Burma / Myanmar: Vishnu - Beikthano in Burmese - on his mount, the garuda, in a traditional Burmese depiction (1906)

Vishnu (Sanskrit विष्णु Viṣṇu) is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God. The Vishnu Sahasranama declares Vishnu as Paramatma (supreme soul) and Parameshwara (supreme God). It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and origin. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called 'Preserver of the Universe'. <br/><br/><br/> In the Puranas, Vishnu is described as having the divine color of water filled clouds, four-armed, holding a lotus, mace, conch (shankha) and chakra (wheel). Vishnu is also described in the Bhagavad Gita as having a 'Universal Form' (Vishvarupa) which is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception or Vishnu is also described in the Bhagavad Gita as having a 'Universal Form' (Vishvarupa) which is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception or imagination. In this Burmese representation, Vishnu as Beikthano appears in the style of a Burmese nat.