The Narayana Sukta is a spiritual supplement to the Purusha Sukta of the Veda, with the sole distinction being the divination of the Deity addressed by them. The Purusha Sukta depicts the supreme being as an all-encompassing, impersonal purusha, whereas the Narayana Sukta refers to the Lord as Narayana. The Purusha Sukta is a hymn to the Purusha, who exists beyond the cosmos but is still present in creation, and the Narayana Sukta is a devoted, feeling-filled, heartfelt, and intimate address to the universe’s creator. Some explication of the Purusha Sukta’s hidden meaning may be found in the Narayana Sukta.
In Yajurveda, the Narayana Sukta or Narayana Suktam is a song dedicated to the Supreme Deity Narayana. Some scholars regard it as a magical addition to the Purusha Sukta.
The Yajur Veda is a Sanskrit mantra and lyric collection used in Hindu rituals and worship. It is one of the four main Hindu writings known as the Vedas, together with the Rig Veda, Atharva Veda, and Sama Veda. Sanskrit origins for yajus, which means “worship” or “sacrifice,” and veda, which means “knowledge. The “Knowledge of Sacrifice” is another name for the Yajur Veda.
The poem is primarily intended for Hindu priests, since it explains how to perform religious rites and sacred ceremonies.
The mantras of the Yajur Veda are chanted by the adhvaryu, who supervise the physical components of the yajna fire as a sacrifice, during religious ceremonies such as those done before the yajna fire
This(Narayana Sukta) hymn is sung to worship Narayana, the universal Self (Paramatman), who is identified with Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the all-pervading, beneath and beyond absolute – the preserver), and Shiva (the auspicious one – the destroyer), who are all aspects of the Supreme Lord and not separate deities.
Who is nArAyaNa?
He is the lodge of all of the nArAs, and he has the whole Universe as his domicile and is the method for all puruShArthas. He is the Supreme Brahman, characterised through the svarUpa nirupaka dharmas – satyam, jnAnam, anantam, anandam and amalatvam – and the nirupita svarUpa viSesanams – jnana, bala, veerya, shakti, aishwarya, tejas. He is the jagatkArana and One cited through phrases such as “sath”, “Atman”, “Brahman”, “Siva”, “AkAsha”, “Shambhu” and others withinside the Veda. He is the item of all upAsaNas, recipient of all services and the granter of all fruits. He is the Lord of SrI, reclining at the waters of the milky ocean and the One called vishNu deva.
The Lord who’s the item of the Vedas, who’s past the speech and thoughts however is obtainable through his very own will, who’s the jagatkAraNa and the writer of devas like brahma, rudra, indra, etc, who’s the all-pervasive Being cited both without delay or because the indweller of all who represent his body, is nArAyaNa.
This sUkta is familiar through advaitins, vishishtadvaitins and dvaitins as of paramount significance in ascertaining the genuine nature of the Supreme Being and displaying that this Being is the item of all upAsaNas defined withinside the Veda. The call “nArAyaNa” is the best call of the Supreme Person, evidenced through the truth that no different sUkta, despite the fact that it’s miles committed to the identical Being, makes use of phrases like “para tattva:, parO jyOtir, param brahma:” so without delay because the nArAyaNa sUkta does. The concept is to reveal the significance of this call.
However, to no-one’s surprise, present day day shaiva advaitins who’re ever committed to do precisely the other of what Adi Shankara taught, observe the Andhra paTa. Hence, to reveal that we don’t have any qualms in accepting the Andhra paTa (in spite of the dravida paTa being the real one), we’ve commented on each versions, in which they range here. The variations among the paTas aren’t a hassle at all.
The Narayana Sukta
ॐ सहस्रशीर्षं देवं विश्वाक्षं विश्वशम्भुवम् ।
विश्वं नारायणं देवमक्षरं परमं पदम् ॥
OR
ōm sahasraśīrṣaṁ devaṁ viśvākśaṁ viśvaśambhuvaṁ,
viśvaṁ nārāyaṇaṁ devamakśaraṁ paramaṁ padam.
This means
The Eternal Being (Narayana) is the imperishable, highest, goal, multi-headed and multi-eyed (i.e., omniscient and omnipresent), resplendent, and the source of joy for the entire cosmos.
