Narayaneeyam (Sanskrit Text, Word to Word Meaning, English Translation and Notes)

Srimannarayaniyam is a devotional work of a littleover one thousand verses by the famous devotee-poet Sri Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri who lived in Kerala in the 16th century A.D. This work is acclaimed by scholars as a stotrakavya, a superb outpouring of devotion as well as a literary work of a very high order. It is a masterly condensation of Srimad Bhagavata, considered to be the greatest of all the Puranas. In addition to being a devotional work Srimannarayaniyam contains the gist of all the Upanishads and is therefore, a work of great significance from the Vedantic point of view also. This commentary in English by S.N. Sastri conveys to the reader the extraordinary poetic quality of the work and brings out the Vedantic import of the verses in an elaborate and lucid manner. Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda has said in this commentary-"I am sure the reader will enjoy many flights at super-human heights in the journey through Sastri's exposition of immortal NARAYANEEYAM".

I never thought veteran bureaucrats could understand Vedanta! That is, until I saw Shri S. N. Sastri's beautiful work on NARAYANEEYAM. He seems to have delved deep. And in preparing the manuscript with word-to-word meaning, translation and commentary particularly from the Vedantic angle, Sastri has done a thorough job. In fact, the entire credit for the book belongs to him.

Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri was an unique personality: erudite Sanskrit scholar, poet, Bhakta, Vedantin. Imagine the audacity of a young man in his twenties attempting a summary of Vyasa's Bhagavatam in Sanskrit hymns! And see also the literary beauty, devotional content and Vedantic insight built into NARAYANEEYAM by Bhattatiri. Nothing short of poetic frenzy could have produced this artistry. No ecstasy of ritualistic devotion could have created such a touching hymn. NARAYANEEYAM is also a standing monument to Bhattatiri's deep insight in Vedanta.

If this volume is slightly heavy, the content deserves it. And I am sure the reader will enjoy many flights at super-human heights in the journey through Sastri's exposition of immortal NARAYANEEYAM.
May the Guru's Grace be with us all.
Nov. 6, 1988.