Narayaniyam is undoubtedly the most widely read among the Sanskrit compositions of Kerala origin. In the course of a little over four centuries after its dedication to the Lord of Guruvayur, it appears to have become a highly cherished household possession among the devotees and scholars in Kerala. In this condensed version of the Bhagavata Purana in 10 Dasakas of ten verses or more, the poet is addressing himself directly to the Lord whom he is trying to propitiate through the devotional lyric. Narayana Bhattatiri, the composer of the poem who had become afflicted with a severe ailment and had lost all hopes of recovery had a miraculous cure by the time he completed the work which ends with a prayer for health, happiness and longevity to all devotees.
The poem whose circulation had earlier been confined to Kerala has gained wide popularity during the latter half of this century. Overtopping the Western Ghats and crossing the Vindhyan ranges it has reached the original home of Sanskrit and its popularity is progressively increasing. Though translations have come in many of the modern Indian languages and in English too, this is the first time a translation has been attempted in poetry form in English by a writer who has to his credit a large number of such translations.
About the Author:
Dr. K. P. A. Menon Chancellor of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi is an eminent scholar scientist and administrator who has held many important assignments in the governments including the post of Defence Secretary to the Govt. of India Epic poetry and dramas have been his special field of interest and he is also trying to unearth the vast treasure contained in Sanskrit literature in diverse fields like agriculture science and technology , politics etc: He is the recipient of a large number of national of international awards including the honorary Fellowship of the Biographical Academy of the commonwealth & international Biographical Centre, Cambridge Award of he American Biographical Institute, Albert Einstein Memorial Medal as well as the Sahitya-nikasa and the Kalidasa Awards for his Sanskrit Writings.
Preface | iii-v | |
Introduction | vii-xlviii | |
Canto 1 | The Glory and Form of the Lord | 3-11 |
Canto 2 | The Lord's form and the greatness of Bhakti | 13-21 |
Canto 3 | Carving for Bhakti | 23-29 |
Canto 4 | The Eight-fold Yoga How to Attain it | 31-39 |
Canto 5 | Evolution of the Cosmic Form | 41-47 |
Canto 6 | Lord's Cosmic Form | 49-55 |
Canto 7 | Brahma's Penances and the View of Vaikuntha | 57-65 |
Canto 8 | The Deluge and Brahma's Emergence from the Navel Lotus | 67-75 |
Canto 9 | Brahma's Penances and the Beginning of Creation | 77-85 |
Canto 10 | Diversity of Creation | 87-93 |
Canto 11 | Hiranaksa and Hiranyakasipu | 95-101 |
Canto 12 | Incarnation as Cosmic Boar | 103-109 |
Canto 13 | Hiranaksa Slaughtered | 111-117 |
Canto 14 | Incarnation as Kapila | 119-125 |
Canto 15 | The Message of Kapila | 127-135 |
Canto 16 | Incarnation as Nara and Narayana Daksayaga | 137-143 |
Canto 17 | The Story of Dhruva | 145-151 |
Canto 18 | The Story of Prthu | 153-159 |
Canto 19 | The Story of Precates | 161-167 |
Canto 20 | The Story of Rsabha | 169-175 |
Canto 21 | Diverse Forms of Worship in Different Regions and Islands | 177-183 |
Canto 22 | The liberation of Ajamila | 185-191 |
Canto 23 | Daksa and Citraketu | 193-199 |
Canto 24 | The Story of Prahlada | 201-207 |
Canto 25 | Incarnation as the Man Lion | 209-215 |
Canto 26 | Liberation of the Lordly Elephant | 217-223 |
Canto 27 | The Churning of the Ocean and Incarnation of Tortoise | 225-231 |
Canto 28 | Laksim's Wedding and Gifts of the Ocean | 233-239 |
Canto 29 | Theft of Amrta and the Slaughter of Asuras | 241-247 |
Canto 30 | The Incarnation as Vamana | 249-255 |
Canto 31 | Dispelling the Arrogance of Bali | 257-265 |
Canto 32 | The Incarnation as fish | 267-273 |
Canto 33 | The Story of Ambarisa | 275-281 |
Canto 34 | The Incarnation as Rama-I | 283-291 |
Canto 35 | The Incarnation as Rama-II | 293-301 |
Canto 36 | The Story of Parasurama | 303-313 |
