As with most of the country of India, Goa has a strong Hindu population. This is a fascinating religion, with many ancient aspects. It has been incorporated into much of the culture through the arts and architecture. In the Vaishnavite tradition of Hindu, Vishnu is considered to be the supreme God. Followers of the Adi Shankara tradition consider him to be one of the five primary Gods. Tourists staying in one of the 5 star hotels Goa will encounter many aspects of Hindu’s influence on the city.
Vishnu can be loosely translated as The All Pervading One. It is believed that he is the preserver of the universe, and is associated with the all pervading waters that were here before the creation of the world. Early in the development of the Hindu religion, Vishnu held a less prominent place and was ranked with some of the lesser Gods. It was relatively recent that he rose to the position of all pervading. He has a thousand names, and part of a devotional ritual is the repetition of them. He is generally portrayed as blue or black and has four arms.
Hinduism asserts that part of the salvation of humans is dependent on one’s faithful following of a predetermined path or duty. Another aspect is that the forces of good and evil are always at odds and fighting for the control of the world and universe. Traditionally, Vishnu was associated with battling demonic forces and dragons. This probably accounts for his rise in status through the centuries. It is believed that Vishnu descends to the earth in one of his incarnations during times of great unbalance and chaos. He corrects the situation and restores harmony. It is believed that nine descents have already occurred. Rama and Krishna were the seventh and eights of these. A tenth descent has yet to occur.