Five type of sayana.

The five Śayana Tirukkolams—the five ways in which Perumal is seen reclining in the Divya Desams.

Śayana Tirukkolam

Meaning

Divya Desam / place

Deity

Ananta Śayanam

Reclining on Ādiśeṣa, the endless serpent

Tiruvananthapuram

Ananta Padmanabha

Bhujanga Śayanam

Serpentine reclining posture

Śrīraṅgam

Raṅganātha

Tala Śayanam

Reclining directly on the ground

Tirukadalmallai (Mahabalipuram)

Sthalasayana Perumal

Darbha Śayanam

Reclining on darbha grass

Tiruppullāṇi

Darbhaśayana Rāma

Vīra Śayanam

Majestic/heroic reclining posture

Tiruveḷḷūr (Tiruvallur)

Vīrarāghava Perumal

1. Ananta Śayanam — Tiruvananthapuram

Here the Lord reclines upon Ananta, the endless serpent, with His majestic form extending across the sanctum. This is the famous Ananta Padmanabha.

The very name tells us the idea: Ananta means endless, infinite. The Lord rests upon infinity itself.

2. Bhujanga Śayanam — Śrīraṅgam

At Śrīraṅgam, Lord Raṅganātha reclines upon Ādiśeṣa, facing south. This is perhaps the most celebrated reclining form of Vishnu.

Ādiśeṣa is not merely a serpent-bed. He is the Lord's eternal servant, providing the Lord with a bed, umbrella and throne.

3. Tala Śayanam — Tirukadalmallai

At Tirukadalmallai, the Lord is Sthalasayana Perumal.

Tala/Sthala conveys the idea of the ground or place. Here Perumal reclines directly upon the earth rather than upon the serpent.

The legend beautifully connects the form with Bhūmi Devi and the sage Pundarika.

4. Darbha Śayanam — Tiruppullāṇi

This is particularly associated with Sri Rama.

At Tiruppullāṇi, Rama is believed to have reclined upon darbha grass while praying to the ocean before his journey to Lanka.

Hence the Lord is Darbhaśayana Rāman.

It is a wonderful reminder that the Supreme Lord, though capable of commanding the universe, can also lie upon a simple bed of grass for the sake of His mission.

5. Vīra Śayanam — Tiruvallur

At Tiruvallur, Lord Vīrarāghava Perumal is seen reclining in a majestic posture.

Vīra means heroic, valiant. The posture therefore conveys not sleep or weakness, but the repose of the victorious Lord who is ever ready to protect His devotees.

The beautiful thought behind the five

The reclining Lord is never really asleep.

He appears to rest, but His protection never rests.

Whether He reclines on Ananta, the ground, the serpent, darbha grass or in heroic repose, the message remains the same:

The Lord may rest, but His grace is always awake.