Nara Narayana Avatar of Vishnu – Story!
“What are you pondering?” asked Goddess Lakshmi, addressing Lord Vishnu as He sat deep in thought in Vaikuntha.
Lord Vishnu replied, “I wish to impart the ‘Ashtakshara’—the sacred eight-syllable mantra containing the name ‘Narayana’—so that all people in the world may attain salvation.”
“Then why not do it soon?” asked Lakshmi.
Lord Vishnu said, “Devi! Both the Guru who imparts this mantra and the disciple who receives it must possess every noble quality. Through the lineage of Guru and disciple, this mantra must spread across the world. I am currently searching for such a Guru and disciple.”
“What qualities should a Guru possess?” asked Lakshmi.
Lord Vishnu replied, “A true Guru is one who remains steadfast in the righteous path shown by ancestors; possesses clear, doubt-free wisdom; is untainted by blemish; is deeply versed in the Vedas and Vedanta; holds unwavering devotion; is filled with the quality of Sattva (purity and goodness); speaks only the truth; practices what he preaches; is free from vices like jealousy and arrogance; has conquered his mind and senses; is capable of bestowing every kind of good upon his disciples; is full of compassion; and corrects his disciples whenever they err.”
Hearing this, Lakshmi suggested, “Swami! Instead of searching for a Guru who possesses all these qualities, why don’t You—the embodiment of all auspicious attributes—incarnate on Earth as a Guru Yourself?”
When Goddess Lakshmi asked what qualities a disciple should possess, Lord Vishnu replied, “A disciple must render all forms of service to the Guru, possess good character, and be eager to attain wisdom. He must be free from ego, obedient and humble in speech, possess self-control over mind and senses, be free from envy, and be completely dedicated and loyal to the Guru.”
To this, Goddess Lakshmi said, “While one might find a good Guru, it is far more difficult to find a disciple endowed with such qualities. For the welfare of the world, do not merely incarnate as the Guru; incarnate as the disciple as well!”
Accordingly, Lord Vishnu incarnated at Badrinath—manifesting as the Guru named Narayana and the disciple named Nara.
Narayana Rishi initiated Nara into the sacred eight-syllable mantra (Ashtakshara Mantra), which subsequently spread through the lineage of disciples.
Indra, attempting to disrupt the penance of Nara and Narayana, sent celestial damsels from the heavens to perform a dance. Undisturbed by these distractions, Narayana Rishi simply placed a flower upon his thigh.
From that flower emerged Urvashi. Overwhelmed by her beauty and filled with a sense of inferiority, the celestial damsels fled back to the heavens.
We know that Urvashi subsequently became a celestial dancer in the heavens.
Thus, having incarnated as both the Guru (Narayana) and the disciple (Nara)—thereby conquering worldly desires—Lord Vishnu propagated the eight-syllable mantra, which is essential for those who seek the path of total surrender (Saranagati).
It is in that Nara-Narayana incarnation that Lord Vishnu demonstrated his possession of a mind free from worldly desires; hence, he is known as ‘Nivruttatma’, the 453rd name of Vishnu in Sahasra Nama.
Here, the word ‘Atma’ refers to the mind, and ‘Nivrutta’ signifies ‘freed’ or ‘detached’. Thus, ‘Nivruttatma’ denotes one whose mind is devoid of worldly desires.
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