The Creation of Nara- The Eternal Companion of Narayana

Padma Purana- Srishti Kaanda

The Mahabharatha is the story of TWO incarnations upon Bhumi to restore Dharma and destroy evil. The opening shloka of the itihasa seeks the blessings and permission of All-powerful Narayana course but also, Nara, the best among men…

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्।

देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्।

Narayana took birth as Krishna in the Yadava clan while Nara was born as Indraputra Arjuna of the Pandavas. But who is this Nara and how did he come into being?

The origin story of Nara in the Padma Purana, comes in the Srishti Kanda where the story of Mahadeva plucking the head of Brahma is narrated. It is this act of Mahadeva’s that resulted in the creation of Nara from the energies of all the three prime deities- Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara.

In the Purana, Pulastya maharishi, who plays the role of narrator, describes Arjuna thus to Bhishma:

Dhananjaya (i.e. Arjuna) comparable to Indra in valour was born from lndra; he the brave one, was born with the three portions from three gods. He worked for gods, and killed all demons ; he killed those demons whom even Indra was unable to kill.

A little later Bhishma asks Pulastya Maharishi:

Bhishma said: Tell me how Arjuna, the killer of the brave enemies, was born from Tripurusha; how again, Karna, the son of an unmarried woman is known as born from a charioteer; how enmity sprang up between the two. I have a great curiosity; so please tell me that.

Pulastya maharishi narrates the story thus:

Brahma had grown complacent with his ability to create. He was filled with Rajas, which should never have been allowed by him. The Rajo Guna was represented by Brahma’s fifth head.

(A different version of the story: Brahma created a most beautiful female being called Shatarupa. The lady was so attractive that the Creator himself could not resist her and his gaze remained fixed on her. Shatarupa shyly moved away but Brahma’s gaze never left her. She flew over his head but Brahma simply grew a fifth head on top so that he would not lose sight of her.)

Lord Shiva was incensed with Brahma for losing control in this way. With a single finger nail, he lopped off the fifth head that Brahma had grown. But Brahma did not take kindly to this act. From the perspiration upon his brow, Brahma created a warrior and commanded him to kill Mahadeva. The warrior, adorned with rings and a thousand armours and carrying a bow and arrows, immediately raised his bow upon Mahadeva.

Mahadeva rushed away and sought out Lord Vishnu where he was meditating. “Help me,” he cried, “this warrior being seeks to kill me. Tell me the means to stop him. I seek alms.”

Lord Vishnu held out his right arm and asked Mahadeva to pierce it with his trident. When Lord Shiva did so, Mahavishnu’s blood began to pour out into the skull of the fifth head of Brahma that was stuck to Mahadeva’s hand.

The blood continued to flow for a thousand years before the skull was filled. As Lord Narayana watched, Mahadeva stirred the blood in Brahma’s skull with his finger. Slowly, a human like figure began to emerge. A warrior took shape, broad shouldered and powerful, blazing like Agni himself. He wore a crown and finger protectors and carried a mighty bow along with two quivers strapped to his back.

Seeing the warrior emerge from Mahavishnu’s blood, Lord Shiva asked in wonder, “Who is this man (Nara)?”

Mahavishnu smiled and said, “Since you have called him so, he shall be named Nara. He is the master of all weapons, an expert like none other. He shall defeat the creation of Brahma who torments you. He will be the friend of Narayana. This Nara shall win battles and conquer enemies that the Devas cannot win over. He will be a sage in knowledge and a conqueror. Born by the combination of three energies from Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara, this Nara can conquer those whom Indra cannot conquer and protect Gods and mortals alike.”

The warrior bowed to the Gods and asked humbly, “Command me. What must I do?”

Lord Shiva pointed to the terrible creation of Brahma who had been put into a mystic sleep until then. “He is my enemy. Kill him,” he said.

Nara woke the thousand armoured one and a fierce battle began between the creation of Brahma and the warrior born of Mahavishnu’s blood. For ages the battle raged and steadily Nara began to gain the upper hand, destroying his enemy’s armours.

When Brahma’s creation had been nearly defeated, Brahma asked for his life to be spared. Mahavishnu stopepd Nara and said, “In the sandhi between Dwapara and Kali (Dwapara’s end), there will be a great war. You both shall be born then to conclude your fight.”

Then he called the Sun God and asked him to ensure that Brahma’s warrior was born then to Kunti of the Yadava clan. He would be called Karna.

He then called Indra and told him, “Indradeva, this Nara born of my blood is a portion of my own self. You are to with ensure that he is born in the same yuga cycle, also to Kunti.” And so Arjuna was born by Indra’s blessings to Kunti.

At Kurukshetra, Nara fought Brahma’s creation once more when Arjuna battled Karna and this time the battle was allowed to come to its conclusion with the death of Karna.

(Note: This is NOT as per Vyasa Bharatha where the story of a warrior king named Saharsrakavacha is told by Parashurama. Nara Maharishi humbles Sahasrakavacha’s pride and sends him back to rule with wisdom.)

The Nara- Narayana duo are mentioned in the Mahabharatha thus too. In Astika Parva, we have this beautiful description of Nara entering the battlefield in the heavens, with his instantly recognisable bow. Seeing him in battle, Bhagawan Vishnu, too calls the Sudarshana to him and unleashes havoc upon the daityas:

“When this fearful battle was raging, the gods #Nara and #Narayana entered the battlefield. On seeing the divine bow in the hands of Nara, the great Lord Vishnu thought of his danava-destroying chakra. As soon as it was thought of, #sudarshana chakra, the scorcher of enemies, as radiant as the sun, terrible to look at and unwavering in its path, descended from the sky. When it arrived, Achyuta, as bright as the blazing fire and with fearful arms like an elephant's trunk, unleashed with great force that weapon of blazing energy, capable of destroying enemy towns.”

When Arjun goes to Indraloka to gain divine weapons, Maharishi Lomasha arrives there and is surprised to see a mortal man sitting beside Indradeva on his throne. Indra then tells the rishi that Arjuna is no mere mortal but the ancient Nara:

“Shachi’s consort (Indra) smilingly told Lomasha, O brahmarshi! Hear about the thought that is passing through your mind. Though he has been born as a kshatriya, this one (Arjuna) is not a mere mortal. O Maharshi! This mightyarmed one is my son, born from Kunti. He has come here for a specific reason, to obtain weapons. You have not recognized him as that ancient and supreme rishi. O brahmana! Listen to me. I will tell you who he is and his purpose. Know that those two supreme and ancient rishis, Nara and Narayana, are none other than Dhananjaya and Hrishikesha. O brahmana! The sacred and famous hermitage named Badari, which cannot be seen even by the gods and the great-souled rishis, was the place where Vishnu and Jishnu dwelt. Served by the siddhas and the charanas, that is the place from where the Ganga arises. O brahmarshi! On my instructions, these two immensely radiant ones have been born on earth. These two immensely valorous ones will remove the earth’s burden.”

As Arjuna and Krishna, Nara- Narayana were born towards the end of Dwapara to re-establish Dharma through a violent battle at Kuruskhetra. As had been proclaimed at the time of his creation. Nara (Arjuna) became Narayana’s (Krishna’s) best friend and companion at this time too and the duo destroyed the sinners burdening Bhumi Devi.