Nārāyaṇa Upanishad
Nārāyaṇa Upanishad
॥ नारायणोपनिषत् एवं नारायण अथर्वशीर्ष ॥
Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad of Nārāyaṇa Atharva Śīrṣa
ॐ सह नाववतु सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु । मा विद्विषावहै ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
auṁ saha nāvavatu saha nau bhunaktu |
saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai |
tejasvināvadhītamastu | mā vidviṣāvahai ||
auṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
Om, May God Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student),
May God Nourish us Both,
May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour,
May our Study be Enlightening and not give rise to Hostility,
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.
ॐ अथ पुरुषो ह वै नारायणोऽकामयत प्रजाः सृजेयेति ।
नारायणात्प्राणो जायते । मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च ।
खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापः पृथिवी विश्वस्य धारिणी ।
नारायणाद् ब्रह्मा जायते । नारायणाद् रुद्रो जायते ।
नारायणादिन्द्रो जायते । नारायणात्प्रजापतयः प्रजायन्ते ।
नारायणाद्द्वादशादित्या रुद्रा वसवः सर्वाणि च छन्दाँसि ।
नारायणादेव समुत्पद्यन्ते । नारायणे प्रवर्तन्ते । नारायणे प्रलीयन्ते ॥
एतद् ऋग् वेद शिरोऽधिते ।१।
auṁ atha puruṣo ha vai nārāyaṇo'kāmayata prajāḥ sṛjeyeti |
nārāyaṇātprāṇo jāyate | manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca |
khaṁ vāyurjyotirāpaḥ pṛthivī viśvasya dhāriṇī |
nārāyaṇād brahmā jāyate | nārāyaṇād rudro jāyate |
nārāyaṇādindro jāyate | nārāyaṇātprajāpatayaḥ prajāyante |
nārāyaṇāddvādaśādityā rudrā vasavaḥ sarvāṇi ca chandāɱsi |
nārāyaṇādeva samutpadyante | nārāyaṇe pravartante | nārāyaṇe pralīyante ||
etad ṛg veda śiro'dhite |1|
Then Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Being desired 'I shall project beings'.
From Nārāyaṇa emanates the prāṇa (Life Breath), mind and the sense organs,
ether, air, fire, water, and the earth that supports all.
From Nārāyaṇa emanates Brahma. From Nārāyaṇa emanates Rudra.
From Nārāyaṇa emanates Indra.
From Nārāyaṇa emanate the Prajāpatis (The Divine Progenitors).
From Nārāyaṇa emanates the 12 Ādityas, Rudras, Vāsus and all the Vedic metres (chandas).
From Nārāyaṇa only do they proceed.
Through Nārāyaṇa do they prosper. In Nārāyaṇa are they reabsorbed.
This is taught as the head of the Rig Veda.
ॐ । अथ नित्यो नारायणः । ब्रह्मा नारायणः । शिवश्च नारायणः ।
शक्रश्च नारायणः । द्यावापृथिव्यौ च नारायणः ।
कालश्च नारायणः । दिशश्च नारायणः । ऊर्ध्वश्च नारायणः ।
अधश्च नारायणः । अन्तर्बहिश्च नारायणः । नारायण एवेदँ सर्वम् ।
यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम् । निष्कलो निरञ्जनो निर्विकल्पो निराख्यातः
शुद्धो देव एको नारायणः । न द्वितीयोऽस्ति कश्चित् । य एवं वेद ।
स विष्णुरेव भवति स विष्णुरेव भवति ॥
एतद् यजुर् वेद शिरोऽधिते ।२।
auṁ | atha nityo nārāyaṇaḥ | brahmā nārāyaṇaḥ | śivaśca nārāyaṇaḥ |
śakraśca nārāyaṇaḥ | dyāvāpṛthivyau ca nārāyaṇaḥ |
kālaśca nārāyaṇaḥ | diśaśca nārāyaṇaḥ | ūrdhvaśca nārāyaṇaḥ |
adhaśca nārāyaṇaḥ | antarbahiśca nārāyaṇaḥ | nārāyaṇa evedaɱ sarvam |
yadbhūtaṁ yacca bhavyam | niṣkalo nirañjano nirvikalpo nirākhyātaḥ
śuddho deva eko nārāyaṇaḥ | na dvitīyo'sti kaścit | ya evaṁ veda |
sa viṣṇureva bhavati sa viṣṇureva bhavati ||
etad yajur veda śiro'dhite |2|
Nārāyaṇa is eternal.
