Debutant Josh Hazlewood was unable to complete his first over with the second new ball, having also been taken off earlier in the final session for assessment.
Mitchell Starc was clearly distressed by the heat during the second-session drinks break, leaving the park alongside team doctor Peter Brukner.
Starc returned to the attack, but every one of Australia's bowlers was well and truly cooked after a long day in the field.
Even Vijay, who batted for five and a half hours, cramped late in his innings and reined in the running between the wickets.
He eventually fell charging Nathan Lyon, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin snaffling an edge and also having enough time to take off the bails.
The damage had been done.
It was the equal highest Test score at the venue by an Indian.
He was only the 10th foreign opener to face 200 balls or more in an innings at the Gabba.
The hosts had two overs with the second new ball, but failed to create a breakthrough with Ajinkya Rahane finishing 75 not out and Rohit Sharma on 26.
Vijay backed up MS Dhoni's decision to bat first, continuing his strong form after scoring 53 and 99 in the first Test.
Johnson made life uncomfortable for Vijay with a salvo of short stuff in the morning.
Vijay looked particularly ungainly while fending a bouncer away during Johnson's second over, but the ball popped up over short leg Chris Rogers and fell safely.
But he put on a 56-run opening stand with Shikhar Dhawan - the best effort by a touring side in a Brisbane Test since 2003.
The high humidity led in part to a change of ball in the ninth over, with the original Kookaburra soggy with sweat and already out of shape.
Hazlewood and Mitch Marsh both celebrated their maiden Test wickets before suffering injuries.
Marsh captured the first wicket in the 14th over, Dhawan caught behind for 24 after playing a loose stroke to a wide ball.
Hazlewood's steepling bounce removed Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli - both caught behind after making starts.
The NSW paceman's first Test wicket came courtesy of a slice of luck - the ball deflected off Pujara's helmet and not his gloves or bat.
