Nārāyaṇa Sūktam

Kannada lyrics with meaning · composed by Vedic Rishis (Shruti) · stotra · 16 verses

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Also available in: Devanagari Roman (IAST)

ನಾರಾಯಣಸೂಕ್ತಂ

ನಾರಾಯಣಸೂಕ್ತಂ

nārāyaṇasūktam

Nārāyaṇa Sūktam — the Vedic Hymn to Nārāyaṇa (Taittirīya Āraṇyaka), which contemplates Nārāyaṇa as the supreme Being who pervades the whole universe and dwells within the lotus of the heart. It is traditionally recited alongside the Puruṣa and Śrī Sūktas.

Verse 2 — ಓಂ ಸಹ ನಾವವತು । ಸಹ ನೌ ಭುನಕ್ತು । ಸಹ ವೀರ್ಯಂ…

ಓಂ ಸಹ ನಾವವತು ।
ಸಹ ನೌ ಭುನಕ್ತು ।
ಸಹ ವೀರ್ಯಂ ಕರವಾವಹೈ ।
ತೇಜಸ್ವಿನಾವಧೀತಮಸ್ತು ಮಾ ವಿದ್ವಿಷಾವಹೈ ॥ ಓಂ ಶಾಂತಿಃ ಶಾಂತಿಃ ಶಾಂತಿಃ ॥

oṃ saha nāvavatu |
saha nau bhunaktu |
saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai |
tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai || oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

May He protect us both; may He nourish us both; may we work together with vigour; may our study be radiant; may we never quarrel. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Verse 3 — ಸಹಸ್ರಶೀರ್ಷಂ ದೇವಂ ವಿಶ್ವಾಕ್ಷಂ ವಿಶ್ವಶಂಭುವಂ ।…

ಸಹಸ್ರಶೀರ್ಷಂ ದೇವಂ ವಿಶ್ವಾಕ್ಷಂ ವಿಶ್ವಶಂಭುವಂ ।
ವಿಶ್ವಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಂ ದೇವಮಕ್ಷರಂ ಪರಮಂ ಪದಂ ॥

sahasraśīrṣaṃ devaṃ viśvākṣaṃ viśvaśambhuvam |
viśvaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ devamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ padam ||

The thousand-headed God, whose eyes are all eyes, the source of every blessing — the universe itself is Nārāyaṇa, the God, the imperishable, the supreme goal.

Verse 4 — ವಿಶ್ವತಃ ಪರಮಾನ್ನಿತ್ಯಂ ವಿಶ್ವಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಁ ಹರಿಂ ।…

ವಿಶ್ವತಃ ಪರಮಾನ್ನಿತ್ಯಂ ವಿಶ್ವಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಁ ಹರಿಂ ।
ವಿಶ್ವಮೇವೇದಂ ಪುರುಷಸ್ತದ್ವಿಶ್ವಮುಪಜೀವತಿ ॥

viśvataḥ paramānnityaṃ viśvaṃ nārāyaṇa~ harim |
viśvamevedaṃ puruṣastadviśvamupajīvati ||

Beyond the universe, eternal, is the universe as Nārāyaṇa, as Hari. All this is the Puruṣa alone, and upon Him this whole world lives.

Verse 5 — ಪತಿಂ ವಿಶ್ವಸ್ಯಾತ್ಮೇಶ್ವರಁ ಶಾಶ್ವತಁ ಶಿವಮಚ್ಯುತಂ ।…

ಪತಿಂ ವಿಶ್ವಸ್ಯಾತ್ಮೇಶ್ವರಁ ಶಾಶ್ವತಁ ಶಿವಮಚ್ಯುತಂ ।
ನಾರಾಯಣಂ ಮಹಾಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ವಿಶ್ವಾತ್ಮಾನಂ ಪರಾಯಣಂ ॥

patiṃ viśvasyātmeśvara~ śāśvata~ śivamacyutam |
nārāyaṇaṃ mahājñeyaṃ viśvātmānaṃ parāyaṇam ||

The Lord of the universe, ruler of the self, everlasting, auspicious, undecaying — Nārāyaṇa, the supremely knowable, the Self of all, the final refuge.

Verse 6 — ನಾರಾಯಣಪರೋ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರಾತ್ಮಾ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಪರಃ । ನಾರಾಯಣಪರಂ…

ನಾರಾಯಣಪರೋ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರಾತ್ಮಾ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಪರಃ ।
ನಾರಾಯಣಪರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ತತ್ತ್ವಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಪರಃ ॥

nārāyaṇaparo jyotirātmā nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ |
nārāyaṇaparaṃ brahma tattvaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ ||

Nārāyaṇa is the supreme Light; the Self is Nārāyaṇa, the supreme. Nārāyaṇa is the supreme Brahman; the Reality is Nārāyaṇa, the supreme.

