Viśvaksena

2. Viśvaksena / Visvaksena

viśvaksenas-tantra mūrtir-viditaḥ pārṣadādhipaḥ |

Viśvaksena, the chief of the attendants, is the embodiment of the Tantras. (S.B. 12;11;20)

The chief of the attendants of the Lord is Viśvaksena (The-all-conqueror). He is said to represent the Āgamas which are the scriptures which deal with the ceremonial worship of the lord and all matters pertaining to temples, festivals, icons etc.

The True Scriptures consist of the Vedas (Nigamas) and the Tantras (Āgamas). Whereas Garuḍa represents the elitist Vedas, Viśvaksena is the populist Tantras.

He is sometimes shown as a “Vaiṣṇava Gaṇeśa” and sometimes in a human form similar to Viṣṇu but displaying the Tarjani mudra.