Narayaniyam
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''Narayaniyam'' is a medieval-era
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
text, comprising a summary study in poetic form of the ''Bhāgavata Purana''. It was composed by Melputhur Narayana Bhattathiri, (1560–1666 AD) one of the celebrated Sanskrit poets in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. Even though the Narayaneeyam is believed to be composed as early as 1586 AD, earliest available manuscripts came only after more than 250 years. The Bhagavata Purana is a major
Hindu scripture Hindu texts are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. A few of these texts are shared across these traditions and they are broadly considered Hindu scriptures. These ...
consisting of about 18,000 verses, mainly devoted to the worship of
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
.


The poem

The ''nārāyaṇīyam'' (pronunciation
IPA IPA commonly refers to: * India pale ale, a style of beer * International Phonetic Alphabet, a system of phonetic notation * Isopropyl alcohol, a chemical compound IPA may also refer to: Organizations International * Insolvency Practitioners ...
: ɑːrɑːjəɳiːjəm condenses the Bhagavata Purana into 1034 verses, divided into one hundred ''dasakam'', or
canto The canto () is a principal form of division in medieval and modern long poetry. Etymology and equivalent terms The word ''canto'' is derived from the Italian word for "song" or "singing", which comes from the Latin ''cantus'', "song", from the ...
s. The work occupies a very high place in
Sanskrit literature Sanskrit literature broadly comprises all literature in the Sanskrit language. This includes texts composed in the earliest attested descendant of the Proto-Indo-Aryan language known as Vedic Sanskrit, texts in Classical Sanskrit as well as s ...
, both because of the intense devotional fervour of the verses, and because of their extraordinary literary merit. The ''nārāyanīyam'' is one of the most popular religious texts in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
and
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
, and devout Hindus often recite it together in festivals and groups. Nārāyanīyam is the story of Lord Narayana. It is a work consisting of 1035 slokas or verses, divided into 100 dasakams or chapters, each dasakam consisting of approximately 10 slokas. It is a condensed version of
Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...
, which consists of 18,000 slokas authored by Veda Vyasa. It is said that the work has the blessings of Lord Krishna or Guruvayoorappan, the presiding Deity of
Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...
. Narayaneeyam narrates a series of episodes from the Bhagavata Purana, choosing the most pious of the lot. The incarnations of Vishnu are traced with piety, Bhattathiri transforms the episodes into solemn prayers, pouring out his soul in total supplication before the Lord. The final dasaka, Kesadipaada Varnanam, embodies top-to-toe picture of little Krishna in all grace and glory. Both as a poem and as a devotional hymn, Narayaneeyam occupies a very high place in Sanskrit literature. Narayaneeyam is the masterpiece of Melputhur and is the most widely read of all his works. The poet depicts the image of Lord Guruvayurappan, in exemplary terms - "Sammohanam Mohanal Kantham Kanthinidhanathopi, Madhuram Madhurya Dhuryadapi, Soundaryotharathopi Sundaratharam" The "Parayana" of Narayaneeyam is believed to possess the wonderful power of healing afflictions, both mental and physical, of the devotees. The "Nithyaparayana” of Narayaneeyam will enable the devotees to attain " Ayurarogyasoukhyam”. Narayaneeya Sapthaham ( the recitation of Narayaneeyam and explaining the meaning to the public) is conducted in Guruvayur temple by Devaswom on the Narayaneeya Dinam and by others as offerings. It is done for seven consecutive days from early morning till 6:10 p.m. Narayaneeya Sapthaham has started in Guruvayur in the early 1950s. It takes about 5 hours to read the slokas and about 45 hours for explaining the slokas. The day on which Narayaneeyam was completed, 28th Vrischikam, is celebrated by the Devaswom as Narayaneeyam day. Discourses and debates on Narayaneeyam written by Melpathur take place. Special functions are held at Melpathur Illapparambu also.


