Is there any scripture that tells story about Lord Vishnu and MahaVishnu?

Question

As per the Shiva Purana, there is a main God Shiva who is Nirakara and thereafter his physical manifestation who is known as Shankara. I know that different Hindu texts about different Gods treat their God as the Supreme nirakaar God, e.g. Mahavishnu, Parabramha, Devi Shakti, etc who created the other Gods and started the universe. I wanted to know whether such story exists in the case of Lord Vishnu as well that there is a Mahavishnu and then there is (are) Vishnu(s). I think such story exists but I have not read such Lord Vishnu-related texts. Can anybody please let me know if there is such extract anywhere in Hindu texts which tells the existence of both MahaVishnu and Vishnu? Also, please don't confuse Vishnu with his later incarnations such as Lord Rama or Lord Krishna.

Answer 1

First of all, yes, there is a notion of a greater Vishnu and a lesser Vishnu. This concept is expressed in simplest terms in this chapter of the Vishnu Purana:

Affecting then the quality of activity, Hari, the lord of all, himself becoming Brahmá, engaged in the creation of the universe. Vishńu with the quality of goodness, and of immeasurable power, preserves created things through successive ages, until the close of the period termed a Kalpa; when the same mighty deity, Janárddana, invested with the quality of darkness, assumes the awful form of Rudra, and swallows up the universe. Having thus devoured all things, and converted the world into one vast ocean, the Supreme reposes upon his mighty serpent couch amidst the deep: he awakes after a season, and again, as Brahmá, becomes the author of creation. Thus the one only god, Janárddana, takes the designation of Brahmá, Vishńu, and Śiva, accordingly as he creates, preserves, or destroys.

So we have a supreme Vishnu who reposes upon a serpent couch, and he manifests himself as a lesser Vishnu, the god of preservation (and as Brahma and Shiva as well).

But for more precision on all this we must turn to Pancharatra philosophy, which lies at the heart of mainstream Vaishnavism. As I discuss in this answer, the Pancharatra movement began with the sage Narayana, an ancient incarnation of Vishnu who was the son of Yama god of death and twin brother of the sage Nara. Narayana is said to have "become all things" after doing a five-day (Pancharatra) Yagna, so people started following Pancharatra texts to worship him. Since the Pancharatra texts originated with Narayana, they are fundamental to pretty much all mainstream Vaishnava sects. Among the oldest Pancharatra texts are the Satvata Samhita, the Jayakhya Samhita, and the Ahirbudhyna Samhita.

But there's a Pancharatra text that's even older than these and it's found in the Mahabharata! It's called the Narayaniya, and it's an 18-chapter religious discourse between Yudhisthira and Bhishma found in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, similar to the Bhagavad Gita, another 18-chapter discourse between Arjuna and Krishna found in the Bhishma Parva. In any case, here is what Vishnu tells Narada in the Narayaniya portion of the Shanti Parva:

Assuming a form that is manifest, I dwell, at present, in the heavens. At the end of a thousand Yugas I shall once more with-draw the universe into myself. Having withdrawn all creatures, mobile and immobile into myself, I shall exist all alone with knowledge only for my companion. After the lapse of ages I shall again create the universe, with the aid of that knowledge. That which is my fourth form creates the indestructible Sesha. That Sesha is called by the name of Sankarshana. Sankarshana creates Pradyumna. From Pradyumna I take birth myself as Aniruddha. I create (myself) repeatedly. From Aniruddha springs Brahma. The latter takes birth from Aniruddha's navel. From Brahma spring all creatures mobile and immobile. Know that Creation springs in this way repeatedly at the beginning of every Kalpa.

This is a good delineation of the various forms of Vishnu (see this Wikipedia article for more details). First of all, there is the supreme Vishnu known as Para Vasudeva, who dwells in Vishnu's highest abode of Paramapadam. From him manifests the four Vyuha forms of Vishnu: Vyuha Vasudeva, who dwells in the ocean of milk and is visible to the gods; Sankarshana, from whom emerges Vishnu's serpent Adiseshan and who is ultimately responsible for the destruction of the Universe (the Srimad Bhagavatam calls him the heart of Shiva); Pradyumna, who is responsible for the day-to-day preservation of the Universe; and Aniruddha (whom I discuss here), the thousand-armed form of Vishnu from whose navel came the lotus flower containing Brahma. Note that it's not a coincidence that these are the names of Krishna, his brother Balarama, his son Pradyumna, and his grandson Aniruddha; all four Vyuha forms incarnated in the Yadava race.

