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Vishnu took the female role of Mohini during Samudra Manthan(churning of the ocean). Few misinterpret it to be gay interest of Hindu God Vishnu and that prompts some Hindu Godmen/sannyasis to fool young devotees. Is it right?

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  • Possible duplicate of Why and how did Lord Shiva fall in love with Mohini?
    – The Destroyer
    Jun 5, 2017 at 10:42
  • 3
    First of all Lord Vishnu is not human to apply human laws or human tendencies. Don't see things from human perspective. He is Sat-Chit-Ananda who can manifest to any form at His own will. He is above three Guna and Prakriti or Maya.
    – The Destroyer
    Jun 5, 2017 at 10:44
  • It is not right. If it were, then Vishnu would have to have retained his male form, no?
    – user1195
    Jun 5, 2017 at 12:40
  • @moonstar2001.. yeah, it's like asking "if a woman was a man in her previous life, can she marry a man now..", avatara is like a new birth, and your gender in your current birth is all that matters. and oh man, what kind of questions are appearing on this site.. signs of kali i guess
    – mar
    Jun 6, 2017 at 4:17
  • @ram It is a result of holding modern , "western" ideology superior to Hindu ideology. Hinduism - the sanatana and the purana (puratanam evam navyam api) - is being measured against the ever-changing ideologies of the current zeitgeist that is subject to whims and trigger-happy sensitivities.
    – user1195
    Jun 6, 2017 at 6:13

1 Answer 1

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Few MISINTERPRET it to be Gay Interest of Hindu God Vishnu & that prompts some Hindu Godmen/sannyasis.

No , the story of Lord Vishnu’s Mohini Avatara is not to be interpreted as said by you above OR those who are interpreting it in some different way.

Lord Vishnu took two Mohinhi Avataras 1) During churning of the ocean & 2) To show it to lord Shiva.

Lets first look at Mohini avatara clarification from Churning of Ocean part.SB 8.8 The Churning of the Milk Ocean.

During the churning of the ocean process Lord Dhanvantari came out from the ocean with the jug of nectar (Amruta). The demons, desiring the jug and its contents, immediately snatched it away by force. When the jug of nectar was carried off by the demons, the demigods were morose. Thus they sought shelter at Lord Vishnu. And then Lord Vishnu assured gods that - “Do not be aggrieved. By My own energy I shall bewilder the demons by creating a quarrel among them. In this way I shall fulfill your desire to have the nectar.

धन्वन्तरिरिति ख्यात आयुर्वेदद्रुगिज्यभाक् |
तमालोक्यासुरा: सर्वे कलशं चामृताभृतम् ||३५||

dhanvantarir iti khyāta āyur-veda-dṛg ijya-bhāk | tam ālokyāsurāḥ sarve kalasaṁ cāmṛtābhṛtam 

Upon seeing Dhanvantari carrying the jug of nectar, the demons, desiring the jug and its contents, immediately snatched it away by force.SB 8.8.35


लिप्सन्त: सर्ववस्तुनि कलशं तरसाहरन् |
नियमानेsसुरैस्तस्मिन्कलशेsमृतभाजने ||३६||
विषण्णमनसो देवा हरिं शरनमाययु: |

lipsantaḥ sarva-vastūni kalasaṁ tarasāharan | nīyamāne ’surais tasmin kalase ’mṛta-bhājane |  viṣaṇṇa-manaso devā hariṁ śaraṇam āyayuḥ ||

When the jug of nectar was carried off by the demons, the demigods were morose. Thus they sought shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari.  SB 8.8.36


इति तदैन्यमालोक्य भगवान्भुत्यकामकृत |
मा ख्यिदयत मिथोर्थ व: सधयिश्ये स्वमायया ||३७||

iti tad-dainyam ālokya bhagavān bhṛtya-kāma-kṛt  mā khidyata mitho ’rthaṁ vaḥ sādhayiṣye sva-māyayā 

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always desires to fulfill the ambitions of His devotees, saw that the demigods were morose, He said to them, “Do not be aggrieved. By My own energy I shall bewilder the demons by creating a quarrel among them. In this way I shall fulfill your desire to have the nectar.”SB 8.8.37

So its quite clear that Lord Vishnu took the Monhini avatara during Samudra Manthana , because daityas forcibly took /aquaired the jar of nectar denying its part of share to gods . Lord Vishnu took this avatara as confuse daityas and to bring back the jar of nectar. And not of gay interest .


