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Narayana Suktam Meaning — Line by Line

नारायण सूक्तम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Narayana Suktam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. Om saha navavatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha viryam karavavahai;
  2. Verse 2. Om sahasrashirsham devam vishvaksham vishvashambhuvam;
  3. Verse 3. Vishvatah paramannityam vishvam Narayanam Harim;
  4. Verse 4. Patim vishvasyatmeshvaram shashvatam shivamachyutam;
  5. Verse 5. Narayanaparo jyotiratma Narayanah parah;
  6. Verse 6. Narayanaparo dhyata dhyanam Narayanah parah;
  7. Verse 7. Antarbahishcha tatsarvam vyapya Narayanah sthitah;
  8. Verse 8. Padmakoshapratikasham hridayam chapyadhomukham;
  9. Verse 9. Jvalamalakulam bhati vishvasyayatanam mahat;
  10. Verse 10. Tasyante sushiram sukshmam tasminsarvam pratishthitam;
  11. Verse 11. So'grabhugvibhajantishthannaharamajarah kavih;
  12. Verse 12. Santapayati svam dehamapadatalamastakah;
  13. Verse 13. Nilatoyadamadhyasthadvidyullekheva bhasvara;
  14. Verse 14. Tasyah shikhaya madhye paramatma vyavasthitah;
  15. Verse 15. Ritam satyam param brahma purusham krishnapingalam;
  16. Verse 16. Om Narayanaya vidmahe Vasudevaya dhimahi;
Verse 1#

Om saha navavatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha viryam karavavahai;

सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै। तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om saha navavatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha viryam karavavahai; Tejasvinavadhitamastu ma vidvishavahai. Om shantih shantih shantih.

MeaningOm. May He protect us both; may He nourish us both; may we work together with vigour; may our study be radiant and effective; may we never hate each other. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Verse 2#

Om sahasrashirsham devam vishvaksham vishvashambhuvam;

सहस्रशीर्षं देवं विश्वाक्षं विश्वशम्भुवम्। विश्वं नारायणं देवमक्षरं परमं पदम्॥

Om sahasrashirsham devam vishvaksham vishvashambhuvam; Vishvam Narayanam devamaksharam paramam padam.

MeaningOm. The Divine One of a thousand heads, the all-eyed, source of all good; Narayana the all-pervading God, the imperishable, the supreme abode.

Verse 3#

Vishvatah paramannityam vishvam Narayanam Harim;

विश्वतः परमान्नित्यं विश्वं नारायणं हरिम्। विश्वमेवेदं पुरुषस्तद्विश्वमुपजीवति॥

Vishvatah paramannityam vishvam Narayanam Harim; Vishvamevedam purushastadvishvamupajivati.

MeaningEver beyond the universe, eternal, the universe itself is Narayana, Hari; this whole world is the Purusha alone, and upon Him it lives.

Verse 4#

Patim vishvasyatmeshvaram shashvatam shivamachyutam;

पतिं विश्वस्यात्मेश्वरं शाश्वतं शिवमच्युतम्। नारायणं महाज्ञेयं विश्वात्मानं परायणम्॥

Patim vishvasyatmeshvaram shashvatam shivamachyutam; Narayanam mahajneyam vishvatmanam parayanam.

MeaningThe Lord of the universe, ruler of the Self, eternal, auspicious, undecaying; Narayana the supremely-to-be-known, the Self of all, the highest refuge.

Verse 5#

Narayanaparo jyotiratma Narayanah parah;

नारायणपरो ज्योतिरात्मा नारायणः परः। नारायणपरं ब्रह्म तत्त्वं नारायणः परः॥

Narayanaparo jyotiratma Narayanah parah; Narayanaparam brahma tattvam Narayanah parah.

MeaningNarayana is the supreme light, the Self is Narayana supreme; Narayana is the supreme Brahman, the Reality that is Narayana supreme.

