Narayana

Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: Nārāyaṇa), another name for Vishnu, is the supreme absolute being in Hinduism and is considered as the supreme deity in Vaishnavism. The Bhagavata Purana and Veda declares Narayana as the Para Brahman (Supreme Lord) who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of the Universe. Narayana engages in the creation of 14 worlds within the universe as Brahma when he deliberately accepts rajas guna according to Brahmanism. Narayana himself sustains, maintains and preserves the universe as Vishnu. In Shaivism, Narayan also accepts sattva guna and annihilates the universe at the end of maha-kalpa as Shiva or Rudra when he accepts tamas guna. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Narayana Sukta, Purush Sukta and Sri Sukta from Vedas, Lord Narayana is the supreme controller and is supreme among deities, the ultimate soul. He is also called as Surya Narayana, one who shines like the brilliant sun. He is said to pervade whatever is seen or heard in this universe from inside and outside alike. He is also mainly associated with the cosmic waters of creation. According to Madhvacharya, Narayana is one of the five vyuhas of Vishnu, which are cosmic emanations of God in contrast to his incarnate avatars.