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. madhyOdbhave bhuva ilaavR^ita-naamni varShe
gauriipradhaana-vanitaajanamaatra-bhaaji |
sharveNa mantranutibhissamupaasyamaanaM
sankarShaNaatmaka-madhiishvarasamshraye tvaam
||
Oh Lord !There is a place called Ilavrita, in the centre of the earth, which is
inhabited only by members of the fair sex, amongst whom, Gauri,
(Parvati) is the most notable one. Lord Siva, the only exception here, is
worshipping Thee, with sacred mantras and hymns of praise. I take refuge
in Thee, who art the Supreme Lord of all.

4. bhadraashvanaamaka ilaavR^itapuurvavarShe
bhadrashravObhirR^IShibhiH pariNuuyamaanam |
kalpaantaguuDha nigamOddharaNa praviiNaM
dhyaayaami deva hayashiirShatanuM bhavantam ||
Oh Lord ! To the east of Ilavrita, is the region of Bhadraswa, where the
sages called Bhadrasravas, are praising Thee, in the form of Hayagreeva,
who was competent to retrieve the vedas, from concealment, at the end
of the Kalpa, during the deluge. I meditate on that Hayagreeva form of
Thee, the embodiment of knowledge.

5. dhyaayaami dakshiNagate harivarShavarShe
prahlaadamukhyapuruShaiH pariShevyamaaNam |
uttunga shaanta dhavalaakR^iti-mekashuddha-
J~naanapradaM narahariM bhagavan bhavantam ||
Oh Lord ! To the south of Ilavrita is the region of Harivarsha, where noble
devotees, amongst whom is Prahlada, Thy most exalted devotee, are
serving Thee, in the form of Narahari, which is sublime, peaceful and white,
bestowing that pure, matchless, supreme knowledge on devotees. I
meditate, Oh Lord, on this Narahari form of Thine.

6. varShe pratiichi lalitaatmani ketumaale
liilaavisheSha-lalita-smita-shObhanaangam |
lakshmyaa-prajaapatisutaishcha niShevyamaaNaM
tasyaaH priyaaya dhR^itakaamatanuM bhaje tvaam
||
Oh Lord ! To the west of Ilavrita, is the beautiful region of Ketumala,
where Thy body radiates loveliness with Thy divine sports and bewitching
smile, where Goddess Lakshmi and the sons of Prajapati are serving Thee,
and where Thou hast taken the form of the god of love, (Kama), to please
Thy beloved, Lakshmi. I worship Thee, Oh Lord, in this form of Kamadeva.

7. ramye(a)pyudiichi khalu ramyakanaamni varShe
tadvarShanaatha manuvarya saparyamaaNam |
bhaktaikavatsalamamatsarahR^itsu bhaantaM
matsyaakR^itiM bhuvananaatha bhaje bhavantam ||
Oh Lord of the earth ! To the north of Ilavrita, is the wellknown region of
Ramyaka, where the lord of that place, the noble Vaivaswata Manu,
worships Thee, where Thou, in the form of a fish, shines graciously in the
hearts of pure devotees, who are free from jealousy. I meditate on Thee,
Oh Lord who art ever loving and affectionate to Thy devotees.

8. varShaM hiraNmaya samaahvayamauttaraaha-
maasiinamadri dhR^iti karmaThakaamaThaangam |
samsevate pitR^igaNapravarO(a)ryamaa yaM
taM tvaaM bhajaami bhagavan parachinmayaatman ||
Oh Lord of Knowledge Supreme ! Thou ruleth over the northern region
called Hiranmaya, in the form of the Tortoise, that was capable of lifting
the Mandhara mountain, and art worshipped here by Aryama, the
foremost among the ancestors. I worship Thee, Oh Lord, who incarnated
in this Tortoise form.

9. kiM chOttareShu kuruShu priyayaa dharaNyaa
samsevitOmahitamantranuti prabhedaiH |
danShTraagraghR^iShTaghanapR^iShThagariShThavarShmaa
tvaM paahi vij~nanuta yaj~navaraahamuurte ||
Oh Yajnavarahamurthi ! Thou who took the form of the divine boar and
art the embodiment of sacrifice, Thou who art praised by the wise and
learned, Thou who art worshipped in the Uttara (northern) Kuru province
by Thy beloved, the Goddess Earth with sacred salutations (mahamantras)
and hymns of praise, Oh Thou of such a gigantic form that Thy tusk is long
enough to touch the bottom of the clouds, I bow down to this divine
Varaha form of Thine and beg Thee to save me.

10. yaamyaaM dishaM bhajati kimpuruShaakhyavarShe
samsevitO hanumataa dR^iDhabhaktibhaajaa |
siitaabhiraamaparamaadbhutaruupashaalii
raamaatmakaH parilasan paripaahi viShNO ||
Oh Vishnu ! In the region of Kimpurusha, situated in the south, Thou hast
taken the most magnificent and beautiful form of Rama, so charming to
Sita, and art being worshipped by Hanuman with singleminded devotion
here. May Thou in the form of that wonderful Rama, protect me.

11. shriinaaradena saha bhaaratakhaNDamukhyai-
stvaM saankhyayOganutibhiH samupaasyamaanaH |
aakalpakaalamiha saadhujanaabhirakshii
naaraayaNO narasakhaH paripaahi bhuuman ||
Oh Thou of Absolute Form !Thou who art praised and worshipped by sage
Narada and all other prominent devotees of the Bharatakhanda region
with hymns of glory in the Sankhya and yoga methods, Thou who art the
protector of the good and virtuous till the deluge, and Thou who
incarnated as Narayana with Thy companion Nara, May Thou, Oh Lord
save me.

12. plaakshe(a)rkaruupamayi shaalmala induruupaM
dviipe bhajanti kushanaamani vahniruupam |
krau~nche(a)mburuupamatha vaayumayaM cha shaake
tvaaM brahmaruupamayi puShkaranaamni lOkaaH ||
People worship Thee in the form of the sun in the Plaksha region, In the
form of the moon in Salmala, as fire in Kusa, in the form of water in
Krouncha, as air in Saka and as Brahma in the region called Pushkara.

13. sarvai-dhruvaadibhiruDuprakarairgrahaishcha
puchChaadi keShvavayaveShvabhi kalpyamaanaiH |
tvaM shimshumaaravapuShaa mahataamupaasyaH
sandhyaasu rundhi narakaM mama sindhushaayin ||
Oh Lord who reclines on the ocean bed ! Thou art meditated upon by the
great during the three twilight periods of dawn, noon and dusk, in the
form of Simsumara, the enormous fish, with the hosts of stars like Dhruva
and others and all the planets located in the tail portion and other such
limbs. Oh Thou of this huge fish form save me from hell.

14. paataalamuulabhuvi sheShatanuM bhavantaM
lOlaika kuNDala viraaji sahasrashiirSham |
niilaambaraM dhR^itahalaM bhujagaanganaabhi-
rjuShTaM bhaje hara gadaan gurugehanaatha ||
Oh Guruvayurappa ! I pray to Thee in the form of the serpent Sesha, in the
heart of the nether world, with his thousand heads radiant with the
brilliant single earring, dressed in the blue garment, holding the weapon
hala, (the plough) and surrounded by serpent maidens. May Thou of
Adisesha form remove all my sorrows.