[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Minor Religious Systems](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913) › v1.c4.s8.2 # Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Minor Religious Systems v1.c4.s8.2 Vaiṣṇavism, Śaivism and Minor Religious Systems v1.c4.s8.2 - **Language:** English ### [v1.c4.s8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913.v1.c4.s8.2) Viṣṇu, however, in spite of his comparatively subordinate position in RV. began to rise in importance in the time of the Brāhmaṇas, while during the epic and Purāṇic period he rose to the rank of the supreme spirit. The moment which seems to have been in operation during this process of elevation, was reverence for the third step or the mysterious highest abode of Viṣṇu beyond the ken of all. In the Brāhmaṇic period we have the mention of Agni as the lowest of the gods and Viṣṇu as the highest (AB. 1, 1). Then we have a story in Śatapatha-Brāhmaṇa and Taittirīya-Āraṇyaka of a sacrificial session held by the gods for the attainment of splendour, glory and food. They proposed to themselves that he amongst them, who by his deeds reached the end of the sacrifice before the others, should attain the highest place among them all. Viṣṇu reached the end before the others, and he thus became the highest of the gods; and therefore they say that Viṣṇu is the highest of the gods (ŚB. XIV, 1, 1). When this was written, Viṣṇu had already attained to the supreme dignity, and the story is invented to account for it. There is again in the same Brāhmaṇa (I, 2, 5) the story of Viṣṇu the dwarf. When the gods and Asuras were contending for a place for sacrifice, the latter agreed that they would allow as much land for the former as was equal to the size of the dwarf. Viṣṇu was then made to lie down, but gradually he grew so large as to encompass the whole earth, and so the gods got the whole earth. Here a miraculous power has been attributed to Viṣṇu, though he is not necessarily the Supreme Spirit. In the Maitri-Upaniṣad (VI, 13) food is called the form of Bhagavad-Viṣṇu, which sustains the universe. In the Kaṭha-Upaniṣad (III, 9) the progress of the human soul is compared to a journey, and the end of the path which he traverses is called the highest place of Viṣṇu (paramam padam). This is the final goal and the abode of eternal bliss, and the use of the word in this sense lends support to the view that the elevation of Viṣṇu to the dignity of the Supreme Being was due to the fact that the expression was capable of being used to denote this sense. Some time after, Viṣṇu became even a household god. In the ceremony of the seven steps contained in the marriage ritual the bridegroom has to say to the bride, when she puts forth a step: "May Viṣṇu lead you or be with you." This formula occurs in the Gṛhyasūtras of Āpastamba, Hiraṇyakeśin and Pāraskara, but not in that of Āśvalāyana. In epic times Viṣṇu grew to be in every respect the Supreme Spirit; and Vāsudeva is identified with Viṣṇu. In chapters 65 and 66 of the Bhīṣmaparvan noticed before, the Supreme Spirit is addressed as Nārāyaṇa and Viṣṇu and is identified with Vāsudeva. - [Previous: v1.c4.s8.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913.v1.c4.s8.1) - [Next: v1.c4.s8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913.v1.c4.s8.3) - [Up: v1.c4.s8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913.v1.c4.s8) ## Linked texts (7) - [Aitareyabrāhmaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya.1.1) — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit - [Kaṭhopaniṣad](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.upanisad.mukhya.katha.3.9) — Sanskrit - [Maitrāyaṇīyopaniṣad](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.upanisad.mukhya.maitri.6.13) — Sanskrit - [Śatapathabrāhmaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.satapatha.14.1.1) — Yājñavalkya & Śāṇḍilya (Vedic teacher), Sanskrit - [Taittirīyāraṇyaka](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.aranyaka.taittiriya) — Sanskrit - [Mahābhārata](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Ṛgvedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.rg) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913.v1.c4.s8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bhandarkar-1913.v1.c4.s8.2) · Pramāṇa