Reading Notes: Pattanik's "Seven Secrets of Vishnu" (Part D)

Chapter 4: Trivikrama's Secret
"Ignorance breeds insecurity and arrogance."

• Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning.
• Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity.
• When Lakshmi walks into the room, both devas (gods) and asuras (demons) give her attention and ignore Sarawati repeatedly.
• Sarawati becomes jealous, and leaves.
• Alakshmi, Lakshmi's sister, accompanies Lakshmi after Sarawati leaves.
• Alakshmi arrives --> strife --> no peace --> waning prosperity --> Lakshmi leaves
• Vishnu's always gives Lakshmi AND Sarawati equal attention. 
• Lakshmi connects him with the earthly needs of man.
• Sarawati connects him with the spiritual needs of man.
• Because he knows they do not get along, Vishnu hides Sarawati in his mouth and Lakshmi at his feet.
• Hiranyaksha (an asura) drags Bhu-devi (the Earth goddess) to the bottom of the sea and claims her - Devas complain to their father Brahma who becomes enraged.
• Brahma's nose flares and out comes a large boar with large tusks - This is Vishnu's 3rd avatar Varaha who challenges Hiranyaksha.
• Vishnu rescues Bhu-devi, and she claims him and names him the lord of the earth.
• This is why he is blue (like the day sky) and black (like the night sky).
• Varaha and Bhu-devi's intercourse was so strong it made mountains and valleys. Earth becomes "impregnated" with plants.
• A child, Naraka, was also born - He was an asura who craved power and asked Brahma for immortality - Brahma refused, and then he asked to be invulnerable on only can be killed if he attacked his mother.
• Naraka overtook the devas. - Krishna challenged him to a duel. (Krishna and his wife Satyabhama were the mortal incarnations of Vishnu and Bhu-devi AKA his parents). 
• Naraka hurled a weapon at Krishna, but it hit Satyabhama - Naraka was now vulnerable, and Krishna defeated him.

Trivikrama

Bibliography: Pattanik's "Seven Secrets of Vishnu"