Vishnu is one of the three great gods of Hinduism, together with Brahma and Shiva. People often describe the three as a set of jobs: Brahma makes the world, Shiva breaks it down, and Vishnu keeps it going. That is why Vishnu is called 'the Preserver' — the one who protects the world and puts it right when things go badly wrong.

Vishnu毗濕奴 is one of the three great gods of Hinduism是印度教三大神明之一 together with Brahma and Shiva跟梵天和濕婆並列。People often describe the three as a set of jobs人們常把這三位形容成分工 : Brahma makes the world梵天負責創造世界 Shiva breaks it down濕婆負責毀滅世界 and而 Vishnu keeps it going毗濕奴負責讓世界維持下去。That is why這就是為什麼 Vishnu is called 'the Preserver'毗濕奴被稱為「保護神」 the one who protects the world and puts it right when things go badly wrong他是那個在事情大亂時保護世界、把它導回正軌的神。

The famous idea attached to Vishnu is the avatar. When the world is in trouble, Vishnu comes down and is born into it in another form — as a fish, as a boar, as a man. These forms are his avatars, and there are usually said to be ten.

The famous idea attached to Vishnu跟毗濕奴綁在一起的著名概念 is the avatar就是化身。When the world is in trouble當世界陷入麻煩時 Vishnu comes down毗濕奴就會降臨 and是 born into it in another form以另一種形態誕生在世上 as a fish, as a boar, as a man像是化成一條魚、一頭野豬、或一個人。These forms are his avatars這些形態就是他的化身 and而且 there are usually said to be ten通常說有十個。

The two best known are Rama and Krishna, and many Hindus worship those forms directly. So if a student asks 'is Krishna the same as Vishnu?', the honest answer is: for many believers yes, Krishna is Vishnu in another body — but some traditions put Krishna first and treat Vishnu as the form, so people do differ on this, and it is worth being careful rather than flat.

The two best known最有名的兩個 are Rama and Krishna是羅摩和克里希納 and而且 many Hindus worship those forms directly很多印度教徒直接崇拜這兩個化身。So if a student asks所以如果有學生問 'is Krishna the same as Vishnu?'「克里希納跟毗濕奴是同一個嗎？」 the honest answer is老實的答案是 : for many believers yes對很多信徒來說是的 Krishna is Vishnu in another body克里希納就是毗濕奴的另一個身體 but但 some traditions put Krishna first有些傳統把克里希納放在前面 and treat Vishnu as the form把毗濕奴當成他的一個形態 so所以 people do differ on this這一點大家看法不同 and而 it is worth being careful rather than flat值得謹慎一點，不要講死。

In pictures he is usually blue-skinned with four arms, holding a conch shell, a disc, a club and a lotus. He often lies asleep on a giant snake floating on the ocean, or rides the eagle Garuda.

In pictures在圖像裡 he is usually blue-skinned with four arms他通常是藍皮膚、四隻手臂 holding a conch shell, a disc, a club and a lotus拿著法螺、輪盤、棍棒和蓮花。He often lies asleep他常常躺著睡覺 on a giant snake floating on the ocean在漂浮於海上的巨蛇身上 or或 rides the eagle Garuda騎乘神鷹迦樓羅。

Write it with a capital V — it is a name. And note that the English word 'avatar', the little picture that stands for you online, comes straight out of this religious idea: a god taking a visible form to come into the world.

Write it with a capital V要用大寫V寫 it is a name因為這是個名字。And note that而且要注意 the English word 'avatar'英文的「avatar」這個字 the little picture that stands for you online就是網路上代表你的那個小圖示 comes straight out of this religious idea直接來自這個宗教概念 : a god taking a visible form to come into the world神化成看得見的形態來到世上。