The Rest a God Had to Learn to Take

According to the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana, a real worry once troubled the divine order itself. It centred on Vishnu's own habits of rest. Goddess Lakshmi grew worried, watching her husband's pattern of sleep and waking. At times, Vishnu slept for thousands of years at a stretch. This left the cosmic order without his active care for far too long. At other times, when he was awake, he would spend ages locked in endless battle against demons, with no real rest for himself at all.

Lakshmi brought her worry to Vishnu directly. Neither extreme served the universe well, not endless sleep, and not endless war. The world needed a Vishnu who was reliably present. It needed him awake during the times he was truly needed, and properly rested the rest of the time.