230 (Throughout B/W Illustrations) Authors Note It is significant that the stories of Vishnu rose to prominence after the rise of Buddhism. Prior to that Hinduism was the religion of the elite based complex rituals known as yagna and esoteric speculations captured in texts known as the Aranyakas and the Upanishads. These seemed very distant to the common man who focused on fertility rituals worship of plants and animals and nature. Buddhism spoke directly to the common man in the language of the people and addressed every day concerns. It naturally became very popular. But the Buddhist worldview leaned towards Monasticism. By contrast the Hindu worldview made room for both the hermit and the householder. To fire the imagination of the people moving towards monasticism this had to be communicated using a tool that the masses relished stories. Stories of Vishnu communicate the hindu worldview from the point of view of the householder. This is complemented by stories of Shiva that communicate an equally valid but alternate viewpoint that of the hermit. Since both Vishnu and shiva were forms of God both worldviews that of the Householder and that of the hermit were held in equal regard. To ensure that these stories were not reduced to entertainment they were deemed sacred and anchored with symbols and rituals. The symbols and rituals of Vishnu are different from the symbols and rituals of Shiva. For example Vishnu is visualized bedecked in gold while Shiva is worshipped smeared in ash Vishnu is offered sprigs of the Tulsi that is grown inside the house while shiva is offered leaves of the bilva that is grown outside the house Vishnu dances with his eyes open while Shiva dances with his eyes shut. Through these differences different ideas were communicated. Wisdom that was once restri