02 ānantapadmanābha Vrata
(Anantana Caturdaśī-Anantana Habba)
The Āradhya Deva of this Anantana Vrata
Ananta Padmanābha Vrata is one of the auspicious parvas observed by a vast number of sanātana Ārya Bhāratīyas. It is called AnantanaVrata as it is a day of austerity of deity worship, and many precepts of Vratas have to be followed on that day. The term Ananta means ‘king of serpents’, and also Ādiśesha the Śeshanāga.
“शेषोऽनन्तो नागराजः”
The meaning of the component parts of this term is ‘the one who has no end’. Ādiśesha has this name because he is the form of the prāṇaśakti (Kuṅḍalini) of the Lord, who has infinite power.
This term Ananta also refers to the the great Lord Ādinārāyaṇa who is a Śeshī for this endless Śeshanāga, whom the Lord has employed (in his service) as a couch, a seat, an adornment, the royal white umbrella, a jewel lamp and Pādukā (Sandal)
“नमोऽस्त्वनन्ताय सहस्रमूर्तये” As his (i.e. Śeshanāga’s) forms, qualities, powers and glories are all endless, this word (Ananta) befits him also.
“अनन्तवीर्यामृतविक्रमस्त्वम्”
“अनन्त”is the name in short of that Nārāyaṇa the Lord of Lords, who is called Anantaśayana as he has made Anantanāga his couch, and is also called Anantapadmanābha, as he has the navel which is the origin of Brahma.
There are three types among the idols of Nārāyaṇa who rests on Anantanāga. The first one is Raṅganātha. He has only two arms. He has no weapons in his hands. He has neither the lotus projecting out of his navel nor Lord Brahma on it. The Lord is in the posture of deep sleep placing one of this arms as a pillow. This idol can be seen in ŚriRaṅgam, Śriraṅgapattaṇam. Śivanasamudra, Raṅgasthala and some other places.
The second one is Govindarāja. He has four arms. He has śankha, cakra and gadā in three hands. The other arm is stretched (forward). He is in the posture of having eyes partially opened just after getting up from sleep. Brahma is seen sitting on the lotus flower. Madhu and Kaiṭabha are seen sitting at his lotus feet with folded hands. One can have the darśan of this Govindarāja in Govindarājapattaṇa which is at the foot of Tirumala (Tirupati), and in the Sannidhi opposite to that of Lord Naṭarāja of the Cidambara temple of Cidambaram, and in Kalkunṭe which is near Chikkatirupati (which is) near Bangalore.
The third is AnantaPadmanābhamūrti. He has two arms. Of them, the left arm is raised holding a downward faced lotus at the level of his neck. In the outstretched right lower arm, he appears to be covering a śivaliṅga. The Lord is shining in the posture of gracing the sages who are wishing him Suprabhātam with his broad eyes, just after waking up from Yoganidrā.
योगनिद्रान्तविशदैः पावनैरवलोकनैः ।
भृग्वादीननुगृहणन्तं सौख्यशायिनिकानृषीन् ॥
The four faced Brahma is beaming in the Padmāsana posture in the lotus navel of the Lord. One can see this idol in Tiruvanantapuram. The dhyānaśloka is as follows:—
श्रीकृष्णं क्षेत्रपालं ध्वजबलिसहितं भूतनाथं नृसिह्मम्
व्यासम् शम्भुं गणेशं रघुवरमनुजं जानकीं वायुपुत्रम् ।
विष्वक्सेनं सुपर्णं सुरमुनिकमलाभूमिब्रह्मादिसेव्यम्
वन्दे श्रीपद्मनाभं परमपदमहोपन्नगाभोगसुप्तम् ॥
I salute Padmanābha the Lord of the highest abode who is resting on Anantaśeshanāga, and who is being attended by SrīKṛshṇa, Kshetrapālaka, Dhvajabali, Bhūtanātha, Śāstā, Yogānṛsimha, Vyāsa, Śiva, Gaṇeśa, ŚrīRāmaśītā Lakshmaṇa, Hanumanta Vishvaksena, Garuḍa, devatās, sages, ŚrīDevi, Bhūdevi and Brahmadeva, Sanakādisiddhas, Tumburu Nāradas, Saptarshis, Sūrya and Candra, Dikpālakas, and Jaya Vijayas. As all these three are Śeshanāga Anantamūrtis, who among the three should be meditated upon and worshipped during Anantana Vrata? It is the third one i.e. AnantaPadmanābhamūrti. (Ananta is also the short form of AnantaPadmanābhamūrti)