The Day Govinda Became Ananta – Ananta Caturdasi Vrata

 Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Once upon a time Sri Krishna was playing with Radhika and the gopis in an area near Yavata-grama and Kokilavana. Somehow the ancient pastime of Anantashayi Vishnu (aka Ananta Padmanabha came up in Their conversation. Suddenly Radhika wanted to see the lila of Ananta Vishnu resting on the thousand-hooded divine serpent. To satisfy His precious Priyaji, Shyama absorbed Himself in the bhaava of Anantashayi and laid down on a 1,000 petalled lotus in the middle of lake, which turned into Kshirasagara. Much to the amazement of the gopis, Jaya Sri Radha adopted the mood of Lakshmi and massaged Ananta Vishnu’s lotus feet.

When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took darshana of this place, He swooned in ecstatic love remembering this beautiful pastime. We can glorify this pastime by reciting a prayer from (Vraja Vilasa-stava 91) by Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswamipada:

sri gosthe prathayatu sada, sheshashayi sthitam nah “I sincerely pray that Sheshashayi Sri Krishna may kindly bestow upon me eternal residence in His beautiful and enchanting pasture lands of Vrindavan.”

Today this lila-sthali is called Sheshashai, and one can see a wonderful Shyama black Deity of Bhagavan Ananta reclining on His bed with Lakshmi massaging His lotus feet.

Ananta Sheshayshayi Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai!

Ananda Khanda Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!