Being happy and at ease with others is SO important!
om namo narayanaya
translation.
om namo nar-āyana-āya
om namo nar-aayana-aaya
The Song.
Deva Premal recorded a beautiful song for this mantra as early as 2000, on her album “Love is Space.” To me, it conveys well the meaning of this mantra.
This song is sung like mantra meditation, repeated over and over again without instrumental breaks. This helps to keep the mind on the words, and the meaning that these words can have for us.
More recently, in 2020, Sacred Earth released another very beautiful recording of this mantra, as track 1 of their album “Into the Light”. Prem gives a pause after the namo, which suggests that we focus on our devotion or dedication, before moving on to the purpose : narayana.
You can listen to and buy this song as a single as a download at –
https://www.sacredearthmusic.com/listen-download Album “Into the Light”, track 1. I also recommend tracks 2 and 4 (the title track).
om namo nar-aayana-aaya
The Song.
Deva Premal recorded a beautiful song for this mantra as early as 2000, on her album “Love is Space.” To me, it conveys well the meaning of this mantra.
This song is sung like mantra meditation, repeated over and over again without instrumental breaks. This helps to keep the mind on the words, and the meaning that these words can have for us.
More recently, in 2020, Sacred Earth released another very beautiful recording of this mantra, as track 1 of their album “Into the Light”. Prem gives a pause after the namo, which suggests that we focus on our devotion or dedication, before moving on to the purpose : narayana.
You can listen to and buy this song as a single as a download at –
https://www.sacredearthmusic.com/listen-download Album “Into the Light”, track 1. I also recommend tracks 2 and 4 (the title track).
The Mantra Discussed.
namo = namah = devotion to spiritual practice and healing, and honouring and valuing these important pursuits.
narāh = naraah = people. This can mean us.
ayana = safety or refuge.
So narayana when spelled narāyana and pronounced naraayana, can mean “a safe place for us”. I mean that kind of social situation where we feel comfortable and at ease, when it is easy to share, we can let down our barriers and we can develop trust, and practice tolerance and forgiveness. So narayana can mean a friendly and co-operative social situation, with good communication. narayana can mean friendship.
So narayana is quite important, and we can devote our time an energy to creating it, to creating the conditions needed for it to arise. Mostly thru good will and respect, and allowing (accepting) others to be as they are. These are important spiritual Qualities.
Prem of Sacred Earth uses a double mantra ;
(dative) (vocative)
om namo nar-āyan-āya, om namo nar-āyana
om namo nar-aayan-aaya, om namo nar-aayana
narāyanāya (naraayanaaya) is the dative form of the noun narāyana, and can mean “moving towards narāyana”, or “narāyana is bestowed upon (us)”
narāyana (nar-aayana) is the vocative form of the noun narāyana, and can mean “calling for narayana to be”, or “being called (by Deity) to create narayana”. In a sense, ‘invoking’ narayana.
In both the dative form and the vocative form, we are recognising that narayana is something we need to work towards. In this, relations may be strained or difficult in some way, and we approach it with some trepidation and uncertainty. So we can use this mantra as a determination, or assertation, or affirmation, or aspiration.
Dative Case.
namo : “I am devoted and dedicated in my spiritual practice or healing”
(so)
nar-āyan-āya (nar-aayan-aaya) : (I can) move towards a safe and secure social situation, or
nar-āyan-āya (nar-aayan-aaya) : a safe and secure social situation can be bestowed upon (me.)”
Vocative Case.
namo : “I am devoted and dedicated in my spiritual practice or healing”
(and I am)
nar-āyana (nar-aayana) : called upon to create a safe and secure social situation, or
nar-āyana (nar-aayana): calling out for a safe and secure social situation, hoping that it may come to pass.
Sacred Earth places this mantra first in their album. This suggests placing first priority on friendship and good will, before we move onto the rest of the songs.
narayana is the word or Name for Deity in our song, and it is an important aspect of Deity. In our song we are reciting the Name. This can help us approach Deity. It can help us create the conditions needed for Deity to visit and be active, in our heart and social situation. So Presence (of Deity) can bestow upon us the spiritual Qualities.
In these translations, Deity is something that will come to us when conditions are favourable for a visit. To attract an important visitor, we need to give them respect. Deva Premal actually translates namo as - “I bow down to”.
narāh = naraah = people. This can mean us.
ayana = safety or refuge.
So narayana when spelled narāyana and pronounced naraayana, can mean “a safe place for us”. I mean that kind of social situation where we feel comfortable and at ease, when it is easy to share, we can let down our barriers and we can develop trust, and practice tolerance and forgiveness. So narayana can mean a friendly and co-operative social situation, with good communication. narayana can mean friendship.
So narayana is quite important, and we can devote our time an energy to creating it, to creating the conditions needed for it to arise. Mostly thru good will and respect, and allowing (accepting) others to be as they are. These are important spiritual Qualities.
Prem of Sacred Earth uses a double mantra ;
(dative) (vocative)
om namo nar-āyan-āya, om namo nar-āyana
om namo nar-aayan-aaya, om namo nar-aayana
narāyanāya (naraayanaaya) is the dative form of the noun narāyana, and can mean “moving towards narāyana”, or “narāyana is bestowed upon (us)”
narāyana (nar-aayana) is the vocative form of the noun narāyana, and can mean “calling for narayana to be”, or “being called (by Deity) to create narayana”. In a sense, ‘invoking’ narayana.
In both the dative form and the vocative form, we are recognising that narayana is something we need to work towards. In this, relations may be strained or difficult in some way, and we approach it with some trepidation and uncertainty. So we can use this mantra as a determination, or assertation, or affirmation, or aspiration.