Verse 7 — ನಾರಾಯಣಪರೋ ಧ್ಯಾತಾ ಧ್ಯಾನಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಪರಃ । ಯಚ್ಚ…

ನಾರಾಯಣಪರೋ ಧ್ಯಾತಾ ಧ್ಯಾನಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಪರಃ ।
ಯಚ್ಚ ಕಿಂಚಿಜ್ಜಗತ್ಸರ್ವಂ ದೃಶ್ಯತೇ ಶ್ರೂಯತೇಽಪಿ ವಾ ॥

nārāyaṇaparo dhyātā dhyānaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ |
yacca kiñcijjagatsarvaṃ dṛśyate śrūyate'pi vā ||

Nārāyaṇa is the supreme meditator; meditation itself is Nārāyaṇa, the supreme. And whatever is seen or heard, all this world —

Verse 8 — ಅಂತರ್ಬಹಿಶ್ಚ ತತ್ಸರ್ವಂ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ಯ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಸ್ಥಿತಃ ।…

ಅಂತರ್ಬಹಿಶ್ಚ ತತ್ಸರ್ವಂ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ಯ ನಾರಾಯಣಃ ಸ್ಥಿತಃ ।
ಅನಂತಮವ್ಯಯಂ ಕವಿಁ ಸಮುದ್ರೇಽಂತಂ ವಿಶ್ವಶಂಭುವಂ ॥

antarbahiśca tatsarvaṃ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ |
anantamavyayaṃ kavi~ samudre'ntaṃ viśvaśambhuvam ||

— pervading all of it, within and without, Nārāyaṇa abides: the infinite, the changeless, the all-knowing, whose bound is the (cosmic) ocean, the source of all good.

Verse 9 — ಪದ್ಮಕೋಶ ಪ್ರತೀಕಾಶಁ ಹೃದಯಂ ಚಾಪ್ಯಧೋಮುಖಂ । ಅಧೋ…

ಪದ್ಮಕೋಶ ಪ್ರತೀಕಾಶಁ ಹೃದಯಂ ಚಾಪ್ಯಧೋಮುಖಂ ।
ಅಧೋ ನಿಷ್ಟ್ಯಾ ವಿತಸ್ಯಾಂತೇ ನಾಭ್ಯಾಮುಪರಿ ತಿಷ್ಠತಿ ॥

padmakośa pratīkāśa~ hṛdayaṃ cāpyadhomukham |
adho niṣṭyā vitasyānte nābhyāmupari tiṣṭhati ||

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

Verse 10 — ಜ್ವಾಲಮಾಲಾಕುಲಂ ಭಾತಿ ವಿಶ್ವಸ್ಯಾಯತನಂ ಮಹತ್ । ಸಂತತಁ…

ಜ್ವಾಲಮಾಲಾಕುಲಂ ಭಾತಿ ವಿಶ್ವಸ್ಯಾಯತನಂ ಮಹತ್ ।
ಸಂತತಁ ಶಿಲಾಭಿಸ್ತು ಲಂಬತ್ಯಾಕೋಶಸನ್ನಿಭಂ ॥

jvālamālākulaṃ bhāti viśvasyāyatanaṃ mahat |
santata~ śilābhistu lambatyākośasannibham ||

Wreathed in garlands of flame it shines, the great abode of the universe, held fast round about, resembling an unopened bud.

Verse 11 — ತಸ್ಯಾಂತೇ ಸುಷಿರಁ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮಂ ತಸ್ಮಿನ್ ಸರ್ವಂ…

ತಸ್ಯಾಂತೇ ಸುಷಿರಁ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮಂ ತಸ್ಮಿನ್ ಸರ್ವಂ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಿತಂ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಮಧ್ಯೇ ಮಹಾನಗ್ನಿರ್ವಿಶ್ವಾರ್ಚಿರ್ವಿಶ್ವತೋಮುಖಃ ॥

tasyānte suṣira~ sūkṣmaṃ tasmin sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam |
tasya madhye mahānagnirviśvārcirviśvatomukhaḥ ||

At its tip is a subtle opening, and in that all is established; within its centre is the great fire, its flames spread everywhere, facing in every direction.

Verse 12 — ಸೋಽಗ್ರಭುಗ್ವಿಭಜಂತಿಷ್ಠನ್ನಾಹಾರಮಜರಃ ಕವಿಃ ।…

ಸೋಽಗ್ರಭುಗ್ವಿಭಜಂತಿಷ್ಠನ್ನಾಹಾರಮಜರಃ ಕವಿಃ ।
ತಿರ್ಯಗೂರ್ಧ್ವಮಧಶ್ಶಾಯೀ ರಶ್ಮಯಸ್ತಸ್ಯ ಸಂತತಾ ॥

so'grabhugvibhajantiṣṭhannāhāramajaraḥ kaviḥ |
tiryagūrdhvamadhaśśāyī raśmayastasya santatā ||

Enjoying first (of all offerings), it stands apportioning its food, the undecaying, the wise; lying athwart, above and below, its rays stretch out unbroken.

