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Narayana - Wikipedia 10. 10. 2019 Narayana - Wikipedia Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: , IAST: Nārāyaṇa) is known as one who is in नारायण Narayana yogic slumber on the celestial waters, referring to Lord Maha Vishnu. He is also known as the "Purusha" and is considered Supreme being in नारायण Vaishnavism. According to the Bhagavat Gita, he is also the "Guru of the Universe". The Bhagavata Purana declares Narayana as the Supreme Personality Godhead who engages in the creation of 14 worlds within the universe as Brahma when he deliberately accepts rajas guna, himself sustains, maintains and preserves the universe as Vishnu by accepting sattva guna. Narayana himself annihilates the universe at the end of maha-kalpa as Kalagni Rudra when he accepts tamas guna. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Narayana Sukta, and Narayana Upanishad from the Vedas, he is the ultimate soul. According to Madhvacharya, Narayana is one of the five Vyuhas of Vishnu, which are cosmic emanations of God in contrast to his incarnate avatars. Bryant, Edwin F., Krishna: a Sourcebook. p.359 "Madhvacharya separates Vishnu’s manifestations into two groups: Vishnu’s vyuhas (emanations) and His avataras (incarnations). The Vyuhas have their basis in the A depiction of Lord Narayana at Pancharatras, a sectarian text that was accepted as authoritative by both Badami cave temples the Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita schools of Vedanta. They are mechanisms Affiliation Adi Narayana by which the universe is ordered, was created, and evolves. According to Abode Vaikuntha Madhvacharya, Vishnu has five vyuhas, named Narayana, Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, which evolve one after the other Mantra ॐ नमो: नारायण in the development of the universe. Weapon Chakra, Gada, Padma, Sankh Mount Garuda Contents Texts Vedas Description Ancient Texts Etymology See also References External links Description In the Vedas and Puranas, Lord Narayana is described as having the divine blue colour of water-filled clouds, four- armed, holding a padma (lotus flower), Kaumodaki (mace), Panchajanya shankha (conch) and the Sudarshana Chakra (discus). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayana 1/5 10. 10. 2019 Narayana - Wikipedia Lord Narayana is also often identified as Sharangapani, Vishnu, Hari, Purushottama or Purusha and Jagannath in the Hindu sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas and the Puranas[1]. Narayana is also venerated as Mukunda[2] (giver of Moksha, liberation from cycle of births and deaths in the material world). In the Mahabharata, Krishna is often referred to as Narayana and Arjuna as Nara.[3] 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.[4] Narayana is also described in the Bhagavad Gita as having a universal form (Vishvarupa) which is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception or imagination.[5] Narayana's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is Vaikuntha which is a realm of bliss and happiness called Paramapadha, which means final or highest place for liberated souls, where they enjoy bliss and happiness for eternity in the company of supreme lord. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic.[6] Sometimes, Ksheera Sagara where Narayana or Vishnu rests on Ananta Shesha is also perceived as Vaikuntha within the material universe. There are seven weapons and symbols of Narayana, namely: conch, discus (sudarshana chakra), club, bow, sword, jewel (kaustubha mani) and a Lord Narayana/Hari garland of flowers (vanamala). Balabhadra and Narayana are mighty half brothers, who appear nine times in each half of the time cycles of the Jain cosmology and jointly rule half the earth as half-chakravarti. Ultimately Prati-naryana is killed by Narayana for his unrighteousness and immorality. Narayana are extremely powerful and are as powerful as 2 Balabhadras. Chakravartins are as powerful as 2 Narayanas. Hence Narayanas become half-chakravartins. Tirthankaras are much more powerful than Chakravartins. In Jain Mahabharta, there is a friendly duel between cousin brothers Neminatha (Tirthankara) and Krishna (Naryana) in which Neminath defeats Krishna without any effort at all. There is also a story of Neminath lifting Conch of Krishna and blowing it without any effort. In Jain Mahabharat, the main fight between Krishna and Jarasandha is described, who is killed by Krishna. Ancient Texts Narayana is hailed in certain parts of Vedas like, Narayana Suktam and Vishnu Suktam. Lord Narayana is also hailed in selective Vaishnava Upanishads like, Narayana Upanishad, Maha Narayana Upanishad and Narasimha Tapani Upanishad.