The author

Melpathur Narayana Bhattathirippadu was born about the year 1560 in a village near the temple of Tirunāvāya in Malappuram district, Kerala. He composed the Narayanīyam at the age of 27. Other monumental works by Bhattathiri include a treatise on Sanskrit Grammar, entitled ''Prakriyasarvasva'', a work similar to the Siddhanta Kaumudi, but written earlier. It is said that
Bhaṭṭoji Dīkṣita Bhattoji Dikshita was a 17th-century Maharashtrian Sanskrit grammarian, author of the , literally "Illumination of the established (position)". He was active in a revival of the grammatical methods of Pāṇini, in his work arranging Pāṇini's s ...
, the author of the Siddhanta Kaumudi, on hearing about Bhattathiri, set out for Kerala to meet him, but had to return disappointed on hearing on the way that Bhattathiri had died. Bhattathiri composed many other devotional hymns, as well as a work on Purva-Mimamsa entitled ''Manameyodaya'', and
panegyric A panegyric ( or ) is a formal public speech or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing. The original panegyrics were speeches delivered at public events in ancient Athens. Etymology The word originated as a compound of grc, ...
s in praise of his royal patrons. It is believed that he lived till the age of 105.


Origin legend of the ''Narayaniyam''

The people of Kerala worship Krishna in His deity form as Guruvayurappan in the temple town of
Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...
. According to local legends, Bhattathiri had a Guru by the name of Achyuta Pisharadi, who fell victim to a severe attack of paralysis, and suffered unbearable pain. Bhattathiri desired to find a cure for his master and fervently prayed for the disease to be transferred to himself, freeing his Guru from suffering. According to the legend, Lord Krishna granted Bhattathiri his wish, and he soon became crippled. Once, when Bhattathiri, unable to move, was carried into the Guruvayur temple, he met
Thunchath Ezhuthachan Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan (, ) (Malayalam: തുഞ്ചത്ത് രാമാനുജൻ എഴുത്തച്ഛൻ) ( ''fl.'' 16th century) was a Malayalam devotional poet, translator and linguist from Kerala, south India. ...
, an eminent
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
poet of the time. Ezhuthachan advised Bhattathiri that he could be cured if he "began his treatment with fish". The disciples of Bhattathiri who heard this were shocked because Bhattathiri was a devout Brahmin and therefore a vegetarian who would consider it sinful to eat fish. Bhattathiri however understood what Ezhuthachan really meant - that he would be cured if he could compose a hymn glorifying the incarnations of Lord Krishna beginning with the fish incarnation, known as Matsya. Accordingly, he started composing the ''Narayaniyam''. It is said that he would recite one ''dasakam'', consisting of ten verses, every day. The local legend says that on the hundredth day he had a vision of the Lord, and rendered a graphic description of this form, after which he was immediately cured of his disease. The Cakorasandesa, which was earlier than Narayaneeyam, also refers to rheumatic patients going to the Guruvayur temple. Worship in the Guruvayur temple is considered to be sure remedy for all diseases.The contribution of Kerala to Sanskrit Literature; K. Kunjunni Raja; University of Madras 1980; pages 119 to 152


''Narayaneeya'' ''Sahasranama''

''Narayaneeya'' ''Sahasranama'' is a condensed form of ''Narayaneeyam'' consisting of 1000 names of
Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
. It is carefully created collections, of all the ''namas'' (names) of Vishnu's Avataras, that appear sequentially and chapter-wise in the ''Narayaneeyam''. It was composed by Ayyappan Kariyat, an
Ayurveda Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repo ...
vaidya Vaidya (Sanskrit: ), or vaid is a Sanskrit word meaning "traditional practitioner of Ayurveda", an indigenous Indian system of alternative medicine. Senior practitioners or teachers were called ''Vaidyarāja'' ("physician-king") as a mark of respe ...
.


References

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External links


Full Text in Sanskrit Wikisource
Hindu texts Sanskrit texts Vaishnavism
Nārāyanīyam in Sanskrit with English and Hindi translations