Om (ॐ): The sacred primordial sound representing the supreme, absolute reality (Brahman) or universal consciousness.
Namo (नमो): Derived from Namah, meaning to bow, to pay homage, salutation or surrender.
Narayanaya (नारायणाय): This is the dative form of Narayana, meaning “to/for Narayana”. Narayana is one of the 1000 Names of Vishnu. Nara: Refers to water, living entities, or humans. Ayana: Means resting place, shelter, or goal.
*Reverence to Lord Narayana, who is eternal and the source of all beings. Lord Narayana lies on the serpent Adi-Shesha, floating in the ocean of Brahman. His supreme abode exists beyond materiality, and is the realm of pure joy, bliss, and liberation. *Commentary by Sharon Gannon
This is one of the most renowned mantras in the Vedic tradition. The original reference is in the Vedas, especially in the Narayana Upanishad where the recitation for the purification of the heart is stressed, and the Maha Narayana Upanishad which discusses the significance of chanting the mantra as a way to delve into the nature of the Supreme Being, which is Narayana who is creation itself, the ultimate cause of everything and according to the text is identical with the soul.
Today, if we want to learn something we can just access the internet and get the information. Which is both a blessing and a bit of Pandora’s box. Many have been educated in a way, that cognitive information is sufficient for understanding. Though, the Vedic tradition had and has different standards when it comes to comprehension of a specific subject. Knowing that both the thing and the entity perceiving it, are subject to change. Thus, the aim to explain something as “definition” is impossible. One of the known statements about this Vedic approach is commonly called “neti-neti” – not this, not this, or not this, not that.
As the importance is stressed, that every object receives its intrinsic qualities from the subject perceiving it, the Vedic culture has high standards for who is qualified to receive its teachings. So, just looking it up on the internet won’t work to know about the meaning of a Mantra. And Mantra (to stretch, transform or protect true consciousness) is arguably the most important yogic tool for transformation and realisation.
Now, the dictionary says this about this mantra: “Om Namo Narayanaya is a prominent eight-syllabled Hindu mantra (Ashtakshara) dedicated to Lord Narayana (Vishnu). It is a mantra of surrender, peace, and devotion, primarily used to invoke protection and spiritual growth in Vaishnavism.”
But certainly, we can’t know or even embody the power of the mantra by merely reading a statement about it. Mantra unfolds its power only by using it. Here, some of the most renowned stories of the Vedic tradition with some of the most prominent figures give us context to understand its significance, for in story and storytelling we can invite an emotional internal landscape of relationality.
In one of the many prominent stories thematizing this mantra, we have reference to the level of qualification it takes to receive initiation and the purity of a heart blessed by it: One of the great Acharyas, the Philosopher-Saints of India, Ramanuja or Ramanujacharya, after hearing about a magic sentence that would guarantee liberation for anyone reciting it, would seek out his preceptor for initiation. The journey to get to the teacher’s small cave was long and laborious, but Ramanuja was determined and after long days of walking and climbing he arrived at his teacher’s abode. With conviction he knocked on the entrance door, asking to receive initiation. After some time, a voice replied, “now is not the time, come back another time.”. Ramanuja then explained, that he had been travelling for a long distance to receive the blessing. The teacher remained silent, so Ramanuja left. But he didn’t give up, so he came back again, only to be sent off repeatedly.
But Ramanuja kept on coming back asking for initiation 18 times and finally, his teacher, moved by the student’s determination and persistence accepted his plea. But before transmitting the mantra he declared that this mantra was one of the best kept secrets as it was so sacred that anyone who uses it, even without qualification, would gain salvation, even outcasts and women. He feared the decay of spirituality if it became accessible, so he commanded him to keep it secret and warning that revealing it to the unworthy would lead to hell. But Ramanuja, filled with compassion, went to the top of the main temple in town and shouted the mantra to everyone.
When his furious teacher threatened him with hell for his disobedience, Ramanuja responded that he would happily go to hell if the masses attained salvation. His teacher recognised the deep devotion and selfless love of his disciple, understanding that he was a mahatma, a great soul, blessing him for spreading the divine name to all.
Another prominent story of the potency of the mantra is the story of Prahlad, who was, despite being the son of the great demon Hiranyakashipu, the purest bhakta, the purest devotee of Lord Vishnu. While his mother was pregnant with him, the gods threatened to kill the unborn Prahlad, but Sage Narada intervened. He instructed Kayhadu, Prahlad’s mother, to chant the mantra during her pregnancy. Thus, Prahlad did not just hear the mantra but absorbed it into his very being. So even as a son of a demon his devotion was ahaituki (without motive) and apratihata (unceasing). His father even tried various times to kill him, but through his pure devotion and protection of the mantra he was kept safe. Steadfast he stuck to the mantra and eventually invoked Narasimha, Vishnu’s half-man half-lion incarnation to destroy the demon, finally.
Om Namo Narayanaya, with its 8 syllables is the sacred sound of creation itself. The protection, sweetness, joy and delight that it brings can be realised simply by chanting it. We don’t ever chant to achieve a certain objective outcome. In the awareness of eternal causality, the yogis never aim for the fruits of any action but rather cultivate an atmosphere of divine focus. When heart and mind are bound in the sacred meter and rhythm of om-na-mo-na-ra-ya-na-ya, naturally there is a decrease of the influence and attraction of everything antagonistic to truth, satya. Vairagya, a soft internal detachment from worldly inflictions happens as a result and the heart, instead of being distracted by inferior motives, falls back into its original union with source, which is divine, divine Narayana.
