NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 100

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health.

Given below is the text
of the 100th  dasaka  wherein Bhattatiri has a glorious,  enthralling vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor
and the ecstatic outpourings of the devotee who is, as it were, submerged in an
ocean of supreme bliss.

अग्रे पश्यामि तेजो निबिडतरकलायावलीलोभनीयं

पीयूषाप्लावितोऽहं तदनु तदुदरे दिव्यकैशोरवेषम् ।

तारुण्यारम्भरम्यं परमसुखरसास्वादरोमाञ्चिताङ्गै-

रावीतं नारदाद्यैर्विलसदुपनिषद्सुन्दरीमण्डलैश्च
॥ १ ॥

Before  me, I see an
effulgence,  as enthralling as a thick
blossom of (dark blue) kalaya flowers. I feel as  if I  am bathed in an ocean of nectar.  Then, in the heart of the effulgence I see a
divine teenage boy  enchanting in his  budding 
youth,  surrounded by sages like
Naarada  whose hairs stand on end by the thrilling
experience of Supreme Bliss, and by Upanishads taking the form of beautiful
women.  

नीलाभं कुञ्चिताग्रं घनममलतरं संयतं चारुभङ्ग्या

रत्नोत्तंसाभिरामं वलयितमुदयच्चन्द्रकैः
पिञ्छजालैः ।

मन्दारस्रङ्निवीतं तव पृथुकबरीभारमालोकयेऽहं

स्निग्द्धश्वेतोर्ध्वपुण्ड्रामपि च सुललितां
फालबालेन्दुवीथीम् ॥ २ ॥

I see your  tresses  of  dark and curly hair,  thick and 
clean, beautifully  held together,
 bejewelled and surrounded by   a plume of peacock feathers having shining
eyes and encircled by a garland of mandara flowers.  I also see your pretty forehead resembling
the crescent moon, adorned with smooth white sandal paste mark pointing upwards.

हृद्यं पूर्णानुकंपार्णवमृदुलहरी
चञ्चलभ्रूविलासैः

आनीलस्निग्द्धपक्ष्मावलि परिलसितं नेत्रयुग्मं
विभो ते ।

सान्द्रच्छायं विशालारुणकमलदलाकारमामुग्धतारं

कारुण्यालोकलीला शिशिरितभुवनं क्षिप्यतां
मय्यनाथे ॥ ३ ॥

O Lord! The soft waves from the ocean of compassion in the pair of
Your eyes create  playful movements in
your eyebrows  and  these, 
coupled with the soft blue eye lashes, 
captivate every heart.   Densely
lustrous,  shaped like  large 
red lotus petals and having beautiful pupils, they cool the world by
their playful glances full of mercy. May those glances be cast on me who is
without any other refuge.  

उत्तुङ्गोल्लासिनासं
हरिमणिमुकुरप्रोल्लसद्गण्डपाली-

व्यालोलत् कर्णपाशाञ्चितमकरमणी
कुण्डलद्वन्द्वदीप्रम् ।

उन्मीलद्दन्तपङ्क्तिः स्फुरदरुणतरच्छायबिम्बाधरान्तः

प्रीतिप्रस्यन्दिमन्दस्मितमधुरतरं
वक्त्रमुद्भासतां मे ॥ ४ ॥

O Lord! your  face,  having
a  prominent  pretty  nose,   lighted
up witha pair of oscillating  fish-shaped
gem-studded ear globes  reflected on the
cheeks resembling mirrors of blue sapphire, with shining white teeth between
parted  lips red as the bimba fruit and
with a sweet smile dripping love and affection – May that face of yours clearly
shine before my eyes.  

बाहुद्वन्द्वेन रत्नाङ्गुलिवलयभृता
शोणपाणिप्रवाले-

नोपात्तां वेणुनालीं
प्रसृतनखमयूखाङ्गुलीसङ्गशाराम् ।

कृत्वा वक्त्रारविन्दे
सुमधुरविकसद्रागमुद्भाव्यमानैः

शब्दब्रह्मामृतैस्त्वं शिशिरितभुवनैः
सिञ्च मे कर्णवीथीम् ॥ ५ ॥

May you saturate  the path of
my ears with  divine music,  Brahman itself in sweet sound form,  cooling the whole universe,  freely flowing from the flute placed at Your
lotus mouth. The flute is held in your  hands adorned with gem-studded bracelets  and it takes on multiple colours from the rays
from Your  finger nails (which play on
it.)

  

उत्सर्पत्कौस्तुभश्रीततिभिररुणितं कोमलं
कण्ठदेशं

वक्षः श्रीवत्सरम्यं
तरलतरसमुद्दीप्तहारप्रतानम् ।

नानावर्णप्रसूनावलिकिसलयिनीं वन्यमालां
विलोल-

ल्लोलम्बां लम्बमानामुरसि तव तथा भावये
रत्नमालाम् ॥ ६ ॥

O Lord! I meditate upon Your handsome neck coloured purple by the
radiating lustre of Your Kaustubha jewel; on Your chest adorned by the the
Srivatsa mark and  clusters of swinging
radiant  necklaces;  and also on garlands of forest flowers,  tender leaf buds and  bunches of multicoloured blossoms, with bees
hovering around them,  and necklaces of
precious stones adorning your chest. 

अंगे पंचांगरागैरतिशयविकसत्सौरभाकृष्टलोकं

लीनानेकत्रिलोकीविततिमपि कृशां बिभ्रतं
मध्यवल्लीम् ।

शक्राश्मन्यस्त तप्तोज्ज्वलकनकनिभं पीतचेलं दधानं

ध्यायामो दीप्तरश्मि स्फुटमणिरशनाकिङ्किणी
मण्डितं त्वाम् ॥ ७ ॥

O Lord! We meditate upon You  who attracts the whole world by the spreading  fragrances of sandal paste and four other
perfumes,  whose middle is slender like a
creeper though carrying within itself the whole of the three worlds, who is
attired in a yellow silk  which resembles
molten  gold placed on blue sapphire and
who wears a radiant girdle  studded with gems
and having tiny bells attached to it.

ऊरू चारू तवोरू घनमसृणरुचौ चित्तचोरौ रमायाः

विश्वक्षोभं विशङ्क्य ध्रुवमनिशमुभौ
पीतचेलावृताङ्गौ ।

आनम्राणां
पुरस्तान्न्यसनधृतस्मस्तार्थपालीसमुद्ग-

च्छायं जानुद्वयं च क्रमपृथुलमनोज्ञे च
जङ्घे निषेवे ॥ ८ ॥

I worship  Your  two 
thighs , fleshy and smooth, which steal the heart of Lakshmi and which
are always covered with yellow silk cloth 
for  fear of  exciting the whole world,   Your knees which  are like two caskets holding all the desired
objects for Your  devotees and Your  forelegs which are beautifully tapered and
fleshy.

  

मञ्जीरं मञ्जुनादैरिव पदभजनं श्रेय इत्यालपन्तं

पादाग्रं भ्रान्तिमज्जत्
प्रणतजनमनोमन्दरोद्धारकूर्मम् ।

उत्तुङ्गाताम्रराजन्नखरहिमकरज्योत्स्नया
चाश्रितानाम्

संताप ध्वान्तहन्त्रीं ततिमनुकलये
मङ्गलामङ्गुलीनाम् ॥ ९ ॥

I meditate on Your  anklets which
announce,  in their sweet tinkling sound,
that your worship confers everything auspicious,   on the upper part of your feet  shaped  like  tortoise which lifts up the mind of devotees
who prostrate before You (in the same way the Lord, in his Koorma  incarnation, lifted up the Mandara mountain which  was sinking during the churning of the Milky
ocean for amrit) and  on the
auspicious rows of your toes which are slightly raised, very red and
shining  like the moon light expelling
the darkness of the sorrows of Your devotees.

योगीन्द्राणां त्वदङ्गेष्वधिकसुमधुरं मुक्तिभाजां
निवासो

भाक्तानां कामवर्षद्युतरुकिसलयं नाथ ते पादमूलम्
।

नित्यं चित्तस्थितं मे पवनपुरपते कृष्ण
कारुण्यसिन्धो

हृत्वा निश्शेषतापान् प्रदिशतु
परमानन्दसन्दोहलक्ष्मीम्  ॥ १० ॥

         
      

O God!  O Lord of Guruvayur!   O Krishna ! O  Ocean of mercy!   the
soles of your feet which are the sweetest part of your body for  the great sages.  The liberated ones reside there. They are like
the leaf buds of the celestial tree (Kalpa Vriksha), raining  all the desires of your  devotees.  O Lord of Guruvaayur! May those feet always
rest in my heart. O Ocean of Compassion! destroy all my sorrows and confer a
full abundant flow of Supreme Bliss.

 अज्ञात्वा ते महत्वं यदिह निगदितं विश्वनाथ
क्षमेथा:
स्तोत्रं चैतत्सहस्रोत्तरमधिकतरं त्वत्प्रसादाय
भूयात् ।
द्वेधा नारायणीयं श्रुतिषु च जनुषा स्तुत्यता वर्णनेन
स्फीतं लीलावतारैरिदमिह कुरुतामायुरारोग्यसौख्यम्
॥११॥

Oh Lord of the universe , please forgive me for what I have
said here, not knowing fully Thy greatness. This hymn consisting  of more than a thousand verses should be
blessed by you with all your grace as this which is called Narayaneeyam, is
both about Narayana as well that which is written by Narayana. May this
hymn which describes in accordance with the Vedas, Your creative actions and Your
playful  incarnations (leelavataras)
, bestow long life, good health and happiness on one and all in this world.

   
                     
            

               NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 99

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 99th  dasaka shows how the
Vedas praise the Divine The slokas are based on Veda mantras in praise of
Vishnu.

विष्णोर्वीर्याणि को वा कथयतु धरणेः कश्च रेणून् मिमीते

यस्यैवाङ्घ्रित्रयेण त्रिजगदभिमितं मोदते पूर्णसंपत्

योऽसौ विश्वानि धत्ते प्रियमिह परमं धाम तस्याभियायां

त्वद्भक्ता यत्र माद्यन्त्यमृतरसमरन्दस्य यत्र प्रवाहः ॥१॥

Who can describe
the magnificent qualities of Vishnu? Can any one count the particles on the
Earth?  This world was measured by Him by
three steps of His and those in the world enjoy, endowed with all the wealth. It
is Vishnu who supports all these worlds; may I attain his abode Vaikuntha which
is above everything else,   which I love
very much and where Your devotees experience supreme bless as if nectarine
honey flowing.

