Sri Ramakrishna says that there can be as many spiritual paths as there are spiritual aspirants. Extending this further we can accept as its corollary that there can be as many gods as there are devotees. As long as the central fact viz that these gods are the doorways leading to the one Godhead is not forgotten polytheism pantheism henotheism orany-theism is acceptable. The bewildering variety of the Hindu gods should be viewed from this angle.

In this booklet a humble attempt has been made to unravel the symbolism of Mahavishnu and his various forms. We earnestly hope that it will provide the readers with a basic knowledge of the ten deities (Dashavatara) and rouse their curiosity to know about the other deities of the Hindu pantheon also.