Nārāyaṇa’s Stotra to Kṛshṇa

Nārāyaṇa sang this stotra to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa as soon as he came out of Kṛshṇa’s right side at the beginning of creation. It is called the first stotra of all sṛshṭi (creation). Nārāyaṇa stood before Kṛshṇa with folded hands and tears of devotion in his eyes. He praised him as the cause of all causes, the very form of tapas and the highest reality from whom all else arises. It is found in Chapter 3 of the Brahma Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa.

The setting

At the very start of creation, Nārāyaṇa rose from Bhagavān Kṛshṇa’s right side. He was the first being to come forth. He stood before Kṛshṇa with joined palms and sang this hymn. After it, Kṛshṇa told him to take his seat on a throne set with jewels.

The epithets

Nārāyaṇa praised Bhagavān Kṛshṇa with these names, in this order:

  • Śreshṭha: the best among all.
  • Pradhāna: the first of all.
  • Varada: the giver of varas (boons).
  • Varadārha: the one worthy to receive varas, for there is none above him to give to him.
  • Kāraṇānāṃ kāraṇa: the cause of all causes.
  • Karma-svarūpa: whose very nature is action (karma).
  • Āya-karmabhyo kāraṇabhūta: the cause of all those karmas.
  • Tapas-svarūpa: whose very nature is tapas.
  • Āya-tapasāṃ phala-pradāyaka: the giver of the fruit of all tapas.
  • Sadā-tapasvin: the ever-austere one.
  • Īśa: the master.
  • Nūtana-megha-śyāma: dark like a new rain cloud.
  • Svātmayandhu-vāsa: who lives in the self of all.
  • Manaś-coras: the thief of minds.
  • Nishkāma: without desire.
  • Kāma-svarūpa: whose nature is divine desire.
  • Kāma-nāśaka: the destroyer of binding desire.
  • Sarvasvarūpī: the form of all.
  • Sarveśvara: the master of all.
  • Sarva-kāraṇa: the cause of all.
  • Veda-rūpa: whose form is the Veda.
  • Veda-vācya: who is spoken of by the Vedas.
  • Veda-phala-pradāyaka: who gives the fruits the Vedas declare.
  • Phala-svarūpa: whose nature is the fruit, the result.
  • Sarva-veda-vit: the knower of all the Vedas.
  • Sarva-veda-vittāṃ śreshṭha: the greatest among all who know the Vedas.

The phalaśruti

The Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa says that one who recites this stotra with śraddhā (faith) and bhakti (devotion) at the three saṃdhyās (junctures of the day) receives these fruits:

  • All pāpa (sin) is destroyed.
  • One who wants sons has sons born to him.
  • One who wants a wife gets a wife.
  • Those who have lost their kingdom win it back.
  • The poor gain wealth.
  • One is freed from all āpad (calamity).
  • One is freed from prison.
  • All diseases are healed.

Sources

  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 3