Lord Vishnu Sleeping on Sheshnag

Lord Vishnu Sleeping on Sheshnag

Deogarh  Temple, Gupta Dynasty, 5th Century AD

             End of the Gupta dynasty  saw the emergence of Hindu Gods in human form. The Vedic gods, Indra, Agni,  Varun,  and Yama were now forgotten.  In their place Lord Vishnu and Shiva emerged as the two most important Gods of Brahminism.  

            Here we see Lord Vishnu sleeping on Sheshnag, the multi - headed snake. After the end of each 'yug', (age), Lord Vishnu sleeps for dreaming the next 'yug'. Lord Bhrama rises from his naval to create the next age. Sheshnag represents Time which is endless and is the only thing which remains (shesh) after all matter is destroyed. From that void, a new age, a new cosmos is created. The process of dreaming and creation is witnessed by all the gods. But the process of creation is not an easy one: from behind Lord Vishnu ' s ears two demons arise to smite Him. In the bottom row we see five figures who are wrongly identified as the Pandav Brothers and Draupadi. In fact,  they are Lord Vishnu ' s weapon personified as humans ready to fight the two demons with swords. Mother Earth, the other wife of Lord Vishnu silently stands to the right, while Goddess Lakshmi massages Lord Vishnu ' s leg. 

            The cosmic drama of endless destruction and creation, of Time and Matter is witnessed by the Gods.