Verse 6#

Narayanaparo dhyata dhyanam Narayanah parah;

नारायणपरो ध्याता ध्यानं नारायणः परः। यच्च किञ्चिज्जगत्सर्वं दृश्यते श्रूयतेऽपि वा॥

Narayanaparo dhyata dhyanam Narayanah parah; Yachcha kinchijjagatsarvam drishyate shruyate'pi va.

MeaningNarayana is the supreme meditator, meditation itself is Narayana supreme; and whatever exists — all this world, whether seen or heard —

Verse 7#

Antarbahishcha tatsarvam vyapya Narayanah sthitah;

अन्तर्बहिश्च तत्सर्वं व्याप्य नारायणः स्थितः। अनन्तमव्ययं कविं समुद्रेऽन्तं विश्वशम्भुवम्॥

Antarbahishcha tatsarvam vyapya Narayanah sthitah; Anantamavyayam kavim samudre'ntam vishvashambhuvam.

Meaning— within and without, pervading all of it, stands Narayana: infinite, imperishable, the all-seeing seer, whose limit is the ocean, the source of the universe's good.

Verse 8#

Padmakoshapratikasham hridayam chapyadhomukham;

पद्मकोशप्रतीकाशं हृदयं चाप्यधोमुखम्। अधो निष्ट्या वितस्त्यान्ते नाभ्यामुपरि तिष्ठति॥

Padmakoshapratikasham hridayam chapyadhomukham; Adho nishtya vitastyante nabhyamupari tishthati.

MeaningLike the bud of a lotus is the heart, facing downward; a span below the throat and above the navel it abides.

Verse 9#

Jvalamalakulam bhati vishvasyayatanam mahat;

ज्वालामालाकुलं भाति विश्वस्यायतनं महत्। सन्ततं सिराभिस्तु लम्बत्याकोशसन्निभम्॥

Jvalamalakulam bhati vishvasyayatanam mahat; Santatam sirabhistu lambatyakoshasannibham.

MeaningWreathed in garlands of flame it shines, the great abode of the universe; held continually by the veins, it hangs like a closed bud.

Verse 10#

Tasyante sushiram sukshmam tasminsarvam pratishthitam;

तस्यान्ते सुषिरं सूक्ष्मं तस्मिन्सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। तस्य मध्ये महानग्निर्विश्वार्चिर्विश्वतोमुखः॥

Tasyante sushiram sukshmam tasminsarvam pratishthitam; Tasya madhye mahanagnirvishvarchirvishvatomukhah.

MeaningAt its end is a subtle aperture, and in that all is established; in its midst is the great fire, blazing on every side, facing all directions.

Verse 11#

So'grabhugvibhajantishthannaharamajarah kavih;

सोऽग्रभुग्विभजन्तिष्ठन्नाहारमजरः कविः। तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधःशायी रश्मयस्तस्य सन्तताः॥

So'grabhugvibhajantishthannaharamajarah kavih; Tiryagurdhvamadhahshayi rashmayastasya santatah.

MeaningThe foremost enjoyer, abiding while apportioning the food, undecaying, the wise one; lying athwart, above and below, his rays are spread without break.

Verse 12#

Santapayati svam dehamapadatalamastakah;

सन्तापयति स्वं देहमापादतलमस्तकः। तस्य मध्ये वह्निशिखा अणीयोर्ध्वा व्यवस्थिता॥

Santapayati svam dehamapadatalamastakah; Tasya madhye vahnishikha aniyordhva vyavasthita.

MeaningHe warms his own body from the soles of the feet to the head. In the midst of that fire abides a tongue of flame, subtlest, pointing upward.

Verse 13#

Nilatoyadamadhyasthadvidyullekheva bhasvara;

नीलतोयदमध्यस्थाद्विद्युल्लेखेव भास्वरा। नीवारशूकवत्तन्वी पीता भास्वत्यणूपमा॥

Nilatoyadamadhyasthadvidyullekheva bhasvara; Nivarashukavattanvi pita bhasvatyanupama.

