Is Anantashesha Vishnu in another form or is Shesha seperate?

[Terese]

This is something that has crossed my mind a lot.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Shesha (Sheshanaga) also known as Anantashesha is the thousand-headed serpent king on whose coils Lord Vishnu is supposed to rest in an ocean of milk (Kshira Sagara). His consort, Goddess Mahalakshmi stays with him. Anantashayi is to denote Lord Vishnu's pose when he rests on Shesha.

The 34 kg gold idol of Anantashayi Vishnu (resting on Sheshanaga) at Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiru Anantapuram, Kerala.

One thing always intrigues me. Why the name of the serpent king is 'Shesha', which means 'the remainder'. Tattva, Axlyz, Kalyan, any idea?

 

[StarryNightshade]

This is something that has crosses my mind a lot.

Good question.

From what I can gather, Vishnu reclining on Shesha isn't really a "form" of Lord Vishnu. But rather a mount of his while in Kshira Sagara/Vaikunta.

Then again, I could be completely wrong.

 

[Terese]

Shesha (Sheshanaga) is the serpent king on whose coils Lord Vishnu is supposed to rest in an ocean of milk (Kshira Sagara). His consort, Goddess Mahalakshmi stays with him. Anantashesha is to denote Lord Vishnu's pose when he rests on Shesha.

The 34 kg gold idol of Anantashayi Vishnu (resting on Sheshanaga) at Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiru Anantapuram, Kerala.

One thing always intrigues me. Why the name of the serpent king is 'Shesha', which means 'the remainder'. Tattva, Axlyz, Kalyan, any idea?

I read that Shesha is a manifestation of time, which is endless, and always exists. I called Shesha Anantashesha because it means Endless Shesha, which i found was the most devotional of Shesha's names.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Not really, when Lord Vishnu is asleep after one dissolution of the universe (Maha-Pralaya), time ceases. Begins again when he rises. Let us hear from the three knowledgeables or Ratiben.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pralaya
http://ramaswamysastry.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-four-types-of-pralaya.html

 

[Aupmanyav]

Terese, kindly note I have edited my first post to correct a mistake. Anantashesha, Ananta or Shesha are names for Sheshanaga (it is not a name of Lord Vishnu). But when Lord Vishnu rests on Shesha he is known as Anantashayi (sleeping/resting on Shesha).

 

[Chakra]

It's possible that Anantasesha is the personification of time, just as Garuda is the personification of the Vedas. I'm not sure with what you are asking @Terese . Are you asking if Anantasesha is a form of Vishnu?

Sesha, in Vaishnava theology, is a representation of Sankarshana, and he's the one that destroys everything after Brahma's lifespan is finished. Indeed, after he destroys everything, only him, Vishnu, and Lakshmi remain.

 

[Terese]

Terese, kindly note I have edited my first post to correct a mistake. Anantashesha, Ananta or Shesha are names for Sheshanaga (it is not a name of Lord Vishnu). But when Lord Vishnu rests on Shesha he is known as Anantashayi (sleeping/resting on Shesha).

I never said Anantashesha was another name for Vishnu. Where did you get this conclusion?

 

[Aupmanyav]

That is what I said, and I was wrong. Sorry.

 

[Terese]

It's possible that Anantasesha is the personification of time, just as Garuda is the personification of the Vedas. I'm not sure with what you are asking @Terese . Are you asking if Anantasesha is a form of Vishnu?

Sesha, in Vaishnava theology, is a representation of Sankarshana, and he's the one that destroys everything after Brahma's lifespan is finished. Indeed, after he destroys everything, only him, Vishnu, and Lakshmi remain.

'Are you asking if Anantasesha is a form of Vishnu?' Yes i am asking if he is or isn't. sorry for wording my title poorly.

 

[Terese]

That is what I said, and I was wrong. Sorry.

Ah sorry! my mistake

 

[Chakra]

Let me answer to the best of my knowledge. As per Vishistadvaita, ALL jivas are equal attributes of Vishnu. I have not heard Shri Vaishnava acharyas calling Adi Sesha a form of Vishnu; he is just a nitya suri. Gaudiyas, on the other hand, do regard him as a form of Vishnu, specifically another form of Sankarshana.

