Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!

Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vaasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

Ananthananthadevesha Anantha Phaladayaka!

Anantharoopi Viswathman Ananthaya Namo Namaha!!

Anantha Chaturdasi
(Sri Anantha Padmanabha Vratha)

Significance of Anantha

Anantha is one of the most significant and prominent names of Lord Sri
Maha Vishnu. We find several references to the name Anantha. Lord Sri
Krishna says in Sri Bhagawad Geeta (Chapter#10 sloka#29) that He
is the Anantha among the Naga Sect, a Serpent God. The name Anantha
also popularly figures in Sri Vishnu, Naamathraya Japa viz. Achyutaya
Namaha, Ananthaaya Namaha and Govindaaya Namaha. Sri Vishnu
Sahasra Nama Sthothram (sloka # 70, 95 and 100) as well as the Phala
Sruthi eulogizes Lord Sri Maha Vishnu with the name Anantha as follows.
 Kamadevah kamapalah kami kantah krutagamah
Anirdeshya-vapur vishnur viro ananto dhananjayah

Ananto huta-bhug bhokta sukhado naikajo-grajah

Anirvinnah sadamarshi lokadhishthana-madbhutah

Ananta-rupo ananta-shri jitamanyur bhayapahah

Chaturashro gabhiratma vidisho vyadisho dishah

Anantha means the one who is all pervasive, who is eternal, who is beyond
all boundaries and for whom there is no limit either by space, time or
location. He is the one who has infinite number of forms and He dwells in
the entire Universe. He is invincible and omnipresent. His glory is infinite.
He is highly meritorious among the meritorious. No one can describe or
define Him precisely. He is also popularly called as Padmanabha the one
who has a Lotus like navel or the one who has Lotus in the navel. Anantha
Padmanabha is none other than Lord Sri Maha Vishnu.

Namostvananthaya Sahasramuurthaye!
SahasraPaadaakshi Sirorubaahave!
Sahasranaamne Purushaya Saswathe!
SahasraKoti Yugadhaarine Namah!!
(Brahma Uvacha)

Salutations to the Infinite, one who has manifested as innumerable number

of forms, who has innumerable feet, eyes, heads, arms, one who has
innumerable number of names, who is an eternal person, and who holds
thousands of crores of Yugas which are uncountable.

Shaantaakaaram Bhujaga-Shayanam Padmanaabham Suresham

Vishvaadhaaram Gagana-Sadrisham Meghavarnam Shubha-angam
Lakshmi-Kaantam Kamala-Nayanam Yogibhir-dhyana-gamyam
Vande Vishnum Bhava-Bhaya-Haram Sarva-Lokaika-Natham

Above sloka is a dhyana sloka of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu that describes Him as
the embodiment and personification of peace, one who reclines on the
great serpent bed Aadisesha, one whose navel is the form of a Lotus that
has given birth to the creation of Universe, one who is the Lord of the
Deities, on whose support entire Universe is rested, who is all pervading like
the sky, one who is sky coloured, the one who has a beautiful and auspicious
body configuration, one who is the Lord of Goddess Lakshmi Devi, one who
has Lotus eyes, one who rests in the hearts of Yogis who perceive Him
through meditation, He is the one who is the destroyer of fear of cycle of
births and deaths (Samsara), and I adore Sri Maha Vishnu the Lord of entire
Universe.

Several austerities are prescribed to be performed in the name of Lord Sri

Maha Vishnu in Hindu religion. One such prominent austerity performed that
is dedicated to Lord Sri Maha Vishnu is Sri Anantha Padmanabha Vratha.
This vratha is performed every year on the 14th day (Chaturdasi) of
bright fortnight (sukla paksha) in Bhadrapada Masam as per Hindu
Lunar Calendar. Since it is performed on the Chaturdasi day it is popularly
known as Anantha Chaturdasi. Chaturdasi day associated with Pournami
thithi is preferred and considered as auspicious and sacred for performing
this Vratha.

In this vratha, Lord Sri Maha Vishnu is worshipped in the form of

Anantha with shodasa upachaara pooja. Seven # Dharbha (Kusa grass)
are tied together representing Lord Anantha with seven hoods. Goddess
Yamuna Devi is also worshipped along with Lord Anantha on this day. In
Anantha Padmanabha vratha there is significance for # 14. It is performed
on the 14th day in the Lunar Calendar. This vratha is performed for 14 years
before it is concluded with Udyapana. Lord Vishnu is worshipped with 14
varieties of flowers, fruits and dishes. A special sweet dish made with wheat
flour and jaggery is prepared in 28 # and half of it is given as charity to a
Brahmin after Nivedana to Lord Anantha. Another significant feature in this
vratha is worshipping Lord Anantha with a red coloured silk thread
having 14 knots known as Thora. On completion of the pooja this Thora
is tied to the shoulder of the Grihastha. Both men and women participate in
this vratha.

As per scripts it is said that Lord Sri Krishna had narrated the significance
of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Vratha to Dharmaraja. On the advice and
direction of Lord Sri Krishna, Dharmaraja had performed this Vratha
during their exile in forests. It is said that details of Anantha
Padmanabha Vratha Kalpa are mentioned in Bhavishyottara Purana. It is
believed and said that those who perform this austerity as per the norms
with total devotion and sincerity will be bestowed with multiple merits viz.
Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Giving a Cow as a charity (Ghodana) on
this day is considered as highly sacred and meritorious.

Temples of Lord Anantha Padmanabha

We have number of temples especially in South India which are dedicated to

Lord Sri Anantha Padmanabha. Prominent among them is the temple at
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala known as Anantha Sayanam.
There is also an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Sri Anantha Padmanabha
at Sri Kshethra Kudupu near Mangalore. It is said that this temple is in
existence since Krita Yuga. Aslesha Bali pooja performed at this temple
for Naga dosha is vey popular.

There is also another very ancient temple dedicated to Lord Anantha at

Ananthagiri about 75 km from Hyderabad city. Here the Lord is said to
have manifested as a Salagrama Shila who appears in Trimurthi Swaroopa
of Anantha, Narasimha and Srinivasa. It is said that Sage Markandeya had
performed penance at this place.

The three Ranganatha kshetras at Sri Rangam (Trichy), Srirangapatna

(near Mysore) and Shivana Samudra (about 100 km from Bangalore near
Mandya on the way to Mysore) all the three on the banks of sacred river
Kaveri also have temples of Lord Maha Vishnu in reclining form resting on
Anantha (Bhujaga sayana).

On this auspicious day of Anantha Chaturdasi special celebrations are held at

all those temples that are dedicated to Lord Sri Anantha Padmanabha.

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
bhargavasarma