My Avatar (Vishnu) - and a message to our forum.
 

For those who have wondered, and I'm sure there are a few of you (I've received more than one PM asking):

My Avatar is of the Hindu God "Vishnu".

While it is true that I am not a Hindu (or, indeed, a believer in ANY religion I'm aware of), and I don't believe in supernatural beings, I did still choose it for a reason.

I'm pretty sure I changed to that Avatar right after I became an administrator.

Here's what Wikipedia says about Vishnu:

Vishnu (Sanskrit विष्णु Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu god, venerated as the Supreme Being in the Vaishnava sect. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God.

The Vishnu Sahasranama declares Vishnu as Paramatman (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 originates and develops all elements within. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".

In the Puranas, Vishnu is described as having the divine colour of water filled clouds, four-armed, holding a lotus, mace, shankha (conch) 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 imagination.

In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatara, most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna. The Puranabharti describes each of these Dasavatara of Vishnu. Among the ten principal Avatara described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future, at the end of Kali Yuga. These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales, the avatars and their stories show that god is indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and unbelievable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma and vanquish negative forces, the forces of evil that threaten Dharma, as also to display His divine nature in front of the conditioned/fallen souls.

The Trimurti (English: ‘three forms’; Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity". Of the three members of the Trimurti, the Bhagavata Purana, which espouses the Vaishnavite viewpoint, explains that the greatest benefit can be had from Vishnu. The part in BOLD is what I've attempted to be for and to this forum in my position as moderator and administrator.

If I've failed you, I can do but offer the most sincere of apologies, along with my word as a man of integrity that I will do better should providence choose to allow my continued participation in this community.

-Gaillo

P.S. Ban amnesty/pardon for all temp-banned members. Have a good weekend, all!

http://www.harding.edu/slwilliams/JailCard.jpg

do you have one that works on ObamaCare ?

http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/300 (24).gif

This forum is doomed.

http://fluorescentwater.files.wordpr...ller.jpg?w=497


They're Out To Get You, There's Demons Closing In On Every Side
They Will Possess You Unless You Change The Number On Your Dial
Now Is The Time For You And I To Cuddle Close Together
All Thru The Night I'll Save You From The Terror On The Screen,
I'll Make You See

Darkness Falls Across The Land
The Midnite Hour Is Close At Hand
Creatures Crawl In Search Of Blood
To Terrorize Y'awl's Neighbourhood
And Whosoever Shall Be Found
Without The Soul For Getting Down
Must Stand And Face The Hounds Of Hell
And Rot Inside A Corpse's Shell
The Foulest Stench Is In The Air
The Funk Of Forty Thousand Years
And Grizzy Ghouls From Every Tomb
Are Closing In To Seal Your Doom
And Though You Fight To Stay Alive
Your Body Starts To Shiver
For No Mere Mortal Can Resist
The Evil Of The Thriller

[Chorus]
'Cause This Is Thriller, Thriller Night
And No One's Gonna Save You From The Beast About Strike
You Know It's Thriller, Thriller Night
You're Fighting For Your Life Inside A Killer, Thriller

Campaign donations. Works every time.

Doom is always 6 months away.

Is there anybody left after the wrath of Vishnu ?

See, where Book leaves off, I will be forced to take up slack.

This video has an elephant in it.

Actually I had something else in mind..

Yea!!

Om namah shivaya..

Om Namo Narayanaya http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/grin.gif

On a totally different note.........Isn't it ironic that it's the banker dude pictured that gets the get out of jail free card? Angel wings and all.

I was thinking more along the lines of pitchforks, torches, and ropes... but I'd settle for a few consecutive life terms for the bankers... if that's what's on the table. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

That's not the banker dude, sweetpea. That's that angel guy that helps out George Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life'..

The remover of obstacles.

I just got back from a Kirtan (call and answer)

Gam Gam Ganapataye Namaha

Gam Gam Ganapataye Namaha

Gam Gam Gana Pataye Namaha

Na...Ma...Ha.

Shiva


http://www.vitalyogathebook.com/wp-c...0/11/shiva.jpg

Brahma

http://blog.prabhubhakti.com/wp-cont...ord-brahma.jpg

Vishnu

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_-SlJ34lu...shnu_laxmi.jpg

The big one's all blue. Too much silver in her diet? (Or is that a "he" - I can't tell)

Here is the remover of obstacles:

Attachment 3055
Ganesh (Ganapati)


Hatha