Brahma is Nārāyaṇa. Śiva is Nārāyaṇa. Indra is Nārāyaṇa.
Time is Nārāyaṇa. Space is Nārāyaṇa, the intermediate quarters also are Nārāyaṇa.
That which is above is Nārāyaṇa. That which is below is Nārāyaṇa.
That which is within and that which is without is Nārāyaṇa.
The entire Universe which existed and that which will exist is Nārāyaṇa.
Nārāyaṇa is the only One that is partless,
immaculate, inconceivable, indescribable, pure and divine.
There is no second.
Whosoever knows Him thus, becomes Vishnu.
This the Yajur Veda teaches. 2.
ओमित्यग्रे व्याहरेत् । नम इति पश्चात् । नारायणायेत्युपरिष्टात् ।
ओमित्येकाक्षरम् । नम इति द्वे अक्षरे । नारायणायेति पञ्चाक्षराणि ।
एतद्वै नारायणस्याष्टाक्षरं पदम् ।
यो ह वै नारायणस्याष्टाक्षरं पदमध्येति । अनपब्रुवस्सर्वमायुरेति ।
विन्दते प्राजापत्यँ रायस्पोषं गौपत्यम् ।
ततोऽमृतत्वमश्नुते ततोऽमृतत्वमश्नुत इति । य एवं वेद ॥
एतद् साम वेद शिरोऽधिते ।३।
omityagre vyāharet | nama iti paścāt | nārāyaṇāyetyupariṣṭāt |
omityekākṣaram | nama iti dve akṣare | nārāyaṇāyeti pañcākṣarāṇi |
etadvai nārāyaṇasyāṣṭākṣaraṁ padam |
yo ha vai nārāyaṇasyāṣṭākṣaraṁ padamadhyeti | anapabruvassarvamāyureti |
vindate prājāpatyaɱ rāyaspoṣaṁ gaupatyam |
tato'mṛtatvamaśnute tato'mṛtatvamaśnuta iti | ya evaṁ veda ||
etad sāma veda śiro'dhite |3|
One should utter Om first, then Namaḥ and thereafter Nārāyaṇāya.
Om is a single syllable. Namaḥ consists of two syllables.
Nārāyaṇāya consists of five syllables.
This is the mantra of eight syllables (aṣtakṣari) pertaining to Nārāyaṇa.
Whoever studies this mantra and chants it constantly,
becomes free from all disgrace, attains full life and hegemony.
He enjoys royal pleasures and attains self-mastery,
thereupon He attains Liberation, yea Final Liberation.
This the Sama Veda teaches. 3.
