| Nara-Narayana | |
|---|---|
 The twin form of Nara Narayana deities at theSwaminarayan Temple Ahmedabad | |
| Affiliation | |
| Abode | Badrinath |
| Parents | Dharma (father), Murti (mother) |
Naranarayana (Sanskrit:नरनारायण,romanized: Naranārāyaṇa), also renderedNara-Narayana, are a pair of sage-brothers inHinduism. They are generally regarded as partial-incarnation (aṃśa-avatara)[1] of the preserver deityVishnu on earth.[2] Nara-Narayana are described as the sons of Dharma and Murti.[3]
The Hindu scriptureMahabharata identifiesArjuna with Nara, andKrishna with Narayana.[4] The legend of Nara-Narayana is also told in the scriptureBhagavata Purana. Hindus believe that the pair dwells atBadrinath, where their most importanttemple is located.
The name "Nara-Narayana" can be broken into twoSanskrit terms,Nara andNarayana. Nara means 'male being', andNarayana refers to the name of the deity Vishnu.[5]
Monier-Williams dictionary states that Nara is "the primeval Man or eternal Spirit pervading the universe always associated with Narayana, 'son of the primeval man'; in [Epic] poetry, they are the sons ofDharma by Murti or Ahimsa, and emanations ofVishnu,Arjuna being identified with Nara, andKrishna with Narayana".[6]
Nara-Narayana are depicted jointly or separately in images. When depicted separately, Nara is portrayed with two hands and wearing deer skin, while Narayana is shown on the right in the usual form of Vishnu. Nara is supposed to be depicted as fair-complexioned, while Narayana is to be portrayed as dark-complexioned.[7]
According to theVamana Purana, Nara-Narayana were sons ofDharma, the son ofBrahma and his wife Murti (daughter ofDaksha), or Ahimsa.[8]
They helped defeat the demons in theChurning of the Milky Ocean and Nara was given the elixir for safeguarding byIndra.[9] They lived inBadrinath, where they performedtapas for a thousand years.[5]
TheBhagavata Purana narratesUrvashi's birth from the sages Nara-Narayana.[10] Once, the sages Nara-Narayana were meditating in the holy shrine of Badrinath situated in theHimalayas. Their penances and austerities alarmed the devas, and soIndra, the King of thedevas, sentKamadeva,Rati,Vasanta (spring), and variousapsaras (nymphs) such asMenaka andRambha to inspire them with erotic passion, and disturb their devotions.[11] The sage Narayana took a flower and placed it on his thigh. Immediately, a beautiful nymph sprang forth. whose charms far excelled those of the apsaras, causing them to return toheaven filled with shame and vexation. Narayana sent this nymph to Indra with the apsaras. Since she been produced from the thigh (Ūru inSanskrit) of the sage, she was calledUrvashi. Having sent back the apsaras, the divine sages continued to meditate.[12][13]
According to theMahabharata,Shiva'strishula, after laying waste toDaksha's yajna, travelled to theBadarikāśrama, where it pierced the chest of Narayana, who had been engaged in a penance. By the force of the utterance of the sound 'Hum', produced by Narayana, the trident was subsequently ejected from his chest and returned to Shiva, who was then determined to slay the sages. Nara is stated to have plucked a blade of grass from the earth, which became an axe, and discharged it towards the destroyer deity. Shiva is described to have broken this axe.[14] InShaiva tradition, the sage Narayana performed great penances at the holy spot of Badarikāśrama, propitiating Shiva, and becoming invincible.[15]
According to theBhagavata Purana, "There in Badrikashram (Badrinath) the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (3.4.22).[16] It is mentioned in the Mahabharata and Puranas that Nara, representing the human soul, and Narayana, the divine lord, performed austerities on Mount Gandhamadana, in Badrinath. Two mountains in the Himalayas near Badrinath are named Nara and Narayana.[17]
InBadrinath Temple's sanctorum, Nara and Narayana are next to Badri-Narayana.[17]
Prahlada, the king of the asuras, once commanded his forces to accompany him to the holytirtha of Naimiṣa, where he hoped to see a vision of Vishnu. They went hunting along the banks of theSarasvati river. Prahlada observed two ascetics with matted hair, bearing the bows ofSharanga andAjagava. The asura king asked them why they held weapons while performing a penance, and the two ascetics responded that all those who held power were righteous in their conduct. One of therishis assured the king that none in the three worlds could conquer them in a duel. Prahlada rose to the challenge. Nara fired arrows upon the king with his Ajagava, but the latter was able to defeat him with his own gold-plated arrows. Prahlada employed the divine Brahmastra against Nara's Narayanastra. Seeing them neutralised in a mid-air collision, Prahlada wielded his mace against Narayana. His mace broke, and Prahlada found himself growing helpless, and sought Vishnu's assistance. Vishnu told his devotee that the Nara-Narayana brothers were invincible, as they were the sons ofYama, and could only be conquered in devotion rather than combat. The king left the regency toAndhaka, and erected an ashrama to propitiate Nara-Narayana, and apologised for his folly.[18]
Arjuna andKrishna are often referred to as Nara-Narayana in theMahabharata,[19] and are also considered reincarnations of Nara and Narayana respectively, according to theDevi Bhagavata Purana.[20]
According to Bhandarkar, the deities of Nara-Narayana must have been very popular at the time of the composition of theMahabharata, since in the opening stanzas of variousparvas (constituent books) of the epic, obeisance is made to these two devas. InVana Parva (12. 46, 47), Krishna says to Arjuna, "O invincible one, you are Nara and I am Hari Narayana, and we, the sages Nara-Narayana, have come to this world at the proper time.." In the same Parva, chapter 40 (verse 1);Shiva says to Arjuna — "In former birth you were Nara and with Narayana as your companion, performed austerities for thousands of years at Badari".[21]
The Mahabharata suggests that by saluting Krishna (the omniscient Narayana), his friend and the highest of all male beings Arjuna,Saraswati, andVyasa, the orator, and destroying demonic possessions, and conquering the conscience, one should recite the epic Mahabharata.[22]
In theSwaminarayan sect, Nara and Narayana, are calledNara-Narayana Deva. They are believed to reside at Badarikashram and to be the prime controllers of the destiny of all beings, depending on theirkarma. Nara-Narayana Deva are believed to have manifested at Narayana Ghat on the banks of riverSabarmati inAhmedabad. Therefore, theirimages were installed by Swaminarayan at the first Swaminarayan temple,Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad (India).[citation needed]
Media related toNaranārāyaṇa at Wikimedia Commons| Dashavatara (for example)1 |  | |
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| Other avatars | ||
1 The list of the "ten avatars" varies regionally. Two substitutions[clarification needed] involve Balarama, Krishna, and Buddha. Krishna is almost always included; in exceptions, he is considered the source of all avatars. | ||
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