Re: Parallel History of India
he is one of the trimurti along with bramha and shiva
bramha has the role of creation,vishnu is the one maintainer or preserver by taking human avatar like ram/krishna or animal form like varha/narshima to save the universe from evil and third one being shiva the destroyer
kaur answered ur question,not every statue in temple are of stone made some are self manifestation of god himself like in case of in tirupati as well as vayu lingas
story happens like this nandi gaurdin of mount kailash doesn’t allow ravana to visit lord shiva,ravana sings shiv strota my cutting his own stomach and removing intestines he uses it has strings for veena