Devaśayana
Devaśayana · deva-śayana, “the sleep of the devas”
Devaśayana, the sleep of the devas, is the season when Bhagavān Vishṇu sleeps on the bed of Śesha and the devas sleep after him, one by one. The Vāmana Purāṇa, in Chapter 17, gives its order: Jagannātha begins his sleep on the ekādaśī (eleventh tithi) of the śukla paksha (bright fortnight) of Āshāḍha; Manmatha, the yakshas and Paramaśiva follow on the next three tithis; and in Śrāvaṇa, from the pāḍyami (first tithi) to the ekādaśī, Brahmā, Viśvakarmā, Devī Pārvatī, Vināyaka, Yama, Kumārasvāmī, Sūrya, Kātyāyanī, Mahālakshmī, the pannagas and the Sādhyas sleep in turn. With their sleep the rainy season begins. Pulastya Maharshi tells it to Nārada, who asked to hear the manner of their sleep in order.
Per Agni Purāṇa, the śayana-utsava, the festival of the sleep of Śrī Mahāvishṇu, is held when the Sun is in Mithuna, on the dvādaśī that comes after amāvāsyā (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 121).
Jagannātha’s sleep
When Uttarāyaṇa has passed and the month of Āshāḍha comes, the Devādhideva, Lakshmīpati, sleeps on the bed of Śesha. As soon as Prabhu Vishṇu, their master, sleeps, the devas, the gandharvas, the yakshas and their mothers one after another sink into deep sleep.
Nārada asked: “Maharshi, I wish to hear, in order, the manner of the excellent sleep of those devatās.” Pulastya Maharshi answered that on the Āshāḍha śukla ekādaśī, when Sūrya enters Mithuna rāśi, Jagannātha begins his sleep.
Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 17
The rite for Bhagavān Vishṇu’s sleep
A man who is pure and diligent, wearing yellow cloth (pītāmbara), should:
- prepare a bed of Śesha (Śesha-śayana);
- on it invest Keśava with the sacred thread (upavīta);
- worship him well with arghya, pādya (water for the hands and feet) and the other offerings;
- on the dvādaśī (twelfth tithi), honour brāhmaṇas and take their permission;
- and lay the Svāmī down to happy sleep.
Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 17
The order of the devas’ sleep
After Jagannātha, in the bright fortnight of Āshāḍha:
- Trayodaśī (thirteenth tithi): Manmatha sleeps on a bed of kadamba flowers.
- Caturdaśī (fourteenth): the yakshas sleep on a cool bed spread with golden lotuses, with fine pillows.
- Paurṇamī (full moon): Paramaśiva, tying up his jaṭājūṭa (mass of matted hair) with a tiger skin, sleeps on a tiger skin.
When Sūrya enters Karkaṭa rāśi, the night of the devas begins: that is Dakshiṇāyana. Then, from the pāḍyami:
- Pāḍyami: Viriñci (Brahmā) sleeps on a bed of blue water-lilies, and shows the people the best path.
- Dvitīyā: Viśvakarmā, the śilpī (craftsman) of the devas.
- Tṛtīyā: Devī Pārvatī.
- Caturthī: Vināyaka.
- Pañcamī: Yama-dharmarāja.
- Shashṭhī: Kumārasvāmī.
- Saptamī: Sūrya.
- Ashṭamī: Kātyāyanī.
- Navamī: Mahālakshmī.
- Daśamī: the pannagas (serpents) who live on air.
- Ekādaśī of the kṛshṇa paksha (dark fortnight): the Sādhyas.
In this order the devas sleep in the month of Śrāvaṇa, and from then the rainy season begins. The dvitīyā on which Viśvakarmā sleeps is the holy Aśūnyaśayana Dvitīyā, and the devatās wake from sleep one by one when Sūrya enters Vṛścika rāśi.
Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 17
Signs of the season
In this season vultures, cranes and crows gather on the mountain peaks. The crows begin to build their nests, and the female crows, heavy with young, go and sleep in them.
Source: Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 17
Per Agni Purāṇa
In the Agni Purāṇa, Agni Deva gives the Mahāmuni the essence of the jyotiḥśāstra (the science of auspicious times), and in it the times of the festivals of Śrī Mahāvishṇu’s sleep:
- When the Sun is in Mithuna, on the dvādaśī after amāvāsyā, the śayana-utsava (festival of his sleep) is held.
- When the Sun is in Siṃha, on the dvādaśī after amāvāsyā, the parivartana-utsava (festival of his turning) is held.
- When the Sun is in Tulā, on the dvādaśī after amāvāsyā, the jāgaraṇa-utsava (festival of his waking) is held.
Marriage is not auspicious while Śrī Mahāvishṇu is sleeping. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 121)
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 17
- Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 121