आद्यायाशेषकर्त्रे प्रतिनिमिषनवीनाय भर्त्रे विभूतेर्-

भक्तात्मा विष्णवे यः प्रदिशति हविरादीनि यज्ञार्चनादौ।

कृष्णाद्यं जन्म यो वा महदिह महतो वर्णयेत् सोऽयमेव

प्रीतः पूर्णो यशोभिस्त्वरितमभिसरेत् प्राप्यमन्ते पदं ते॥२॥

O
Lord! You are there before anything else appeared; You are the doer of everthing
(creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world etc);  you appear to be new (different, fresh) every
minute, and you are the repository of all material, psychic and spiritual
wealth (vibhutis).  Only the
faithful devotee who offers you havis etc. in sacrifices and worships
and recounts your supreme greatness in your incarnations as Krishna etc.
becomes pleased, fulfilled and acclaimed and quickly reaches the goal of
attaining your abode of Vaikuntha (वैकुण्ठ).     

हे स्तोतारः कवीन्द्रास्तमिह खलु यथा चेतयध्वे तथैव

व्यक्तं वेदस्य सारं प्रणुवत जननोपात्तलीलाकथाभिः।

जानन्तश्चास्य नामान्यखिलसुखकराणीति संकीर्तयध्वं

हे विष्णो! कीर्तनाद्यैस्तव खलु महतस्तत्त्वबोधं भजेयम्॥३॥

O Honoured Poets
who praise, glorify or acclaim (kings etc.)! 
Glorify the very essence of the Vedas (Vishnu), the way you understand
it the same way, with stories of  His
exploits and leelas in different incarnations.  Knowing that His names are beneficial and
auspicious for every one,  do samkirtan
i.e. singing his names with love and devotion. O Vishnu! By samkirtan,
stuti etc. of your greatness may I gain knowledge of Your True Transcendental
form (swarupa).           

विष्णोः कर्माणि सम्पश्यत मनसि सदा यैः स धर्मानबध्नाद्-

यानीन्द्रस्यैष भृत्यः प्रियसख इव च व्यातनोत् क्षेमकारी।

वीक्षन्ते योगसिद्धाः परपदमनिशं यस्य सम्यक् प्रकाशम्

विप्रेन्द्रा जागरूकाः कृतबहुनुतयो यच्च निर्भासयन्ते ॥४॥

(O Devotees of the
Lord!) Always visualize Vishnu’s exploits by which He protected and preserved dharma
and what He did for the well-being of Indra as a servant or as a friend.  The Yogis always see Your resplendent abode Vaikuntha
which is above all the worlds and which the best among Brahmins, who are
awakened, illumine with a profusion of praise.   .   

नो जातो जायमानोऽपि च समधिगतस्त्वन्महिम्नोऽवसानं

देव! श्रेयांसि विद्वान् प्रतिमुहुरपि ते नाम शंसामि विष्णो।

तं त्वां संस्तौमि नानाविधनुतिवचनैरस्य लोकत्रयस्या-

प्यूर्ध्वं विभ्राजमाने विरचितवसतिं तत्र वैकुण्ठलोके ॥५॥

O Vishnu! No one
already born or yet to be born has reached 
the end your greatness.  Knowing
that  

they bestow
benefits and are auspicious, I chant Your names again and again. With a variety
of words of adulation, I praise You whose abode Vaikuntha is high above
the three worlds  

आपः सृष्ट्यादिजन्याः प्रथममयि विभो! गर्भदेशेदधुस्त्वां

यत्र त्वय्येव जीवा जलशयन! हरे! संगता ऐक्यमापन्।

तस्याजस्य प्रभो! ते विनिहितमभवत् पद्ममेकं हि नाभौ

दिक्पत्रं यत् किलाहुः कनकधरणिभृत् कर्णिकं लोकरूपम्॥६॥

O Lord! The primordial
water that came into being at the beginning of creation took You into its womb.
O Narayana who reclined (on Adishesha) in the primordial water! The souls of
all beings together merged in You.  O
Lord who has no birth! From your navel sprouted a lotus which had the quarters
(directions) as the petals and Meru as the whorl. This lotus is said to be the
form of the world.       

हे लोकाः
विष्णुरेतद्भुवनमजनयत् तन्न जानीथ यूयं

युष्माकं
ह्यन्तरस्थं किमपि तदपरं विद्यते विष्णुरूपम्।

नीहारप्रख्यमायापरिवृतमनसो
मोहिता नामरूपैः

प्राणप्रीत्येकतृप्ताश्चरथ
मखपरा हन्त नेच्छा मुकुन्दे ॥७॥

O
Denizens of the World! Lord Vishnu has created this world. You do not know
this.  There is another form of Vishnu
which is inside you.  Your mind is
covered by  Maya as if by a fog; you are are
satisfied only by the enjoyment of objects of the senses; you are interested
only in yagna (sacrifices);  It is a
matter of great concern that You have no love or devotion for Mukunda (Vishnu).

मूर्ध्नामक्ष्णां  पदानां वहसि खलु सहस्राणि संपूर्य
विश्वं

तत् प्रोक्रम्यापि तिष्ठन् परिमितविवरे भासि चित्तान्तरेऽपि।

भूतं भव्यं च सर्वं परपुरुष! भवान् किञ्च देहेन्द्रियादि-

ष्वाविष्टोऽप्युद्गतत्वादमृतसुखरसं चानुभुङ्क्षे त्वमेव ॥८॥

O
Lord!  With thousands of heads, eyes and
feet You fill the whole of this Universe and beyond that.  Not only that, You shine inside the heart, in
a space like a very small hole. O Parapurusha! You are the past and the future
and everything.  Though you are immanent
in the body and the senses you transcend them and you are the enjoyer of
supreme bliss sweet as nectar.  

यत्तु त्रैलोक्यरूपं दधदपि च ततो निर्गतोऽनन्तशुद्ध-

ज्ञानात्मा वर्तसे त्वं, तव खलु महिमा सोऽपि तावान्,
किमन्यत्।

स्तोकस्ते भाग एवाखिलभुवनतया दृश्यते, त्र्यंशकल्पं

भूयिष्ठं सान्द्रमोदात्मकमुपरि ततो भाति, तस्मै नमस्ते
॥९॥

Though
You have taken on the form of the three worlds,  transcending it,  You shine as infinite pure
consciousness.  Your magnificence is also
as great. A small part of You is manifested as the whole world. The major
portion, more than Three-fourth, the very embodiment of supreme bliss,  shines above all the worlds.    

अव्यक्तं ते स्वरूपं दुरधिगमतरं तत्तु शुद्धैकसत्त्वं

व्यक्तं चाप्येतदेव स्फुटममृतरसांभोधिकल्लोलतुल्यम्।

सर्वोत्कृष्टामभीष्टां तदिह गुणरसेनैव चित्तं हरन्तीं

मूर्तिं ते संश्रयेऽहं पवनपुरपते पाहि मां कृष्ण रोगात् ॥१०॥    

O Lord! Your unmanifest form is very difficult to
understand and realise. The purely sattwic form of yours is manifest and
it is this form which is like the waves in the ocean of nectar which surpasses
everything, which captures the heart by the sweetness of its qualities.  I take refuge in this form O Lord of
Guruvayur! save me from my ailments.

               NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 98

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 98th  dasaka  in which is described the upasana  of the Nishkala Brahman.

यस्मिन्नेतद्विभातं यत इदमभवत् येन चेदं य एतद्-

योस्मादुत्तीर्णरूपः खलु सकलमिदं भासितं यस्य भासा ।

यो वाचां दूरदूरे पुनरपि मनसां यस्य देवा मुनीन्द्रा

नो विद्युस्तत्त्वरूपं किमु पुनरपरे कृष्ण! तस्मै नमस्ते ॥१॥

O
Krishna! Prostrations before You in whom all these worlds become manifest, from
whom these originate and in whom they dissolve, whose form is all this, in
whose Light all these are illumined, who is beyond the reach of words and even
the mind, whose real form neither the devas nor the saints know, what to
talk of others.    

जन्माथो कर्म नाम स्फुटमिह गुणदोषादिकं वा न यस्मिन्

लोकानामूतये यः स्वयमनुभजते तानि मायानुसारी।

बिभ्रच्छक्तीररूपोऽपि च बहुतररूपो विभात्यद्भुतात्मा

तस्मै कैवल्यधाम्ने पररसपरिपूर्णाय विष्णो नमस्ते ॥२॥

O Vishnu, The abode
of mukti and sachchidananda swarupa (embodiment of
Existence, Consciousness and Bliss!) Prostrations before You who does not have
birth,  action, name, good or bad
qualities, who assumes these attributes, by the power of Maya, for the
well-being of the world and who, though without form,  takes on countless wonderful forms, by the  powers of vidya and avidya.  

नो तिर्यञ्चं न मर्त्यं न च सुरमसुरं न स्त्रियं नो पुमांसं

न द्रव्यं कर्म जातिं गुणमपि सदसद्वापि  ते रूपमाहुः।

शिष्टं यत् स्यान्निषेधे सति निगमशतैर्लक्षणावृत्तितस्तत्

कृच्छ्रेणावेद्यमानं परमसुखमयं भाति तस्मै नमस्ते ॥३॥  

Prostrations
before You who is neither non-human or human, neither sura nor asura,
neither woman nor man and whose form is not matter, action, class, qualities,
existence or non-existence.   You are that which, when everything is negated,
what remains and which hundreds of Vedas, with great difficulty, try to explain
by the implied meaning of words which try to point to that which is of the form
of Supreme, pure Bliss.    

मायायां बिम्बितस्त्वं सृजसि महदहङ्कारतन्मात्रभेदै-

र्भूतग्रामेन्द्रियाद्यैरपि सकलजगत्स्वप्नसङ्कल्पकल्पम्।

भूयः संहृत्य सर्वं कमठ इव पदान्यात्मना कालशक्त्या

गंभीरे जायमाने तमसि वितिमरो भासि तस्मै नमस्ते ॥४॥

Reflected in Maya (like the
image in a mirror), You create mahattattwa, ahamkara (ego), tanmatras (subtle
forms of sense objects), the five elements of space, air, fire, water and earth,
the organs of perception and action. 
With these You create the whole of this cosmos which is like the
sankalpa (imagination) in a dream. Again, You gather these into Yourself by the
power of Kala (Time),  like the
tortoise withdrawing its  limbs inside.
In the dense darkness wuhich results You shine brightly, O Lord of Guruvayur!,
Prostrations to You. 

