The Lord Who Dwells in the Water: Unpacking the Name
In the Hindu trinity, Lord Narayana (Vishnu) holds the cosmic portfolio of Preservation and Protection. He is the sustaining force that maintains the order (Dharma) of the universe. The name Nārāyaṇa itself is highly philosophical: Nāra means water or all living beings/souls, and Ayana means resting place, abode, or goal.
Thus, Nārāyaṇa is literally interpreted in two powerful ways:
- The Abode of Water: He who rests on the causal waters (Kāraṇārṇava), symbolizing his transcendence before creation.
- The Ultimate Goal of All Beings: He who is the final destination and inner dwelling place for all souls (Nārā).
The Narayana Stotram is a devotional hymn (a Stotra) that weaves together these two meanings, using beautiful poetic language to remind the devotee of the Lord’s omnipresence, compassion, and unwavering protective commitment. Chanting this hymn is an act of surrendering to the ultimate Preserver, asking for guidance on the tumultuous path of Saṁsāra.
The Flow of Praise: Narayana as Creator and Redeemer
Unlike many hymns that focus on one avatar or one deed, the Narayana Stotram often encompasses the Lord’s entire cosmic history. The verses garland him with praises that recognize his roles in every age:
– The Ocean of Mercy: He is praised as Karuṇāpārāvāra (the boundless ocean of compassion) and Varuṇālaya-Gambheera (as majestic as the deep sea). This invokes his calming, cooling power to soothe the emotional fires of worry and anger.
– The Destroyer of Kaliyuga Ills: The hymn recognizes the current age’s challenges, praising him as Kṛta Kali-Kalmaṣanāśana (the destroyer of the ills and sins of the Kali Age). By calling upon him, devotees seek protection against modern afflictions like anxiety, distraction, and greed.
– The Avatars and Līlā: The Stotram seamlessly weaves in his famous Avatāras (incarnations) and divine sports (Līlā), praising him as the Daśaratha Rāja Kumāra (the son of King Daśaratha, i.e., Rāma) and the one who danced on the head of the serpent Kāliya (Kāliya Śirasi Nṛtyantaṁ). This serves as a meditation on the fact that God takes form solely for the welfare of his devotees.
– The Wearer of Symbols: He is adorned with the eternal symbols of protection: the yellow silken robe (Pītāmbara), the Kaustubha gem, and the divine weapons. Meditating on these attributes instills a deep sense of security and richness.
The Assurance of Tranquility and Success
The spiritual discipline of chanting the Narayana Stotram brings a wealth of both spiritual and material benefits, making it an ideal practice for holistic well-being:
– Emotional and Mental Peace: By focusing on the attributes of the Preserver, the chanting generates powerful positive vibrations that dispel Aghabhaya (fear of sin/danger) and remove negative emotions like ego and avarice. It is hailed as a “mantra of peace.”
– Success in Life: Regular recitation is believed to bless the devotee with Dīrghāyu (long life), success in endeavors, and material prosperity (Lakshmi), as his consort, Goddess Lakshmi, is inseparable from him.
– The Power of Sound: The vibrations of chanting his name, often done along with the Aṣṭākṣara Mantra (“Oṁ Namo Nārāyaṇāya”), are believed to resonate throughout the body and the environment, dissolving obstacles (Vighnas) and generating harmony.
Guidance for Liberation: Ultimately, the Stotram is a prayer that the Lord act as the guide (Ayana) across the terrifying ocean of Saṁsāra to the final resting place, Vaikuṇṭha.
To make the Narayana Stotram a part of your daily life is to anchor your consciousness in the eternal principle of Preservation, ensuring that your path is secure and your inner being is always at peace.
Narayana Stotram Mantram Sanskirt Lyrics
नारायण स्तोत्रम्
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोपाल हरे ॥
करुणापारावार वरुणालयगम्भीर नारायण ॥ 1 ॥
घननीरदसङ्काश कृतकलिकल्मषनाशन नारायण ॥ 2 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
यमुनातीरविहार धृतकौस्तुभमणिहार नारायण ॥ 3 ॥
पीताम्बरपरिधान सुरकल्याणनिधान नारायण ॥ 4 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
मञ्जुलगुञ्जाभूष मायामानुषवेष नारायण ॥ 5 ॥
राधाधरमधुरसिक रजनीकरकुलतिलक नारायण ॥ 6 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
मुरलीगानविनोद वेदस्तुतभूपाद नारायण ॥ 7 ॥
वारिजभूषाभरण राजीवरुक्मिणीरमण नारायण ॥ 8 ॥
[बर्हिनिबर्हापीड नटनाटकफणिक्रीड नारायण]
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
जलरुहदलनिभनेत्र जगदारम्भकसूत्र नारायण ॥ 9॥
