Narayana - Religious Uses

Religious Uses

• Narayana is appears as the 245th name for Vishnu in the Vishnu sahasranama (See Vaishnava Theology).
• Narayana is also the original name for Supreme Being from whom everything exists. It is observed in the Bhagavat Mahapuran and the Rig Veda that "Narayana devam adevam isham" or, Narayana is the only lord and beyond him there is no other. Therefore, great sages like Devarshi Narada always chant "Narayan, Narayan" and "Sriman Narayan".
• Narayan in the Narayana Sukta mantras is held to be the primeval Lord from whom everything originates. It is also said that from the Universal form of Narayana, Brahma and Siva are created for creation and destruction of the whole cosmos. To protect the universe it is said, he took 21 incarnations. The universal form of Narayana is mentioned in the Maha Narayana Upanisad as "Om sahasra sreesam devam vishwakhyam vishwa sambhubam, viswam Narayana devam aksharam paramam padam" meaning, the universal form of Narayana has thousands of heads, eyes, limbs and he is the indestructible seed whose feet are the ultimate shelter for all.
• The book, Sri Ramanuja, His Life, Religion, and Philosophy, states that the name "Narayana" means, "He who is the dwelling place i.e. the source, support and dissolving ground of all Jivas or souls, including inert matter."
• While performing a puja, people often say all the 108 names of Narayana.

A verse that confers the Devas' subordinate status comes from the Vishnu sahasranama, whose concluding verses state: "The Rishis (great sages), ancestors, the Devas, the great elements, in fact, all things moving and unmoving constituting this universe have originated from Narayana." This verse indicates that the Devas are subordinate to Vishnu, but Vishnu is often named a Deva. (Vasudeva, Narasimhadeva, etc.)