Note:—A renowned Vedic song begins with this stanza, expressing the characteristics of the Absolute in its manifestation as this creation.
विश्वतः परमं नित्यं विश्वं नारायण हरिम् ।
विश्वमेवेदं पुरुषस्तद्विश्वमुपजीवति॥
OR
viśvataḥ paramam nityaṁ viśvaṁ nārāyaṇagï harim,
viśvamevedaṁ puruṣastadviśvamupajīvati.
This cosmos exists solely because of the Supreme Being (Purusha); so, it feeds on That, the Eternal, which surpasses it (in every way)—the Omnipresent Absolute, which purges all sins.
पतिं विश्वस्यात्मेश्वर शाश्वत शिवमच्युतम् ।
नारायणं महाज्ञेयं विश्वात्मानं परायणम् ॥
OR
patiṁ viśvasyātmeśvaragï śāśvatagï śivamacyutam,
nārāyaṇaṁ mahājñeyaṁ viśvātmānaṁ parāyaṇam.
The Lord of all souls (or Lord over Self), the eternal, the auspicious, the indestructible, the Goal of all creation, the Supreme thing worthy of knowledge, the Soul of all creatures, the everlasting Refuge (is He).
नारायणः परं ब्रह्म तत्त्वं नारायणः परः।
नारायणः परो ज्योतिरात्मा नारायणः परः।।
नारायणः परो ध्याता ध्यानं नारायणः परः।
OR
nārāyaṇaḥ paraṁ brahma tattvaṁ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ,
nārāyaṇaḥ paro jyotirātmā nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ.
nārāyaṇaḥ paro dhyātā dhyānam nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ.
Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute; he is the Supreme Reality; he is the Supreme Light; he is the Supreme Self; he is the Supreme Meditator; and he is the Supreme Meditation.
यच्च किंचिज्जगत्सर्वं दृश्यते श्रूयतेऽपि वा।
अन्तर्बहिश्च तत्सर्वं व्याप्य नारायणः स्थितः।
OR
yacca kiñcijjagatsarvaṁ dṛśyate śrūyate’pi vā,
antarbahiśca tatsarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ.
Whatever this cosmos is, seen or heard of, the Eternal Divine Being reigns supreme from both the inside and the outside (Narayana).
अनन्तमव्ययं कवि समुद्रेऽन्तं विश्वशम्भुवम् ।
पद्मकोशप्रतीकाश हृदयं चाप्यधोमुखम् ॥
OR
anantamavyayaṁ kavigï samudre’ntaṁ viśvaśambhuvam,
padmakośapratīkāśagï hṛdayaṁ cāpyadhomukham.
He is the Limitless, Imperishable, Omniscient, abiding in the ocean of the heart, the Cause of the universe’s bliss, the Supreme End of all effort, (manifesting Himself) in the ether of the heart, which is analogous to a lotus flower’s inverted bud.
अधो निष्ट्या वितस्त्यान्ते नाभ्यामुपरि तिष्ठति।
ज्वालामालाकुलं भाति विश्वस्यायतनं महत् ॥
OR
adho niṣṭayā vitasyānte nābhyāmupari tiṣṭhati,
jvālamālākulaṁ bhāti viśvasyāyatanaṁ mahat.
The Great Abode of the cosmos effulges, as though ornamented with flames, below the Adam’s apple, at a distance of a span, and above the navel (i.e., the heart, which is the relative seat of the manifestation of Pure Consciousness in the human person).
सन्तत शिलाभिस्तु लम्बत्याकोशसंनिभम् ।
तस्यान्ते सुषिर सूक्ष्म तस्मिन् सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥
OR
santatagï śilābhistu lambatyākośasannibham,
tasyānte suṣiragï sūkśmaṁ tasmin sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam.
The lotus-bud of the heart is hanging in an inverted position, surrounded on all sides by nerve-currents (or arteries). It contains a delicate place (the sushumna-nadi, a small aperture) where the Substratum of All Things can be located.
तस्य मध्ये महानग्निर्विश्वर्चिर्विश्वतोमुखः।
सोऽग्रभुग विभजन् तिष्ठन् आहारमजरः कविः ।।
OR
tasya madhye mahanagnirviśvārcirviśvatomukhaḥ,
so’grabhug vibhajan tiṣṭhan āhāramajaraḥ kaviḥ.
