Word

Nara-Narayana

Sanskrit

नर नारायण

IAST

nara nārāyaṇa

In General

Nara- Narayana is considered as an aspect of Vishnu. Nara means Man and Narayana means God or Supreme Consciousness. So, symbolically they are God in human form. Purana consider them as two sages who lived and performed intense austerities in a hermitage in Badri, Himalaya. The two sages were sons of Dharma and consort of Ahimsa.

Purana

The austerities of Nara and Narayana in the Himalyan hermitage alarmed Indra. So Indra sent apsaras (celestrial nymphs), musicians and Kama(cupid) to distract the sages mind. But the sing and dancing is of no help and the nymphs became ashamed. Nara-narayana have no intention to unseat Indra by their tapas and they felt to give a fitting replay to Indra. They created a beautiful nymph from their thigh (named: Urvashi) and told her to follow others on their return to Heaven.