कारुणिक इत्यर्थः; अवाप्तसर्वकामत्वाद्वा ।विश्वं धृष्णोतीति विश्वधृक् ।डु धृषा प्रागल्भ्ये ।विश्वं भुङ्क्ते भुनक्ति पालयतीति वा विश्वभुक् ।हिरण्यगर्भादिरूपेण विविधं भवतीति विभुः, 'नित्यं विभुम्' इति मन्त्रवर्णात् ।सत्करोति पूजयतीति सत्कर्ता ।पूजितैरपि पूजितः सत्कृतः ।न्यायप्रवृत्ततया साधुः; साधयतीति वा; साध्यभेदानुपादानात् साध्यमात्रसाधको वा ।जनान् संहारसमये अपह्नुते अपनयतीति जहुः; जहात्यविदुषोऽभक्तान् अपनयति परमिति वा ।नर आत्मा, ततो जातान्याकाशादीनि नाराणि कार्याणि तानि कार्याणि अयं कारणात्मना व्याप्नोति; अतश्च तान्ययनमस्येति नारायणः, 'यच्च किंचिज्जगत्सर्वं दृश्यते श्रूयतेऽपि वा ।अन्तर्बहिश्च तत्सर्वं व्याप्य नारायणः स्थितः' इति मन्त्रवर्णात् ।
In plain words
He is 'Kāruṇika', the Compassionate, or one whose desires are completely fulfilled. He is 'Viśvadhṛk', because He sustains the entire universe. The verbal root *dhṛṣ* implies boldness and power. He is 'Viśvabhuk', because He enjoys and protects all beings. He is 'Vibhuḥ', the Omnipresent, manifesting in diverse forms such as Hiraṇyagarbha, as affirmed by the scriptural text, 'the eternal all-pervading One'. He is 'Satkartā', the Honorer, because He welcomes and adores His devotees. He is 'Satkṛtaḥ', the Honored One, who is revered even by those who are themselves worshipped. He is 'Sādhuḥ', the Righteous One, who fulfills all righteous goals. He is 'Jahuḥ', the Withdrawer, who pulls beings back into Himself during dissolution, or who leads seekers away from the ignorant. 'Nara' is the Supreme Spirit, and the subtle elements like ether born from Him are called 'nārāṇā'; because He pervades these effects as their underlying cause, and because they are His resting place (*ayana*), He is 'Nārāyaṇa', as confirmed by the Vedic verse: 'Whatever exists in this universe, seen or heard, inside and outside—Nārāyaṇa pervades it all and abides.'
Close to the Sanskrit
Meaning compassionate, or because all His desires are attained. Viśvadhṛk, because He overpowers or sustains the universe. The root ḍu-dhṛṣ is in the sense of boldness. Viśvabhuk, because He enjoys or protects the universe. Vibhuḥ, because He becomes diverse in the form of Hiraṇyagarbha and others, according to the mantra 'the eternal all-pervading'. Satkartā, because He honors or worships. Satkṛtaḥ, one who is worshipped even by those who are worshipped. Sādhuḥ, because of righteous conduct, or because He accomplishes; or as the sole accomplisher of the goal without assuming differences in objects. Jahuḥ, because at the time of dissolution He conceals or withdraws people; or because He abandons the ignorant and non-devotees and leads them to the supreme. Nara is the Supreme Soul; from Him were born the effects such as ether, which are called nārāṇā; He pervades these effects in the form of the cause, and therefore they are His resting place (ayana), hence Nārāyaṇa, according to the mantra: 'And whatever universe is seen or heard of, inside and outside, Nārāyaṇa pervades all that and abides.'