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Today 15-July-2016, As per Hindu calendar, the day is being celebrated as Dev-Shayani Ekadashi or देवशयनी एकादशी.

Note that this is different from the usual Ekadashi which is discussed in this post on Hinduism.SE

As per Wikipedia, On this day images of Vishnu and Lakshmi are worshipped, the entire night is spent singing prayers.

It is believed that Vishnu falls asleep in Ksheersagar - cosmic ocean of milk - on Shesha nāga, the cosmic serpent. That is why the day is also called Dev-Shayani Ekadashi.

Vishnu finally awakens from his slumber four months later on Prabodhini Ekadashi. And this 4-month period is also called as Chaturmas (meaning "four months")

My Question is : Are there any Hindu scriptures which mentions about this day when Vishnu falls asleep in Ksheersagar for the duration of 4-Months?

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    We also can say that "Shree Vishnu " gose to "Yog Nidra" (योग निद्रा). Sleep is more common word , and it is also correct. But I think gods never gose to sleep, rather they take Yog Nidra. :)
    – SwiftPushkar
    Jul 15, 2016 at 12:31
  • @SwiftPushkar Ok, we may call it "Yog Nidra" (योग निद्रा), but I what I am looking for is the actual scriptural ref. Why? Because, if you see, there are thousands of people (at least in India) who celebrates this day....and a scriptural ref. will add lot of Value to the celebration of such widely attended event.
    – AADHinduism
    Jul 15, 2016 at 14:36

2 Answers 2

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Devashayani Ekadashi is described in this chapter of the Puroshotthama Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana. It says that on Ashadhi, i.e. the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of the month of Ashadhi, Vishnu goes to sleep for a four-month period, and that during this period Vishnu is not present in any sacred places on Earth other than in Puroshotthama Kshetra, the site of the Puri Jagannath temple:

Henceforth I shall describe the excellent festival of (the Deity's) going to bed. With Ashadhi as the starting point, Hari's sleep covers the four months of the rainy season from Ashadhi (eleventh day in the bright half of Ashadhi) when the sun goes to the Zodiac of Cancer to Kartikki (eleventh day of the bright half of Kartikka). This is the most meritorious period for the propitiation of Hari.... The Lord remains asleep on the couch of the serpent's (Sesha's) body during these four months. The Sire of the universe is not present then in any of the other sacred places. But he stays here [Puroshotthama Kshetra] visibly as though in his abode of Vaikuntha. During all the twelve months the Lord is in his embodied form here. If he is seen with one's eye especially during these four months, he is the bestower of salvation.

It then describes the Chaturmasya Vrata, a vow that one can undertake during the four months of Vishnu's sleep. The Chaturmasya Vrata is also described in this chapter of the Achara Kanda of the Garuda Purana, although it doesn't mention that the reason for the Vrata is Vishnu's sleep during this period.

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    Oh Thanks!...I was searching for this answer... in our area we call it Harishayani Ekadashi and Tulsi are planted on this day...
    – Tezz
    Jul 15, 2016 at 15:31
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    @Tezz I edited the Q's Title to include the name, Harishayani so that, hopefully, it appeals to larger audience!
    – AADHinduism
    Jul 15, 2016 at 18:02
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    @WhisperingMonk in Andhra or Telugu it is called as Toli Ekadasi. You may add this to appeal to more audience.
    – The Destroyer ♦
    Jul 15, 2016 at 18:19
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    @Surya And yeah, Vishnu is omnipresent, but his presence in Vishnu statues is of a different character than his presence in, say, a random chair. (Otherwise there wouldn't be Prana Pratishta mantras and the like.) I think what that Skanda Purana chapter is saying is that the Vishnu statues in other places lose their usual power during the four-month period, and that it's only in Puri that Vishnu is still established in the statue. Still, I do find that claim rather strange, since I don't think Tirupati, Sri Rangam, etc. stop their rituals during the Chaturmasa period.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Jul 22, 2016 at 19:27
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    @TheDestroyer Well, the one who sleeps is Vyuha Vasudeva. Incarnations come from Vyuha Aniruddha.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Jul 24, 2016 at 5:28
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Yes, Devashayani Ekadashi is described by Lord Krishna to Yudhishthira in Padma Purana, Uttarakhand, Chapter 53 in detail. It describes the ritual and benefits which I have described in this answer.

Devashayani Ekadashi is related to Vamana incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Then I placed half the step on his head. O king, the demon, my worshipper, went to the lower world. I threw down the demon. What else did I do after it? He was bent with modesty, Visnu was very much pleased. Kamika in the bright half of Asadha is Visnu's day. On that day one of my forms remains resorting to Bali. Another (form) lies on the back of Sesa in the ocean, O great king, till the coming (EkadasI) in Kartika. Till then he would be very religious and devoted to best of all duties.

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