Sri Narayana Bhattathiri
Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri was born circa 1560 A.D. in a Namboothiri brahmin family of Kerala, at a place near thinrunavayi temple on the banks of river Bharatapuzha. His father taught him the Mimamsa and the various Sastras. He mastered the ancient Hindu scriptures, Vedas, Vedangas, etc and studied Mimamsa, Vyakarana (grammar), Tarka (logic), and other subjects, all by the age of sixteen years. He married at the age of 18-20, the niece of Achyuta Pisharadi, a celebrated grammarian.
With Achyuta Pisharadi as his Guru, Sri Narayana Bhattathiri learnt sanskrit grammar and mastered it. Later Achyuta Pisharadi fell a victim to a severe attack of paralysis and suffered unbearable pain. Bhattathiri, the devoted disciple could not tolerate suffering of his Guru. He, therefore, fervently prayed that the disease may be transferred to him. Pisharadi recovered from paralysis but now the disease crippled Bhattathiri. The famous Malayalam poet and linguist Tunchath Ezhuthachan advised him to do "Bhajanam" in the temple of Guruvayoor and advised him to ''start with the fish" as a sure cure for paralysis.
Bhattathiri went to Guruvayoor with help of his younger brother, Mathrudatta. He wrote "Narayaneeyam" describing the Avatars of Vishnu starting with "fish", i.e. Matsya Avatar. His Sankalpam was to write in brief the entire Vyasa’s Srimad Bhagavatam which contained 18000 slokas. As a scholar in Rig Veda, he wrote his poetry with different chandas/swara / meters and with each block containing 10 slokas in general. As per his sankalpam in first 36 dasakams he covered the first IXth chapters of the Srimad Bhagavatam. From 37 onwards up to 90 Dasakams he covered the Dasama Skandam (Krishna Avatara Katha). From the 91 to 97 Dasakams, he covered XIth Skandam of Srimad Bhagawatham which contain Uddava Tatwa Upadesa, Jnana/Bhakti/Karma Yogas/Vaishnava Mahatwam/ Brahmopasanam.
Bhattathiri completed condensed version of the Srimad Bhagavatam in 100 days in 1034 slokas. Each Dasaka ended with a prayer to the Lord of Guruvayoor to cure him of his illness. At the end of 99th Dasakam, Bhattathiri was cured of his illness and had a vision of the Lord in the form of Venugopala as he started the 100th Dasakam. Bhattathiri chanted the last 10 slokas glorifying Lord's each and every part of body from head to toe and hence called KESHADI PADA VARNANAM.
He named this as Narayaneeyam as it was written by him and second as it is about the Lord Narayana. He completed it on the 27th day of Vrichikam month/Karthika Masa, at the age of 27 years in the year 1587. He lived up to 106 years creating many compositions of poetry, essays and books on philosophy and Sanskrit grammar. Bhattathiri, as directed by Lord Guruvayoorappan himself, went to Mukkola Bhagavathi temple and while praying, he attained Mukti.
With Achyuta Pisharadi as his Guru, Sri Narayana Bhattathiri learnt sanskrit grammar and mastered it. Later Achyuta Pisharadi fell a victim to a severe attack of paralysis and suffered unbearable pain. Bhattathiri, the devoted disciple could not tolerate suffering of his Guru. He, therefore, fervently prayed that the disease may be transferred to him. Pisharadi recovered from paralysis but now the disease crippled Bhattathiri. The famous Malayalam poet and linguist Tunchath Ezhuthachan advised him to do "Bhajanam" in the temple of Guruvayoor and advised him to ''start with the fish" as a sure cure for paralysis.