MeaningBrilliant like a streak of lightning set in the midst of a blue rain-cloud; slender as the awn of a rice-grain, golden, radiant, atom-like.

Verse 14#

Tasyah shikhaya madhye paramatma vyavasthitah;

तस्याः शिखाया मध्ये परमात्मा व्यवस्थितः। ब्रह्म शिवः हरिः सेन्द्रः सोऽक्षरः परमः स्वराट्॥

Tasyah shikhaya madhye paramatma vyavasthitah; Sa brahma sa shivah sa harih sendrah so'ksharah paramah svarat.

MeaningIn the middle of that flame the Supreme Self abides: He is Brahma, He is Shiva, He is Hari, He is Indra; He is the imperishable, the supreme, the self-luminous sovereign.

Verse 15#

Ritam satyam param brahma purusham krishnapingalam;

ऋतं सत्यं परं ब्रह्म पुरुषं कृष्णपिङ्गलम्। ऊर्ध्वरेतं विरूपाक्षं विश्वरूपाय वै नमो नमः॥

Ritam satyam param brahma purusham krishnapingalam; Urdhvaretam virupaksham vishvarupaya vai namo namah.

MeaningThe Cosmic Order, the Truth, the supreme Brahman, the Purusha dark-and-tawny, the ever-chaste, the strange-eyed one — to the Universal Form, salutations again and again.

Verse 16#

Om Narayanaya vidmahe Vasudevaya dhimahi;

नारायणाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो विष्णुः प्रचोदयात्॥ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om Narayanaya vidmahe Vasudevaya dhimahi; Tanno Vishnuh prachodayat. Om shantih shantih shantih.

MeaningOm. May we know Narayana, may we meditate upon Vasudeva; may that Vishnu impel us. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

सहस्रशीर्षं
Sahasrashirsham
With a thousand heads
विश्वाक्षं
Vishvaksham
Eyes everywhere, all-seeing
विश्वशम्भुवम्
Vishvashambhuvam
Source of the universe's well-being
नारायणं
Narayanam
Narayana — the supreme refuge of all
अक्षरं
Aksharam
Imperishable, eternal
परमं पदम्
Paramam Padam
The supreme abode
हरिम्
Harim
Hari — remover of sorrow
आत्मेश्वरं
Atmeshvaram
Lord of all souls
शाश्वतं
Shashvatam
Eternal
अच्युतम्
Achyutam
The infallible one
ज्योतिः
Jyotih
Light, radiance
ब्रह्म
Brahma
The absolute truth
तत्त्वं
Tattvam
The ultimate reality
ध्याता
Dhyata
The meditator
ध्यानं
Dhyanam
The meditation itself
व्याप्य
Vyapya
Pervading, encompassing

Origin & History

Source: Taittiriya Aranyaka (Yajurveda)

Author: Vedic Rishis

Period: 1200-800 BCE

The Narayana Suktam is found in the Taittiriya Aranyaka of the Krishna Yajurveda. It is one of the Pancha Suktams (Five Hymns) chanted daily in Vaishnava tradition. The hymn systematically establishes that Narayana is the ultimate reality — he is the light, the soul, the truth, the meditator, and the meditation itself. Nothing exists apart from Narayana.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Narayana Suktam?
A Vedic hymn from the Taittiriya Aranyaka (Yajurveda) declaring that Narayana (Vishnu) is the supreme reality that pervades everything. It is one of the foundational texts of Vaishnavism.
What does Narayana mean?
'Nara' means the collection of all beings, and 'Ayana' means refuge or abode. So Narayana means 'the refuge of all beings' — the ultimate shelter for all of existence.
How is it different from Purusha Suktam?
Purusha Suktam describes how the Cosmic Being sacrificed himself to create the universe. Narayana Suktam declares that this Cosmic Being IS Narayana and that he pervades everything. They are complementary — one describes creation, the other identifies the creator.

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