शब्दब्रह्मेति  कर्मेत्यणुरिति भगवन्! काल इत्यालपन्ति

त्वामेकं विश्वहेतुं सकलमयतया सर्वथा कल्प्यमानम्।

वेदान्तैर्यत्तु गीतं पुरुषपरचिदात्माभिधं तत्तु तत्त्वं

प्रेक्षामात्रेण मूलप्रकृतिविकृतिकृत् कृष्ण तस्मै नमस्ते ॥५॥

You
alone are the cause of these worlds, by all means and as the indwelling spirit
in all beings.  You are also known as shabdabrahaman
(Vedas), as Karma (action), as Anu (atom) and as Kala
(Time). You are the Ultimate Reality about whom the Vedas sing as purusha
(indwelling spirit), para (over and above all), Chit
(Consciousness) and Atma (individual soul) and whose kataksha
(sidelong glance from the corner of the eye) is enough to disturb the
equilibrium of  moolaprakriti (primordial
nature)  (thus triggering the process of
creation, the One manifesting Itself as Many). O Krishna! Prostrations to you
of such majesty and magnificence.     

सत्त्वेनासत्तया वा न च खलु सदसत्त्वेन निर्वाच्यरूपा

धत्ते यासावविद्या गुणफणिमतिवद्विश्वदृश्यावभासम् ।

विद्यात्वं सैव याता श्रुतिवचनलवैर्यत्कृपास्यन्दलाभे

संसारारण्यसद्यस्त्रुटनपरशुतामेति तस्मै नमस्ते ॥६॥

This
Maya  is indefinable as one cannot say
whether it is existent or non-existent,  sat
or asat.  Just like one perceives
the snake in a piece of string this Maya (Avidya, Ignorance) creates the
illusion of this world which really does not exist.  This Avidya itself takes the form of Vidya
by the grace of the Lord when one listens to the Upanishadic pronouncements
about the atman, brahman etc. and becomes the axe with which to cut down
the forest of this samsara.  My
prostrations to you, O Lord!.    

भूषासु स्वर्णवद्वा जगति घटशरावादिके मृत्तिकाव-

त्तत्त्वे सञ्चिन्त्यमाने स्फुरति तदधुनाप्यद्वितीयं वपुस्ते।

स्वप्नद्रष्टुः प्रबोधे तिमिरलयविधौ जीर्णरज्जोश्च यद्व-

विद्यालाभे तथैव स्फुटमपि विकसेत् कृष्ण! तस्मै नमस्ते ॥७॥

Just like GOLD in
ornaments (of different shapes and sizes) and MUD in pots and other earthenware,
when one ponders over it, one realises that the Ultimate Reality is the Non-dual
Brahman immanent in the whole of this Universe of multiple forms and names
which are all illusory.  Just like a
dreamer realises that the dream was not real when he wakes up  or a person mistaking a piece of rope as a
snake realises the truth when darkness makes room for light, when Avidya goes
andVidya dawns the Ultimate Reality shines in all its glory.  Prostrations to You, O Krishna!    

यद्भीत्योदेति सूर्यो दहति च दहनो वाति वायुस्तथान्ये

यद्भीताः पद्मजाद्याः पुनरुचितबलीनाहरन्ते ऽनुकालम्।

येनैवारोपिताः प्राङ्निजपदमपि ते च्यावितारश्च पश्चात्

तस्मै विश्वं नियन्त्रे वयमपि भवते कृष्ण! कुर्मः प्रणामम्॥८॥

Fearing
whom the Sun rises, the Fire burns, the Wind blows, Brahma and others pay
tribute at prescribed times, by whom some are appointed to different positions
and later removed from those positions, that controller and discipliner of the
Universe, O Krishna! we offer you our prostrations.  

त्रैलोक्यं भावयन्तं त्रिगुणमयमिदं त्र्यक्षरस्यैकवाच्यं

त्रीशानामैक्यरूपं त्रिभिरपि निगमैर्गीयमानस्वरूपम्।

तिस्रोऽवस्था विदन्तं त्रियुगजनिजुषं त्रिक्रमाक्रान्तविश्वं

त्रैकाल्ये भेदहीनं त्रिभिरहमनिशं योगभेदैर्भजे त्वाम् ॥९॥

O Lord!  You have created this world which is a
mixture of the three modes of prakriti.  You are indicated by the syllable “Om”
composed of three letters.  Your form is
the combination of the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.  Your praises are sung by the three Vedas,
Rik, Yajus and Sama. You (as the jiva) are the Witness of the
three states of waking (jagrat), dreaming(swapna) and deep sleep
(sushupti). You incarnate yourself in the three Yugas of Krita, Treta
and Dwapara. You measured the worlds in three steps. You remain without
any change in the three divisions of time- past, present and future.  I  always worship you by the three paths of Karma
(action),Gnana (Knowledge) and Bhakti (Devotion). 

Note: Kalki
incarnation is in the beginning of Krita Yuga, not in Kali Yuga itself..

सत्यं शुद्धं विबुद्धं जयति तव वपुर्नित्यमुक्तं निरीहं

निर्द्वन्द्वं निर्विकारं निखिलगुणगणव्यञ्जनाधारभूतम्।

निर्मूलं निर्मलं तन्निरवधिमहिमोल्लासि निर्लीनमन्त-

र्निस्संगानां मुनीनां निरुपमपरमानन्दसान्द्रप्रकाशम् ॥१०॥ 

O Lord! You are the embodiment
of  Truth, Purity and Consciousness, ever-free,
without any desire, One without a second, unmoved by feelings or emotions and
the substratum for the manifestation of all good and fine qualities.  You are without any cause, without blemish
and the repository of countless magnificent great qualities.   In the
hearts of  Yogis,  who have completely cut asunder their
attachments to  all worldly things, You
abide as the effulgence of incomparable supreme bliss. Victory O Lord! to this Nishkala
Swarupa of yours.

               NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 97

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 97th  dasaka in which
Bhattatiri requests the Lord to bless him with devotion of the highest order.
The story of Markandeya, who wanted to see the Maya of the Lord, is also
described in this dasaka.

त्रैगुण्याद्भिन्नरूपं भवति हि भुवने हीनमध्योत्तमं यत्

ज्ञानं श्रद्धा च कर्ता वसतिरपि सुखं कर्म चाहारभेदा:।

त्वत्क्षेत्रत्वन्निषेवादि तु यदिह पुनस्त्वत्परं तत्तु सर्वं

प्राहुर्नैर्गुण्यनिष्ठं तदनुभजनतो मङ्क्षु सिद्धो भवेयम् ॥१॥

In
this world Knowledge, belief (faith), doer, residence, wellbeing, action, food
etc. are all made up of the three modes of prakriti (nature, maya)
namely sattwa, rajas and tamas and therefore these are all of
different forms and can be graded as uttama (the best), madhyama (medium)
and adhama (the worst) respectively. However, it is said that visiting
Your places of worship, worshiping or serving You, meditating on Your form are
unaffected by the three modes of nature. They are नैर्गुण्यनिष्ठं
(not rooted in the three modes of nature). Therfore let me attain mukti or
liberation by following this path of bharkti (devotion) 

    

त्वय्येवन्यस्तचित्तः सुखमयि विचरन् सर्वचेष्टास्त्वदर्थं

त्वद्भक्तैः सेव्यमानानपि चरितचरानाश्रयन् पुण्यदेशान्।

दस्यौ विप्रे मृगादिष्वपि च सममतिर्मुच्यमानावमान-

स्पर्धासूयादिदोषः सततमखिलभूतेषु संपूजये त्वाम् ॥२॥

O
Lord! I shall lead my life happy and carefree with my mind firmly fixed on You,
doing everything to please You only, visiting those holy places which are
visited by your devotees, seeing with an equal mind, devoid of differentiation
a brahmin, a thief or an animal, devoid of the feelings of honour, dishonour,
competition, jealousy etc. and worshipping You as the indwelling spirit of all
beings.

 

त्वद्भावो यावदेषु स्फुरति न विशदं तावदेवं ह्युपास्तिं

कुर्वन्नैकात्म्यबोधे झटिति विकसति त्वन्मयोऽहं चरेयं।

त्वद्धर्मस्यास्य तावत् किमपि न भगवन्! प्रस्तुतस्य
प्रणाश-

स्तस्मात् सर्वात्मनैव प्रदिश मम विभो! भक्तिमार्गं
मनोज्ञम् ॥३॥

As long as I am not able to realise You clearly
in all these beings I will continue on the path of Bhakti until I become One
with you, identify myself with you, realise you within me.   This
bhagavata dharma, once started, there is no loss.  Therefore, in all circumstances, O Lord!
bless me with this beautiful path of Bhakti.

तं चैनं भक्तियोगं द्रढयितुमयि मे साध्यमारोग्यमायु-

र्दिष्ट्या तत्रापि सेव्यं तव चरणमहो! भेषजायेव दुग्धं
।

मार्कण्डेयो हि पूर्वं गणकनिगदितद्वादशाब्दायुरुच्चैः

सेवित्वा वत्सरं त्वां तव भटनिवहैर्द्रावयामास मृत्युम् ॥४॥

In
order to strengthen this bhakti yoga I have to achieve good health and
longevity and, fortunately,  for this
also I have to take refuge at your lotus feet which is like drinking milk for
curing the disease.  Markandeya, who was
told by astrologers that his life was only for twelve years, sincerely worshipped
you for one year and Your soldiers drove away Yama (saved Markandeya from
death).  

मार्कण्डेयश्चिरायुः स खलु पुनरपि त्वत्परः पुष्पभद्रा-

तीरे निन्ये तपस्यन्नतुलसुखरतिः षट्तु मन्वन्तराणि।

देवेन्द्रः सप्तमस्तं सुरयुवतिमरुन्मन्मथैर्मोहयिष्यन्

योगोष्मप्लुष्यमाणैर्न तु पुनरगमत् त्वज्जनं निर्जयेत् कः?॥५॥

Markandeya
thus became a chiranjeevi.  Again,
wanting to experience supreme bliss, he spent six manwantaras doing
penance on the banks of Pushpabhadra river, fixing his mind on Your captivating
form.  The seventh Indra sent celestial
damsels, cool breeze and Kamadeva (Cupid) to delude and entice him away
from his tapas but they were scorched by the heat of the tapas
(penance) of Markandeya and abandoned their mission.  Who can conquer your staunch devotees?        

