Vishnu
Vishnu's skin is dark blue, he is dressed in yellow and rides on the back of Garuda (king of the birds) with his consort Lakshmi.
As Vishnu was sleeping a lotus flower grew in his naval, from it emerged the god Brahma.
Vishnu visited the earth in many forms to save it from danger. some of these are... (for more read 'A Guide to the Gods' by Richard Carlyon)
Matsya (the fish). The first man (Manu) found a small fish in his hand one day whilst washing. He placed the fish in a bowl until it grew too big when he placed it in a lake. It grew too large for the lake so he put it in the sea. The fish warned him to take two of each animal and specimens of each seed and plant and put them in a boat with his family. As he did so the whole land became flooded. Manu saw a huge golden scaled fish, his fish, Vishnu, who had saved him from the flood.
Varahavatar (the boar). With the land covered in water, the demons dived under the water and stole the earth. Vishnu changed into the shape of a boar and plunged beneath the waters using his sense of smell to locate the earth. He killed the demons who were guarding the earth and pulled it up out of the water where it emerged as a goddess.
Narasimba (the lion man). The demon Hiranyakasipu turned the gods out of heaven and declared that only he would be worshipped. The demon's son (Prahlada) however was a devout follower of Vishnu. The demon tried many ways to kill his son but the boy survived and responded by trying to convert his father. Prahlada told his father that Vishnu was in all things and Hiranyakasipu mocked him and kicked a pillar of his palace in anger. Vishnu leapt from the pillar in the shape of a lion man and savaged the demon to death.
Vishnu also visited earth in varying human forms such as Buddha, Krishna and Rama.
Adapted from 'A guide to the Gods' by Richard Carlyon
