Vishnu is one of the most important gods in the Hindu pantheon. He is considered a member of the holy trinity (trimurti) of Hinduism with Brahma and Shiva. Vishnu is the Preserver and guardian of men, he protects the order of things (dharma), and he appears on earth in various incarnations (avatars) to fight demons and to maintain cosmic harmony.
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Timeline
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c. 1500 BCE - c. 500 BCEThe Vedic Period in India after a greater migration of the Indo-Aryans from Central Asia
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c. 1500 BCE - c. 500 BCEIndian scholars of the so-called Vedic Period commit the Vedas to written form; basic tenets of Hinduism are established.
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c. 400 BCE - c. 200 CEThe Bhagavad Gita, part of the Mahabharata, is written at some point between 400 BCE and 200 CE.
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954 CEThe Laksmana temple, dedicated to Vishnu, is built at Khajuraho.