Nara-Narayana 5th vishnu Avatar

Nara-Narayana

Lord Vishnu took his fifth incarnation as sage Nara-Narayan by taking a birth from the womb of a woman named 'Kala'. He performed a tremendous penance by going to Badri and Kedar. He showed the importance Penance (Labour), and also that nothing can be achieved in this world without it.

Nara and Narayana were sons of Dharma, the son of Brahma and his wife Murti (Daughter Of Daksha) or Ahimsa .

They live at Badrika performing severe austerities and meditation for the welfare of the world.

These two inseparable sages took avatars on earth for the welfare of mankind and to punish the wicked ones.

The sages defeated a demon called Sahasrakavacha ("one with a thousand armours")

Nara and Narayana performed great penances at the holy spot of Badrinath

Their penances and austerities alarmed the gods, so Indra, the King of Devas, sent Kamadeva, Vasanta (spring) and apsaras (nymphs) to inspire them with passion and disturb their devotions.

The sage Narayana took a flower and placed it on his thigh. Immediately there sprung from it a beautiful nymph whose charms far excelled those of the celestial nymphs, and made them return to heaven filled with shame and vexation.

Narayana sent this nymph to Indra with them, and from her having been produced from the thigh (uru in Sanskrit) of the sage, she was called Urvashi

In Swaminarayan Sampraday sect, Nara and Narayana, called as Nara-Narayana Deva

They are believed to reside at Badrikashram and to be the prime controllers of the destiny of all beings, depending on their karma.

Nara-Narayana Deva are believed to have manifested at Narayana Ghat on the banks of river Sabarmati at Ahmedabad.

Therefore their images were installed by Swaminarayan at the first Swaminarayan temple, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad (India).

Followers of Swaminarayan believe that it was events that took place at Badarikashram, that led to the incarnation of Swaminarayan.

It is believed that Narayana took birth as Swaminarayan due to a curse of sage Durvasa which he accepted at his own will.

The curse led to Narayana taking the form of an avatar on Earth to destroy evil and establish ekantik-dharma, religion based on morality, knowledge, detachment and devotion

Swaminarayan followers specifically interpret the Visvaksena Samhita, 11th part of the Brahma Purana, as well as the Skanda Purana as giving a direct reference to Narayana taking birth in the form of Swaminarayan