Nārāyaṇa-Sūktam

sa̱ha̱sra̱-śīr̍ṣaṁ de̱va̱ṁ vi̱śvākṣa̍ṁ vi̱śva-śa̍ṁbhuvam |

viśva̍ṁ nā̱rāya̍ṇaṁ de̱va̱m-a̲kṣara̍ṁ para̱maṁ pa̱dam || 1 ||

This universe is truly (the body of) the Supreme Lord only. Therefore it is dependent upon Him, the Self-effulgent Divine Being; who has countless heads and eyes, who is the producer of joy for the universe, whose form the universe is; who is the Controller and the Cause of all beings, all-pervasive, imperishable and the unsurpassed Ruler and Saviour of all.

vi̱śvata̱ḥ para̍mān-ni̱tya̱ṁ vi̱śvaṁ nā̍rāya̱ṇa(g)m̐ ha̍rim |

viśva̍m-e̱vedaṁ puru̍ṣa̱stad viśva̱m-upa̍jīvati || 2 ||

He is superior to this universe, endless and multi-form. He is the goal of humanity and the Destroyer of sin. That Supreme Person is the universe and the Creator thereof.

pati̱ṁ viśva̍syā̱tmeśva̍ra̱(g)m̐ śāśva̍ta(g)m̐ śi̱vam-a̍cyutam |

nā̱rāya̱ṇaṁ ma̍hā-jñe̱ya̱ṁ vi̱śvātmā̍naṁ pa̱rāya̍ṇam || 3 ||

He is the Protector-of-the-universe and the Ruler-of-individual-souls, He is permanent, supremely auspicious and unchanging. He has embodied Himself in mankind as the Indwelling-spirit. He is supremely worthy of being known by creatures; the One who is embodied in the universe and who is the Supreme-goal.

nā̱rāya̱ṇa pa̍ro jyo̱ti̲r-ā̲tmā nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ pa̍raḥ |

nā̱rāya̱ṇa pa̍raṁ-bra̱hma̱ ta̱ttvaṁ nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ pa̍raḥ |

nā̱rāya̱ṇa pa̍ro dhyā̱tā̱ dhyā̱naṁ nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ pa̍raḥ || 4 ||

Narayana is the Supreme Light (described in the Upanishads), Narayana is the Supreme- Reality designated as Brahman. Narayana is the most excellent meditator and meditation.

yat-ca̍ ki̱ñcit ja̍gat sa̱rva̱ṁ dṛ̱śyate̎ śrūya̱te ‘pi̍ vā |

anta̍r-ba̱hiś-ca̍ tat sa̱rva̱ṁ vyā̲pya nā̍rāya̱ṇaḥ sthi̍taḥ || 5 ||

Whatsoever there is in this universe known through perception or report; all that is pervaded by Narayana within and without.

ana̍nta̱m-avya̍yaṁ ka̱vi(g)m̐ sa̍mu̱drenta̍ṁ vi̱śva śa̍ṁbhuvam |

pa̱dma̱ ko̱śa pra̍tīkā̱śa̱(g̲ )m̐ hṛ̱daya̍ṁ cāpya̱dhomu̍kham || 6 ||

One should meditate within the inverted lotus-bud like heart; upon that Supreme Person, the Limitless, Unchanging, All-knowing, the Cause-of-happiness to the universe; who is the end of the ocean of Samsara and the goal of all striving. The point of focus in meditation is the space within the heart which resembles an inverted lotus bud.

adho̍ ni̱ṣṭyā vi̍tastyā̱nte̱ nā̱bhyām-u̍pari̱ tiṣṭha̍ti |

jvā̱la̱-mā̱lā-ku̍laṁ bhā̱tī̱ vi̱śvasyā̍yata̱naṁ ma̍hatɘ || 7 ||

It should be known that within the heart which is situated between the larynx and the navel, the Lord of the universe abides shining with a garland of flames.

santa̍ta(g)m̐ śi̱lābhi̍stu̱ lamba̍tyā kośa̱ sanni̍bham |

tasyānte̍ suṣi̱ra(g)m̐ sū̲kṣmaṁ tasmin̎ sa̲rvaṁ prati̍ṣṭhitam || 8 ||

The heart resembles an inverted lotus-bud surrounded by arteries. Within it there is a subtle space, within which everything is established.

tasya̱ madhye̍ ma̱han-a̍gnir vi̱śvārci̍r vi̱śvato̍-mukhaḥ |

so ‘gra̍bhu̱g vibha̍jan ti̱ṣṭha̱n nāhā̍ram-aja̱raḥ ka̱viḥ || 9 ||

In that space is the Undecaying, omni-faced, great Light, which has flames on every side. He enjoys the food presented and metabolizes it in the body.

tī̱rya̱g-ū̱rdhvam a̍dhaś-śā̱yī̱ ra̱śmaya̍s tasya̱ santa̍tā |

sa̱ntā̱paya̍ti svaṁ de̱ham-āpā̍da tala̱-masta̍kaḥ ||

tasya̱ madhye̱ vahni̍ śikhā a̱ṇīyo̎rdhvā vya̱vasthi̍taḥ || 10 ||

The rays of that Fire spread out, upwards and downwards warming the whole body from head to foot. In the center of that Light which permeates the whole body there abides a thin tongue of flame; the color of gold which is most subtle.

nī̱la-to̍yada̍ madhya̱sthā̱d vi̱dyulle̍kheva̱ bhāsva̍rā |

nī̱vāra̱ śūka̍vat ta̱nvī̱ pī̱tā bhā̎svatya̱ṇūpa̍mā || 11 ||

It is dazzling like a flash of lightening that appears in a dark rain cloud. It is a slender as the awn of a paddy grain which serves as a comparison to illustrate its subtlety.

tasyā̎ śikhā̲ya ma̍dhye pa̱ramā̎tmā vya̱vasthi̍taḥ |

sa brahma̱ sa śiva̱ḥ sa hari̱ḥ sendra̱ so ‘kṣa̍raḥ pa̱ramaḥ sva̱rāṭ || 12 ||

The Supreme Soul dwells within that flame, He is Brahmā, He is Shiva, He is Vishnu, He is Indra, He is the Supreme Cause-of-the-universe, the Self-luminous One.

ṛ̱ta(g)m̐ sa̱tyaṁ pa̍raṁ bra̱hma̱ pu̱ruṣa̍ṁ kṛṣṇa̱ piṅga̍lam |

ū̱rdhva-re̍taṁ vi̍rūpā̱kṣa̱ṁ vi̱śva-rū̍pāya̱ vai namo̱ nama̍ḥ || 13 ||

The Supreme Brahman the Absolute Reality is a Being dark-blue and yellowish in color, absolutely chaste and possessing uncommon eyes; salutations to Him of the Universal-form.

nā̱rā̱ya̱ṇāya̍ vi̱dmahe̍ |

vāsude̱vāya̍ dhīmahi |

tanno̍ viṣṇuḥ praco̱dayā̎t ||

We meditate on Narayana, we fix our minds on Vasudeva. May Vishnu inspire us.

om̐ śānti̱ḥ śānti̱ḥ śānti̍ḥ ||

OM…peace, peace, peace.