[7] Etymology There are multiple variations of Lord Narayana's name. The word 'Narayana' means "The one who rests on waters of creation". The Manusmriti states, The waters are called "narah", for the waters are, indeed, produced by Nara-Narayana (the first Being); as they were his first residence "ayana", he is called Narayana.[8] Narayana also means, "The Supreme Being who is the foundation of all men".[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayana 2/5 10. 10. 2019 Narayana - Wikipedia Another interpretation sees, Nara means "human" and Ayana as "direction/goal". Some view Narayana as meaning "son of man." Hence, Narayana refers to the "direction of a human" (towards moksha). Nara means "Human" and Ayana also means "Shelter" so Narayana means, shelter of all human beings. The Narayana Upanishad reads: Om Namo Narayanayeti mantra upasaka Vaikuntha bhuvanam gamishyati,[10] In Sanskrit, The word 'Nara' can also refer to a man, male or a person[11]. Narayana is spoken of in the scriptures as being parabrahman, paramatma parameshwar parashakti and parajyothi which are all ways of saying "absolute" or "supreme". In the Vedas, it is written, "Narayana parabrahman tatvam Narayana paraha" which points to how Narayana is essentially the supreme force and/or essence of all.[12] Narayan Temple on Oldest Sridhar Narayan The bow of Royal Idol of Narayana around Narayanhiti palace statue at Naksaal, Barge Narai Song 14/15th century, found premises, Kathmandu Suban HM Rama at the Devasathan, Kathmandu, Nepal IX of Thailand, it inner Bangkok, Thailand carved a image of Narayana ride a Garuda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayana 3/5 10. 10. 2019 Narayana - Wikipedia Statue of Narayana Idol of Narayana ride a Drawing of sleeping Narayana on in Thai art style Garuda built in Khmer art Sheshanaga while the four-headed Brahma stands on Mount style in front of springs from his navel Mandara within InterContinental Suvarnabhumi Bangkok, Phloen Chit Airport, Samut Road, it is one of the Prakan, Thailand most respected Hindu shrines in the Ratchaprasong neighbourhood alike Erawan Shrine Khmer lintel depicting Narayana sleeping upon the Sheshanaga in the middle of Milky Ocean, Bangkok National Museum See also Adam Kadmon Bhagavan Bhakti Garbhodaksayi Vishnu Hari Hiranyagarbha Jagannath Kshirodakasayi Vishnu Mahavishnu Narayana sukta Pangu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayana 4/5 10. 10. 2019 Narayana - Wikipedia Parabrahman Paramatma Pausha Sankarshana Vaikunta Vishnu World egg Salakapurusa References 1. Bhagavad Gita (15.18): Because I am transcendental, beyond the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person (Purushottama) 2. Name No. 515 in Vishnu Sahasranama 3. Vaisnavism Saivism and Minor Religious Systems, Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar. Published by Asian Educational Services, p.46. 4. 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 (https://books.google.com/books?id=vwWGX08JAx8C&pg=PA61) 5. Prabhupada, AC Bhaktivedanta. "Bhagavad-gita As It Is Chapter 11 Verse 3" (https://web.archive.org/web/200805 15014652/http://vedabase.net/bg/11/3/en1). vedabase.net. Archived from the original (http://vedabase.net/bg/11/ 3/en1) on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008. "see the cosmic manifestation" 6. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070515224306/http://www.tirumala.org/sapthagiri/062003/vaikunt ha.htm). Archived from the original (http://www.tirumala.org/sapthagiri/062003/vaikuntha.htm) on 15 May 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2007. 7. "Narayanastra – Defending Vaishnavism as the supreme Vedic position" (http://narayanastra.blogspot.in/). narayanastra.blogspot.in. Retrieved 21 October 2015. 8. 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] (http://www.srimatham.com/storage/docs/manu-smriti.pdf) by Pt. Sri Rama Ramanuja Acharya, page 6 9. Harivansh, Adhyay 88 shlock 44, also, Manu Smruti 1:10 " The Law Code of Manu", Published by Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-280271-2, page 11 10. http://www.sathyasaiottawa.org/pdf/Vedam/Narayana_Upanishad.pdf 11. http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=nara&script=&direction=SE&link=yes 12. "॥ नारायणसूतम ्साथ ॥ - .. Narayana Sukta .. - Sanskrit Documents" (http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_vishhnu/n arayana-sukta.html?lang=sa). sanskritdocuments.org. Retrieved 21 October 2015. External links Name of Narayana even at the time of death can save a great sinner, Ajamila. (https://web.archive.org/web/20060 514020114/http://www.chennaionline.com/festivalsnreligion/religion/religion33.asp) http://www.ayurvedacollege.com/articles/drhalpern/om_namo_narayanaya Om Namo Narayana and Ayurveda Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Narayana&oldid=919504397" This page was last edited on 4 October 2019, at 02:37 (UTC). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayana 5/5.
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