The Great Flaming Fire sits in that area within the heart, undecaying and all-knowing, with tongues extended out in all directions and faces turned everywhere, devouring and absorbing every food brought before it.
तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधःशायी रश्मयस्तस्य सन्तताः ।
संतापयति स्वं देहमापाततलमस्तकम् ।
तस्य मध्ये वह्निशिखा अणीयोर्ध्वा व्यवस्थितः।
OR
tiryagūrdhvamadaḥśāyī raśmayastasya santatāḥ,
santāpayati svaṁ dehamāpātatalamastakam,
tasya madhye vahniśikhā aṇīyordhvā vyavasthitaḥ.
His beams warm the entire body from head to foot, extending all about, sideways as well as above and below. The Tongue of Fire, being the highest of all subtle things, resides in the centre of That (Flame).
Note:—The Consciousness is enshrouded in potential as well as manifested objectivity due to the jiva’s attachments and involvement in worldly happiness and sorrow; hence, it appears as a little streak of flame inside the black clouds of ignorance. Consciousness is realised as the Infinite when the jiva rises beyond worldliness.
नीलतोयदमध्यस्थाद् विद्युल्लेखेव भास्वरा।
नीवारशूकवत्तन्वी पीता भास्वत्यणूपमा।
OR
nīlatoyadamadhyasthād vidyullekheva bhāsvarā,
nīvāraśūkavattanvī pītā bhāsvatyaṇūpamā.
This Tongue of Fire burns splendidly, brilliant like a flash of lightning placed in the middle of the blue rain-bearing clouds, thin like the awn of a rice grain, golden (like gold) in colour, in subtlety equal to the minute atom.
तस्याः शिखाया मध्ये परमात्मा व्यवस्थितः।
स ब्रह्म स शिवः स हरिः सेन्द्रः सोऽक्षरः परमः स्वराट् ॥
OR
tasyāḥ śikhāyā madhye paramātmā vyavasthitaḥ,
sa brahma sa śivaḥ sa hariḥ sendraḥ so’kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ.
The Supreme Self resides in the centre of that Flame. Brahma (the Creator), Siva (the Destroyer), Hari (the Protector), Indra (the Ruler), the Imperishable, the Absolute, the Autonomous Being is this (Self).
ऋत सत्यं परं ब्रह्म पुरुषं कृष्णपिंगलम् ।
ऊर्ध्वरेतं विरूपाक्षं विश्वरूपाय वै नमो नमः ।।
OR
ṛtagï satyaṁ paraṁ brahma puruṣaṁ kṛṣṇapiṅgalam,
ūrdhvaretaṁ virūpākśaṁ viśvarūpāya vai namo namaḥ.
Prostrations to the Omni-formed Being, Truth, Law, the Supreme Absolute, the Purusha of blue-decked yellow colour, the Centralised-force Power, the All-seeing One, again and over again.
ॐ नारायणाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि।
तन्नो विष्णुः प्रचोदयात् ॥
OR
ōm nārāyaṇāya vidmahe vāsudevāya dhīmahi,
tanno viṣṇuḥ pracodayāt.
Prostrations to the Omni-formed Being, Truth, Law, the Supreme Absolute, the Purusha of blue-decked yellow colour, the Centralised-force Power, the All-seeing One, again and over again.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
OR
ōṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.
Om. May there be Peace, Peace, Peace.
In Vaishnavism, Narayana is revered as the Lord of the Universe and the Supreme Being. Mahesvara, Maha Vishnu, Manifested Brahman, Saguna Brahman, or Isvara Brahman are all names for him.
He is praised as the supreme entity of cosmic proportions, penetrating everything within and beyond and abiding in the heart of everybody like a glowing tongue of flame. Hari, Vishnu, Maha Deva, Purushotthama, and Maha Purusha are some of his numerous names. The Yajurveda’s Narayana Sukta describes the great lord Narayana’s brilliant characteristics as Para Brahman. It is considered auspicious and self-cleansing to recite the following hymn and reflect on its significance.
