Vishnu
Whereas Shiva's imagery is that of the a deity at the margins of society, Vishnu's imagery is that of a divine king (witness the crown on this particular image, and the regal posture on the throne). As the king of the universe Vishnu us responsible for its safety and well-being--just as human kings were responsible for the well-being of their realms, seeing themselves as upholding Vishnu's role. This South Indian image was sculpted in the 7th c. during the Pallava Dynasty; it is in the National Museum of India in New Delhi.
Vishnu is primarily worshipped in one of his ten avatars ("incarnations") This five foot image of Vishnu's Boar Avatar--here shown rescuing the Earth, who is hanging on his tusk--was sculpted from a rock face at Udayagiri (near Sanchi) in central India. This was the personal temple of King Chandra Gupta II (ruled 376-415 C.E.), and his choice of the Varaha Avatar carries enormous symbolic weight.
Vishnu's avatars come to earth to defeat evil and chaos, and to reestablish order and balance in the universe. After defeating the Shaka kingdom, Chandra Gupta II ruled over much of north India, and this choice as his patron deity surely represents how he saw himself--as creating order through his righteous rule.
It's a magnificent sculpture that is well worth the 10 mile trip from Sanchi. November 2005
Vishnu's fourth Avatar was Narasimha (the Man-Lion), here shown killing the demon Hiranyakashipu, who had received divine boons that made him virtually invulnerable--after which he tyrannized the world. Vishnu took this composite form to circumvent the conditions, and killed him by ripping open his body with his claws. The figure at left is Hiranyakashipu's son Prahlada, at whose request for protection the Man-Lion appeared.
Sculptural frieze from Amritsar's Durgiania temple, photo Jan. 2005.
Vishnu's Fifth Avatar first appeared in the form of Vamana, a dwarf, to beg for three paces worth of land from Bali, a "demon" king. After Bali (here seen at lower left) granted Vamana's boon, Vamana became enormously large, and in three paces spanned the entire universe. Image carved in the Pratihara Dynasty, 11th c. CE. National Museum New Delhi, photo June 2018.
Vishnu's seventh avatar was Rama, who was born to kill the "demon-king" Ravana. He did so to regain his wife Sita, whom Ravana had kidnapped as a way to strike at Rama. This painting shows Sita's abduction. Ravana came disguised as an ascetic (bottom right) and captured Sita when she stepped outside a magical protective circle. Ravana then took his true ten-headed form (top left) and carried Sita away in his flying chariot. Miniature painting from a popular book.
Vishnu's eighth avatar Krishna is probably the the most widely worshipped, though Rama runs a close second in north India. Krishna is widely worshipped as both a divine child and a heroic youth; as a god in play with the world his stories brim with unexpected power from a seemingly young figure. This frieze from the Durgiana temple shows Krishna subduing the monstrous serpent Kaliya, who had poisoned the Yamuna River with his venomous breath. The small figures are the serpent's wives, who begged Krishna not to kill their husband. Krishna argreed on the condition that the serpent leave the region.