  

प्रीत्या नारायणाख्यस्त्वमथ नरसखः प्राप्तवानस्य पार्श्वं

तुष्ट्या तोष्टूयमानः स तु विविधवरैर्लोभितो नानुमेने।

द्रष्टुं मायां त्वदीयां किल पुनरवृणोद्भक्तितृप्तान्तरात्मा

मायादुःखानभिज्ञस्तदपि मृगयते नूनमाश्चर्यहेतोः ॥६॥

Once
You appeared before him as Narayana accompanied by Nara and Marakandeya,
immensely pleased and singing hymns in your praise, was indifferent to any
boon though he was tempted by You by the offer of several boons. But he asked
for the boon of seeing Your Maya.  Certainly, one who has not experienced  Maya, may seek to know the effect of Maya
just for the wonder of experiencing it.        

याते त्वय्याशु वाताकुलजलदगलत्तोयपूर्णातिघूर्णत्

सप्तार्णोराशिमग्ने जगति स तु जले संभ्रमन् वर्षकोटीः।

दीनः प्रैक्षिष्ट दूरे वटदलशयनं कञ्चिदाश्चर्यबालं

त्वामेव श्यामलाङ्गं वदनसरसिजन्यस्तपादाङ्गुलीकम्॥७॥

Soon
after You left Markandeya there was heavy downpour from dark clouds driven by a
hurricane and the world was submerged in the 
tumultous seven seas flled to the brim. 
Markandeya was tossed about in the sea for millions of years and was in
a pathetic condition when he saw You in the distance as a wonderful child of
dark blue complexion lying on a banyan leaf with a toe in his mouth.   

दृष्ट्वा त्वां हृष्टरोमा त्वरितमुपगतः स्प्रष्टुकामो मुनीन्द्रः

श्वासेनान्तर्निविष्टः पुनरिह सकलं दृष्टवान् विष्टपौघम्।

भूयोऽपि श्वासवातैर्बहिरनुपतितो वीक्षितस्त्वत्कटाक्षैः

मोदादाश्लेष्टुकामस्त्वयि पिहिततनौ स्वाश्रमे प्राग्वदासीत्॥८॥

Seeing the divine child,  Markandeya was overcome with ecstasy with
hairs of his body bristling. He, foremost

among sages, hurriedly
went near the child eager to touch it. But he was sucked inside when the child breathed

in.  There (within the  body of the child) he saw all the worlds.
Then he was thrown out with the outgoing breath.

The child cast sidelong
glances on him.  Full of joy, he wanted
to embrace the child, but you vanished and

Markandeya found himself in
his hermitage as before.     

गौर्या सार्धं तदग्रे पुरभिदथ गतस्त्वत्प्रियप्रेक्षणार्थी

सिद्धानेवास्य दत्वा स्वयमयमजरामृत्युतादीन् गतोऽभूत्।

एवं त्वत्सेवयैव स्मररिपुरपि संप्रीयते येन तस्मा-

न्मूर्तित्रय्यात्मकस्त्वं ननु सकलनियन्तेति सुव्यक्तमासीत्॥९॥

Lord
Siva with his consort Gauri manifested before Markandeya in order to see him, a
devotee dear to Your heart.  He gave him
boons of non-aging(ajara) and not-dying(amrityutaa) of which
Markandeya was already in possession. 
Thus, by devotion to You,  Lord
Siva is also pleased. From this it is very clear that You are the very Atma of
the Trinity (murtitraya) of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva and the Ultimate
Authority over everything.

त्र्यंशेऽस्मिन् सत्यलोके विधिहरिपुरभिन्मन्दिराण्यूर्ध्वमूर्ध्वं

तेभ्योऽप्यूर्ध्वं तु मायाविकृतिविरहितो भाति वैकुण्ठलोकः।

तत्र त्वं कारणांभस्यपि पशुपकुले शुद्धसत्त्वैकरूपी

सच्चिद्ब्रह्माद्वयात्मा पवनपुरपते! पाहि मां सर्वरोगात्॥१०॥

In
Satyaloka, having three positions for Brahma, Vishnu and Siva
respectively, each above the other in the same order. Above these three shines
Vaikuntha where Maya does not operate.  There in Vaikuntha,  in the primordial waters and in Nandagokula  You shine in Your pure sattwa aspect
undifferentiated from the sachchidananda Brahman.  O Lord of Guruvayur! save me from all
ailments.      

               NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 96

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 96th  dasaka which
describes the vibhutis (deivine manifestations) of the Lord  and also about Gnaana, Karma and Bhakti
yogas..

त्वं
हि ब्रह्मैव साक्षात् परमुरुमहिमन्नक्षराणामकार-

 स्तारो मन्त्रेषु राज्ञां मनुरसि मुनिषु
त्वं भृगुर्नारदोऽपि।

प्रह्लादो
दानवानां पशुषु च सुरभिः पक्षिणाम् वैनतेयो

नागानामस्यनन्तः
सुरसरिदपि च स्रोतसां विश्वमूर्ते ॥१॥

O
Lord of Guruvayur, Embodiment of the whole world and of immeasurable greatness
! You are the Parabrahma, the Ultimate Reality.  Of alphabets (aksharas) You are the
alphabet ‘A’ (‘अ’), 
of mantras You are Om (ओम्), of Kings you are Swayambhuva
Manu,  of saints (maharshis)
You are Bhrigu and Narada, of asuras You are Prahlada, of animals You
are Kamadhenu, of birds you are Garuda, of serpents You are Adisesha,
of rivers you are the celestial Ganga.  

ब्रह्मण्यानां
बलिस्त्वं क्रतुषु च जपयज्ञोऽसि वीरेषु पार्थो

  भक्तानामुद्धवस्त्वं बलमसि बलिनां
धाम तेजस्विनां त्वम्।

नास्त्यन्तस्त्वद्विभूतेर्विकसदतिशयं
वस्तु सर्वं त्वमेव
  त्वं जीवस्त्वं प्रधानं यदिह
भवदृते तन्न किञ्चित् प्रपञ्चे ॥२॥

Of
those who revere brahmins you are Bali, of yagnas You are japa yagna
(chanting the names of the Lord), of valiant fighters you are Arjuna, of
devotees you are Uddhava, of strong men You are the strength, of the shining you
are the light.  There is no end to your
greatness. Whetever is wondrous in this world is Your manifestation only. You
are the prakriti and purusha. 
There is nothing in this world which is not You (your manifestation).        

धर्मं
वर्णाश्रमाणां श्रुतिपथविहितं त्वत्परत्वेन भक्या

  कुर्वन्तोऽन्तर्विरागे विकसति शनकैः
सन्त्यजन्तो लभन्ते।

सत्तास्फूर्तिप्रियत्वात्मकमखिलपदार्थेषु
भिन्नेष्वभिन्नं

   निर्मूलं विश्वमूलं परममहमिति त्वद्विबोधं
विशुद्धम्॥३॥

Those
who follow the discipline of the varnas (brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya
and sudra) and ashramas (brahmachari, grihastha, vanaprastha
and sanyasa) as laid down in the Vedas with devotion to you
and surrendering (the fruits of their actions) at your lotus feet will
development detachment and gradually give up this path.  In them will arise the knowledge (experience)  that “ I am that  Brahman, 
whose swarupa is Absolute Existence, Consciousness and Bliss, the
One and only One immanent in all beings, the root cause of the worlds and
itself without a cause.” Thus he gains the highest and the purest knowledge of
You, O Lord!   

  

ज्ञानं
कर्मापि भक्तिस्त्रितयमपि त्वत्प्रापकं तत्र ताव-

  निर्विण्णानामशेषे बिषय इह भवेज्ज्ञानयोगेऽधिकारः।

सक्तानां
कर्मयोगस्त्वयि हि विनिहितो ये तु नात्यन्त सक्ता
  नाप्यत्यन्तं विरक्तास्त्वयि
च धृतरसा भक्तियोगो ह्यमीषाम् ॥४॥

Knowledge,
Action and Devotion- all three lead to You. Those who have gained complete  detachment from all materialistic things  and pleasures of the senses (vairagya)
qualify for the path of knowledge. Those who are totally attached to material
things and pleasures of the senses are fit only for the path of Action. The
path of Devotion, bhakti, is for those who are partially attached to and
partially detached from sensual pleasures etc. 
    

ज्ञानं
त्वद्भक्ततां वा लघु सुकृतवशान्मर्त्यलोके लभन्ते
  तस्मादत्रैव जन्म स्पृहयति
भगवन्! नाकगो नारको वा।

आविष्टं
मां तु दैवाद् भवजलनिधिपोतायिते मर्त्यदेहे
  त्वं कृत्वा कर्णधारं गुरुमनुगुणवातायितस्तारयेथाः
॥५॥

Knowledge
and Bhakti can be gained in this martyaloka (world of humans) by their punya
(fruit of meritorious actions done by them in their previous births).  For this reason even the denizens of swarga
(heaven) and naraka (hell) desire to take birth in martyaloka.
Fortunately,  I have taken a birth in
this martyaloka  with a human body
which is like a ship to cross this ocean of samsara.  With a guru (spritual teacher) as the
captain of this ship and You, acting as the favourable wind, kindly take me
across this ocean of samsara.     

अव्यक्तं
मार्गयन्तः श्रुतिभिरपि नयैः केवलज्ञानलुब्धाः

   क्लिश्यन्तेऽतीव सिद्धिं बहुतरजनुषामन्त
एवाप्नुवन्ति।

दूरस्थः
कर्मयोगोऽपि च परमफले नन्वयं भक्तियोग-

    स्त्वामूलादेव हृद्यस्त्वरितमयि
भवत्प्रापको वर्धतां मे॥६॥

Those
who are keen on taking to the path of Knowledge and seeking the Unmanifest Brahman
by following the methods propounded in the Upanishadic and mimamsa texts,
pass through great difficulties and achieve their objective only after taking many
births. The path of action is also far far away from the Ultimate objective of mukti,
liberation.  But the path of devotion,
bhakti, is sweet from the root upwards and takes one to You quickly.  May this bhakti increase in me, O
Lord!  . 
 

ज्ञानायैवातियत्नं
मुनिरपवदते ब्रह्मतत्त्वं तु शृण्वन्

    गाढं त्वत्पादभक्तिं शरणमयति यस्तस्य
मुक्तिः कराग्रे।

त्वद्ध्यानेऽपीह
तुल्या पुनरसुकरता चित्तचाञ्चल्यहेतो-

    रभ्यासादाशु शक्यं तदपि वशयितुं
त्वत्कृपाचारुताभ्याम्॥७॥

Saint
(Vyasa) disagrees that more effort is required only in the path of
Knowledge.  After hearing  about the Brahman from a competent guru,
if one takes refuge in unwavering devotion to Your lotus feet, his mukti,
liberation, is at the tip of his hand.  Dhyana (meditation) is equally difficult
because of the wavering, unstable nature of the mind.  But it can be brought under control by
practice, Your grace and your captivating form.

