to be derived from Vishnu, the Godhead of the Vaishnavite tradition. He is the deva (or deity) who represents the Protector aspect of the trimurti of Creation, Protection, and Destruction, personified as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva in the Vedic tradition. There are many stories and depictions of Vishnu, as avatars Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Balaji et cetera. The practice of Shaktism, worship of the Divine Mother, has replaced Brahma worship as the third major branch of Hindu henotheism. In the henotheistic and monotheistic Vaishnavite perspectives, Vishnu is the Supreme Lord of all, encompassing and manifesting the Shiva and Shakti aspects of God within his essence the all-powerful loving, caring Protector. Vishnu's stride The Sanskrit word -krama is a root word meaning "step or stride", so the name Vikrama can be understood to mean Vishnu's stride in itself, or as a name which reflects the qualities of Vishnu's stride. In Vedic scripture, Vishnu's stride is said to be over the Earth, the Sky, and the all-pervading omnipresent essence of the Universe. Connection to Lakshmi Among the many personifications of the Divine Mother is Lakshmi, Vishnu's wife. According to Shaktism, a man's wife is the source of his shakti, or loving, divine energy. In this sense, Lakshmi powers Vishnu's Stride, and the name Vikrama may be interpreted as signifying the active male expression of shakti. Connection to Surya In the Vedas, Vishnu's stride is also depicted as the rising, setting, and absence of the sun. The deity Surya is the primary name for the sun deity, one of the most ancient in the Hindu tradition. This name literally means: Sur: Sun ya: present infinitive verb modifier Surya's name can be loosely translated literally as "the moving of the sun". In this sense, the deity Surya is then metaphorically one personification Vishnu's stride. In Smartism, Surya is commonly believed to be another manifestation of Vishnu, and is worshipped as a deity in his own right. Vishnu himself In addition to most literally referring to Vishnu's stride, the name Vikram appears in Hindu scripture as an alternate name of Vishnu himself. Appearances in Vishnu Sahasranama Vikram appears one of the first few names in the Vishnu Sahasranama—a tributary series of lyrics that sing the praise of Vishnu and ascribe one thousand and eight names (Sahasranama) to Him—each describing a quality of his perceived magnificence. The following quotes are from this complete listing and interpretation of