Vishnu is the divine preserver of Hinduism and the supreme being of the Hindu trinity (along with Brahma and SHIVA), the protector of the world, mankind, and the dharma (moral order). In a couple of his more famous incarnations or descents to the world (avatars) he was both Rama and KRISHNA. Vishnu is shown often as a beautiful and dark man with four arms, who might hold a conch shell (representing creation and transience), a discus or chakra (the wheel of existence), a club (authority), a Lotus (representing creation or purity), or he may simply display different hand gestures (mudras).