Canto 37 | Prelude to Srikrsna Incarnation | 315-323 |
Canto 38 | The Incarnation of Krsna | 325-331 |
Canto 39 | The Emergence of Yogamaya | 333-339 |
Canto 40 | Liberation of Putana | 341-347 |
Canto 41 | Cremation of Putana | 349-355 |
Canto 42 | Destruction of Sakatasura | 357-363 |
Canto 43 | The Slaying of Trnavarta | 365-371 |
Canto 44 | Naming and Casting of Horoscope | 373-379 |
Canto 45 | Childhood Pranks | 381-387 |
Canto 46 | Yasoda Seeing the Universe in Krsna's Mouth | 389-395 |
Canto 47 | Krsna Tied to the morlar | 397-403 |
Canto 48 | Release to Nalakubara and Manigriva | 405-411 |
Canto 49 | Trek to Vrdavana | 413-419 |
Canto 50 | Killing of the Asuras, Vatsa and Baka | 421-427 |
Canto 51 | Destruction of Aghasura | 429-435 |
Canto 52 | Despelling Brahma's Ego | 437-443 |
Canto 53 | Killing os Dhenuka | 445-451 |
Canto 54 | Krsna revives the Gopas and Cows | 453-459 |
Canto 55 | The Suppression of Kaliya | 467 |
Canto 56 | Bestowal of Grace on Kaliya | 469-475 |
Canto 57 | Destruction of Pralambasura | 477-483 |
Canto 58 | Rescuing from the Forest-fire | 485-491 |
Canto 59 | The Melody of the Flute | 493-499 |
Canto 60 | Robbing Gopis of their Robes | 501-507 |
Canto 61 | Bestowing grace on the wives of Brahmanas | 509-515 |
Canto 62 | Offering of Oblations to Mount Govardhana | 517-523 |
Canto 63 | Lifting of Govardhana | 525-531 |
Canto 64 | Consecration as Govinda | 533-539 |
Canto 65 | Gopics Solicit the Lord | 541-545 |
Canto 66 | Propitiating the Gopics | 547-553 |
Canto 67 | Lord's Disappearance and Return | 555-561 |
Canto 68 | Gopikas in Ecstacy | 563-569 |
Canto 69 | The Dalliance with Gopikas | 571-581 |
Canto 70 | About sudarsana, Sankhacuda and Arista | 583-589 |
Canto 71 | The Slaying of Kesi and Vyoma | 591-597 |
Canto 72 | Akrura's Arrival | 599-605 |
Canto 73 | Lord's Journey to Mathura | 607-613 |
Canto 74 | Lord's Entry into the City of Mathura | 615-623 |
Canto 75 | Killing of Kamsa | 625-633 |
Canto 76 | Uddhava as Emissary | 635-641 |
Canto 77 | Birth of Upasloka and the Confrontation with Jarasandha | 643-651 |
Canto 78 | Rukmini's message to krsna in Dvaraka | 653-659 |
Canto 79 | Carrying Away Rukmini | 661-667 |
Canto 80 | The Episode of Syamantaka | 669-675 |
Canto 81 | The Slaying of Narakasura | 677-685 |
Canto 82 | The Combat with Bana and Nrga's Salvation | 687-693 |
Canto 83 | Killing of Paundraka and Vivida | 695-701 |
Canto 84 | Journey to Samantapanacaka | 703-709 |
Canto 85 | Killing of Jarasandha and Sisupala | 711-721 |
Canto 86 | Killing of Salva and the kuruksetra War | 723-733 |
Canto 87 | The Story of Kucela | 735-741 |
Canto 88 | Redtoring the Children | 743-753 |
Canto 89 | Vrkasura, the Episode of Bhrgu | 755-761 |
Canto 90 | The Greatness of Visnu | 763-769 |
Canto 91 | The Greatness of Bhakti | 771-779 |
Canto 92 | Kriyayoga and Bhakti | 781-789 |
Canto 93 | The 24 Preceptors | 791-799 |
Canto 94 | Mind's Illumination through Bhakti | 801-809 |
Canto 95 | The Path of Devotion | 811-819 |
Canto 96 | The Greatness of the Lord and of Bhakti | 821-829 |
Canto 97 | Craving for Bhakti; The Story of Markandeya | 831-839 |
Canto 98 | In Praise of the Impersonal absolute | 841-851 |
Canto 99 | In Praise pf Vishnu | 853-861 |
Canto 100 | The Vision of the Lord and the description from head to foot | 863-873 |
Sloka Index | 874-891 |
Narayaniyam is undoubtedly the most widely read among the Sanskrit compositions of Kerala origin. In the course of a little over four centuries after its dedication to the Lord of Guruvayur, it appears to have become a highly cherished household possession among the devotees and scholars in Kerala. In this condensed version of the Bhagavata Purana in 10 Dasakas of ten verses or more, the poet is addressing himself directly to the Lord whom he is trying to propitiate through the devotional lyric. Narayana Bhattatiri, the composer of the poem who had become afflicted with a severe ailment and had lost all hopes of recovery had a miraculous cure by the time he completed the work which ends with a prayer for health, happiness and longevity to all devotees.
