Thread by @DefiledGod

shAstra highly glorifies waking up bhagavAn from his sleep, as in the case of Venkatesha suprabhAta.

Why so? First we need to know he wakes us up from our sleep. As mAndukya upanishad says,

अनादिमायया सुप्तो यदा जीवः प्रबुध्यते । अजम् अनिद्रम् अस्वप्नम् अद्वैतं बुध्यते तदा+

[When the jIva in the sleep of ignorance due to prakR^iti is awakened (by bhagavad anugraha), then it realizes that Brahman manifested by the praNava (अजम्), who is sleepless (अनिद्रम्), opposed to evil dreams, ie, the purifier (अस्वप्नम्), who is incomparable (अद्वैतं)]+

The awakened jIva realizes bhagavAn as his master being the akAra of praNava, sleepless or always alert in protecting the jIva, destroyer of “(bad) dreams” – denotes destruction of sins - and he does this without another to support him, as the independent, incomparable one+

Now, the Upanishad says he is sleepless. But shAstra also says he does sleep.

By “sleep”, Yoga in guise of sleep, is meant. Azhwar says, “uRanguvAn pOl yOgu seydha perumAnai” – “By pretext of sleeping, you are meditating on how to protect us, leaving aside all other thoughts”+

As the jIva sleeps due to ignorance, bhagavAn sleeps due to knowledge. So, when jIva is awakened from it’s sleep by bhagavAn, it takes delight in waking up bhagavAn from his sleep. Because, a j~nAni enjoys the sleep of bhagavAn, realizing that it is meditation on ways to protect+

Thus, shAstra says,

उत्तिष्ठ पुरुष हरे लोहितपिङ्गलाक्ष देहि (~ mahAnArAyaNa upanishad)

[Purusha, Hari, with red, tawny eyes like the lotus. Arise (from your sleep) -- always be ever watchful in our protection. Give us all knowledge and capability (means) pertaining to you]+

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा संध्या प्रवर्तते | उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् (~ bAla kANDa, VR)

[vishvAmitra: rAma who are the dear son of kausalyA! It is early morning now. Tiger amongst men! Wake up and engage in auspicious morning rituals.]+

A most elaborate bhagavad suprabhAta, similar to venkatesha suprabhAta, is in the Harivamsha, where the rishis and gods go to mahAviShNu and entreat him to rise from his yoga-nidrA for taking kR^iShNAvatAra.

The shlokAs are as below+

जहीहि निद्रां सहजां भुक्त पूर्वाम् इव स्रजम् । इमे ते ब्रह्मणा सार्धं देवा दर्शन काङ्क्षिणः

[Cast off this sleep-like Yoga, which is your very nature of protection, like a garland which has already been enjoyed. The gods along with brahmarishIs are eager for your darShaNa.]+

Protection is his nature and so his nidrA-yoga thinking of ways to protect is said to be natural to him. A garland which has been enjoyed is immediately discarded without a second thought.

Likewise, they are saying, “Do not sleep a second longer, we are eager to see you!”+

The point is, it is not necessary to meditate on means to protect the jIvAs, if the protection is of the form of conferring his darshaNa. So the rishis, by asking him to cast off his Yoga, are saying, "Stop worrying, because merely seeing you means we are protected"+

इमे त्वां ब्रह्म विद्वांसो ब्रह्म संस्तव वादिनः । वर्धयन्ति हृषीकेश ऋषयः संशित-व्रताः

[Ruler of the senses of gods (hR^iShIkesha)! The R^iShIs, who are diligent in karma yoga, learned in knowledge of the self and in expounding the Vedas which sing your glory, are praising you]+

It was said the rishIs were eager for his darShaNa and are praising him – they praise with words of “jaya!”. The meaning is, “You are victorious, we have been defeated by your supremacy; you are our master, as you control the senses of even the gods”+

But the gods, unlike rishIs, are IshvarAs. Do they have this mindset too? Clarified next

एतेषाम् आत्मभूतानां भूतानाम् आत्मभावनः । शृणु विष्णो शुभा वाचो भू व्योम अग्नि अनिल अम्भसाम् ॥+

[viShNu, who manifests among gods by his own will (भूतानाम् आत्मभावनः)! Listen to the auspicious words (Vedic mantrAs) of the gods presiding over earth, ether, fire, wind and water -- the Universe -- who are entities supported by your will as your bodies (आत्मभूतानां).]+

The reference to the 5 elements does not merely signify their presiding deities but all gods including brahmA, rudra and indra who rule over the Universe consisting of these 5 elements+

The above says that gods, despite being masters and worshipped by others, do have the knowledge of bhagavAn only being an avatAra among them for their protection.

They know him to be their master and thus are also praising his auspicious qualities with Vedic sUktAs+

The actual call to wake up from sleep, is mentioned next. That is to say, because the rishIs and gods have realized their subservience, he should now stop thinking of ways to protect them and now confer his protection in the form of his darShaNa+

उत्तिष्ठ शतपत्राक्ष पद्मनाभ महाद्युते ।

[Arise (from Yoga-sleep), one whose eyes are like the 1000-petalled lotus, who has a lotus in his navel, whose effulgence destroys all obstacles.]+

Him having the eyes like a lotus suggests that he is the sole ruler of the Universe. He has a lotus with brahmA in his navel, substantiates that, showing he is the Cause to be meditated on (kAraNam tu dhyeyaH) .

The effulgence of his divine form destroys all enemies and sins+

कारणं किम्चित् उत्पन्नं देवानां कार्य गौरवात्  

[For your act of protecting the gods, important to you, some cause – which is trivial for you – has arisen]+

bhagavAn performs various acts for protecting the gods. His protection makes their obstacles and enemies trivial.

Hence, the cause for him to act is described as ““कारणं किम्चित्” – some trifling obstacle, such that even what it is, has been forgotten by merely seeing him+

The text goes onto say that bhagavAn woke up with eyes fully blossomed due to happiness of his dhyAna

तानुवाच हरिर्देवो निद्राविश्रान्तलोचनः

[The god Hari, whose eyes were refreshed (like a fully blossomed lotus) from the sleep-like yoga of protection, spoke to them]+

So much from Harivamsha.

Now, a final insight - periyazhwar also wakes up kR^iShNa in his pAsuram as follows,

அர ரவணையாய் ஆயரேறே! அம்மமுண்ணத் துயிலெழாயே

[Bull amongst the cowherd boys who was formerly lying down on Adisesha! wake up and get ready to eat.]+

rAma was woken up by viShvAmitra for morning duties & mahAvishNu was woken up to protect the gods, but kR^iShNa has only one job to do when he wakes up – eat butter & be pampered by yaShoda.

That act of his itself destroys our sins. So periyazhwar asks him to get up and eat!//