 

[Terese]

Let me answer to the best of my knowledge. As per Vishistadvaita, ALL jivas are equal attributes of Vishnu. I have not heard Shri Vaishnava acharyas calling Adi Sesha a form of Vishnu; he is just a nitya suri. Gaudiyas, on the other hand, do regard him as a form of Vishnu, specifically another form of Sankarshana.

Thanks for answering my question! But might i ask, who is Sankarshana?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Let me answer to the best of my knowledge. As per Vishistadvaita, ALL jivas are equal attributes of Vishnu. I have not heard Shri Vaishnava acharyas calling Adi Sesha a form of Vishnu; he is just a nitya suri. Gaudiyas, on the other hand, do regard him as a form of Vishnu, specifically another form of Sankarshana.

Right in time for answer. Not just Sankarshana (Baladeva, Krishna's elder step-brother, son of Rohini, in local North-Indian parlance, Dau) but Lakshman, the younger step-brother of Lord Rama, also is supposed to be an avatara of Adi Shesha. Shesha took these avataras to be with his Lord.

Baladeva's weapon is supposed to be a plough (somewhat strange, but whatever the deity chooses ). Karshana means to pull and draw a line in a field. The same is the root for the Sanskrit word for agriculture, Krishi. His other name is Haladhara (one who carries a plough). Even Krishna means one who attracts (Karshayati iti Krishna).

Sesha, in Vaishnava theology, is a representation of Sankarshana, and he's the one that destroys everything after Brahma's lifespan is finished. Indeed, after he destroys everything, only him, Vishnu, and Lakshmi remain.

Vishnu and Lakshmi are one, so perhaps only Shesha remains, that is why the name.

 

[Chakra]

Thanks for answering my question! But might i ask, who is Sankarshana?

As you know, Vishnu takes many forms. Shri Vaishnavism (in accordance with the Pancharatra) says that there are 5 types of forms Vishnu takes.

1) Para

This is the form in Sri Vaikuntha, Vishnu with all his glory and infinite attributes. Inconceivable to humans.

2) Vyuha

This is a bit complicated, but Vasudeva takes 3 different forms for various reasons.

Vasudeva (has all of the 6 special qualities)---------Pradyumna (Aishvarya and Virya)---------Aniruddha (Sakti and Tejas)--------Sankarshana (Jnana and Bala)

Each vyuha presides over different things.

3) Vibhava

These are the famous incarnations that Vishnu takes like Rama, Krishna, Narasimha, etc.

4) Archa

These are the temple forms of Vishnu. Once consecrated in accordance to Pancharatra/Vaikhanasa agamas, the temple form becomes a form of Vishnu himself.

5) Antaryami

These is the form of Vishnu that resides within Jivas and matter.

For more information, please read this- http://www.srivaishnavan.com/upload1/srivaish3.html .

 

[kalyan]

Sesham is one which performs everything for the benefit of another thing without even caring for its needs...Basically it does not consider itself as existing without another thing which is called seshi. So a cloth csn be called sesham to us (seshi )..These are technical terms...Adi sesha or the coiled serpent which you see Maha Vishnu rested on is like that...He does everything for Maha Vishnu ONLY! He is only called as ananta and like wise Maha Vishnu can also be called as ananta or endless depending on the context. ...Adi sesha came as Lakshmana in ramayanam...he says in one context when a fish is thrown out of water it lives atleast until there is little bit of water on its body but he cannot survive even a second when even the thought of him getting separated from Sri Rama arises....can we be like that ? Impossible right? We even want to do service to god only for our benefits/ to satisfy us somehow...that is our begging nature...a beggar begs until some money is given to him..the same way we beg god until something is given and then we leave and again we come back when we have more needs... but lakshmana nature and his devotion is pure and everything he does is to increase the glory and is as per will of god and hence name is adi sesha.

ADIYEN Chinna Jeeyar Swamy daasa
ADIYEN Ramanuja daasa