Narayaniyam is a medieval Sanskrit text, comprising a summary study in poetic form of the Bhagavata Purana. It was composed by Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, (1560-1666 A.D.) one of the celebrated Sanskrit poets in Kerala. Even though the Narayaneeyam was completed as early as 1586 A.D., it appeared in print only after more than 250 years. The Bhagavata Purana is a major Hindu scripture consisting of about 18,000 verses, mainly devoted to the worship of Krishna.

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3. evaM taavatpraakR^ita prakshayaante
braahme kalpe hyaadime labdhajanmaa |
brahmaa bhuuyastvatta evaapya vedaan
sR^iShTiM chakre puurvakalpOpamaanaam ||
After the great deluge, God Brahma who took birth on the very first
Brahma Kalpa (day) got the Vedas from Thee and began the task of
creation as in the previous Kalpa.

4. This Brahma spent a thousand fourfold yugas as day and as many
nights too, several times. Along with his creations, he sleeps, merged
in Thee. Hence his night is known as Naimittika Pralaya or a deluge
having a reason, viz. sleep.
sO(a)yaM chaturyuga sahasramitaanyahaani
taavanmitaashcha rajaniirbahushO ninaaya |
nidraatyasau tvayi niliiya samaM svasR^iShTai-
rnaimittikapralayamaahuratO(a)sya raatrim ||

5. As each day begins, with Thy blessing Brahma goes on with the act of
creation, as we perform our daily rituals at dawn.Those long-living
souls born in the earlier Brahma Kalpa, also wake up at the dawn of
the new Kalpa after a long night's sleep.
asmaadR^ishaaM punaraharmukha kR^itya tulyaaM
sR^iShTiM karOtyanudinaM sa bhavatprasaadaat |
praagbraahmakalpa januShaaM cha paraayuShaaM tu
supta prabOdhana samaa(a)sti tadaa(a)pi sR^iShTiH ||

6. This Brahma has now completed one Parardha or half his age (50
years). Oh Lord ! Let me now relate the strange playful events that
were enacted by Thee in the preceding night and the following
morning of Brahma.
pa~nchaashadabdamadhunaa svavayO(a)rdharuupaM
ekaM paraardhamativR^itya hi vartate(a)sau |
tatraantyaraatri janitaan kathayaami bhuuman
pashchaaddinaavataraNe cha bhavadvilaasaan ||

7. At the end of his day Brahma, feeling sleepy, lay merged in Thee. The
worlds also took refuge in Thy abdomen and the universe became a
huge ocean of water.
dinaavasaane(a)tha sarOja yOniH
suShupti kaamastvayi sannililye |
jaganti cha tvajjaTharaM samiiyu-
stadedamekaarNavamaasa vishvam ||

8. When the entire universe was enveloped in water, Thou being the
soul of complete bliss, resting on Adisesha (King of serpents),who is
another manifestation of Thee, became deeply immersed in self
concentration.
tavaiva veShe phaNiraaji sheShe
jalaikasheShe bhuvane sma sheShe
aananda saandraanubhava svaruupaH
svayOganidraa parimudritaatmaa ||

9. There the host of forces including Kalashakthi or force of Time
remained merged in Thee. Thou, having commanded the force of
Time to awaken Thee at the end of the deluge, indulged in yogic
sleep.
kaalaakhya shaktiM pralayaavasaane
prabOdhayetyaadishataa kilaadau |
tvayaa prasuptaM parisuptashakti-
Vrajena tatraakhila jiivadhaamnaa ||

10. Oh Viswanatha ! It is said that Kalashakthi or the force of Time,
awakened Thee after Thou had slept for a thousand fourfold yugas.
chaturyugaaNaaM cha sahasramevaM
tvayi prasupte punaradvitiiye |
kaalaakhya shaktiH prathama prabuddhaa
praabOdhayattvaaM kila vishvanaatha ||

11. Oh Lord who were lying in the ocean bed ! On awakening Thou threw
a collective glance at all the worlds merged in Thyself.
vibudhya cha tvaM jalagarbhashaayin
vilOkya lOkaanakhilaan praliinaan |
teShveva suukshmaatmatayaa nijaantaH
sthiteShu vishveShu dadaatha dR^iShTim ||

12. Oh Lord ! Then there sprouted from Thy navel, an exotic, divine lotus
bud embodying the essence of all the objects merged in Thee.
tatastvadiiyaadayi naabhirandhraaduda~
nchitaM kinchana divyapadmam |
niliina nishsheSha padaartha maalaa
sanksheparuupaM mukulaayamaanam ||

13. That lotus bud which came forth from Thy navel, rose up from the
waters and spread its radiant light all round chasing away the
darkness.
tadetadambhOruha kuDmalaM te
kalebaraattOyapathe praruuDham |
bahirniriitaM paritaH sphuradbhiH
svadhaamabhirdhvaantamalaM nyakR^intat ||

14. In that marvellous, full-blossomed lotus, held up by Thy yogic power,
arose Brahma known as Padmajanma or lotusborn, with the entire
set of Vedas committed instantly to his memory.
samphulla patre nitaraaM vichitre
tasmin bhavadviiryadhR^ite sarOje |
sa padmajanmaa vidhiraaviraasiit
svayaM prabuddhaakhila vedaraashiH ||

15. Oh Lord Vishnu, who art enshrined in Guruvayur ! Oh Great Soul ! Oh
Thou of Eternal Glory, who thus awakened Brahma in Paadmakalpa !
May Thou remove all my afflictions.
asmin paraatman nanu paadmakalpe
tvamitthamutthaapita padmayOniH |
anantabhuumaa mama rOgaraashiM
nirundhi vaataalayavaasa viShNO ||