Yajur Veda · Krishna Yajur Veda (Taittiriya shakha — Vaishnava Upanishad group) · 13 mantras
Narayana Upanishad
Nārāyaṇopaniṣad
Central theme: Narayana as the All — source, substance and goal of the cosmos
Mahavakya
नारायण एवेदं सर्वम्
Nārāyaṇa evedaṁ sarvam
“Narayana alone is all this.”
— Narayana Upanishad 2
A short Vaishnava Upanishad of 13 mantras, recited daily by Sri-Vaishnavas as part of the Narayana-anuvaka. Declares that Narayana alone existed before creation — not Brahma, not Shiva, not the dyaus or earth — and that from his contemplation arose Brahma, the senses, the elements, the worlds, the Vedas, even Rudra and Indra. Embeds the ashtakshara mantra "om namo nārāyaṇāya" with the assurance that whoever recites it gains the heaven of Vaikuntha. Frequently chanted with the Purusha-sukta, Sri-sukta and Bhu-sukta as part of the Narayana-Upanishad bundle in Vaishnava sandhya.
Narayana Upanishad 2
नारायण एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम् । निष्कलङ्को निरञ्जनो निर्विकल्पो निराख्यातः शुद्धो देव एको नारायणः
Nārāyaṇa evedaṁ sarvaṁ yad-bhūtaṁ yac ca bhavyam, niṣkalaṅko nirañjano nirvikalpo nirākhyātaḥ śuddho deva eko nārāyaṇaḥ
Narayana alone is all this — what has been and what shall be. Spotless, untainted, beyond change, beyond name, pure — the one God is Narayana.
Past, present, future — one name covers it: Narayana.