प्रत्यगानन्दं ब्रह्मपुरुषं प्रणवस्वरूपम् । अकार उकार मकार इति ।
तानेकधा समभरत्तदेतदोमिति ।
यमुक्त्वा मुच्यते योगी जन्मसंसारबन्धनात् ।
ॐ नमो नारायणायेति मन्त्रोपासकः । वैकुण्ठभुवनलोकं गमिष्यति ।
तदिदं परं पुण्डरीकं विज्ञानघनम् । तस्मात्तदिदावन्मात्रम् ।
ब्रह्मण्यो देवकीपुत्रो ब्रह्मण्यो मधुसूदनोम् ।
सर्वभूतस्थमेकं नारायणम् । कारणरूपमकार परब्रह्म ॐ।
pratyagānandaṁ brahmapuruṣaṁ praṇavasvarūpam | akāra ukāra makāra iti |
tānekadhā samabharattadetadomiti |
yamuktvā mucyate yogī janmasaṁsārabandhanāt |
auṁ namo nārāyaṇāyeti mantropāsakaḥ | vaikuṇṭhabhuvanalokaṁ gamiṣyati |
tadidaṁ paraṁ puṇḍarīkaṁ vijñānaghanam | tasmāttadidāvanmātram |
brahmaṇyo devakīputro brahmaṇyo madhusūdanom |
sarvabhūtasthamekaṁ nārāyaṇam | kāraṇarūpamakāra parabrahma oṁ |4
The Yogi that recites the name of Him,
who is Bliss Absolute, The Great Purusha,
who is represented by Om comprised of the three letters A, U, and M,
is released from the bondage of birth and repeated transmigration.
He who chants the mantra Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya reaches the realm of Vaikuṇṭha.
That is this Lotus, it is replete with transcendental wisdom and bright as lightning.
The son of Devakī (Krishna) is the Supreme, Madhusudana is the Supreme,
Nārāyaṇa who pervades all beings, who is ONE only, the Cause of all,
being Himself causeless is the Supreme Being (Parabrahman). 4.
एतदथर्व शिरोयोधीते प्रातरधीयानो रात्रिकृतं पापं नाशयति ।
सायमधीयानो दिवसकृतं पापं नाशयति ।
माध्यन्दिनमादित्याभिमुखोऽधीयानः पञ्चपातकोपातकात्प्रमुच्यते ।
सर्व वेद पारायण पुण्यं लभते ।
नारायणसायुज्यमवाप्नोति नारायण सायुज्यमवाप्नोति ।
य एवं वेद । इत्युपनिषत् ॥
etadatharva śiroyodhīte prātaradhīyāno rātrikṛtaṁ pāpaṁ nāśayati |
sāyamadhīyāno divasakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ nāśayati |
mādhyandinamādityābhimukho'dhīyānaḥ pañcapātakopātakātpramucyate |
sarva veda pārāyaṇa puṇyaṁ labhate |
nārāyaṇasāyujyamavāpnoti nārāyaṇa sāyujyamavāpnoti |
ya evaṁ veda | ityupaniṣat ||5
The Atharva Veda teaches that whoever recites this Upaniṣad in the morning
destroys thereby the sins committed during the night.
Whoever recites it in the evening destroys thereby the sins committed during the day.
Whoever recites it at midday facing the sun
is freed from the five heinous sins and all minor ones.
He derives the same merit produced by the recitation of all the Vedas.
Whoever knows this attains Union with Nārāyaṇa.
He attains Union with Nārāyaṇa. This is the Secret Teaching. 5.
ॐ सह नाववतु सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु । मा विद्विषावहै ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
auṁ saha nāvavatu saha nau bhunaktu | saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai |
tejasvināvadhītamastu | mā vidviṣāvahai ||
auṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
Om, May God Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student),
May God Nourish us Both,
May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour,
May our Study be Enlightening and not give rise to Hostility,
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं
विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥
śāntākāraṁ bhujagaśayanaṁ padmanābhaṁ sureśaṁ
viśvādhāraṁ gaganasadṛśaṁ meghavarṇaṁ śubhāṅgam |
lakṣmīkāntaṁ kamalanayanaṁ yogibhirdhyānagamyaṁ
vande viṣṇuṁ bhavabhayaharaṁ sarvalokaikanātham ||
I bow to Viṣṇu, Who is in an immense state of rest,
Who reclines on a serpent bed, Who has lotus at His belly-button,
Who rules over demi-gods, Who is the support of the world,
Who is immeasurable like sky, Who is cloud-complexioned,
Who has graceful organs, Who is the beloved of Lakṣmī,
Who has red-lotus like eyes,
Who is achieved by knowledge-seekers during meditation,
Who absolves the fear of metempsychosis,
and Who is the only Lord of the world