  

निर्विण्णः
कर्ममार्गे खलु विषमतमे त्वत्कथादौ च गाढं

    जातश्रद्धोऽपि कामानयि भुवनपते!
नैव शक्नोमि हातुम्।

तद्भूयो
निश्चयेन त्वयि निहितमना दोषबुद्ध्या भजंस्तान्

    पुष्णीयां भक्तिमेव त्वयि हृदयगते
मंक्षु नङ्क्ष्यन्ति सङ्गा ।८॥

Relinquishing
the most difficult path of Karma  and having developed liking and keen interest
in stories of your leelas, I am unable to give up desires (for sensual
objects). While fulfilling those desires, I shall remind myself that they are
stumbling blocks in the path of bhakti, and endeavour to cultivate unwavering  devotion  to your lotus feet. Once You are firmly established
in my heart all attachments will snap completely.    

कश्चित्
क्लेशार्जितार्थक्षयविमलमतिर्नुद्यमानो जनौघैः

  प्रागेवं प्राह विप्रो ’न खलु मम जनः कालकर्मगहा वा।

चेतो
मे दुःखहेतुस्तदिह गुणगणं भावयत् सर्वकारी’-

  त्युक्त्वा शान्तो गतस्त्वां मम च
कुरु विभो! तादृशीं चित्तशान्तिम्॥९॥

Once upon
a time a brahmin, whose mind became detached and purified when he lost all his
hard-earned wealth, said when people tormented him that “Neither people, nor
time, action or planets is the cause of my sorrow.  The mind which projects doership and
enjoyership on the atman,  is the root
cause of my sorrow.”  Saying thus he became
calm and peaceful and merged in You. O Lord! give me similar calmness and peace
of mind.  

ऐलः
प्रागुर्वशीं प्रत्यतिविवशमनाः सेवमानश्चिरं तां

   गाढं निर्विद्य भूयो युवतिसुखमिदं
क्षुद्रमेवेति गायन्।

त्वद्भक्तिं
प्राप्य पूर्णः सुखतरमचरत् तद्वदुद्धूतसङ्गं

    भक्तोत्तंसं क्रिया मां पवनपुरपते!
हन्त! मे रुन्धि रोगान्॥१०॥

Long
ago King Pururavas was madly in love with Urvasi and  (subsequently) he enjoyed her company for a long
time. Then he was fed up and became extremely detached. Singing repeatedly that
the pleasure from women is frivolous and worthless, he gained devotion to your
lotus feet and,  attaining jivanmukti,
 went around immersed in supreme bliss. O
Lord of Guruvayur!  make me devoid of all
attachments and the crest jewel  among  your devotees.      

   NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 95

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 95th  dasaka which
describes Dhyana Yoga.

आदौ हैरण्यगर्भीं तनुमविकलजीवात्मिकामास्थितस्त्वं

  जीवत्वं प्राप्य मायागुणगणखचितो वर्तसे विश्वयोने ।

तत्रोद्वृद्धेन सत्त्वेन तु गुणयुगलं भक्तिभावं गतेन

  छित्वा सत्त्वं च हित्वा पुनरनुपहितो वर्तिताहे त्वमेव ॥१॥

O
Lord from whom the whole word has appeared! In the beginning, you manifested
Yourself as Hiranyagarbha embodying all beings and then,  manifesting as individual jivas, you remain
affected by the modes of sattwa, rajas and tamas of Maya.    When sattwa predominates bhakti (devotion
to the Lord) matures and rajas and tamas are destroyed. Finally sattwa
also subsides and I remain without any adjuncts,  without any attributes, and become one with
You.     

सत्त्वोन्मेषात् कदाचित् खलु विषयरसे दोषबोधेऽपि भूमन्

 भूयोऽप्येषु प्रवृत्तिः सतमसि रजसि
प्रोद्धते दुर्निवारा।

चित्तं तावद् गुणाश्च ग्रथितमिह मिथस्तानि  सर्वाणि रोद्धुं

   तुर्ये त्वय्येकभक्तिः शरणमिति भवान्
हंसरूपी न्यगादीत् ॥२॥

When
sattwa predominates, then also sometimes, in spite of the understanding
that enjoyment of sense objects is fraught with adverse consequences, it cannot
be ensured that the mind does not again dwell on such enjoyment when rajas
and tamas predominate.  The mind
and the gunas are tightly intertwined and this can be prevented onlngy
by surrendering to you in undiluted devotion as expounded by You, who is beyond
the states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep states, in the manifestation as Hamsa,
swan.        

सन्ति श्रेयांसि भूयांस्यपि रुचिभिदया कर्मिणां निर्मितानि

    क्षुद्रानन्दाश्च सान्ता बहुविधगतयः
कृष्ण तेभ्यो भवेयुः।

त्वं चाचख्याथ सख्ये ननु महिततमां श्रेयसां भक्तिमेकां

    त्वद्भक्त्यानन्दतुल्यः खलु विषयजुषां
सम्मदः केन वा स्यात् ॥३॥

For
those treading the path of Karma, higher and higher levels of enjoyment
etc have been created according to varying tastes but these are frivolous and
ephemeral.  O Lord! you have told your
friend (Uddhava) that, of all the paths which take you to higher levels of
happiness, bhakti is the most effective. How can the enjoyment one gets from
sense objects match the bliss one experiences in the devotion to your lotus
feet.     

त्वद्भक्त्या तुष्टबुद्धेः सुखमिह चरतो विच्युताशस्य चाशाः

   सर्वाः स्युः सौख्यमय्यः सलिलकुहरगस्येव
तोयैकमय्यः।

सोऽयं खल्विन्द्रलोकं कमलजभवनं योगसिद्धीश्च हृद्या

   नाकांक्षत्येतदास्तां स्वयमनुपतिते
मोक्षसौख्येप्यनीहः॥४॥

For
those who are content in their hearts by devotion to you and live happily
without any desires, are happy and comfortable wherever they are (in all directions),
just like for a person immersed in a pool of water, it is water only in all
directions. He has no desire for the worlds of Indra, Brahma or yogic powers
which gladden the heart. Let that be so, he does not desire even moksha
(liberation) which comes his way on its own.     

त्वद्भक्तो बाध्यमानोऽपि विषयरसैरिन्द्रियाशान्तिहेतोः

  भक्त्यैवाक्रम्यमाणैः पुनरपि खलु
तैर्दुर्बलैर्नाभिजय्यः।

सप्तार्चिर्दीपितार्चिर्दहति किल यथा भूरिदारुप्रपञ्चं

  त्वद्भक्त्यौघे तथैव प्रदहति दुरितं,
दुर्मदः क्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ॥५॥

Your
devotee, though attracted by sensual pleasures because of undisciplined senses,
invaded by  bhakti those pleasures
are weakened and they cannot again threaten the devotee.  Just like flaming fire burns down a large
pile of firewood, the flood of bhakthi  in the devotee destroys all sins.  What can the vanity of the senses do ? 

चित्तार्द्रीभावमुच्चैर्वपुषि च पुलकं हर्षबाष्पं च हित्वा

   चित्तं शुद्ध्येत् कथं वा किमु बहुतपसा
विद्यया वीतभक्तेः।

त्वद्गाथास्वादसिद्धाञ्जनसततमरी मृज्यमानोऽयमात्माi

   चक्षुर्वत्तत्त्वसूक्षं भजति न तु
तथाभ्यस्तया तर्ककोट्या ॥६॥

Melting
of the heart, bristling of the hairs of the body, tears of joy – without these
(signs of intense devotion, bhakti) how can the mind be purified? What
is the point of tapas or knowledge without bhakti?   When continually cleansed by the siddhanjana
of revelling in stories of Your exploits and leelas, this atman
(mind, inner instrument), like the eyes, arrives at the subtle Truth (about
you), not by the practice of countless arguments expounded in the sastras.   

ध्यानं ते शीलयेयं समतनुसुखबद्धासनो नासिकाग्र-

  न्यस्ताक्षः पूरकाद्यैर्जितपवनपथश्चित्तपद्मं
त्ववाञ्चं।

ऊर्ध्वाग्रं भावयित्वा रविविधुशिखिनः संविचिन्त्योपरिष्टात्

  तत्रस्थं भावये त्वां सजलजलधरश्यामलं
कोमलाङ्गम् ॥७॥

Seated
in a comfortable posture,  with the body
erect, focusing my eyes on the tip of the nose, controlling my breath by pranayama
(breathing in, holding the air and breathing out as prescribed in the texts on
Yoga), visualising the heart-lotus, normally pointing downward,  as pointing upward,  I shall meditate on your captivating form, of
dark blue colour like the water-laden cloud,  shining above the sun, the moon and the fire.   

आनीलश्लक्ष्णकेशं ज्वलितमकरसत्कुण्डलं मन्दहास-

   स्यन्दार्द्रं कौस्तुभश्रीपरिगतवनमालोरुहाराभिरामम्।

श्रीवत्साङ्कं सुबाहुं मृदुलसदुदरं काञ्चनच्छायचेलं

   चारुस्निग्धोरुमंभोरुहललितपदं भावयेहं
भवन्तम् ॥८॥

I
shall meditate on your captivating form with dark silken locks of hair, shining
fish-shaped ear-globes, cool smile, wearing a garland of wild flowers illumined
by the kausthubha jewel, adorned with  beautiful necklaces, with the cravats mark
on the chest, shapely arms, smooth pretty stomach, golden coloured silks, fat
shapely thighs and beautiful, smooth feet as the red lotus.

सर्वाङ्गेष्वंग! रंगत्कुतुकमितिमुहुर्धारयन्नीश!
चित्तं

   तत्राप्येकत्र युञ्जे वदनसरसिजे
सुन्दरे मन्दहासे।

तत्रालीनं तु चेतःपरमसुखचिदद्वैतरूपे वितन्व-

   न्नन्यन्नो चिन्तयेयं मुहुरिति समुपारूढयोगो
भवेयम्॥९॥

O
Lord! Focusing the mind, again and again, with increasing interest, on all the
limbs of your form, I shall concentrate my attention on the beautiful smile on
your lotus face. When the mind completely melts there I shall,  submerging the mind in the ocean of supreme
absolute bliss and consciousness that is Brahman, think no more of anything
else.  I shall slip into samadhi
like this again and again.   