The Pancharatra distinction I described above are the ones universally accepted across the different sects of Vaishnavism, but I should mention that the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, which includes the popular organization ISKCON, makes further distinctions. This is based on a Gaudiya Vaishnava text called the Satvata Tantra, which says this:

Vishnu has three forms called purusas. The first, Maha-Vishnu, is the creator of the total material energy (mahat), the second is Garbhodasayi, who is situated within each universe, and the third is Ksirodasyi, who lives in the heart of every living being.

So the idea is that you have countless Brahmandas or Universe, each ruled by its own Garbhodasayi Vishnu, and all these Vishnus are manifested from one being called Mahavishnu (whom Gaudiya Vaishnavas believe is himself an expansion of Krishna).

By the way, you also asked whether Vishnu has a formless aspect. Yes, he does; in the chapter of the Shanti Parva I linked to above, Vishnu also tells Narada this:

I am known as Purusha. Without acts, I am the Twenty-fifth. Transcending attributes, I am entire and indivisible. I am above all pairs of opposite attributes and freed from all attachments. This, O Narada, thou wilt fail to understand. Thou beholdest me as endued with a form. In a moment, if the wish arises, I can dissolve this form. I am the Supreme Lord and the Preceptor of the universe. That which thou beholdest of me, O Narada, is only an illusion of mine. I now seem to be endued with the attributes of all created things. Thou art not competent to know me. I have disclosed to thee duly my quadruple form. I am, O Narada, the Doer, I am Cause, and I am Effect. I am the sum-total of all living creatures. All living creatures have their refuge in me. Let not the thought be thine that thou hast seen the Kshetrajna. I pervade all things. O Brahmana, and am the Jiva-Soul of all creatures. When the bodies of all creatures, however, are destroyed, I am not destroyed.

Answer 2

Narayana

If you are Talking about the Order of Various manifestations of Lord Vishnu, then it is the most complex of all deities, where Trideva murty or the Kshtrejana Purusha Is Order wise, the form of the Lord within a particular universe and manifests on the prayers of Rudra and brahma, to perform the task of preservation. Further, the term "MahaVisnu" has been used for several murtys of Narayana, which includes the Trideva murty as well. Also, if I may state, all forms of Bhagvana are eternal, which arise from the self-differentiation of the Bhagavadrupa. They exist perpetually and are never destroyed. During various levels of Sṛṣṭi, a particular form may become sthūla from the original sūkṣma, may eternally remain sūkṣma and so on. The forms of Ekapādavibhuti undergo the changes of sthūla-sūkṣma, but the forms of Tripādavibhuti do not, since Tripāda is imperishable (as said by Mudgala Upanishad and Narayana Atharvasirsa).

Primarily exists only the Caitanya-svarūpa of Śrīman Nārāyaṇa. This is recognized as the Nityodita form, the ever-absolute being, constituting both cit and acit tattvas.

आदिमध्यान्तरहितम् अवृद्धिक्षयम् अच्युतम् ॥ नित्यं निरुपमं ज्योतिर् नित्यतृप्तं निरञ्जनम् । सर्वाकारं निराकारं तमसः परम् अव्ययम् ॥ ~Padma Saṃhita Jñānapāda 2.6–7

Then the Divyamūrti of Bhagavān divides into three primordial forms in Tripādavibhuti - The Dvibhuja murty "द्विहस्तम् एकवक्त्रं च शुद्धस्फटिकसन्निभम्" ~Padma Saṃhita Jñānapāda 2.8, the form worshipped by Ramananadis, Nimbarkas, Vallabhas, radhavallabhas etc, the Four handed form "एकवक्त्रश् चतुर्बाहुश् चक्राद्यायुधलक्षणः" ~Padma Saṃhita Jñānapāda 2.13 ,which we generally know of and the Four handed four headed form "चतुर्वक्त्रं सुनयनं सुकान्तं पद्मपाणिनम् । वैकुण्ठं नरसिह्मास्यं वाराहं कपिलाननम्" ~Jayākhya Saṃhita 6.73–74. There is no hierarchy in these forms and are the primordial forms of Paravasudeva. These various forms represent the all-mighty being and the primary forms, associated with various domains within Tripādavibhuti i.e. Goloka, Sāketa, etc.