The clarification and the purpose of Lord Vishnu’s Second Mohini avatara which he showed to Lord Mahadeva is explained in Shreemad Bhagvat purana .SB 8.12 The Mohinī-mūrti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Śiva.

Once Lord Mahdeva wished to see Lord Vishnu’s Yog-Maya and beautiful young female form (Mohini Avtara). And was very eager to see that form. So Lord Mahadeva requested to show this form to Lord vishnu.

अवतारा मया दृष्टा रममाणस्य ते गुणै: |
सोsहं तद् द्रष्टुमिच्छामि यत् ते योषिव्दपुर्धुतम् ||१२||

avatārā mayā dṛṣṭā ramamāṇasya te guṇaiḥ 
so ’haṁ tad draṣṭum icchāmi yat te yoṣid-vapur dhṛtam

My Lord, I have seen all kinds of incarnations You have exhibited by Your transcendental qualities, and now that You have appeared as a beautiful young woman, I wish to see that form of Your Lordship. SB 8.12.12


येन संमोहिता दैत्या: पयिताच्श्रामृतं सुरा |
तद् दिद्रुक्षव आयाता: परं कौतुहलं हि न: ||१३||

yena sammohitā daityāḥ pāyitāś cāmṛtaṁ surāḥ
tad didṛkṣava āyātāḥ paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ

My Lord, we have come here desiring to see that form of Your Lordship which You showed to the demons to captivate them completely and in this way enable the demigods to drink nectar. I am very eager to see that form.SB 8.12.13

Then Lord Vishu Replied thus and took the form of beautiful women (Mohini which he took during Churning of Ocean) -:

तत्तेsहं दर्शयिष्यामि दिद्रुक्षो: सुरसत्तम |
कामिनां बहु मन्तव्यं सङ्कल्पप्रभवोदयम् ||१६||

tat te ’haṁ darśayiṣyāmi didṛkṣoḥ sura-sattama 
kāmināṁ bahu mantavyaṁ saṅkalpa-prabhavodayam 

O best of the demigods, I shall now show you My form that is very much appreciated by those who are lusty. Since you want to see that form, I shall reveal it in your presence.SB 8.12.16

But Afterall all this was just a Maya of Lord Vishnu created to let Lord Mahdeva familiar with the Maya , which irresistible OR impossible to break. And he Warns Mahadeva about this which is also stated in this chapter .

आत्मानं मोचयित्वाग्ड. सुरर्षभभुजान्तरात |
प्राद्रवत्सा पृथुश्रोणि माया देवनिर्मिता ||३०||

ātmānaṁ mocayitvāṅga surarṣabha-bhujāntarāt 
prādravat sā pṛthu-śroṇī māyā deva-vinirmitā 

O King, this woman, who had large, high hips, was a woman of yoga-māyā presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB 8.12.30

and then Lord Mahadeav gets become perplexed and confused. Even though knowing his abilities and capability , this also a kind of leela of Lord Mahdeva to get Bewailed by Maya. And the moral of the story is to tell us that - A devotee should not be agitated under any circumstances.

दिष्ट्या त्वं विभुधश्रेष्ठ स्वां निष्ठात्मना स्थित: |
यन्मे स्त्रीरुपया स्वैरं मोहितोsप्यग्ड. मायया ||३८||

diṣṭyā tvaṁ vibudha-śreṣṭha svāṁ niṣṭhām ātmanā sthitaḥ yan me strī-rūpayā svairaṁ mohito ’py aṅga māyayā 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best of the demigods, although you have been amply harassed because of My potency in assuming the form of a woman, you are established in your position. Therefore, may all good fortune be upon you. SB 8.12.38

And this is the actual meaning of the above shloka - : After being amply harassed by Lord Viṣṇu’s potency, Lord Śiva resumed his normal, unagitated condition. This is the position of a devotee. A devotee should not be agitated under any circumstances, even in the worst reverse.

So the story tells us that How powerful this Maya is and what great efforts one should need to overcome this maya and how difficult its is.

This is the way the story is to be interpreted and not as stated in question or told by somebody else as stated by you.

Conclusion -: And the Mohini Avatara is not supporting Homosexuality at all

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