forever. Nothing exemplifies bhakti more than the dancing-and-chanting Hare Krishnas.’
Swami is both an expert on Hindu culture and a marvelous story weaver. This book embraces history, is peppered with fine illustrations, and references and tongue in cheek sidebars about the strangest of the gods. It is a delight and immensely entertaining as well as more than likely the finest resource of the galaxy of the Hindu gods! Highly Recommended.
Author Swami Achuthananda loves India passionately but lives outside of it. He is a born Hindu, lived more than two decades in India, and is an exponent of Indian Classical (Carnatic) music and a former student of K.J. Jesudas, India's award-winning playback singer. He appreciates Indian classical music as well as western songs.
Quite simply stated this is a reference book about Hindu gods and goddesses – the second volume of what Swami promises will be an ongoing series. Much of the joy of reading this well scribed resource book is the warm humor that permeates the description of his topic – ‘If you come across a Hindu on the street, chances are she’s a Vaishnava. That’s no sheer coincidence since three-fifths of all Hindus are Vaishnavas; that is, devotees of Vishnu or his various incarnations, such as Rama and Krishna. The Hare Krishnas who brighten busy streets with their chanting and dancing also belong to this sect. That said, Vaishnavas may also worship other gods and goddesses, although their primary object of devotion is Vishnu or his many forms. Scholars call this form of worship henotheism—not polytheism.1 In fact worshipping many deities is typical of most Hindu sects. Vishnu occupies a dominant place in the Hindu pantheon. Known to be a gentlemanly god, he’s the most lovable of the members of the Trimurti and full of mercy. So you want to ace an exam or secure the best paying job? Okay, head to the nearest Vishnu temple and empty your savings at the temple coffers, right? If you were to take this route, chances are you may fail the exam or ruin your employment prospects for a long time. Why? I am afraid Vishnu is not the god to consult for matters that require instant gratification. That’s because token worship does not please Vishnu, who has been known to put his devotees through severe hardships before showering them with blessings. The story of Kuchela2 amplifies this peculiar trait of Vishnu. Vishnu once denied even his ardent devotee Narada his wish. (We describe this story in this book.) Although Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, is an important deity in India, he maintained a low profile during the Vedic period. In fact he was so low key that Brahma, the creator god, became more prominent toward the end of Vedic times. Scholars believe that for a time Brahma was the most powerful deity. But Brahma’s luster faded as Vishnu and Shiva gained significance and attracted more followers. Mythology is teeming with stories that explain why Brahma lost stature. Scholars also believe that during this power transition, the myths originally attributed to Brahma were adapted to Vishnu. And Vishnu’s numerous avatars, Rama and Krishna in particular, further accelerated his popularity. By the way, the concept of avatar is a specialty of Vishnu when he turns into a cosmic undercover law enforcement agent to maintain law and order in the universe. After the Vedic period a major shift took place in Hindus’ form of worship. Worship through bhakti (devotion to a particular god) was considered superior to making sacrifices or doing penance. In this book—the second in The Galaxy of Hindu Gods series—we take a closer look at the ascent of Vishnu and the decline of Brahma. We also dissect bhakti in detail. If the first book was about sacrifice, this book is about bhakti. We will also describe pivotal mythological events during this period, such as the churning of the milky ocean (samudra manthan) and the creation myths. Although Hindu mythology has many stories about how the world came into being, we’ll begin with a popular version that finds Brahma enclosed in a lotus that is sprouting from the naval of Vishnu, who in turn is reclining in his famous Ananda Sayana posture. In case you are not familiar with this pose, this is pretty much the same position we adopt while watching TV from the couch, with the remote control replacing Vishnu’s conch shell. The concepts of manvantaras and the cycles of creation—a fascination for the late American scientist Carl Sagan—are also introduced in this book. No real journey takes place without detours. At times we will take a broader view of mythology by examining temple architecture, paintings, and other artifacts of the past. If you have noticed the differences in temples in northern and southern India, you will learn why. Classical music also is different in northern and southern India. Furthermore, ancient paintings and sculptures provide insights about deities but only if you look closely. Although early paintings are never perfect—often filtered by the sources and distorted by the ravages of time—they present the beliefs of a bygone era. Above all they provide a cornucopia of information that deepen our understanding of the culture and heritage of ancient India.