पातकरजनीसंहार करुणालय मामुद्धर नारायण ॥ 10 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
अघ बकहयकंसारे केशव कृष्ण मुरारे नारायण ॥ 11 ॥
हाटकनिभपीताम्बर अभयं कुरु मे मावर नारायण ॥ 12 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
दशरथराजकुमार दानवमदसंहार नारायण ॥ 14 ॥
गोवर्धनगिरि रमण गोपीमानसहरण नारायण ॥ 15 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
सरयुतीरविहार सज्जनऋषिमन्दार नारायण ॥ 16 ॥
विश्वामित्रमखत्र विविधवरानुचरित्र नारायण ॥ 17 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
ध्वजवज्राङ्कुशपाद धरणीसुतसहमोद नारायण ॥ 18 ॥
जनकसुताप्रतिपाल जय जय संस्मृतिलील नारायण ॥ 19 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
दशरथवाग्धृतिभार दण्डक वनसञ्चार नारायण ॥ 20 ॥
मुष्टिकचाणूरसंहार मुनिमानसविहार नारायण ॥ 21 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
वालिविनिग्रहशौर्य वरसुग्रीवहितार्य नारायण ॥ 22 ॥
मां मुरलीकर धीवर पालय पालय श्रीधर नारायण ॥ 23 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
जलनिधि बन्धन धीर रावणकण्ठविदार नारायण ॥ 24 ॥
ताटकमर्दन राम नटगुणविविध सुराम नारायण ॥ 25 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
गौतमपत्नीपूजन करुणाघनावलोकन नारायण ॥ 26 ॥
सम्भ्रमसीताहार साकेतपुरविहार नारायण ॥ 27 ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे…
अचलोद्धृतचञ्चत्कर भक्तानुग्रहतत्पर नारायण ॥ 28 ॥
नैगमगानविनोद रक्षित सुप्रह्लाद नारायण ॥ 29 ॥
[भारत यतवरशङ्कर नामामृतमखिलान्तर नारायण]
नारायण नारायण जय गोविन्द हरे नारायण ॥
नारायण नारायण जय गोपाल हरे नारायण नारायण नारायण ॥
इति श्रिमच्छङ्कराचार्य विरचितं नारायण स्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Narayana Stotram Mantram English Lyrics
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōpāla harē ॥
karuṇāpārāvāra varuṇālayagambhīra nārāyaṇa ॥ 1 ॥
ghananīradasaṅkāśa kṛtakalikalmaṣanāśana nārāyaṇa ॥ 2 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
yamunātīravihāra dhṛtakaustubhamaṇihāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 3 ॥
pītāmbaraparidhāna surakaḻyāṇanidhāna nārāyaṇa ॥ 4 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
mañjulaguñjābhūṣa māyāmānuṣavēṣa nārāyaṇa ॥ 5 ॥
rādhādharamadhurasika rajanīkarakulatilaka nārāyaṇa ॥ 6 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
muraḻīgānavinōda vēdastutabhūpāda nārāyaṇa ॥ 7 ॥
vārijabhūṣābharaṇa rājīvarukmiṇīramaṇa nārāyaṇa ॥ 8 ॥
[barhinibarhāpīḍa naṭanāṭakaphaṇikrīḍa nārāyaṇa]
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
jalaruhadaḻanibhanētra jagadārambhakasūtra nārāyaṇa ॥ 9॥
pātakarajanīsaṃhāra karuṇālaya māmuddhara nārāyaṇa ॥ 10 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
agha bakahayakaṃsārē kēśava kṛṣṇa murārē nārāyaṇa ॥ 11 ॥
hāṭakanibhapītāmbara abhayaṃ kuru mē māvara nārāyaṇa ॥ 12 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
daśaratharājakumāra dānavamadasaṃhāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 14 ॥
gōvardhanagiri ramaṇa gōpīmānasaharaṇa nārāyaṇa ॥ 15 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
sarayutīravihāra sajjanaṛṣimandāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 16 ॥
viśvāmitramakhatra vividhavarānucharitra nārāyaṇa ॥ 17 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
dhvajavajrāṅkuśapāda dharaṇīsutasahamōda nārāyaṇa ॥ 18 ॥
janakasutāpratipāla jaya jaya saṃsmṛtilīla nārāyaṇa ॥ 19 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
daśarathavāgdhṛtibhāra daṇḍaka vanasañchāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 20 ॥
muṣṭikachāṇūrasaṃhāra munimānasavihāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 21 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
vālivinigrahaśaurya varasugrīvahitārya nārāyaṇa ॥ 22 ॥
māṃ muraḻīkara dhīvara pālaya pālaya śrīdhara nārāyaṇa ॥ 23 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
jalanidhi bandhana dhīra rāvaṇakaṇṭhavidāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 24 ॥
tāṭakamardana rāma naṭaguṇavividha surāma nārāyaṇa ॥ 25 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
gautamapatnīpūjana karuṇāghanāvalōkana nārāyaṇa ॥ 26 ॥
sambhramasītāhāra sākētapuravihāra nārāyaṇa ॥ 27 ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē…
achalōddhṛtachañchatkara bhaktānugrahatatpara nārāyaṇa ॥ 28 ॥
naigamagānavinōda rakṣita suprahlāda nārāyaṇa ॥ 29 ॥
[bhārata yatavaraśaṅkara nāmāmṛtamakhilāntara nārāyaṇa]
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōvinda harē nārāyaṇa ॥
nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa jaya gōpāla harē nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa ॥
iti śrimachChaṅkarāchārya virachitaṃ nārāyaṇa stōtraṃ sampūrṇam ॥
Narayana Stotram Mantram Sanskirt Lyrics
https://youtu.be/Pio-H711BR0
