Ananta (Sanskrit:अनन्त,lit. 'Without end'), is a Sanskrit term, and primarily an epithet ofVishnu.[1]
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It is one of many of thenames of Vishnu.[2] Ananta is also a name ofShesha, the celestial snake, on which Vishnu reclines in thecosmic ocean.[3]
In theMahabharata, Ananta, or Shesha, is the son ofKashyapa, one of thePrajapatis, through Kadru as her eldest son. Kadru had asked her sons to stay suspended in the hair ofUchchaihshravas’s tail who on refusing to do so were cursed to die at the serpent-yajna of Janamejaya. Ananta was saved byBrahma who directed him to go to the nether world and support the world on his hoods, and thus became the king of theNagas inPatala. By the grace of Ananta,Garga was able to master the sciences of astronomy and causation.[4]
In Hindu tradition, it is said thatRudra will emanate from the face of Ananta and consume thethree worlds at the end of akalpa.[4]
Ananta is also an epithet ofBrahma,Shiva,Skanda,Krishna,Balarama, earth, and the letterA.[5]
Ananta is one of four types of objects or categories of being:
According to theVedanta School, the term Ananta used in the phrase "anadi (beginningless)ananta (endless)akhanda (unbroken)satcitananda (being-consciousness-bliss)" refers to the Infinite, the single non-dual reality.[6]
It denotesBrahman[7] as one of six attributes which areprajna,priyam,satyam,ananta,ananda andstithi that are said to manifest themselves in space, which is common to all six bases.[8]
Brahman has no initial cause and is known asanadikarana, the uncreated who is not a product, which means Brahman has no material cause and is not the material cause of anything.[9] Ananta is the infinite space,[10] the infinite space is Brahman.
According to theYoga School, Ananta is the serpent of infinity who eavesdropped on the secret teaching that was being imparted to GoddessParvati by LordShiva; the secret teaching was Yoga. On being apprehended Ananta was sentenced by Lord Shiva to impart that teaching to human beings for which purpose Ananta assumed the human form and was calledPatanjali.[11] In hisYoga Sutras, Patanjali stresses upon the use of breath to achieve perfection in posture which entails steadiness and comfort, by making an effort, the effort meant is the effort of breathing. The effort of breathing has been highlighted by the term, Ananta, in Sutra 2.47.[12] Ananta was called Patanjali because he desired to teach Yoga to human beings, he fell from heaven to earth landing in the palm of a virtuous woman named Gonika.[13]
Ananta is also the name of the serpent who overheard Lord Shiva teaching goddess Parvati the secrets of yoga. When Lord Shiva learned of Ananta’s eavesdropping, he ordered Ananta to share that learning with the entire human race. Therefore, Ananta assumed human form as Sage Patanjali and taught the Eight Limbs of Yoga for the well-being of mankind.[14]
According toJainism the pure soul of each life form is:[15]
The 14th of the 24Jain Tirathankaras is known as Ananta or Anant Nath.[16]
Ananta also appears in theBuddhist iconography as one of three female deities emanating from Dhyani Buddha Amitabha.[citation needed]
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