hidden pixel

Narayana Information

Narayana (or Narayan or Naraina) is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana. In the Kurma Purana he is identified with Brahman and Krishna-Vishnu. He is considered to be the 1st Acaraya of the Adwaitha school of tought as Adi Shankaracharya mentions in his text & works.[1]

In the Mahabharata, Krishna is often referred to as Narayana and Arjuna as Nara.[2] The epic identifies them both in plural 'Krishnas', or as part incarnations of the earlier incarnations of Vishnu, recalling their mystical identity as Nara-Narayana.[3]

Contents

Etymology

Narayana Sukta

The Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute; Narayana is the Supreme Reality; Narayana is the Supreme Light; Narayana is the Supreme Self; Narayana is the Supreme Meditator; Narayana is the Supreme Meditation.[4]

The fifth verse of the Narayana Sukta, a hymn in Yajurveda, states that Narayana pervades whatever is seen or heard in this universe from inside and outside alike. Another important translation of Narayana is "The First Being", according to the Manu Smriti. The waters are called narah, [for] the waters are, indeed, produced by Nara [the first Being]; as they were his first residence [ayana], he is called Narayana. [5] In Sanskrit, "Nara" can also refer to all human beings or living entities (Jivas). Therefore, another meaning of Narayana is 'resting place for all living entities'. The close association of Narayana with water explains the frequent depiction of Narayana in Hindu art as standing or sitting on an ocean.

The Narayana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda states that the Narayana Mantra is the crowning message of the Sama-veda. The Upanishad explains — In the beginning one vibrates "Om," then "Namo," and thereafter "Narayanaya." Om has one syllable; Namo has two syllables; Narayanaya is five syllabled. Together these make the eight jewelled syllable Narayana-mantra. One who recites this Narayana-mantra is free from fame with a pure heart and attains all: life, offspring, wealth, health and cows. Thereafter that person achieves to immortality, the spiritual world. Indeed he achieves the spiritual world. In this way it is understood.[6]

The Narayana Upnaishad states that Narayana is the eternal being: and therefore Narayana is Brahma. Narayana is Shiva. Narayana is Indra. Narayana is time. Narayana is the primary directions. Narayana is the subdirections. Narayana is above. Narayana is below. Narayana is within and without. Narayana is certainly everything; past, present and future. He is 'nishkalam' without material parts [although all beings are part of Narayana]. Being free from all falsehood, matter, He is 'niranjanah' or Brahman. He is without any master 'nirvikalpah.' He is 'nirakhyatah' invisible to the masses in general [even though He is everywhere]. Narayana is the pure effulgent Supreme Personality of Godhead: no one else, without a second to compare. He, Lord Narayana, manifests in this world as Shri Vishnu. Certainly, He appears as Shri Vishnu.

Atha nithyo Narayana. Brahma Narayana Shivascha Narayana. Shankrascha Narayana. Kaalascha Narayana. Disascha Narayana. Vidhisascha Narayana.Oordhwascha Narayana. Adhascha Narayana. Anthar bahischa Narayana. Narayana eevedam sarva yad bhootham yachcha bhavyam. Nish kalanko niranjano Nirvikalpo niraakhyatha. shabho deva eka Narayano na dwitheyesthi kaschit. Ya evam veda sa vishnureva bhavathi sa Vishnureva bhavathi.

In Mahabharat, Naar means water in human (Nar) body, is residence (Aayan) of God (Naarayan).[7] Another interpretation of the word Narayana sees Nara meaning "human" and Ayana as "direction/goal". Some view Narayana as meaning "son of man." Hence Narayana refers to the "direction of a human" (or the one that helps a human to his/her goal, i.e. towards moksha). Nara is related to moksha as both are rooted to the Water element (Ap), one of the Great Elements (Mahābhūta). (See also Tattva). Srimad Bhagavatam states that 'Yesha tu Narayanam devam adevam isham' ('Narayan is the lord of the lords beyond him there is nothing exists'). Whoever worships with love and devotion achieves the highest destination Vaikuntha. (G as Generator, O as Operator and D as Destroyer hence GOD)

The religion propagated by Lord Krishna was known as Narayaniya or Pancharatna earlier and later because the Satvat sect adopted and followed it assumed the name Satvat. Later on, people started believing in the fact that Nar-Narayana were none other than Arjuna and Sri Krishna themselves. Hence, it got labelled also as 'Bhagwat religion.[8]

Variations

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Religious uses

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

A verse that confers the Devas' subordinate status comes from the Vishnu sahasranama, whose concluding verses state: "The Rishis (great sages), ancestors, the Devas, the great elements, in fact, all things moving and unmoving constituting this universe have originated from Narayana." This verse indicates that the Devas are subordinate to Vishnu, but Vishnu is often named a Deva. (Vasudeva, Narasimhadeva, etc.)

Rarity of devotees of Narayana

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Vedas say that devotees of Narayana, Vishnu are quite rare, and still more rare are those who are pure devotees (of Vishnu, Narayana, Krishna). "nava-kotyas tu devanam rishayah sapta-kotayah narayanayanah sarve ye kecit tat-parayanah" "There are ninety million demigods and seventy million sages, who are all called narayanayana, devotees of Lord Narayana. Among them, only a few are called narayana-parayana/direct devotees are called narayana-parayanas/."

Secular uses

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

See also

References

  1. ^ Raghavan, V. (1982). International Sanskrit Conference v.4. The Ministry. ISBN Page 142. http://books.google.ie/books?id=aT49AAAAIAAJ&q=Narayana+sri+Bhagavan+svayam&dq=Narayana+sri+Bhagavan+svayam&pgis=1.
  2. ^ Vaisnavism Saivism and Minor Religious Systems, Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar. Published by Asian Educational Services, p.46.
  3. ^ Hiltebeitel, Alf (1990). The ritual of battle: Krishna in the Mahābhārata. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-0249-5. p61
  4. ^ Derived from Verse 4 of Narayana sukta.
  5. ^ Manu Smruti 1:10 " The Law Code of Manu", Published by Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-280271-2, page 11, also, The Laws of Manu in the 21st Century [1] by Pt. Sri Rama Ramanuja Acharya, page 6
  6. ^ Shri Narayana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda [2]
  7. ^ Aranyak Parva, Chapter 272 shlok 42, Published by Sastu Sahitya Vardhak Karyalay, Ahmedabad, India
  8. ^ Introduction to Vaishnavism [3]

External links

{{navbox |name = VishnuAvatars |title = Avatars of Vishnu |image =

|groupstyle = background:#FFD068; |belowstyle = background:#FFD068; |titlestyle = background:#FFD068; |listclass = hlist

|group1 = Dashavatara |list1 =

|group2 = Other avatars |list2 =

|below = 1 Buddha or Balarama is considered the avatar of Vishnu, depending on the tradition. In North India, Buddha is included and yjhyrhmfgmnklhmnghnjthin South India, Balarama. }}ii

Categories:

 

The above information uses material from Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Some facts may not have been fully verified for accuracy. [Disclaimers]
This page was last archived by our server on Tue May 29 10:13:04 2012.
Displaying this page or its contents does not use any Wikimedia Foundation's resources.
The owners of this site proudly support the Wikimedia Foundation.

More Information Results for "Narayana"
[Hide]▼
'Narayana' Images
[Hide]▲