Narayana
Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: Nārāyaṇa, also Narayan) is the supreme absolute being in Hinduism and is considered as the supreme deity in Vaishnavism. The Bhagavata Purana declares Narayana as the Para Brahman(Supreme Lord) who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of the Universe.
Narayana engages in the creation of 14 worlds within the universe as Brahma when he deliberately accepts Rajas Guna. Narayana himself sustains, maintains and preserves the universe as Vishnu when he accepts Sattva Guna and annihilates the universe at the end of maha-kalpa as Shiva or Rudra when he accepts Tamas Guna. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Narayana is the supreme controller and is supreme among deities, the ultimate soul. He is also called as Surya Narayana, one who shines like the brilliant sun. He is said to pervade whatever is seen or heard in this universe from inside and outside alike. He is also mainly associated with the cosmic waters of creation.
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).
Lord Narayana is also often identified as Vishnu, Hari, Purushottama or Purusha and Jagannath in the Hindu sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas and the Puranas[ Narayana is also venerated as Mukunda (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. 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.
Narayana's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is Vaikuntha which is a realm of bliss and happiness called Paramapada, 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. Sometimes, Ksheera Sagara where Narayana or Vishnu rests on Ananta Shesha is also perceived as Vaikuntha within the material universe.
Lord Narayana is hailed in each and every part of Vedas like, Shata Rudriyam, Purusha Suktam, Narayana Suktam, Hiranyagarbha Suktam, Vishnu Suktam, Rudra Suktam.
Lord Narayana is also hailed in the Upanishads such as Isa Upanishad, Chandogya Upanishad, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Mundaka Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, Kena Upanishad, Prasna Upanishad, Svetasvatara Upanishad, Maha Narayana Upanishad, and Narasimha Tapani Upanishad.
There are multiple variations in the etymology of Lord Narayana.
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.
Narayana also means, "The Supreme Being who is the foundation of all men".
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.
In Sanskrit, The word 'Nara' can also refer to a man, male or a person. Narayana is spoken of in the scriptures as being parabrahman, paramatma parameshwarparashakti 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.
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