Swami opens with a wonderfully rounded description of the Creator God Brahma and continues through twenty six chapters introducing the gods and goddesses of India. As his synopsis states, ‘With a population of a billion people, India is the largest democratic country in the world. India is also home to a million gods and worships them all, according to Mark Twain. In this book, we take a look at two of the powerful gods of Hinduism--Vishnu and Brahma. As a creator god, Brahma holds a prominent position in the Hindu pantheon even though he lost his popularity--we'll learn why. When Brahma's popularity fell, Vishnu rose in power. Today, Vishnu is an important god, and has a following of more than 700 million devotees, occasionally identified by vertical marks on their foreheads. How did it all began? In this short book on Vishnu and Brahma, we begin by examining a popular creation myth in which Brahma emerges from the navel of a sleeping Vishnu and starts crafting the world. Further on, we explore the churning of the milky ocean, a crucial event in Hindu mythology and one of the rare occasions when gods and demons collaborated in search the nectar of immortality. Many precious things--and surprises--came out this quest, including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and consort of Vishnu. We also get to know a critical aspect of our ancestry. According to Hinduism, we are all descendants of Manu, who is recognized as the father of human race. While this book is predominantly about Brahma and Vishnu, there will be occasional detours when we pause to look at art and architecture. In particular, we'll look at Angkor Wat, one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. Guess what? Angkor Wat is a Vishnu temple located outside India, much to dismay of millions of Hindus. We'll also peek at ancient paintings from a mythological perspective, especially the unique genre of miniature paintings called ragamala that combines art, music, and poetry. A remarkable shift in worship took place during this period. Bhakti became a major form of worship and pervaded Hindu society forever. Nothing exemplifies bhakti more than the dancing-and-chanting Hare Krishnas.’
Swami is both an expert on Hindu culture and a marvelous story weaver. This book embraces history, is peppered with fine illustrations, and references and tongue in cheek sidebars about the strangest of the gods. It is a delight and immensely entertaining as well as more than likely the finest resource of the galaxy of the Hindu gods! Highly Recommended.
December 28, 2018
Swami Achuthananda is obviously passionate about Hindu mythology and their gods. Having lived in India, he continues to embrace their culture though he has moved from his homeland. The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma focuses on two of the most powerful Hindu gods; Vishnu and Brahma. Their reign and duties are unique and unusual to the American culture, but Swami tells about their possible beginnings and rebirths.
I found The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma interesting as Swami Achuthananda just tells the facts he has heard or researched. It did not feel like he was pushing this as a religion. The short chapters tell different events that supposed to have happened, or will happen in theory. The art work coincides with the description to help the reader to better understand the presumption. This would be an ideal book for someone who studies Hindu gods or doing a report on their role in Hinduism.
I found The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma interesting as Swami Achuthananda just tells the facts he has heard or researched. It did not feel like he was pushing this as a religion. The short chapters tell different events that supposed to have happened, or will happen in theory. The art work coincides with the description to help the reader to better understand the presumption. This would be an ideal book for someone who studies Hindu gods or doing a report on their role in Hinduism.
September 29, 2018
The world is getting larger and wider regarding all kind of topics, opinions and angles, this time we take a great and memorable journey to the world of a known religion, and there is a well elaborated and perfectly detailed overview about Hinduism.
There is just too much to learn and love here, every chapter I was more and more intrigued with how the story evolves from one name to the other, it was a blast while it lasts and I have to admit I read this book twice. In this current era, we have to always possess an open mind about everything, to preserve our sensibility regarding our own opinion and beliefs but also to appreciate the greatness to be part of something that has been around for ages and to learn everything about it just makes our knowledge about the world greater, which unites us even more, the differences set us apart for some time, but the bonds that always keep our close are love and faith.
There is just too much to learn and love here, every chapter I was more and more intrigued with how the story evolves from one name to the other, it was a blast while it lasts and I have to admit I read this book twice. In this current era, we have to always possess an open mind about everything, to preserve our sensibility regarding our own opinion and beliefs but also to appreciate the greatness to be part of something that has been around for ages and to learn everything about it just makes our knowledge about the world greater, which unites us even more, the differences set us apart for some time, but the bonds that always keep our close are love and faith.
February 11, 2021
Shockingly full of mistakes. I suspected a lack of knowledge of Vedas, Upanishads, Itihasas, Puranas etc when I read the blurb about the Author - "born Hindu", as though that itself is a credential. Even the Puranas have been dumbed down so much making childish caricatures out of the so called "Gods" and "Demons", stripping away the metaphysics and abstract concepts that are essential to understanding Hindu Trimurtis. This book is beyond ridiculous.
