Vishnu says to Parvati: You are Vishnu māyā. Many surprising identities for 'Vishnu Māyā'

[V Subrahmanian]

In this chapter of the Brahma vaivarta Purana, Vishnu, who comes in the guise of a Brahmana, begging food, addresses Parvati and says:

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/145w

तस्मान्नारायणे भक्तिं देहि मामम्बिके सदा ।।
न भवेद्विष्णुभक्तिश्च विष्णुमाये त्वया विना ।।८०।।

English Translation:
Therefore, O Ambikā, always grant me devotion to Nārāyaṇa.
Without you, O Viṣṇu-māyā, devotion to Viṣṇu does not arise.

This epithet 'Vishnumāya' is very popular.  In the Lalita Sahasra Nama we have this name.  
 

ब्रह्मवैवर्तपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (गणपतिखण्डः)/अध्यायः १५

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/1463

साम्प्रतं जगतां माता विष्णुमाया सनातनी।।
सर्वाद्या विष्णुमाया च सर्वदा विष्णुमङ्गला ।। ३१ ।।
शैलेन्द्रपत्नीगर्भे सा चालभज्जन्म भारते ।।
दारुणं च तपस्तप्त्वा सम्प्रापच्छङ्करं पतिम् ।। ३२ ।। Parvati identity.

Narada purana: 

एतस्मिन्नंतरे विप्र सहसा कृष्णदेहतः ।।
आविर्बभूव सा दुर्गा विष्णुमाया सनातनी ।। ८३-१७ ।।

she is Radha:

त्वं देवि जगतां माता विष्णुमाया सनातनी ।।
कृष्णमायादिदेवी च कृष्णप्राणाधिके शुभे ।। ८३-४६ ।।

कृष्णभक्तिप्रदे राधे नमस्ते मंगलप्रदे ।।
इति सम्प्रार्थ्य सर्वेशीं स्तुत्वा हृदि विसर्जयेत् ।। ८३-४७ ।।

एवं यो भजते राधां सर्वाद्यां सर्वमंगलाम् ।।
भुक्त्वेह भोगानखिलान्सोऽन्ते गोलोकमाप्नुयात् ।। ८३-४८ ।।

Matsya purana:  

मत्स्यपुराणम्/अध्यायः १९३  

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/49n

एवं तु वदतो देवीं भृगुतीर्थमनुत्तमम्।
न जानन्ति नरा मूढा विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः ।। १९३.६०

Kalika purana:

कालिकापुराणम्/अध्यायः ५

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/4eu

तथा तथा भविष्यामि यथा मम सुता स्वयम् ।
विष्णुमाया भवेत् पत्नी भूत्वा शम्भोर्महात्मनः ॥८॥  Shiva patni. 

In this purana She is Prakriti, the cause of creation, the consort of the Trimurtis, vishva rupa, Para Brahma. 

ब्रह्मवैवर्तपुराणम्/खण्डः २ (प्रकृतिखण्डः)/अध्यायः ६६

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/154c  Here Vishnumaya is Trimurti's shakti.

ब्रह्माणी माहेश्वरी च विष्णुमाया च वैष्णवी ।।
भद्रदा भद्रकाली च सर्वलोकभयंकरी ।।१८।।

भविष्यपुराणम् /पर्व ३ (प्रतिसर्गपर्व)/खण्डः ४/अध्यायः ०५

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/i0h  Vishnumaya became Mahakāli and Maha Gowri

विष्णुवांछानुसारेण विष्णुमाया सनातनी ।।
रचित्वा विविधाँल्लोकान्महाकाली बभूव ह ।।३२।।

नमस्तस्यै महाकाल्यै विष्णुमाये नमो नमः ।।
महागौरि नमस्तुभ्यमस्मान्पाहि भयान्वितान् ।।३४।।

Vishnu purana:

विष्णुपुराणम्/पञ्चमांशः/अध्यायः ३०

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/1ssa

ब्रह्माद्याःसकला देवा मनुष्याः पशवस्तथा ।
विष्णुमायामहावर्तमोहान्धतमसावृताः ॥ ५,३०.१७ ॥

In this way, the term 'vishnumāya' is seen to be - the consort of Shiva, the shakti of the Trimurtis, Radha, Krishna's sister, Prakriti, etc. In the Bhagavadgita we have the term 'yogamāya'. Shankara uses the term vaishnavi māyā to refer to the same power. In the Vishnu Purana, Prakriti is said to be the mother of Krishna and also his consort. 

warm regards

subbu 

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[Aravinda Rao]

Namaste Subbuji, 

A lot of useful information, as usual. I keep reading puranas now and then but I find that the identity of Vishnu maya is very difficult to establish by the study of Puranas. Each tradition had its own approach regarding the hierarchy of deities. The advaitic understanding of maya seems to be the safest and least confusing. I read puranas from a sociological perspective, to find things which are useful for explaining the present day criticisms on issues such as the status of women, the caste conflicts and many others.. 

Regards, 

Aravinda Rao

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[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Subbuji,

In Tantra Lord Krishna is the male form of Mother Kali, the first of the ten Mahavidyas, of Mother Parvati. Their complexion is dark as they have to create the world, consisting of all the colours.

I also understand that Lord Krishna took Arjun to the Bhadrakali temple, before the Mahabharata war. She blessed Arjun and assured him that with the company of Lord Krishna, he has nothing to worry.

Regards,

Sunil KB