Are Nara Narayana Rishis Brahmanas? They are said to be sons of Dharma..Are there any scriptual passages that say they are brahmanas.
2 Answers
Nara-Narayana Rishis being Lord Vishnu are beyond the four varnas and are said to reside in the Gandha-mandana mountain performing intense meditation for the welfare of the living entities. Asking Their varna is the same as asking the varna of Vishnu or Shiva who're the supreme controllers (Ishvara).
A description of Their appearance is given in Shrimad Bhagavatam when They give darshan to Markandeya Rishi. They're worshippable for the Brahmanas.
One of Them was of a whitish complexion, the other blackish, and They both had four arms. Their eyes resembled the petals of blooming lotuses, and They wore garments of black deerskin and bark, along with the three-stranded sacred thread. In Their hands, which were most purifying, They carried the mendicant’s waterpot, straight bamboo staff and lotus-seed prayer beads, as well as the all-purifying Vedas in the symbolic form of bundles of darbha grass. Their bearing was tall and Their yellow effulgence the color of radiant lightning. Appearing as austerity personified, They were being worshiped by the foremost demigods.
Markandeya Rishi said: I offer my humble obeisances to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the all-pervading and all-inclusive form of the universe, as well as its spiritual master. I bow down to Lord Nārāyaṇa, the supremely worshipable Deity appearing as a sage, and also to the saintly Nara, the best of human beings, who is fixed in perfect goodness, fully in control of his speech, and the propagator of the Vedic literatures.
As described in Mahabharata Udyoga Parva, They defeated Dambodbhava (previous life of Karna) when he repeatedly summoned Them for a battle. Hence, They're more powerful than any Kshatriya.
'O best of kings, wrath and covetousness have no place in this retreat (Gandhamadana mountain). How can a battle, therefore, be possible here? There are no weapons here, and nothing of unrighteousness and malice. Seek battle elsewhere. There are many Kshatriyas on earth.'
'Although thus addressed, the king still pressed them for giving him battle. The Rishis, however, continually soothed him and overlooked his importunity. King Dambhodbhava, still desirous of battle, repeatedly summoned those Rishis to fight.
Nara, then, O Bharata, taking up a handful of grass-blades, said,
'Desirous of battle as you are, come, O Kshatriya, and fight! Take up all your arms, and array your troops. I will curb your eagerness for battle hereafter!'
Yes. Nara and Narayana are considered Brahmanas.
Now the reverse seems to take place in the case of Nara and Nārāyaṇa. In spite of withering up their bodies by hard penances, they took up Kṣattriya bodies. Under what influence of Karma, did they take up up birth when they were Yogis? Or might they, the Brāhmins, become Kṣattriyas owing to some curse? Whatever it may be, kindly remove my doubts, explaining to me their causes.
- Chapter 1, Book 4, Devi Bhagavatam
