The Name's Meaning
Padmanābha (Sanskrit: padma = lotus, nābha = navel) refers to the supreme cosmic moment in the Purāṇic cosmology when Viṣṇu reclines on the cosmic ocean (Kṣīrasāgara) and from his navel a cosmic lotus grows, bearing Brahmā who then proceeds to create the universe. This image — Viṣṇu as the source of creation itself — is one of the most evocative in all of Indian religious art.
The Temple at Thiruvananthapuram
The Śrī Padmanābhasvāmi temple at Thiruvananthapuram ("city of the lord of serpents" — a name for Anantapadmanābha on Ādiśeṣa) is one of the Divya Desams and one of the richest temples in the world. The deity appears in the anantaśayanam (eternal reclining) pose — Viṣṇu lying on Ādiśeṣa across a width of three doors, with Brahmā on the lotus from his navel.
Kulashekhara's Songs
Kulashekhara Āzhvār, a Kerala king, sang of Padmanābha extensively in the Divya Prabandham — particularly about the Lord of Thiruvananchikkulam and other Kerala Divya Desams. The tradition of the Travancore royal family as "Padmanābha-dāsas" (servants of Padmanābha) continues to this day — the kings have historically viewed themselves as stewards of the Lord's domain.
The Six Vaults
The famous discovery (2011) of six vast vaults beneath the Padmanābhasvāmi temple containing treasures of enormous value demonstrated the historical wealth accumulated through centuries of royal patronage.