इत्थं त्वद्ध्यानयोगे सति पुनरणिमाद्यष्टसंसिद्धयस्ता

    दूरश्रुत्यादयोऽपि ह्यहमिकया सम्पतेयुर्मुरारे!।

त्वत्संप्राप्तौ विलम्बावहमखिलमिदं नाद्रिये, कामयेहं

    त्वामेवानन्दपूर्णं पवनपुरपते पाहि
मां सर्वतापात् ॥१०॥

In
this manner, when I am established in dhyana yoga, the eight-fold psychic
powers like anima (power to assume the size of an atom), mahima (power
to grow the body to enormous size) etc in addition to telepathy, television  etc. will automatically fall on my lap.  I will not entertain such powers, nor will I
desire them,  as they will delay my reaching
You. O Lord of Guruvayoor! save me from all my afflictions.  

                          NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 94

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 94th  dasaka which
describes the rise of the knowledge of the Self in the seeker on the spiritual
path.

शुद्धा
निष्कामधर्मैः प्रवरगुरुगिरा तत्स्वरूपं परं ते
  शुद्धं देहेन्द्रियादिव्यपगतमखिलव्याप्तमावेदयन्ते।

नानात्वस्थौल्यकार्श्यादि
तु गुणजवपुस्सङ्गतोऽध्यासितं ते

  वह्नेर्दारुप्रभेदेष्विव महदणुतादीप्तताशान्तदादि
॥१॥

Purified
by selfless action offered to the Lord, one gets from a competent spiritual
teacher knowledge of the nature of Brahman, pure, devoid of body and senses, omnipresent
and immanent in all beings. Multiplicity, fatness, leanness and other
attributes are superimposed on Brahman because of association with the modes of
prakruti or Maya just like bigness or smallness as well as
brightness and dimness attributable to the wood which is burnt are superimposed
on fire itself which burns wood

आचार्याख्याधस्थारणिसमनुमिलच्छिष्यरूपोत्तरार-

   ण्यावेधोद्भासितेन स्फुटतरपरिबोधाग्निना
दह्यमाने।

कर्मालीवासनातत्कृततनुभुवनभ्रान्तिकान्तारपूरे

   दाह्याभावेन विद्याशिखिनि च विरते
त्वन्मयी खल्ववस्था॥२॥

The
lower part of the arani (two blocks of wood used for creating fire by
friction for vedic rites) is the Teacher, the upper part is the student.  The friction or churning of the two generates
the flame of knowledge which burns the forest of delusion of the body and the
world.  And when there is nothing to burn
the fire of knowledge also dies down and what remains is the state of sachchidananda
which is Your nature or swarupa O Lord!

एवं
त्वत्प्राप्तितोऽन्यो नहि खलु निखिलक्लेशहानेरुपायो

  नैकान्तात्यन्तिकास्ते कृषिवदगदषाड्गुण्यषट्कर्मयोगाः।

दुर्वैकल्यैरकल्या
अपि निगमपथास्तत्फलान्यप्यवाप्ता

   मत्तास्त्वां विस्मरन्तः प्रसजति
पतने यान्त्यनन्तान् विषादान् ॥३॥

Thus
there is no other means of wiping out all the sufferings except by attaining You,
O Lord!.  Other systems do not completely
remove sufferings and, once removed, do not ensure that they do not recur
again. The path of karma enjoined in the Vedas cannot be effective as there are
bound to be unavoidable shortcomings in practising them.  Even if it yields results those treading this
path become conceited and, forgetting You O Lord!, fall to the abyss followed
by endless suffering.  

त्वल्लोकादन्यलोकः क्व नु भयरहितो यत्परार्धद्वयान्ते

   त्वद्भीतः सत्यलोकेऽपि न सुखवसतिः
पद्मभूः पद्मनाभ!।

एवंभावे त्वधर्माजितबहुतमसां का कथा नारकाणां

   तन्मे त्वं छिन्धि बन्धं वरद!
कृपणबन्धो कृपापूरसुन्धो ॥४॥

NARAYANEEYAM,
DASAKA 93

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 93rd  dasaka which
describes what one can learn from the twenty four teachers of an avadhuta
(sanyasi) which would be helpful for all sadhaks on the spiritual path.

बन्धुस्नेहं विजह्यां तव हि करुणया त्वय्युपावेशितात्मा

  सर्वं त्यक्त्वा चरेयं सकलमपि जगद्वीक्ष्य मायाविलासम्।

नानात्वात् भ्रान्तिजन्यात् सति खलु गुणदोषावबोधे विधिर्वा

  व्यासेधो वा; कथं तौ त्वयि निहितमतेर्वीतवैषम्यबुद्धेः॥१॥   

O
Lord! By your grace I will forsake all attachments arising out of relationships
such as wife, son, brother, sister etc and with my mind fixed on You, I will
give up everything and move about freely, seeing (understanding) the whole
world as an illusion created by the play of Maya.  The concepts of Vidhi (something obligatory)
and nishedha (something forbidden) arise because of the sense of
multiplicity created by delusion (Maya). 
For the devotee whose heart is anchored in You and who is equanimous and
sees You in all beings,  how can vidhi
 and nishedha apply?  

क्षुत्तृष्णालोपमात्रे  सततकृतधियो जन्तवः सन्त्यनन्ता-

स्तेभ्यो विज्ञानवत्त्वात् पुरुष इह वरस्तज्जनिर्दुर्लभैव।

तत्राप्यात्मात्मनः स्यात् सुहृदपि च रिपुर्यस्त्वयि न्यस्तचेता-

स्तापोच्छित्तेरुपायं स्मरति स हि सुहृत् स्वात्मवैरी ततोऽन्यः॥२॥

There
are infinite number of beings whose sole preoccupation in life is with
satisfying their hunger and thirst.  Of
these, because of his knowledge and power of reasoning, man is considered
superior. But taking birth as a human is 
rare.  Even here some are friends
of their own selves; others are enemies of their own selves. He who, fixing his
mind steadfastly on You, thinks of ways of liberating himself from the pains
and sorrows of life, is a friend of the Self. 
Any one who does not take to this path is the enemy of the Self.        

त्वत्कारुण्ये प्रवृत्ते क इव नहि गुरुर्लोकवृत्तेऽपि भूमन्

   सर्वाक्रान्तापि भूमिर्नहि चलति
ततः सत्क्षमां शिक्षयेयम्।

गृह्णियामीश, तत्तद्विषयपरिचयेप्यप्रसक्तिं समीराद्

  व्याप्तत्वं चात्मनो मे गगनगुरुवशाद्भातु
निर्लेपता च ॥३॥

O
Lord! if your grace is there who cannot be a guru even in this mundane world? I
shall learn patience and forbearance from the Earth which remains stable in
spite of being invaded by everyone. From the Air, I will learn non-attachment
in spite of contacts with the objects of the senses.  From the sky (space) as my guru may Il
learn pervasiveness as well as non-attachment.   

स्वच्छः स्याम् पावनोऽहं मधुर उदकवद् वह्निवन्मा स्म गृह्णां

  सर्वान्नीनोऽपि दोषं तरुषु तमिव मां
सर्वभूतेष्ववेयाम्।

पुष्टिर्नष्टिः कलानां शशिन इव तनोर्नात्मनोऽस्तीति विद्यां

  तोयादिव्यस्तमार्ताण्डवदपि च तनुष्वेकतां
त्वत्प्रसादात् ॥४॥

By
your grace,  O Lord! From water I will learn
to be pure,  purifying and sweet.  From fire,  I will learn not to absorb the bad qualities
in whatever I eat. Like fire inherent in trees, I will see myself in all
beings.  Just like waxing and waning is
of the kalas of the moon,  not of
the moon itself, I will understand that growth and decay are of the body, not
of the Atman (indwelling spirit).    

स्नेहाद्व्याधात्तपुत्रप्रणयमृतकपोतायितो  मा स्म भूवं,

  प्राप्तं प्राश्नन् सहेय क्षुधमपि
शयुवत् सिन्धुवत् स्यामगाधः।

मा पप्तं योषिदादौ शिखिनि शलभवत् भृङ्गवत् सारभागी

  भूयासं, किन्तु
तद्वद्धनचयनवशान्माहमीश प्रणेशम् ॥५॥

O
Lord! Let me not be like the pair of doves which lost their lives because of
their affection for their little ones captured by a hunter in his net (into
which they also entered).  Like the
python I will eat only when something comes my way, enduring hunger until I get
something. Let me become

  Let me not fall for women etc. just like the
flying insects into the fire.  Let me,
like the honey bee, take only the essence of things. But Let me not destroy
myself by accumulating wealth like the honey bee by accumulating honey (for
which people drive away the bees by fire) 
   

मा बध्यासं तरुण्या गज इव वशया, नार्जयेयं धनौघं

   हर्तान्यस्तं हि माध्वीहर इव,
मृगवन्मा मुहं ग्राम्यगीतैः।

नात्यासज्जेय भोज्ये झष इव बडिशे, पिङ्गला वन्निराशः

   सुप्यां भर्तव्य योगात् कुरर इव
विभो सामिषोऽन्यैर्न हन्यै॥६॥

O
Lord! Let me not be bound by woman like the he-elephant by the she-elephant
(which is used to lure and trap the he-elephant). Let me not accumulate wealth
like the honey bee; it will be snatched (or stolen) by thieves like the honey-gatherer
(takes away the honey stored by the honey bees). Let me not be deluded by folk
songs like the deer which gets caught when listening to the music. . Let me not
be attached too much to food like the fish for the meat in the bait.  Let me sleep peacefully giving up all desires
like the prostitute Pingala.   Let me not
be killed for my possessions, like the kurara bird with a peace of meat in its
beak.

वर्तेय
त्यक्तमानः सुखमतिशिशुवन्निसहायश्चरेयं

   कन्याया एकशेषो वलय इव विभो! वर्जितान्योन्यघोषः।

त्वच्चित्तो
नावबुद्ध्यै परमिषुकृदिव क्ष्माभृदायानघोषं

   गेहेष्वन्यप्रणीतेष्वहिरिव निवसान्यिन्दुरोर्मन्दिरेषु
॥७॥

O
Lord! Let me remain happy devoid of egotism like an infant child.  Like the single bangle in the hand of the
girl, let me remain without the company of anyone devoid of mutual
chattering.  With mind fixed on you, let
me not be aware of anything else, like the arrow-maker, concentrating on his
work, is not aware of the din and noise when the king’s procession passes by.
Let me live in houses built by others like the snake in the holes made by rats
in the earth.   

