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Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil language, Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the Brahman, supreme deity in the Vaishnavism, Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood,
An Introduction to Hinduism
' (1996). and his consort, Lakshmi, the supreme goddess. According to Ramanuja, Vaikuntha is the ''Parama Padam'' or ''Nitya Vibhuti,'' an "eternal heavenly realm", and is the "divine imperishable world that is God's abode". In Vaishnava literature, Vaikuntha is described as the highest realm above the fourteen ''lokas'' (worlds), where the devotees of Vishnu go upon achieving Moksha, liberation. It is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya-Vijaya, Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha. The army of Vishnu, stationed at Vaikuntha, is led by Vishvaksena. The planets of Vaikuntha are described to be full of golden palaces and hanging gardens that grow fragrant fruits and flowers. The planets of Vaikuntha begin 26,200,000 yojanas (209,600,000 miles) above Satyaloka. In most of the extant Puranas and Vaishnava traditions, Vaikuntha is located in the direction of the ''Makara Rashi,'' which coincides with the constellation of the Capricornus, Capricorn. One version of the cosmology states that Vishnu's eye is present at the south celestial pole, from where he watches the cosmos.
Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil language, Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the Brahman, supreme deity in the Vaishnavism, Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism
' (1996). and his consort, Lakshmi, the supreme goddess. According to Ramanuja, Vaikuntha is the ''Parama Padam'' or ''Nitya Vibhuti,'' an "eternal heavenly realm", and is the "divine imperishable world that is God's abode". In Vaishnava literature, Vaikuntha is described as the highest realm above the fourteen ''lokas'' (worlds), where the devotees of Vishnu go upon achieving Moksha, liberation. It is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya-Vijaya, Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha. The army of Vishnu, stationed at Vaikuntha, is led by Vishvaksena. The planets of Vaikuntha are described to be full of golden palaces and hanging gardens that grow fragrant fruits and flowers. The planets of Vaikuntha begin 26,200,000 yojanas (209,600,000 miles) above Satyaloka. In most of the extant Puranas and Vaishnava traditions, Vaikuntha is located in the direction of the ''Makara Rashi,'' which coincides with the constellation of the Capricornus, Capricorn. One version of the cosmology states that Vishnu's eye is present at the south celestial pole, from where he watches the cosmos.
Literature
Vedas
The Vedas do not mention Vaikuntha, but a verse in the ''Rigveda'' mentions Vishnu's feet as a potential abode:Bhagavata Purana
Vaikuntha and its characteristics are described in the Bhagavata Purana, a revered text in Vaishnavism, which was composed between the eighth and the tenth century CE, and maybe as early as the 6th century CE. Edwin Bryant (author), Edwin Bryant, in his book from 2003, comments about the verses describing Vaikuntha in the text of Bhagavata Purana: Translation of some verses in Canto 2, by Bibek Debroy:
Narayana Upanishad
The Narayana Upanishad mentions the abode:Brihad Bhagavatamrita
The Brihad Bhagavatamrita paints a picture of Vishnu's activities at Vaikuntha:
Tiruvaymoli
In the work of Nammalvar, Vaikuntha is referred to as ''Tirunatu'' (sacred land) in the Tamils, Tamil literary tradition. In Sri Vaishnavism, Sri Vaishnava tradition, this abode is listed as the one hundred and eighth, and the last of the Divya Desam, Divya Desams, the divine realms of Vishnu on earth and beyond. The verses of the Tiruvaymoli describe this abode as the following:See also
*Mount Kailash, Kailasa *Brahmaloka, Satyaloka *Kshira Sagara *Lakshmi Narayan, Lakshmi Narayana *Goloka, Goloka Vrindavana *Vaikuntha ChaturdashiReferences
Bibliography
*Dallapiccola, Anna. ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend''. . *Gail, Adalbert J. 1983. "On the Symbolism of Three- and Four-Faced Vishnu Images: A Reconsideration of Evidence." ''Artibus Asiae'' 44(4):297–307. pp. 298–99. {{heaven Vaishnavism Locations in Hindu mythology Conceptions of heaven Divya Desams