Dative Case.
namo : “I am devoted and dedicated in my spiritual practice or healing”
(so)
nar-āyan-āya (nar-aayan-aaya) : (I can) move towards a safe and secure social situation, or
nar-āyan-āya (nar-aayan-aaya) : a safe and secure social situation can be bestowed upon (me.)”
Vocative Case.
namo : “I am devoted and dedicated in my spiritual practice or healing”
(and I am)
nar-āyana (nar-aayana) : called upon to create a safe and secure social situation, or
nar-āyana (nar-aayana): calling out for a safe and secure social situation, hoping that it may come to pass.
Sacred Earth places this mantra first in their album. This suggests placing first priority on friendship and good will, before we move onto the rest of the songs.
narayana is the word or Name for Deity in our song, and it is an important aspect of Deity. In our song we are reciting the Name. This can help us approach Deity. It can help us create the conditions needed for Deity to visit and be active, in our heart and social situation. So Presence (of Deity) can bestow upon us the spiritual Qualities.
In these translations, Deity is something that will come to us when conditions are favourable for a visit. To attract an important visitor, we need to give them respect. Deva Premal actually translates namo as - “I bow down to”.
More Info on the Dative Case.
narāyanāya. This is the dative form of the noun narāyana.
namo nar-āyan-āya can be translated as “devotion to Narayana (the God)” = “devotion directed towards Narayana.” This suggests moving towards narayana, as a Goal in our spiritual practice.
However, the dative case in Sanskrit has additional meaning. The dative case also shows what we hope to gain from namo. So nar-āyan-āya can also mean to gain nar-āyana. The dative case also indicates bestowal = sampradāna = Divine Gift. So nar-āyan-āya also means that nar-āyana will be bestowed upon us, or that nar-āyana will come to us, if we pursue our namo. This leads to further interpretation –
These cases are explained at -
https://easysanskrit.wordpress.com/tag/eight-noun-cases/
https://pages.shanti.virginia.edu/Sanskrit_Language_Tools/sanskrit-noun-declensions/
Other Meanings of Narayana.
nāra = naara = नार = water (and several other meanings). ayana can also mean moving, or abode, or path. In the Shiva Purana story numbered 2. 1. 6, Vishnu fell asleep for a long time in water, and so became known as Nārayana = abides in water. Water will flow to all parts of a vessel, pervading it throughout. In our spiritual practice, we can introduce Presence into more and more of our daily lives, until it is well established. Then the healing power of Presence can flow = ayana like water = nāra into many parts of our experience, and pervade it. Then healing can dissolve the defilements, and wash away the filth, like water = nāra. This is for narayana spelt and pronounced nārayana = naarayana.
narāh = naraah = नराः = people. Both Deva Premal and Prem of Sacred Earth pronounce the word as narāyana and narāyanāya. So I prefer the interpretation of “safe place for people” for their songs.
Since ayana can also mean path, narāyana = naraayana can also mean Path of the people to Liberation.
nara = नर = person (singular). (I think that nara more often means man, but this is a bit sexist for our mantra transation.)
namo nar-āyan-āya can be translated as “devotion to Narayana (the God)” = “devotion directed towards Narayana.” This suggests moving towards narayana, as a Goal in our spiritual practice.
However, the dative case in Sanskrit has additional meaning. The dative case also shows what we hope to gain from namo. So nar-āyan-āya can also mean to gain nar-āyana. The dative case also indicates bestowal = sampradāna = Divine Gift. So nar-āyan-āya also means that nar-āyana will be bestowed upon us, or that nar-āyana will come to us, if we pursue our namo. This leads to further interpretation –
- namo nar-āyan-āya means devotion to spiritual practice, so we can move towards nar-āyana, and gain or receive nar-āyana, or
- namo nar-āyan-āya means devotion to spiritual practice, so nar-āyana can visit us and be bestowed upon us, in our social situation.
These cases are explained at -
https://easysanskrit.wordpress.com/tag/eight-noun-cases/
https://pages.shanti.virginia.edu/Sanskrit_Language_Tools/sanskrit-noun-declensions/
Other Meanings of Narayana.
nāra = naara = नार = water (and several other meanings). ayana can also mean moving, or abode, or path. In the Shiva Purana story numbered 2. 1. 6, Vishnu fell asleep for a long time in water, and so became known as Nārayana = abides in water. Water will flow to all parts of a vessel, pervading it throughout. In our spiritual practice, we can introduce Presence into more and more of our daily lives, until it is well established. Then the healing power of Presence can flow = ayana like water = nāra into many parts of our experience, and pervade it. Then healing can dissolve the defilements, and wash away the filth, like water = nāra. This is for narayana spelt and pronounced nārayana = naarayana.
narāh = naraah = नराः = people. Both Deva Premal and Prem of Sacred Earth pronounce the word as narāyana and narāyanāya. So I prefer the interpretation of “safe place for people” for their songs.
Since ayana can also mean path, narāyana = naraayana can also mean Path of the people to Liberation.
nara = नर = person (singular). (I think that nara more often means man, but this is a bit sexist for our mantra transation.)
For more translated Sanskrit mantras :
click onto the + at the top of this webpage, then click again onto the +
My introductory webpages “Mantras Translated A - C”
discuss how to gain the full benefit of these mantra writeups.
click onto the + at the top of this webpage, then click again onto the +
My introductory webpages “Mantras Translated A - C”
discuss how to gain the full benefit of these mantra writeups.