   

त्वय्येव
त्वत्कृतं त्वं क्षपयसि जगदित्यूर्णनाभात् प्रतीयां

   त्वच्चिन्ता त्वत्स्वरूपं कुरुत इति दृढं शिक्षये
पेशकारात्।

विड्भस्मात्मा
च देहो भवति गुरुवरो, यो विवेकं विरक्तिं

   धत्ते सञ्चिन्त्यमानो , मम तु बहुरुजापीडितोऽयं  विशेषात् ॥८॥

From
the spider let me learn that this universe created by You is absorbed (dissolves)
in Yourself. From the peshakara worm, let me understand that by the continuous
remembrance of your form I myself take that form.  This body which is full of faecal matter and is
reduced to ashes in the end is the foremost guru, as it instils discrimination
and dispassion when contemplated; more so this body of mine subjected to lot of
suffering.

ही
ही! मे देहमोहं त्यज पवनपुराधीश! यत्प्रेमहेतो-

र्गेहे
वित्ते कलत्रादिषु च विवशितास्त्वत्पदं विस्मरन्ति।

सोऽयं
वह्नेः शुनो वा परमिह परतः साम्प्रतां चाक्षिकर्ण-

त्वग्जिह्वाद्या
विकर्षन्त्यवशमत इतः, कोऽपि न त्वत्पदाब्जे ॥९॥     

O
Lord of Guruvayoor! Remove my attachment to this body because of which one loses
one’s freedom, entangled in house, wealth, wife etc and forgets Your lotus
fee.  After death this body is consumed
by fire or eaten by dogs. Now (while living), the skin (sense of touch) and the
tongue (sense of taste) drag the helpless person here and there.   There is none eager or interested in your
lotus feet.   .    

दुर्वारो
देहमोहो यदि पुनरधुना तर्हि निश्शेषरोगान्

  हृत्वा भक्तिं द्रढिष्ठां कुरु तव पदपङ्केरुहे पङ्कजाक्ष!
।

नूनं
नानाभवान्ते समधिगतममुं मुक्तिदं विप्रदेहं

  क्षुद्रे हा हन्त! मा मा क्षिप विषयरसे पाहि मां
मारुतेश॥१०॥

If
attachment to the body is unavoidable at this stage, then O Lotus-eyed One!  Remove all my afflictions and bless me with unshakable
devotion to your lotus feet.  O Lord of
Guruvayur!  This body of Brahmin, capable
of taking one to liberation, was attained after innumerable births.  O Lord do NOT, NOT throw this into the
frivolous enjoyment of the senses; save me from such a contingency.  

                      NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 92

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus
of Meppathur Narayanabhattathiri,  is a
masterly summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in
1034 sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 92nd dasaka which describes the path of Karma coupled
with Bhakti (devotion to the Lord),  with
a prosaic translation in English. 

  वेदैः सर्वाणि कर्माण्यपरफलदया वर्णितानीति बुद्ध्वा

    तानि त्वय्यर्पितान्येव हि समनुचरन्
यानि नैष्कर्म्यमीश!

मा भूद्वेदैर्निषिद्धे
कुहचिदपि  मनःकर्मवाचां प्रवृत्तिः

    दुर्वर्जं चेदवाप्तं तदपि खलु भवत्यर्पये
चित्प्रकाशे ॥१॥

Understanding
that the karmas (rites, actions) prescribed by the Vedas are to
be performed without attachment to the fruits (results) thereof, I shall
perform such karmas as offerings to you and thus will I reach the state
of Naishkarmya, the path of knowledge. 
Let not my mind, speech or action engage in karma prohibited in
the Vedas.  If some such thing
happens unavoidably, I offer that also to You, O Lord, the Light of Consciousness.

यस्त्वन्यः कर्मयोगस्तवभजनमयस्तत्रचाभीष्टमूर्तिं

   हृद्यां सत्त्वैकरूपां दृषदि हृदि
मृदि क्वापि वा भावयित्वा।

पुष्पैर्गन्धैर्निवेद्यैरपि च विरचितैः शक्तितो भक्तिपूतैः

   नित्यं वर्यां सपर्यां विदधदयि विभो!
त्वत्प्रसादं भजेयम्॥२॥

In
the other karmayoga in which one engages in loving devotion to You, I
will create in stone, mud or in the mind a form of yours which is dear to my
heart and daily offer worship to that image, according to my capacity and with
heart-felt devotion, with flowers, incense and naivedya and thus make
you pleased with me (obtain your prasada).

       

 स्त्रीशूद्रास्त्वत्कथादिश्रवणविरहिता आसतां
ते दयार्हा-

   स्त्वत्पादासन्नयातान् द्विजकुलजनुषो
हन्त! शोचाम्यशान्तान्।

वृत्यर्थं ते यजन्तो बहुकथितमपि त्वामनाकर्णयन्तो

   दृप्ता विद्याभिजात्यैः किमु न विदधते
तादृशं मा कृथा माम्॥३॥

Women
and Sudras who are deprived of hearing your stories etc are to be pitied. Let
that be so, but I feel sorry for those dwijas, who are supposed to be
nearer to your lotus feet but still attached to the pleasures of the senses.
They perform yagas and other vedic rites for making a living and turn a deaf
ear to stories about Your much talked about leelas and exploits.  Vain and conceited about their learning and
their high birth, what is it that they do not do? O Lord do not make me like
them.      

पापोऽयं कृष्णरामेत्यभिलपति निजं गूहितुं दुश्चरित्रं

   निर्लज्जस्यास्य वाचा
बहुतरकथनीयानि मे विघ्नितानि।

भ्राता मे वन्ध्यशीलो भजति किल सदा विष्णुमित्थं बुधांस्ते

   निन्दन्नुच्चैर्हसन्ति त्वयि निहितमतींस्तादृशं
मा कृथा माम्॥४॥

“This
sinner keeps chanting ‘Krishna’, ‘Rama’ in order conceal his bad deeds and
conduct. Because of this constant chattering of this shameless fellow I am unable
to get a chance to talk about many things. 
This brother of mine cannot do anything fruitful, he just worships
Vishnu always” –Thus talk some people about those who are wise and have given
their hearts to You. They use abusive words against your devotees and laugh
loudly in derision.  O  Lord! do not make me like them. .   

श्वेतच्छायं कृते त्वां मुनिवरवपुषा प्रीणयन्ते तपोभि-

    स्त्रेतायां स्रुक्स्रुवाद्यङ्कितमरुणतनुं
यज्ञरूपं भजन्ते।

सेवन्ते तन्त्रमार्गैर्विलसदरिगदं द्वापरे श्यामलाङ्गं

    नीलं संकीर्तनाद्यैरिह  कलिसमये मानुषास्त्वां भजन्ते ॥५॥

People
worship you in Krita Yuga as a saint, of pure white complexion, by
performing tapas (severe austerities). 
In Treta yuga they worship You  as the embodiment of Yagna, of red
complexion, wearing sruk, sruva etc. by the performance of yagas
(sacrifices).   In Dwapara Yuga You are worshipped in
a  form shining with the discus and the
mace, and of dark complexion,  following
the tantric system of worship. .  In Kali
Yuga You are worshipped in a form with deep blue complexion by sankirtan (singing
aloud Your names and Your praises) and other means.

सोऽयं
कालेयकालो जयति मुररिपो! यत्र संकीर्तनाद्यैः

  निर्यत्नैरेव मार्गैरखिलद! न चिरात्त्वत्प्रसादं
भजन्ते।

जातास्त्रेताकृतादावपि
हि किल कलौ संभवं कामयन्ते

 दैवात्तत्रैव जातान् विषयविषरसैर्मा विभो! वञ्चयास्मान्॥६॥

O
Enemey of Mura! Giver of Every Thing! This Kali Yuga wins over other
yugas because in Kaliyuga only people can quickly please You (get Your
blessings) by such effortless means as chanting your names and singing about
your exploits and leelas. Even those born in  Kruta, Treta and Dwapara yugas wish to be
born in this Kali Yuga.

We,
your devotees, have taken birth in this Kali Yuga fortuitously  by luck or fate. Lord!  Please do not delude us into thinking that sense
objects are sweet like nectar while in fact they are poison.

भक्तास्तावत्कलौ
स्युर्द्रमिलभुवि ततो भूरिशस्तत्र चोच्चैः

  कावेरीं ताम्रपर्णीं किल कृतमालां च पुण्यां प्रतीचीम्।

हा!
मामप्येतदन्तर्भवमपि च विभो! किञ्चिदञ्चद्रसं त्व-

य्याशापाशैर्निबध्य
भ्रमय न भगवन् पूरय त्वन्निषेवाम् ॥७॥

In
Kaliyuga there will be bhaktas (devotees). In Dravidadesa there
will be more bhaktas.  Wihin Dravidadesa
too the number of bhaktas will be more on the banks of Kaveri,
Tamraparni, Kritamala and Prateechi.  O
Lord! we are also born in this region and we have a modicum of bhakti  to You. Please do not delude us and bind us
with the rope of desires.  Please give us
an opportunity to fully worship you.  

दृष्ट्वा
धर्मद्रुहं तं कलिमपकरुणं प्राङ्महीक्षित् परीक्षित्

    हन्तुं व्याकृष्टखड्गोऽपि न विनिहतवान् सारवेदी गुणांशात्।

त्वत्सेवाद्याशु
सिद्ध्येदसदिह न तथा त्वत्पदे चैष भीरुः

   यत्तु प्रागेव रोगादिभिरपहरते तत्र हा शिक्षयैनम्
॥८॥

In
times gone by King Parikshit took out his sword to kill Kali who was an
opponent of dharma and was merciless but he (Parikshit) did not actually
kill him pondering over the good points of Kali.  In Kali Yuga good actions like Your worship
etc. will bear fruit quickly whereas bad actions will yield results only after
a long interval.  Moreover, Kali is
afraid of Your devotees.  O Lord! punish
this Kali when he prevents people from taking to the path of Bhakti by
making people ill  etc.   

गङ्गा
गीता च गायत्र्यपि च तुलसिका गोपिकाचन्दनं तत्

   सालग्रामाभिपूजा परपुरुष!  तथैकादशी नामवर्णाः।

एतान्यष्टाप्ययत्नान्ययि,
कलिसमये त्वत्प्रसादप्रवृद्ध्या

  क्षिप्रं मुक्तिप्रदानीत्यभिदधुरृषयस्तेषु मां सज्जयेथाः
॥९॥

O Parapurusha! Gita, Ganga, Gayatri, Tulasi,
Gopichandan, worship of Salagrama, Ekadasi  and the letters of Your names – these eight
which are effortless, make You pleased and therefore in this Kaliyuga they lead
people to liberation quickly-  so say the
rishis. Therefore O Lord! make me attached to these eight.   