Now from these Śāntoditya murtys, arise the Vyuha Vāsudeva. From Vyuha Vāsudeva further arise the Triplet forms of Sankarṣaṇa murty, Pradyumna murty and Aniruddha murty. These are the Quadruple expansion in the Tripādvibhūti and are thus known as the Paravyuhas of Tripāda. Discussing other maifestations of the Lord too, Vāsudeva himself is Ādi-kāla, that which subsumes all. There exist three other manifestations of Kāla, regarding whom agamas say :-

स्थूलः सूक्ष्मः परः कालस्त्रिविधो न परात्मनि वासुदेवे परे ब्रह्मण्यवगाहनमरहति | स्थूलो लवादिमान कालः सूक्ष्मस्तत्त्वनिरूपकः व्यूहानां चेष्टितव्यापी परः कालो निरूप्यते |

Time (kāla) is threefold: gross (sthūla), subtle (sūkṣma), and supreme (para). These distinctions do not apply to the Supreme Self (parātman). The gross time (sthūla) consists of units such as moments (lava) and others. The subtle time (sūkṣma) determines the principles (tattvas). The supreme time (para kāla) encompasses the activities and extent of the manifestations (vyūhas). ~ Ahirbudya samhita

Thus Para-kāla manifests in Nityavibhūti, sūkṣma-kāla manifests from Māyākośa of Vaiṣṇavi-māyā or Bahiraṅga-śakti and occupies its position within Pañcakañcukas of Kāla, Kalā, Rāga, Vidyā, and Niyatī and sthūla-kāla is that which is present as minutes, seconds etc.

Further then within Tripādvibhūti itself, from Paravyuha Aniruddha, manifests the Pañcamapuruṣa Viṣṇu, with his consort Devī Pañcamī. This divine couple is the Sovereign of Ekapāda, and albeit they are technically residents of Tripāda, since the Pañcamapuruṣa comes in contact with Mūlaprakṛti, he is also part of Ekapāda. They manage all the occurrences within the Līlāvibhūti, including the manifestations of the Pañcakarṇaeśvara.

Now, delving into Tripādvibhūti Vyuhas is frankly, not possible. Infinite Vyuhas and Vyuhantaras arise in the Spiritual Realm of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha, to maintain a tally of all the Bhagavadrupas will be a Herculean task, one which no one can perform, not to mention further Vibhavāvataras, which arise as attendants to Bhagavān in his various lilās. All of these manifestations occur by the śaktikośa of Vaiṣṇavi-māyā{There are six kośas of Vaiṣṇavi-māyā in totality ref—Lakṣmī-tantra 6.3–4).

Now moving to Ekapāda. From Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa evolves another set of Caturvyuhas in the Ekapāda i.e. the Mahāvyuhas of Ekapāda in Kārya Vaikuṇṭha. Here Vāsudeva has three spouses: Mahālakṣmī; Vāgvādinī Sarasvatī; and Sureśvarī Gaṅgā. At the pinnacle of Kārya Vaikuṇṭha is Pañcamapuruṣa Hari. Then from Pañcamapuruṣa Hari arises the first Puruṣa avatāra of Mahāviṣṇu i.e. Kāraṇodakśāyī Viṣṇu who lies in the Kāraṇa ocean, whose glance upon the various universes permeates them with the tattvas, Kāla and jivas(viṣṇos tu trīṇi rūpāṇi puruṣākhyāny atho viduḥ ekaṁ tu mahataḥ sraṣṭṛ). The secondary manifestation of Hari is Kṣetrajña i.e. Garbhodhakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Garbhodhakaśāyī Viṣṇu further has his own Vyuhas which preside over manas, ahaṃkāra etc(saṅkarṣaṇo jīvanāma pradyumno mana ucyate || ahaṅkāro'niruddhaḥ syātteṣāṃ prakṛtirucyate |)

This Kṣetrajña however lies below the Rudratejomūrtis lying in the Śuddhavidya plane as is visible from Padma Saṃhita(क्षेत्रज्ञश्च शिवो ब्रह्मा पुरुषस्तदनन्तरम्—Here Puruṣa represents Pañcamapuruṣa Hari). He is frequently referred to as Vyāpi Nārāyana.

It is further said in the Indrarātra 6.39–40 that Viṣṇu is said to be established in Tamasa, Mahāviṣṇu in Rajas, and Sadāviṣṇu in sattva(also Devi Bhāgavata—सत्त्वमूर्त्तिः सदा विष्णुः सेव्यः स योगिनामपि). Thus, Viṣṇu here would refer to Kālāgni Rudra-sthitha Saṅkarṣaṇāvesha, Mahaviṣṇu as Brahmā-sthitha Pradyumnavesha, and Sadāviṣṇu as Sattvadhāraka Viṣṇu(who is said to “disappear” during pralaya per Mahopanishad, given the context of the immediate verse) of Kṣetrajña. The Vyāpirupa stands superior to Sadāvishnu(who is identified as Kṣetrajña in the Rishirātra and Aniruddhasvarupa~ सदाविष्णोरच्युतस्स्याद्य्यापिनोऽंशोऽनिरुद्धकः—-Ibid 33.20).