The poem whose circulation had earlier been confined to Kerala has gained wide popularity during the latter half of this century. Overtopping the Western Ghats and crossing the Vindhyan ranges it has reached the original home of Sanskrit and its popularity is progressively increasing. Though translations have come in many of the modern Indian languages and in English too, this is the first time a translation has been attempted in poetry form in English by a writer who has to his credit a large number of such translations.
About the Author:
Dr. K. P. A. Menon Chancellor of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi is an eminent scholar scientist and administrator who has held many important assignments in the governments including the post of Defence Secretary to the Govt. of India Epic poetry and dramas have been his special field of interest and he is also trying to unearth the vast treasure contained in Sanskrit literature in diverse fields like agriculture science and technology , politics etc: He is the recipient of a large number of national of international awards including the honorary Fellowship of the Biographical Academy of the commonwealth & international Biographical Centre, Cambridge Award of he American Biographical Institute, Albert Einstein Memorial Medal as well as the Sahitya-nikasa and the Kalidasa Awards for his Sanskrit Writings.
Preface | iii-v | |
Introduction | vii-xlviii | |
Canto 1 | The Glory and Form of the Lord | 3-11 |
Canto 2 | The Lord's form and the greatness of Bhakti | 13-21 |
Canto 3 | Carving for Bhakti | 23-29 |
Canto 4 | The Eight-fold Yoga How to Attain it | 31-39 |
Canto 5 | Evolution of the Cosmic Form | 41-47 |
Canto 6 | Lord's Cosmic Form | 49-55 |
Canto 7 | Brahma's Penances and the View of Vaikuntha | 57-65 |
Canto 8 | The Deluge and Brahma's Emergence from the Navel Lotus | 67-75 |
Canto 9 | Brahma's Penances and the Beginning of Creation | 77-85 |
Canto 10 | Diversity of Creation | 87-93 |
Canto 11 | Hiranaksa and Hiranyakasipu | 95-101 |
Canto 12 | Incarnation as Cosmic Boar | 103-109 |
Canto 13 | Hiranaksa Slaughtered | 111-117 |
Canto 14 | Incarnation as Kapila | 119-125 |
Canto 15 | The Message of Kapila | 127-135 |
Canto 16 | Incarnation as Nara and Narayana Daksayaga | 137-143 |
Canto 17 | The Story of Dhruva | 145-151 |
Canto 18 | The Story of Prthu | 153-159 |
Canto 19 | The Story of Precates | 161-167 |
Canto 20 | The Story of Rsabha | 169-175 |
Canto 21 | Diverse Forms of Worship in Different Regions and Islands | 177-183 |
Canto 22 | The liberation of Ajamila | 185-191 |
Canto 23 | Daksa and Citraketu | 193-199 |
Canto 24 | The Story of Prahlada | 201-207 |
Canto 25 | Incarnation as the Man Lion | 209-215 |
Canto 26 | Liberation of the Lordly Elephant | 217-223 |
Canto 27 | The Churning of the Ocean and Incarnation of Tortoise | 225-231 |
Canto 28 | Laksim's Wedding and Gifts of the Ocean | 233-239 |
Canto 29 | Theft of Amrta and the Slaughter of Asuras | 241-247 |
Canto 30 | The Incarnation as Vamana | 249-255 |
Canto 31 | Dispelling the Arrogance of Bali | 257-265 |
Canto 32 | The Incarnation as fish | 267-273 |
Canto 33 | The Story of Ambarisa | 275-281 |
Canto 34 | The Incarnation as Rama-I | 283-291 |
Canto 35 | The Incarnation as Rama-II | 293-301 |
Canto 36 | The Story of Parasurama | 303-313 |
