[SeelaypeKet]

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