A few years ago, I undertook the humble task of recording an audiobook of the revered Näräyaneeyam-reciting its sublime verses though without yet comprehending the full measure of their spiritual depth. It was during this endeavour that I first glimpsed the extraordinary nature of this work: a masterful poetic condensation of the Bhagavata Purana, capturing not only its narratives but also its devotional intensity and metaphysical essence.
Having had no formal training in Sanskrit during my early years, I initially approached the text with some trepidation, uncertain whether I could truly engage with its layered meanings. Yet as I began reading each Dashakam each sequence of ten verses-1 consulted multiple commentaries, typically three or four per section, and began to draft plain-language interpretations. Gradually, this process awakened in me a quiet transformation: the aspiration to express these meanings in poetic form took root and slowly blossomed.
A new rhythm to this engagement emerged during our family's daily online recitation of the Vishnu Sahasranama-a devotional initiative uniting members of the Alady family across time zones and generations. As part of this practice, I began introducing a verse from the Narayaneeyam each day, followed by a Malayalam translation rendered in song. This devotional routine later found new expression during the online lecture series titled Vidyadhiraja Chattampi Swami Prabhashana Parampara, conducted by Sri Gopinatha Pillai, in the USA. In collaboration with Smt. Radhamani, who sang the original Sanskrit verses, I shared daily verse-by-verse Malayalam rendition of each Dashakam. The heartfelt encouragement from listeners inspired me to render the sacred text into English, both in accessible prose and simple verse.
I am fully aware that no English rendering can replicate the grandeur, lyrical brilliance, or devotional fervor of the original Sanskrit compositions of the great Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri. My aim has been more modest: to offer a pathway into this sacred text for those unacquainted with Sanskrit or Malayalam, without sacrificing its spiritual vitality.
Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, a 16th-century scholar, is the author of Narayaneeyam, a revered work written in pure Sanskrit, following traditional metrical rules. This is his masterpiece, a devotional hymn extolling the Supreme, by praising Guruvayurappa, Lord Sri Krishna. This poetic composition, written in 1586 CE, has 1,036 verses, summarizing the 18,000 verses of the Bhagavata Purana. It continues to be sung daily at the Guruvayur Temple.
Melputhur Narayana Bhattathiri was born in 1560 in the village of Kurumbathoor, into the esteemed Melputhur Illam, a devout Brahmana household. He was not only a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and grammarian but also one of the last eminent mathematicians of the Sangamagrama school, founded by the illustrious Madhava of Kerala. A prolific author, Bhattathiri composed over forty significant Sänskrit works, including Prakriyasarvasvam, Apaniniyapramanam, and narrative retellings of the Ramayana and Bhagavatam. He is revered not only for his intellectual contributions but also for his spiritual depth and insight. Among all his compositions, Narayaneeyam remains his magnum opus-an enduring work that continues to inspire spiritual aspirants across diverse philosophical traditions, including Dvaita, Advaita, and Visishtadvaita.
According to legend, Sri Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri's guru and father-in-law, Sri Thrikkandiyoor Achyuta Pisharadi, was once afflicted with severe rheumatism. Moved by deep devotion and gratitude, Bhattathiri is believed to have invoked his yogic powers to take upon himself his guru's ailment as an act of Gurudakshina-the traditional offering of a disciple to his teacher. As a result, the guru was cured, but Bhattathiri's own condition deteriorated rapidly.
During this time, the fame of the Lord of Guruvayur as a divine healer and destroyer of afflictions reached Bhattathiri. Encouraged by this, he resolved to undertake a pilgrimage to Guruvayur. He took his guru's blessings, and informed his friend and renowned Malayalam poet, Thunchath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, a devoted follower of Lord Guruvayurappa about his plan. To help Bhattathiri recover, Ezhuthachan-unconventional suggestion: "Meen thottu koottuka" - literally, "begin with fish" grasped the deeper spiritual message. He interpreted it as an allegorical cue to begin Though seemingly startling to a devout Brahmana and strict vegetarian, Bhattathiri his devotional narrative with the Matsya Avatar-the first incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of a fish. At Guruvayur, he began composing the Narayaneeyam, writing one group of ten verses-called a Dashakam-each day. At the end of each Dashakam, he prayed not just for physical healing, but for relief from all forms of suffering, including spiritual. In 100 days, he completed the entire work, a poetic condensation of the Bhagavatam, and by its end, he was completely cured of his rheumatism. The 100th Dashakam offers a beautiful and detailed description of Lord Krishna, from head to toe. On that day, at the age of 27, having been relieved of all his afflictions, Bhattathiri is said to have had a divine vision of the Lord as Venugopala and was immersed in an ocean of eternal bliss. He lived on until the age of 106.
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