Vishnu is the most popular god in India. Brahma pretty much retired when he finished creating the world. Shiva is just sitting around in meditation till the day when he's supposed to destroy the universe. So for now, according to his devotees, Vishnu is in charge.
Vishnu maintains law and order in the universe. This sometimes entails getting down and dirty. So from time to time when things get particularly out of hand down here on planet Earth, Vishnu takes on a human body- or whatever other from works best for him under the circumstances- and sets things straight. Rama and Krishna, the heroes of the Ramayana and Mahabharata whom you've already met in Chapter 5, " The People's Religion", were human incarnations of Vishnu.
I'll devote most of Chapter 14, " Avatars : Gods in Human Form", to telling you about Vishnu's adventures in his various incarnations. Vishnu preserves the world by ensuring that divine law, including the law of karma, continues to act in the world. He is the great hero, the supreme champion, because you can count on his aid when you are acting for the benefit of the world, as Arjuna counted on Krishna during the war in the Mahabharata.
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