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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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AADHinduism
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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 '16 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 '16 at 14:36

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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.

Keshav Srinivasan
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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 '16 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 '16 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 '16 at 18:19
  • @TheDestroyer Do you know if there's a Tamil name for it? – Keshav Srinivasan Jul 15 '16 at 18:27
  • @TheDestroyer Done, Added Toli in the Q's title – AADHinduism Jul 16 '16 at 03:03
  • @KeshavSrinivasan I'm not sure whether Tamilans celebrate this. This site just mentions it as Ekadasi. – The Destroyer Jul 16 '16 at 05:13
  • @Keshav How does Vishnu's four month siesta agree with the time difference between lokas? Obviously Ksheerasagara will have a different time. Or is the four month period relative to earth timing? – Surya Jul 22 '16 at 17:47
  • @Keshav And how can Vishnu be present only in Puri? God is omnipresent, so isn't that statement contradictory? – Surya Jul 22 '16 at 17:49
  • @Surya Well, Ksheera Sagara is the ocean surrounding Shwetadvipa, which is part of Bhuloka. Now there is considerable dispute as to whether the different Dvipas are on Earth or not, but either way Bhuloka as a whole presumably has a single time. And if the time in Shwetadvipa was different for some reason then yeah, I assume it would mean 4 months re measured relative to Earth time. – Keshav Srinivasan Jul 22 '16 at 19:23
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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 '16 at 19:27
  • @Keshav That's exactly what I am asking: how do the Divya Desa Perumals lose their Saanidhyam? – Surya Jul 23 '16 at 06:30
  • @Surya Yeah, I find that odd as well. Perhaps this is an interpolation designed to glorify Puri. – Keshav Srinivasan Jul 23 '16 at 08:14
  • @keshav why does he go to sleep? Is that normal sleep or Yoga Nidra? – The Destroyer Jul 23 '16 at 19:10
  • @TheDestroyer It's Yoganidra, not normal sleep, but I'm not sure why he does it or why it takes place during the rainy season specifically. I think Vishnu's Yoganidra has some connection to his Yogamaya power, but I don't know the details. – Keshav Srinivasan Jul 23 '16 at 19:34
  • @KeshavSrinivasan So, How can he take avatars during this Yoga Nidra, though He is aware of events? Krishna was born during Bhadrapada month , i.e, during August and September. – The Destroyer Jul 24 '16 at 03:07
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    @TheDestroyer Well, the one who sleeps is Vyuha Vasudeva. Incarnations come from Vyuha Aniruddha. – Keshav Srinivasan Jul 24 '16 at 05:28
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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.

Triyugi Narayan Mani
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