देवर्षीणां
पितॄणामपि न पुनरृणी किङ्करो वा स भूमन्

   योऽसौ सर्वात्मना त्वां शरणमुपगतः सर्वकृत्यानि
हित्वा।

तस्योत्पन्नं
विकर्माप्यखिलमपनुदस्येव चित्तस्थितस्त्वं

   तन्मे पापोत्थतापान् पवनपुरपते! रुन्धि भक्तिं
प्रणीयाः ॥१०॥

One
who, forsaking all actions, totally surrenders himself to You, becomes rid of
obligations to the celestials, rishis and forbears; Nor does he become a
servant of any of them.  The fruits of
any bad activity  arising out of him
unwittingly is wiped out by You, seated in his heart.  O Lord of Guruvayoor! block the sorrows
springing from my sins and bless me with bhakti.  

 NARAYANEEYAM, DASAKA 91

Narayaneeyam, considered to be a Magnum Opus of Meppathur
Narayanabhattathiri,  is a masterly
summary of  Srimad Bhagavatam in 1034
sanskrit slokas of great poetic merit. 
The whole work is divided into 100 dasakas of mostly ten slokas  each. It was completed in 100 days at the end
of which Bhattathiri, who was suffering from chronic rheumatic disease, was
completely cured and also had a beatific vision of the Lord of Guruvayoor as Venugopala
. In the last sloka of each dasaka Bhattathiri cries out his heart,  praying to the Lord to end his afflictions
and restore his health. Dasakas 91-99 contain the essence of the Eleventh Canto
of Srimadbhagavatam

which focuses on
the sadhanas for Self-realisation or mukti, liberation from the
cycle of births and deaths. As in the previous dasakas,  Bhattathiri directly addresses the Lord of
Guruvayoor in these dasakas also.    

 .        

Given below is the text
of the 91st dasaka which eulogises Bhakti (devotion to the Lord)
with a prosaic translation in English.  

श्रीकृष्ण त्वत्पदोपासनमभयतमं बद्धमिथ्यार्थदृष्टेः

  मर्त्यस्यार्तस्य मन्ये, व्यपसरति
भयं यत्र सर्वात्मनैव।

यत्तावत् त्वत्प्रणीतानिह भजनविधीनास्थितो मोहमार्गे

   धावन्नप्यावृताक्ष स्खलति न कुहचिद्देवदेवाखिलात्मन्॥१॥

O Krishna! You are above
all the other gods and the indwelling spirit (atman) of all beings.  Worshipping your lotus feet is the best means
of totally banishing all fears for those who see things where none exist and
suffer from this delusion. He who follows the methods of worshipping as
propounded by you will never trip and fall even though he runs on a deluding path
blindfolded..

भूमन् कायेन वाचा पुनरपि मनसा त्वत्बलप्रेरितात्मा

    यद्यत्कुर्वे समस्तं तदिह परतरे त्वय्यसावर्पयामि|

जात्यापीह श्वपाकस्त्वयि निहितमतिः कर्मवागिन्द्रियार्थ-

    प्राणो विश्वं पुनीते न तु विमुखमनास्त्वत्प्रसादाद्विप्रवर्यः ||२|

  O
Magnificent Lord! powered and motivated by you, 
the indwelling atman, whatever I do by thought, word or deed, I offer at
your lotus feet.  Even one who by birth
is a shwapaka (one who cooks and eats dogs), if he surrenders to you his
mind, deeds, words, sense objects and the prana (vital air), purifies
the world;  not the best among brahmins
who has turned away from your lotus feet.

भीतिर्नाम द्वितीयाद्भवति,
ननु मनःकल्पितं च द्वितीयं

   तेनैक्याभ्यासशीलो हृदयमिह यथाशक्ति बुद्ध्या निरुन्ध्याम्।

मायाविद्धे तु तस्मिन् पुनरपि न तथा भाति मायाधिनाथं

   तं त्वां भक्त्या महत्या सततमनुभजन्नीश!
भीतिं विजह्याम् ॥३॥

 Fear arises when there is a second (entity, object).  The second is only a projection of the mind
not real. Let me therefore practice the unity of my atman (individual
soul) with you, the paramatman (Universal soul) by disciplining the mind
with the higher intellect.  When the mind
again comes under the influence of  maya it goes back to its previous state of
seeing multiplicity in place of unity. 
Then I will continuously think of you and identify with you, the
master of maya,  with loving devotion
and thus conquer my fear.       

भक्तेरुत्पत्तिवृद्धी तव चरणजुषां संगमेनैव पुंसा-

  मासाद्ये पुण्यभाजां, श्रिय
इव जगति श्रीमतां सङ्गमेन।

तत्संगो देव भूयान्मम खलु सततं,
तन्मुखादुन्मिषद्भिः

  त्वन्माहात्म्यप्रकारैर्भवति च सुदृढा भक्तिरुद्धूतपापा ॥४॥

Just as wealth is
acquired by association with the wealthy in this world, the sprouting of
devotion and its growth is achieved, by those who have earned enough punya, by
association with those who are devoted to your lotus feet.  May I always have the company of such devoted
people and let me, by hearing stories of your greatness and magnanimity flowing
out from their mouths, strengthen my devotion which will wipe out my sins O
Lord!

श्रेयोमार्गेषु भक्तावधिकबहुमतिर्जन्मकर्माणि भूयो

    गायन् क्षेमाणि नामान्यपि तदुभयतः प्रद्रुतं प्रद्रुतात्मा।

उद्यद्धासः कदाचित् कुहचिदपि रुदन् क्वापि गर्जन् प्रगाय-

   न्नुन्मादीवप्रनृत्यन्नयि, कुरु
करुणां लोकबाह्यश्चरेयम् ॥५॥

With unwavering regard
for devotion as the best way of attaining liberation, let me sing about your
incarnations and chant your divine names. By these two means, let my heart melt
very soon and may I laugh some times, cry sometimes, shout or sing or dance
like mad at other times steeped in love for you and walk completely outside the
conventional materialistic way of life. May I have your grace for such a state of
mind O Lord!       

भूतान्येतानि भूतात्मकमपि सकलं पक्षिमत्स्यान्
म्रुगादीन्

    मर्त्यान् मित्राणि शत्रूनपि
यमितमतिस्त्वन्मयान्यानमानि।

त्वत्सेवायां हि सिद्ध्येन्मम तव कृपया
भक्तिदार्ढ्यं विराग-

    स्त्वत्तत्त्वस्यावबोधोऽपि
च भुवनपते! यत्नभेदं विनैव ॥६॥

O Lord of the worlds! With
a subdued mind,  I shall pay obeisance  to all the five elements (earth, water, fire,
air and space) and all that have been formed of these elements such as birds,
fish, animals, humans, friends, foes which are all nothing but Your own
manifestation.  By worshipping You,  my devotion will take root, I will develop
detachment and True Knowledge about You will dawn on me without any other
effort.   

नो मुह्यन् क्षुत्तृडाद्यैर्भवसरणिभवैस्त्वन्निलीनाशयत्वा-

   च्चिन्तासातत्यशाली निमिषलवमपि
त्वत्पदादप्रकम्पः।

इष्टानिष्टेषु तुष्टिव्यसनविरहितो मायिकत्वावबोधा-

   ज्ज्योत्स्नाभिस्त्वन्नखेन्दोरधिकशिशिरितेनात्मना
सञ्चरेय॥७॥

I shall pass my days without
being distracted by hunger, thirst etc. arising in the path of this mundane
life, with the mind dissolved in You and not moving away from Your lotus feet
even for a second, with continuous remembrance of Your captivating form,  neither happy when something good happens nor
unhappy when undesirable things occur realizing every thing is Maya,  with the mind cooled by the moonlight
from Your toe nails which shine like the moon. 
 

 

भूतेष्वेषु त्वदैक्यस्मृतिसमधिगतौ नाधिकारोऽधुना
चेत्

   त्वत्प्रेम त्वत्कमैत्री जडमतिषु
कृपा द्विट्सु भूयादुपेक्षा।

अर्चायां वा समर्चाकुतुकमुरुतरश्रद्धया
वर्धतां मे

   त्वत्संसेवी तथापि द्रुतमुपलभते
भक्तलोकोत्तमत्वम्॥८॥

If I am not yet qualified
to experience You as the indwelling spirit  (atma) of all beings, May I have love
for You, friendship with your devotees, compassion towards dull-heads and
indifference to enemies.  May I develop  earnest interest in worshipping you in an idol
or image.  Serving you by these means I
will soon become one of the best among your devotees.    

  

आवृत्य त्वत्स्वरूपं क्षितिजलमरुदाद्यात्मना
विक्षिपन्ती

  जीवान् भूयिष्ठकर्मावलिविवशगतीन्
दुःखजाले क्षिपन्ती।

त्वन्माया माभिभून्मामयि भुवनपते! कल्पते तत्प्रशान्त्यै

  त्वत्पादे भक्तिरेवेत्यवददयि
विभो! सिद्धयोगी प्रबुद्धः ॥९॥

O Lord of the worlds!
Your Maya veils your real nature by projecting it in the form of the five
elements earth, water, fire, air and space. 
It pushes beings,  which are
tossed about with no control over themselves, into a web of sorrow and misery according
to the their many karmas, past and present.  O Lord! Let not Your Maya overcome
me for which Siddhayogi Prabhuddha has prescribed Bhakti
to your lotus feet as  the only remedy. .

दुःखान्यालोक्य जन्तुष्वलमुदितविवेकोऽहमाचार्यवर्या-

  ल्लब्ध्वा त्वद्रूपतत्त्वं गुणचरितकथाद्युद्भवद्भक्तिभूमा

मायामेनां तरित्वा परमसुखमये
त्वत्पदे मोदिताहे

  तस्यायं पूर्वरङ्गः पवनपुरपते! नाशयाशेषरोगान् ॥१०॥

Seeing the sorrow and
suffering through which all beings pass, I will develop dispassion and
discrimination and, having obtained from a competent guru the secret of your
true nature, develop loving devotion to you by hearing stories about your
qualities, leelas and exploits and, overcoming  the maya of yours, experience the pure bliss
at your lotus feet. This is the first step towards that, O Lord of Guruvayoor!,
destroy all my afflictions.