Bhattathiri went to Guruvayoor with help of his younger brother, Mathrudatta. He wrote "Narayaneeyam" describing the Avatars of Vishnu starting with "fish", i.e. Matsya Avatar. His Sankalpam was to write in brief the entire Vyasa’s Srimad Bhagavatam which contained 18000 slokas. As a scholar in Rig Veda, he wrote his poetry with different chandas/swara / meters and with each block containing 10 slokas in general. As per his sankalpam in first 36 dasakams he covered the first IXth chapters of the Srimad Bhagavatam. From 37 onwards up to 90 Dasakams he covered the Dasama Skandam (Krishna Avatara Katha). From the 91 to 97 Dasakams, he covered XIth Skandam of Srimad Bhagawatham which contain Uddava Tatwa Upadesa, Jnana/Bhakti/Karma Yogas/Vaishnava Mahatwam/ Brahmopasanam.
Bhattathiri completed condensed version of the Srimad Bhagavatam in 100 days in 1034 slokas. Each Dasaka ended with a prayer to the Lord of Guruvayoor to cure him of his illness. At the end of 99th Dasakam, Bhattathiri was cured of his illness and had a vision of the Lord in the form of Venugopala as he started the 100th Dasakam. Bhattathiri chanted the last 10 slokas glorifying Lord's each and every part of body from head to toe and hence called KESHADI PADA VARNANAM.
He named this as Narayaneeyam as it was written by him and second as it is about the Lord Narayana. He completed it on the 27th day of Vrichikam month/Karthika Masa, at the age of 27 years in the year 1587. He lived up to 106 years creating many compositions of poetry, essays and books on philosophy and Sanskrit grammar. Bhattathiri, as directed by Lord Guruvayoorappan himself, went to Mukkola Bhagavathi temple and while praying, he attained Mukti.
Dhyana Sloka for Narayaneeyam
शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् ।
प्रसन्नवदनं
ध्यायेत् सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये ॥
ShuklaAmbara Dharam Vishnum Shashi Varnam Chatur Bhujam
Prasanna Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva Vighnopashaantaye (Vighna Upashaantaye)
Prasanna Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva Vighnopashaantaye (Vighna Upashaantaye)
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णु र्गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः
गुरु साक्षात परब्रह्मा तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Gurur Devo Maheshwara:
सदाशिव समारम्भाम् शंकराचार्य मध्यमाम्
अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्ताम् वंदे गुरु परम्पराम्
Sadashiva Samarambham Shankaracharya Madhyamam
Asmad Acharya Paryantam Vande Guru Paramparam
सच्चिदानंद रूपाय विश्वोत्पत्यादिहेतवे|
तापत्रय विनाशाय श्री कृष्णाय वयं नुम:
Sachidanand rupaya vishvotpatyadi hetve
tapatraya vinashaya shri krishnaya vayam numa:
यं प्रव्रजन्तं अनुपेतं अपेत कृत्यं
द्वैपायनो विरह कातर आजुहाव ।
पुत्रेति तन्मयतया तरवोऽभिनेदु:
तं सर्व भूत-हृदयं मुनिमानतोऽस्मि
yam pravrajantam anupetam apeta krityam
dvaipaayano viraha kaatara aajuhaava
putreti tanmayatayaa taravo abhinedu:
tam sarva bhuuta hridayam munimaanatosmi
नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् |
देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ||
naarayanam namaskritya naram chaiva narottamam
devim sarasvatim vyasam tato jayamudirayet
पीताम्बरं करविराजित चक्र शङ्क
कौमोदकी सरसिजं करुणा समुद्रम् ।
राधासहायमति सुन्दर मन्दहासम्
वातालयेशमनिशम् हृदि भावयामि ॥
Peethaambaram, karavirajitha chakra sankha
Kaumodhaki sarasijam, karunaa samudhram
Radhaa sahaayam athi sundara mandahaasam
Vathaleyasam anisam Hrudhi bhavayaami
मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिं ।
यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्द माधवम् ॥
Muukam Karoti Vaacaalam Pangum Langhayate Girim |
Yat-Kripaa Tamaham Vande Paramaananda Maadhavam ||
वन्दे नन्दव्रजस्त्रीणां पादरेणुमभीक्ष्णश: ।
यासां हरिकथोद्गीतं पुनाति भुवनत्रयम् ||
vande nanda-vraja-streenam paada-reNum abiikshNasha:
yaasaam hari-kathodgiitam punaati bhuvana-trayam
कोमलं कूजयन् वेणुम् श्यामलोयं कुमारक:।
वेदवेध्य: परम् ब्रह्म भासतां पुरतो मम ॥
Komalam koojayan venum shyamaloyam kumaraka:
Vedavedhya: param brahma bhaasathaam purato mama
यं ब्रह्मा वरुणेन्द्र रुद्र मरुत: स्तुन्वन्ति दिव्यैस्तवै:
वेदै: साङ्ग पदक्रमोपनिशदै: गायन्ति यं सामगा: |
ध्यानावस्थित तत्गतेन मनसा पश्यन्ति यं योगिनो
यस्यान्तं न विदु: सुरा सुरगणा देवाय तस्मै नम: ||
yam brahmaa varuNendra rudra maruta: stunvanti divyaistavai:
vedai: saanga padakramOpanishadai: gaayanti yam saamagaa |
dhyaanaavastita tatgatena manasaa pasyanti yam yOginO
yasyaantam na vidhu: suraa suragaNaa devaaya tasmai nama: ||
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकी नन्दनाय च ।
नन्दगोप कुमाराय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥
KrishNaaya Vaasudevaaya devaki nandanaaya cha
nandagopa kumaaraya govindaaya namo nama:
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने ।
प्रनत: क्लेश नाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नम: ॥
KrishNaaya vaasudevaaya haraye paramaatmane
pranatha: klesha naashaaya govindaaya namo nama:
कृष्णो रक्षतु मां चराचर गुरु: कृष्णं नमस्ये सदा
कृष्णेनैव सुरक्षितोऽहम् असक्रुत् कृष्णाय दत्तम् मन: ।
कृष्णादेव समुध्भवो मम विभो: कृष्णस्य दासोसम्यहम्
कृष्णे भक्ति: असञ्चलास्तु भगवन् हे कृष्ण तुभ्यं नम: ॥
KrishNo rakshatu mam charaachara guru: krishNam namasyai sada
krishNenaiva surakshitho-aham asakrit krishNaaya dattam mana:
krishNadeva samudhbhavo mama vibho: krishNasya daasomyaham
krishNe bhakthi: asanchalaasthu bhagawan he krishNa tubyam nama:
गुरुवात पुरनाथ कटाक्ष पात्रम्
नारायणीम आक्यम् मद्वर्पित ब्रिंगराजम्
श्री मातृ दत्त तनयं जगतां वरेण्यं
नारायणं गुरुवरं प्रणमामि नित्यं
Guruvaatha puranaatha kadaaksha paatram
naaraayaNeem aakyam madwarpita bhringaraajam
sri mathru datta tanayam jagathaam vareNyam
naaraayaNam guruvaram pranamami nityam
सान्द्रानन्दावबोधात्मकं अनुपमितं कालदेशावधिभ्यां
निर्मुक्तं नित्यमुक्तं निगमशतसहस्रेण निर्भास्यमानं।
अस्पष्टं दृष्टमात्रे पुन: उरु पुरुषार्थात्मकं ब्रह्म तत्वं
तत् तावत् भाति साक्षात् गुरुपवनपुरे हन्त भाग्यं जनानाम्
SaandraanandaavabOdhaatmakam anupamitaM kaaladeshaavadhibhyaaM
nirmuktaM nityamuktaM nigamashatasahasreNa nirbhaasyamaanam .
aspaShTaM dR^iShTamaatre puna: uru puruShaarthaatmakaM brahma tatvaM
tat taavat bhaati saakshaat gurupavanapure hanta bhaagyaM janaanaam
-------Sri Krishnarpanam-------
