Underground Shrine Queens Stepwell Patan

Author(s): Jaikishandas Sadani
Publisher: B J Institute of Learning & Research

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3. VIṢŅU AVATARAS
The divine Trinity of the Indian pantheon are Brahma, Vişņu and Śiva. When the creative urge in Lord Visņu is aroused he meditates on recreation of the universe and instantly a lotus flower blossoms forth from his naval on which is seated four-faced Brahma who becomes the creator of the great cosmos. Thus the naval of Lord Visņu is the source of all creation. All created beings after enacting their role in this vast universe, they finally submerge in Śiva. So goes on the cycle of birth, preservation and immersion. Visņu and Śiva hold a very important role in the eternal drama of creation, sustenance and annihilation that goes on in this universe. This is precisely why Visņu and Śiva are worshipped right from the Vedic period till today. Devotion to Visņu and Siva has inspired spiritual fervour in the Indians from very
ancient times.
Vişņu pervades the entire literary tradition of India which is well expressed in the Vedas, puraņas, itihasa and aesthetics. Aitareya Brahmaņa tells us that Visņu is the prime god of Yajña and all the other gods are subsidiary.
अग्निर्वै देवानामवमो विष्णुः परमः ।
तदन्तरेण सर्वाः अन्याः देवताः ॥ (ऐ. ब्रा., १.१ )
Yajurveda offers prayers to Visņu for giving warmth to the Yajñas, while Rgveda looks upon Visnu as the eye of the universe and is the highest Lord : तद् विष्णोः परमं 4. The Satapatha Brahmana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata and other literary works are resplendent with obeisance to Visņu. He indeed is the Supreme God who incarnates on this earth again and again for the welfare of all living beings. This is amply expressed in literature, paintings and sculptural images on the walls of the temples throughout the country. Visņu-images along with his several incarnations, and puranic lores have a predominent place in Queen's step-well.
Queen Udayamati herself was a devotee of Viṣņu. Her step-well is dedicated to Him. Yet she was a devotee of universal outlook and she planned to make the stepwell, an underground shrine having a complete symphony of Indian culture in which the entire pantheon of gods and goddesses, Śiva and Sakti, Vişņu and Laksmi, Gaṇeśa and Riddhi, Siddhi, Brahma and Brahmaṇī, Saints and Tapasvis, Nagakanyās