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Introduction to Narayaneeyam
The Narayaneeyam, a great Sanskrit epic, is a brilliant condensation in 1036 shlokams (stanzas) of the great epic Bhaagavatham composed by Sage Vyaasa. The Bhaagavatham describes the entire Hindu beliefs and philosophy of the origin of the Universe and the purpose of human existence. It also describes the various incarnations of the Supreme Being to re-establish righteousness and order in the Universe from time to time. According to Hindu thought, all beings are subject to continual cycles of birth-life-death-rebirth. Bhaagavatham contains advice and instructions for human beings to achieve Moksha (Salvation) to break out of this eternal cycle and attain Union with the Supreme Being at His Lotus-Feet
The central theme of Narayaneeyam is Bhakti (devotion). In literary merit, the Narayaneeyam holds pride of place in Sanskrit poetry, at par with the works of Kalidasa and other eminent poets. It is divided into 100 Dasakams, most of which comprise ten shlokams each. (More details.....)
This devotional epic was composed by Melpathur Narayana Bhattapada (also referred to as Bhattathiri) in the ninth decade of the 16th century A.D. Scholars have reckoned, with the aid of internal evidence in the epic itself, that the Narayaneeyam was completed on the 28th day of Vrischigam month of the Malayalam (Kollam) Era 763 (approximately November-December, 1587 A.D.).
According to legend, Bhattathiri acquired the dreaded condition of paralysis, voluntarily, by praying to the Lord Krishna, for transferring the disease to him from his teacher of Sanskrit grammar, Achyuta Pisharoty, who had been suffering from it, thereby relieving his Guru from the ailment. Subsequently, Bhattathiri had himself carried to the temple of Lord Krishna at Guruvayur, and lying prostrate before the Lord, he sought shelter and relief at the Lord's Lotus-Feet.
Every day, Bhattathiri composed one Dasakam (generallly consisting of ten shlokams). The final verse of every Dasakam concludes with an invocation to the Lord of Guruvayur to cure him of all his illnesses and protect him from all afflictions and sorrows.
On the hundredth day, he is believed to have had a dazzling Darshan (Vision) of the Lord himself in Saakara (material) form and was cured of his ailment. In the final (100th)Dasakam, Bhattathiri has given a graphic head-to-foot description (in picturesque language) of the Lord's form as Venugopala , and of his wonderful, soul-stirring and ecstatic experience.