Truly appalling how many basic mistakes are in this book. Even simple well understood concepts are missing and misrepresented. There are numerous other mistakes suggesting that the so called Swami has no first hand knowledge of Sanskrit. For eg. The great Snake on whom Vishnu rests is called Ananta Sesha or Adi Sesha not Ananda Sesha! This kind of stuff is ridiculous!
This kind of book can be interesting though misleading for the uninformed foreigner, but to an average Hindu the mistakes and errors are too obvious to ignore.
Truly appalling how many basic mistakes are in this book. Even simple well understood concepts are missing and misrepresented. There are numerous other mistakes suggesting that the so called Swami has no first hand knowledge of Sanskrit. For eg. The great Snake on whom Vishnu rests is called Ananta Sesha or Adi Sesha not Ananda Sesha! This kind of stuff is ridiculous!
This kind of book can be interesting though misleading for the uninformed foreigner, but to an average Hindu the mistakes and errors are too obvious to ignore.
September 26, 2018
The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma (The Galaxy of Hindu Gods Book 2) by Swami Achuthananda is a follow up to his The Reign of the Vedic Gods. This book continues in the same vein, and is more a reference book than anything else. That is not to say it doesn't have its humorous moments, but mostly this is the go to book for any questions you may have about Hinduism. The author begins the book with a well thought out overview of the Creator God Brahma and works his way through the subsequent twenty six chapters describing the various gods and goddesses. Overall, a book that is not only a wonderful resource, but one that is entertaining, with lovely illustrations dotted throughout, a touch of humor, and always an authoritative voice from the author. Highly recommend for a great education about all things Hindu. Look for more from the author in this ongoing series.
September 27, 2018
Study of Hindu gods
This book is an in depth look at to of the more popular gods in the Hindu religion. Written with a touch of humor and a lot of research, this short book will enlighten the readers what happened to Brahma and where Vishnu became so much more important. Brahma was the elite premier God worshipped by millions until Vishnu slowly climbed the ladder and became the supreme God. This is a great reference book for separating and individualizing Brahma and Vishnu. Well written with good information and details on the changing of the guard from the old established to the new. I recommend this book for anyone who is really interested in the Hindu religion and wants to learn about these two titans of the Hindu believers.
This book is an in depth look at to of the more popular gods in the Hindu religion. Written with a touch of humor and a lot of research, this short book will enlighten the readers what happened to Brahma and where Vishnu became so much more important. Brahma was the elite premier God worshipped by millions until Vishnu slowly climbed the ladder and became the supreme God. This is a great reference book for separating and individualizing Brahma and Vishnu. Well written with good information and details on the changing of the guard from the old established to the new. I recommend this book for anyone who is really interested in the Hindu religion and wants to learn about these two titans of the Hindu believers.
December 26, 2018
Informative!
A religious book focused on Indian religions- a richest country in the world in terms of religions with about 2 million gods and goddess. The book is informative and provide knowledge about Hinduism and two gods Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma is called creator and when his popularity fell, Vishnu rose in power and has millions of devotees today. The book is filled with knowledge of Indian culture, temples, Vishnu rise and Hindu society. Anyone interested in learning about Indian religion can read this book, could be little complex at times.
A religious book focused on Indian religions- a richest country in the world in terms of religions with about 2 million gods and goddess. The book is informative and provide knowledge about Hinduism and two gods Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma is called creator and when his popularity fell, Vishnu rose in power and has millions of devotees today. The book is filled with knowledge of Indian culture, temples, Vishnu rise and Hindu society. Anyone interested in learning about Indian religion can read this book, could be little complex at times.
October 1, 2018
Nice work on Vishnu and Brahma. The info on temples were useful
March 17, 2020
Interesting
Some interesting facts about hindu dharma. That are worth reading for a spiritual person. Is a book that makes you read more from the series.
Some interesting facts about hindu dharma. That are worth reading for a spiritual person. Is a book that makes you read more from the series.
October 6, 2021
3.5 stars
November 21, 2022
Informative
I learnt a lot from this book. One who can now understand why Shri Hari Vishnu is so very popular and why He is well loved.
I learnt a lot from this book. One who can now understand why Shri Hari Vishnu is so very popular and why He is well loved.
August 21, 2023
summary read
Not a bad book for starting to read stories on Hindu gods and mythology (history). Brief, concise and to the point.
Not a bad book for starting to read stories on Hindu gods and mythology (history). Brief, concise and to the point.
April 28, 2025
I read this infrequently, but still enjoyed it. A great introduction into the world of Vaishnavism and history of Hinduism.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews