Nārāyaṇa

Narayana
Narayana's depiction, at Badami cave temples

Narayana (Sanskrit: Nārāyaṇa) or Narayanan is a Vedic deity associated with the waters of creation and sometimes with the sun. He is one of several Vedic figures associated with Vishnu and Vishnu sometimes assumes the name Narayana in certain scriptures. According to Madhvacharya Narayana is one of the five vyuhas of Kṛṣṇa, which are cosmic emanations of god in contrast to his incarnate avatars. He is frequently mentioned as part of the pair of Nara-Narayana. According to the Bhagavata Purana he is the supreme god (including his different avatars) in Hinduism, venerated as the Supreme Being in Vaishnavism. He is also known as Vishnu and Hari, is venerated as Purushottama or Supreme Purusha in Hindu sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas and the Puranas.

Narayana is the name of God in his infinite all pervading form. Narayana is one of the names of Vishnu (and sometimes Krisna). He is the Supreme Purusha of Purusha Sukta. The Puranas present a seemingly divergent, but accurate description of Narayana (as an Enlightened Supreme Being). The fifth verse of the Narayana Sukta, a hymn in Yajurveda, states that Narayana pervades whatever is seen or heard in this universe from inside and outside alike. Another important translation of Narayana is The One who rests on Water. The waters are called narah, [for] the waters are, indeed, produced by Nara-Narayana (the first Being); as they were his first residence [ayana], he is called Narayana. In Sanskrit, "Nara" can also refer to all human beings or living entities (Jivas). Therefore, another meaning of Narayana is Resting place for all living entities. The close association of Narayana with water explains the frequent depiction of Narayana in Hindu art as standing or sitting on an ocean.