Verse 13 — ಸಂತಾಪಯತಿ ಸ್ವಂ ದೇಹಮಾಪಾದತಲಮಸ್ತಕಃ । ತಸ್ಯ ಮಧ್ಯೇ…

ಸಂತಾಪಯತಿ ಸ್ವಂ ದೇಹಮಾಪಾದತಲಮಸ್ತಕಃ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಮಧ್ಯೇ ವಹ್ನಿಶಿಖಾ ಅಣೀಯೋರ್ಧ್ವಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥಿತಃ ॥

santāpayati svaṃ dehamāpādatalamastakaḥ |
tasya madhye vahniśikhā aṇīyordhvā vyavasthitaḥ ||

It warms its own body from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head; in its centre a tongue of flame, most subtle, stands pointing upward.

Verse 14 — ನೀಲತೋಯದಮಧ್ಯಸ್ಥಾದ್ವಿದ್ಯುಲ್ಲೇಖೇವ ಭಾಸ್ವರಾ ।…

ನೀಲತೋಯದಮಧ್ಯಸ್ಥಾದ್ವಿದ್ಯುಲ್ಲೇಖೇವ ಭಾಸ್ವರಾ ।
ನೀವಾರಶೂಕವತ್ತನ್ವೀ ಪೀತಾ ಭಾಸ್ವತ್ಯಣೂಪಮಾ ॥

nīlatoyadamadhyasthādvidyullekheva bhāsvarā |
nīvāraśūkavattanvī pītā bhāsvatyaṇūpamā ||

Brilliant as a streak of lightning set in the heart of a dark rain-cloud, slender as the awn of a rice-grain, golden, radiant, subtle as an atom —

Verse 15 — ತಸ್ಯಾಃ ಶಿಖಾಯಾ ಮಧ್ಯೇ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥಿತಃ । ಸ…

ತಸ್ಯಾಃ ಶಿಖಾಯಾ ಮಧ್ಯೇ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥಿತಃ ।
ಸ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಸ ಶಿವಃ ಸ ಹರಿಃ ಸೇಂದ್ರಃ ಸೋಽಕ್ಷರಃ ಪರಮಃ ಸ್ವರಾಟ್ ॥

tasyāḥ śikhāyā madhye paramātmā vyavasthitaḥ |
sa brahma sa śivaḥ sa hariḥ sendraḥ so'kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ ||

in the middle of that flame the Supreme Self abides. He is Brahmā, He is Śiva, He is Hari, He is Indra; He is the imperishable, the supreme, the self-luminous sovereign.

Verse 16 — ಋತಁ ಸತ್ಯಂ ಪರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಪುರುಷಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಪಿಂಗಲಂ ।…

ಋತಁ ಸತ್ಯಂ ಪರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಪುರುಷಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಪಿಂಗಲಂ ।
ಊರ್ಧ್ವರೇತಂ ವಿರೂಪಾಕ್ಷಂ ವಿಶ್ವರೂಪಾಯ ವೈ ನಮೋ ನಮಃ ॥

ṛta~ satyaṃ paraṃ brahma puruṣaṃ kṛṣṇapiṅgalam |
ūrdhvaretaṃ virūpākṣaṃ viśvarūpāya vai namo namaḥ ||

The cosmic Order, the Truth, the supreme Brahman, the Puruṣa dark-and-tawny, the ever-continent, of extraordinary eyes — to Him of universal form, salutation, salutation.

Verse 17 — ಓಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಾಯ ವಿದ್ಮಹೇ ವಾಸುದೇವಾಯ ಧೀಮಹಿ । ತನ್ನೋ…

ಓಂ ನಾರಾಯಣಾಯ ವಿದ್ಮಹೇ ವಾಸುದೇವಾಯ ಧೀಮಹಿ ।
ತನ್ನೋ ವಿಷ್ಣುಃ ಪ್ರಚೋದಯಾತ್ ॥

oṃ nārāyaṇāya vidmahe vāsudevāya dhīmahi |
tanno viṣṇuḥ pracodayāt ||

Om. May we know Nārāyaṇa; for that let us meditate on Vāsudeva; may that Viṣṇu impel us onward. (the Nārāyaṇa Gāyatrī)

About Nārāyaṇa Sūktam

Nārāyaṇa Sūktam is a Sanskrit stotra, composed by Vedic Rishis (Shruti), addressed to Vishnu — a Sukta. It is presented here in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, each verse with its English meaning. Source text: sanskritdocuments.org.

The Durgā Sūktam is a Vedic hymn to the Goddess drawn from the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka and the Ṛgveda; as śruti it is anonymous, ancient revelation and wholly in the public domain.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Nārāyaṇa Sūktam and what does it mean?

Nārāyaṇa Sūktam is a Sanskrit stotra (devotional hymn), composed by Vedic Rishis (Shruti), addressed to Vishnu, of 16 verses. On Avabodhak every verse is shown with its English meaning, so you can understand the text line by line as you read.

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Avabodhak presents Nārāyaṇa Sūktam in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada alongside IAST Roman transliteration that marks every long vowel (ā, ī, ū) and conjunct consonant. Reading the Devanagari text with the IAST line lets you follow the exact pronunciation syllable by syllable, and the guided practice mode replays it line by line.

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Who composed Nārāyaṇa Sūktam?

Nārāyaṇa Sūktam is attributed to Vedic Rishis (Shruti).

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Nārāyaṇa Sūktam is available in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada on Avabodhak, each with English meaning and IAST transliteration.

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