Narayana Sūkta
Yajur Vēda, Taittiriya Aranyaka, prapathaka 10, anuvak 13
(Translated by Madhukrishna Sudhindra)
PrefaceNarayana Sūkta.01sahasra śīrṣaṁ dēvaṁ viśvākṣaṁ viśvaśaṁbhuvam। viśvai nārāyaṇaṁ dēvaṁ akṣaraṁ paramaṁ padam॥
He is the deity with a thousand heads; He has eyes everywhere; He brings happiness to the universe; He is the dwelling place of all beings in the universe; He is imperishable and supreme abode of all living beings, called Nārāyana.
Narayana Sūkta.02viśvataḥ paramānnityaṁ viśvaṁ nārāyaṇaṁ harim। viśvaṁ ēva idaṁ puruṣaḥ tadviśvaṁ upajīvati॥
From every aspect He is the supreme among the everlasting; He is the abode of living entities of the universe, called Nārāyana; He is the remover of obstacles, called Hari; The universe is even this personality, on which this universe lives up on.
Narayana Sūkta.03patiṁ viśvasya ātmā īśvaraṁ śāśvataṁ śivamacyutam। nārāyaṇaṁ mahājñēyaṁ viśvātmānaṁ parāyaṇam॥
He is the lord of the universe; He is the everlasting supreme owner; He is the auspicious and infallible essence. This Nārāyana is most worthy of being known, is the essence of the universe, and is the ultimate refuge.
Narayana Sūkta.04nārāyaṇa parō jyōtirātmā nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ। nārāyaṇa paraṁ brahma tattvaṁ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ। nārāyaṇa parō dhyātā dhyānaṁ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ॥
This Nārāyana is the transcendental; This Nārāyana is of the transcendental effulgent form; This Nārāyana is the ultimate reality, the supreme Brahman. All true principles proclaim Nārāyana only. The meditator is for Nārāyan; The meditation is for Nārāyana.
Narayana Sūkta.05yacca kiṁcit jagat sarvaṁ dr̥śyatē śrūyatē'pi vā। aṁtarbahiśca tatsarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ॥
Whatever is perceived or heard in the universe, inside and outside, all of it is pervaded by the established lord Nārāyana.
Narayana Sūkta 06 and 07anantaṁ avyayaṁ kaviṁ samudrēntaṁ viśvaśaṁbhuvam। padma kōśa pratīkāśaṁ hr̥dayaṁ ca api adhōmukham॥
adhō niṣṭhyā vitastyāntē nābhyām upari tiṣṭhati। jvālāmālākulaṁ bhātī viśvasyāyatanaṁ mahat॥
He is endless and indestructible like the ocean, and is the origin of the universe. In the heart, resembling downward facing lotus covering, below the Adam's apple, a measure of finger span from its edge, surrounded by fire, glowing, above the navel, stands the abode of the great lord of the universe.
Narayana Sūkta.08santataṁ sirābhistu lambatyā kōśasannibham। tasyāntē suṣiraṁ sūkṣmaṁ tasmin sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam॥
It is hanging down like a lotus bud from the top. Inside it is the refreshing and subtle one, and in it, everything is continuously established.
Narayana Sūkta.09tasya madhyē mahānagniḥ viśvārciḥ viśvatō mukhaḥ। sō'gravibhajaṁtiṣṭhan āhāraṁ ajaraḥ kaviḥ॥
In its centre is the great fire, the light of the universe, the face of the universe. Standing there, He, the undecaying wise one, partakes the primary share of the food.
Narayana Sūkta.10tiryagūrdhvamadhaśśāyī raśmayaḥ tasya santatā। santāpayati svaṁ dēhamāpādatalamāstakaḥ। tasya madhyē vahniśikhā aṇīyōrdhvā vyavasthitāḥ॥
Staying there, continually spreading his radiance horizontally and vertically, He warms the whole body from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head. At its centre, in its minute form, is the flame of fire, going upward, that is well stationed.
Narayana Sūkta.11nīlatōyada-madhyastha-dvidyullēkhēva bhāsvarā। nīvāraśūkavattanvī pītā bhāsvatyaṇūpamā॥
He shines like the line of lightning situated in the middle of a blue water bearing clouds; He shines like an incomparable yellow of the slender bamboo cane.
Narayana Sūkta.12tasyāḥ śikhāyā madhyē paramātmā vyavasthitaḥ। sa brahma sa śivaḥ sa hariḥ sa indraḥ sō'kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ॥
At the tip of such effulgence, at the centre, the supreme essence, ParamaAtma , is situated. He only is Brahman, the ultimate reality; He only is Shiva, the auspicious; He only is Hari, the remover of obstacles; He only is Indra, the ruler of mind and senses; He, the supreme and independent, only is Akshara, the imperishable.
