Shloka 36
Puruṣottama-kṣetra Māhātmya: Śveta-Mādhava & Matsya-Mādhava; Mārkaṇḍeya-tīrtha Mārjana and Bath Liturgy
आपो नरस्य सूनुत्वान्नारा इति ह कीर्तिताः । विष्णोस्तस्त्वालयं पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः ॥ ३६ ॥
āpo narasya sūnutvānnārā iti ha kīrtitāḥ | viṣṇostastvālayaṃ pūrvaṃ tena nārāyaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ || 36 ||
आपो नरस्य सूनुत्वान्नारा इति ह कीर्तिताः। विष्णोस्तत्त्वालयं पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः॥
Suta (narrating the Purana; teaching framed in the Narada tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It defines ‘Nārāyaṇa’ as Viṣṇu whose eternal ‘abode’ is the primordial waters, pointing to Him as the underlying reality (tattva) pervading creation.
By grounding devotion in right understanding of the Lord’s names: knowing why He is called Nārāyaṇa strengthens remembrance (smaraṇa) and worship centered on Viṣṇu’s all-pervading nature.
Nirukti/semantic derivation (often aligned with Vedāṅga-style etymological explanation) is used to interpret a divine name—deriving ‘Nārāyaṇa’ from ‘Nārā’ (waters) and ‘ayana’ (abode).