Lord Vishnu is portrayed as Sleeping on a Bedroll of a Huge Snake in Paarkkadal,Ksheera Sagara(Ocean of Milk).
This is allegory.
Lord Vishnu does not sleep.
His sleep is called Yoga Nidra (Sleeping posture in Yoga) or Ari Thuyil(Tamil-sleeping while being aware of everything)
The Snake Adisehsa is the coiled Cosmic energy in the Solar Plexus(Mooladhaara).
The Ksheera Saagara is a representation of the Milky way Galaxy.
Please read my Post Vishnu’s’ Conch and Discus in galaxies, filed under Hinduism/Astrophysics.
This Yoga Nidra of Lord Vishnu is of Nine types.
1.Vadabadra Sayanam, Srivilliputtur.Moolavar Image not available.
2.Veera Sayanam at Thiruindalur near Mayuram or Myiladuthurai.
Image is not available.
3.Bhujanga Sayanam.SrirangamThiruvellore,Thirukkottiyur-in twenty Places
4.Uthara Sayanam, Sarangapani Temple,Kumbakonam
5.Dharpa Sayanam.This is where Lord Rama is said to have meditated lying down to cross over to Sri Lanka .
He sleeps on Grass(Dharpa)
6.Yoga Sayanam.Chidambaram Thiruchithra Koodam
7.Manikka Sayanam. Thiruneermalai, near Chennai. Moolavar Image not available.
8.Bhujanga Sayanam. SriRangam.
9…Ananatha Sayanam. Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala.
I shall be posting on the significance of each posture
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I found Yoga-Sayanam -(the Yoga Nidra posture of Vishnu, Thiruchitrakoodam, Chidambaram), interesting and informative. In my opinion, taken to its logical end, it has a pointer to the meaning of symbolism- infinity of space. And when placed along with eternity of time (another symbol), together they can lead us to understand the Chidambara Rahasyam.
Feel Blessed. Subhash
Hello sir,
Thank you for this amazing post. This thought me a lot and was an inspiration to visit different Sayana Thirukollam of Perumal. I wanted to bring to your notice the existance of Karodaka Sayanam pose which is only seen at Namakkal.
Details here: http://www.srinamagiri.com/narashimhar/ranganatha/ranga_appearence.htm
Regards,
Srinath