This Sattvadhāraka Viṣṇu is Trimutyāntargata Viṣṇu i.e. one in the Trimurti along with Brahmā and Kālāgni Rudra, is known as Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. Bhārgavi Lakṣmī happens to be the wife of Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. She was born from Mahālakṣmī's ray of Vaikuṇṭha. Mahābhārata explains how from Aniruddha i.e. Kṣetrajña expand Brahmā and from his anger Rudra. Then he himself incarnates as Sattvadhāraka Viṣṇu for Sthiti as Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.22.21 itself demarcates Hari as the sole performative deity of Sthiti i.e. none except Śrī Rukmiṇīpati can perform Sthiti~न हि पालनसामर्थ्यमृते सर्वेश्वरं हरिम् । स्थितं स्थितौ महाप्राज्ञ भवत्यन्यस्य कस्यचित् ॥. From the navel-lotus of Kṣetrajña expands Brahmā and from his forehead expands Rudra. Further from the forehead of Brahmā manifest the Ekādasha Rudra for destruction~

तस्मात्सर्वाः प्रवर्तन्ते सर्गप्रलयविक्रियाः । ततो यज्ञश्च यष्टा च पुराणः पुरुषो विराट् ॥१४॥ अनिरुद्ध इति प्रोक्तो लोकानां प्रभवाप्ययः ॥१४॥ ब्राह्मे रात्रिक्षये प्राप्ते तस्य ह्यमिततेजसः । प्रसादात्प्रादुरभवत्पद्मं पद्मनिभेक्षण ॥१५॥ तत्र ब्रह्मा समभवत्स तस्यैव प्रसादजः ॥१५॥ अह्नः क्षये ललाटाच्च सुतो देवस्य वै तथा । क्रोधाविष्टस्य सञ्जज्ञे रुद्रः संहारकारकः ॥१६॥~Mahābhārata 12.341.14–16

The Trimurti Viṣṇu(which is an aṃśāṃśa of Paravāsudeva~एवं सर्वेऽवताराः श्रीरामचन्द्रचरण रेखाभ्यः समुद्भवन्ति तथाSनन्त कोटि विष्ण्वश्च चतुर्व्यूहश्च समुद्द्वन्ति एवमपराजितेश्वरमपरिमिताः~Viśvaṃbhara Upaniṣad) further has its own Vyuhas, which are mentioned in Saṅkarṣaṇasaṃhitā, Jñānarātra 7.64–70 and Adirāmāyaṇa 1.56.38–40 and so on. These forms are thus mentioned in Saiva scripture like Śiva Purāṇa. The Linga Purāṇa directly names the Viṣṇumurti it discusses as Kṣetrajñasvarupa Aniruddha mūrti-rūpa(सुषेणा इति विख्याता यजंते पुरुषर्षभम् ।अनिरुद्धं मुनिश्रेष्ठाः शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् ). This is also reflected in Saiva works~सहस्रशीर्षाय क्षीरोद्रार्णवशायिने शेषभोगपर्यङ्काय गरुडवाहनाय वासुदेवाय नमः । पीतवाससे वासुदेवाय संक्रान्त प्रद्युम्नानिरुद्ध ॥~Īśānaśivagurudeva paddhati of Īśānaśiva.

The Trimurti Viṣṇu is known as Kūṭastha-puruṣa which is the sum total of all Kūṭastha caitanya in a universe(Siddhāntaratnāvalī of Nimbārka Sampradāya~तृतीयः पुरुषः क्षीरोदशायी व्यष्टि विराडन्तर्यामी अनिरुद्धांश: समष्टि देहान्तरात्मा~❝The third Puruṣa, Kṣīrodaśāyī, is a part of Aniruddha, who is the antaryāmī of the individual Virāṭ. He is the indwelling soul of the collective body❞). This Kūṭastha-puruṣa dissolves in Aniruddha Kṣetrajña(kūṭasthapuruṣasyāniruddhe layaḥ~Ahirbudhnya saṃhita). The other two forms of Īśvara and Sadāshiva among the Pañcakarṇaeśvara, they manifest directly from Paraśiva.

Thus ends the Vyuha-mūrtyutpatti that begins from Paravāsudeva and ends with Kūṭastha-puruṣa and its Vyastis. This was quite complex, to say the least and required reconciliations and evidence from several shāstras plus it should be noted that this answer was meant to be as brief as possible and the actual vyuha rachna is Way more complex.