Tweet
Why is Lord Vishnu there in ocean of milk and why is he sleeping on the Adishesha?
SHANTAKARAM BHUJANGASHAYANAM PADMANABHAM SURESHAM,
VISHWADHARAM GAGAN SADRISHAM MEGHAVARNAM SHUBHANGAM |
LAKSHMIKANTAN KAMALNAYANAM YOGIMIRDHYANA GAMYAM,
VANDE VISHNUM BHAVA BHAYAHARAM SARVA LOKAIKNATHAM ||
I worship that Sri Vishnu who has a peaceful body (postures); who rests on Sheshanaga (the mighty serpant - cobra); who has a lotus in his navel, who is the base of the world, who is like the sky; who has a colour like cloud, who is the lord of Sri Lakshmi (wealth); who has eyes like lotus; who is seen by yogis in their meditation; who is the remover of all the differences and who is the only Lord of all the three Lokas (Worlds), I worship such Sri Vishnu.
Sri Vishnu rests on Sheshnag because it symbolizes that one who has reached the Ultimate Enlightenment, should be in peace and without tension or stress of mind, knowing that Sheshnag, a snake (allegorical to materialistic troubles) is hovering above him.
Lord Vishnu resting on Shesh Naag point towards two things.
1. UNAFFECTED NATURE - lord even though the protector of the whole world is unaffected by everything in this world. He is nirguna, paratpara and nirvikara. He is beyond worldly things, his vastness is beyond cognition.
2. PERMANENCE - adi Sesha stands for permanence and lord resting on adi Sesha is Himself the only entity which is permanent in this universe. Which highlights only God is permanent rest every thing is transient and subject to lord's maya.
ADI SESHA AS A FORM OF Sri VISHNU HIMSELF -
In the Bhagavadgita of Chapter 10, verse 29, Shri Krishna while describing 75 of his common manifestations, declares, "anantaś ca asmi nāgānāṁ": Of the nagas, I am Ananta.
In Valmiki Ramayana there is an incident when Lord Lakshman who is Shesha himself identifies himself to be a from Vishnu.
शक्त्याब्राह्म्या तु सौमित्रिस्ताडितोऽपि स्तनान्तरे |
विष्णोरमीमांस्यभागमात्मानं प्रत्यनुस्मरत् || ६-५९-११२
saumitriH = Lakshmana; taaDito. api. = though wounded; stanaantare = in the breast; braahmyaa = by Brahma's shaktyaa = weapon; prati anusmarat = recollected on; aatmaanam = himself; amiimamsya bhaagam = to be the inconceivable fraction; viSNoH = of Vishnu Himself.
Lakshmana, though wounded in the breast by Brahma's weapon, recollected that he was an INCONCEIVABLE FRACTION OF VISHNU HIMSELF.
So one who wants peace, must worship Sri Vishnu.
Why does Sri Vishnu rest on Sheshnag?
Brahma Purana: The second virtue (resting on the Sheshanaga) must be considered as the sub-virtue of the peaceful appearance. Scriptures describe Sheshanaga as Kala also. Sheshanaga is a highly poisonous snake. But Sri Vishnu rests on him without fear or worries. One should not to lose patience even while facing the kala itself; instead strive to ride on it, only then can one remain in peaceful appearance. If the fear overpowers, it may shatter peace. The worshipers who want salvation should be peaceful.
Why does SriVishnu rest on a Sagar (Ksheerodak, Garbhodak or Karanodak). Chanakyaneeti explains it thus.
KA CHINTA MAM JIVANE YADI HARIIVISHVAMMBHARO GEEYATE,
NO CHEDARBHAKA JIVANAY JANANISTANYAM KATHM NIRMYET |
ITYALOCHYMUHURMUHURYADUPATE LAKSHMIPATE KEWAL
TVATPADAMSHUJASEVANEN SATATAM KALOMAYA NEEYATE ||
If God Hari Vishnu is known as VISHVAMBHAR (feeder of the world) I need not worry for anything in the world. If he were not there, where the milk would come from in the breast of a mother before child's birth. So God filled the breast of a new mother with complete food that is milk.
The Advaitic texts gives us the below interpretation :
- Lord Vishnu - Atman
- Ocean - Mind with infinite thoughts
- Milky Ocean - Sattvika or pure thoughts
- Snake - Ego with its many desires
In short “When a person who holds his mind in deep meditation upon his supreme self realises Sri Vishnu, the all pervading reality”.
The famous postures of lord Vishnu in many temples is said to be either sitting, standing, sleeping or walking. These are known in 4000 Dhivya prabandham/ancient bhakti literature as Lord’s four types of postures in Archa Avataram.
Reclning posture refers to Yogic Nidra, mostly on the serpent Adisesha.
Famous temples having reclining posture are
Lord Ranganatha, Srirangam
Lord Veeraraghava, Thiruvallur
Lord Anantapadmanabhan, Trivandrum reclining with three entrances.
There are 108 Dhivya Desams or temples that were sung and praised by Azhwars out of which many are in reclining posture known as Sayana form.
Srivilliputhur the most famous temple in which the lord is called Vadapathrasayee and birth place of Aandaal Nachiyar the only women Azhwar who has sung about lord. She is the incarnation of Bhudevi the Divine consort of Lord. - Vadapathra Sayanam is the type of reclining posture here.
Thiruvallur (Lord Veeraraghava Perumal) very near to Chennai and one of Thondai mandala Dhivya Desam - Veera Sayanam
Thirukkadal Mallai (Sthalasayana) - Mahabalipuram in Chennai very near to the bus stand we find this temple and here the Lord is reclining without Sesha the serpent. Only one temple like that and hence called Sthala / Thala sayanam.
Thirukkudanthai or Kumbakonam - Sarangapani temple (Uddhana Saynam)
Thiruppullani - near Rameswaram down south (The Lord reclines on Dharba grass and hence Dharba Sayanam)
Sri Rangam - Bhujanga Sayanam - The most famous temple of Lord Ranganatha called as “Kovil” in Vaishnavism.
Thiruchitrakoodam (Chidambaram) - Bhoga Sayanam
Also in Thiruneermalai - The Lord is said to have Maanikka Sayanam. This temple is right in Chennai city (The speciality here is Lord Narayana here appears in all four forms, sitting, sleeping , walking and standing as Ranganatha, Narasimha, Neervanna Perumal and Ulagalandha Perumal.
Sources
stackexchange
quora
This post is for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copy rights