Canto 37 | Prelude to Srikrsna Incarnation | 315-323 |
Canto 38 | The Incarnation of Krsna | 325-331 |
Canto 39 | The Emergence of Yogamaya | 333-339 |
Canto 40 | Liberation of Putana | 341-347 |
Canto 41 | Cremation of Putana | 349-355 |
Canto 42 | Destruction of Sakatasura | 357-363 |
Canto 43 | The Slaying of Trnavarta | 365-371 |
Canto 44 | Naming and Casting of Horoscope | 373-379 |
Canto 45 | Childhood Pranks | 381-387 |
Canto 46 | Yasoda Seeing the Universe in Krsna's Mouth | 389-395 |
Canto 47 | Krsna Tied to the morlar | 397-403 |
Canto 48 | Release to Nalakubara and Manigriva | 405-411 |
Canto 49 | Trek to Vrdavana | 413-419 |
Canto 50 | Killing of the Asuras, Vatsa and Baka | 421-427 |
Canto 51 | Destruction of Aghasura | 429-435 |
Canto 52 | Despelling Brahma's Ego | 437-443 |
Canto 53 | Killing os Dhenuka | 445-451 |
Canto 54 | Krsna revives the Gopas and Cows | 453-459 |
Canto 55 | The Suppression of Kaliya | 467 |
Canto 56 | Bestowal of Grace on Kaliya | 469-475 |
Canto 57 | Destruction of Pralambasura | 477-483 |
Canto 58 | Rescuing from the Forest-fire | 485-491 |
Canto 59 | The Melody of the Flute | 493-499 |
Canto 60 | Robbing Gopis of their Robes | 501-507 |
Canto 61 | Bestowing grace on the wives of Brahmanas | 509-515 |
Canto 62 | Offering of Oblations to Mount Govardhana | 517-523 |
Canto 63 | Lifting of Govardhana | 525-531 |
Canto 64 | Consecration as Govinda | 533-539 |
Canto 65 | Gopics Solicit the Lord | 541-545 |
Canto 66 | Propitiating the Gopics | 547-553 |
Canto 67 | Lord's Disappearance and Return | 555-561 |
Canto 68 | Gopikas in Ecstacy | 563-569 |
Canto 69 | The Dalliance with Gopikas | 571-581 |
Canto 70 | About sudarsana, Sankhacuda and Arista | 583-589 |
Canto 71 | The Slaying of Kesi and Vyoma | 591-597 |
Canto 72 | Akrura's Arrival | 599-605 |
Canto 73 | Lord's Journey to Mathura | 607-613 |
Canto 74 | Lord's Entry into the City of Mathura | 615-623 |
Canto 75 | Killing of Kamsa | 625-633 |
Canto 76 | Uddhava as Emissary | 635-641 |
Canto 77 | Birth of Upasloka and the Confrontation with Jarasandha | 643-651 |
Canto 78 | Rukmini's message to krsna in Dvaraka | 653-659 |
Canto 79 | Carrying Away Rukmini | 661-667 |
Canto 80 | The Episode of Syamantaka | 669-675 |
Canto 81 | The Slaying of Narakasura | 677-685 |
Canto 82 | The Combat with Bana and Nrga's Salvation | 687-693 |
Canto 83 | Killing of Paundraka and Vivida | 695-701 |
Canto 84 | Journey to Samantapanacaka | 703-709 |
Canto 85 | Killing of Jarasandha and Sisupala | 711-721 |
Canto 86 | Killing of Salva and the kuruksetra War | 723-733 |
Canto 87 | The Story of Kucela | 735-741 |
Canto 88 | Redtoring the Children | 743-753 |
Canto 89 | Vrkasura, the Episode of Bhrgu | 755-761 |
Canto 90 | The Greatness of Visnu | 763-769 |
Canto 91 | The Greatness of Bhakti | 771-779 |
Canto 92 | Kriyayoga and Bhakti | 781-789 |
Canto 93 | The 24 Preceptors | 791-799 |
Canto 94 | Mind's Illumination through Bhakti | 801-809 |
Canto 95 | The Path of Devotion | 811-819 |
Canto 96 | The Greatness of the Lord and of Bhakti | 821-829 |
Canto 97 | Craving for Bhakti; The Story of Markandeya | 831-839 |
Canto 98 | In Praise of the Impersonal absolute | 841-851 |
Canto 99 | In Praise pf Vishnu | 853-861 |
Canto 100 | The Vision of the Lord and the description from head to foot | 863-873 |
Sloka Index | 874-891 |