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.

2. viShNOrviiryaaNi kO vaa kathayatu dharaNeH kashcha reNuunmimiite
yasyaivaanghritrayeNa trijagadabhimitaM mOdate puurNasampat |
yO(a)sau vishvaani dhatte priya miha paramaM dhaama tasyaabhiyaayaaM
tadbhaktaa yatra maadyantyamR^itarasamarandasya yatra pravaahaH ||
Who can enumerate or recount the glories and exploits of that all-pervasive Lord
Mahavishnu, who supports and sustains all the worlds; who measured the three
worlds by three strides of His feet, and because of the contact with whose feet all
these worlds overflow with happiness and prosperity ? Indeed, who can count the
dust particles on the earth ? May I attain in this world itself to that dear and
Supreme abode of Thine, wherein Thy devotees enjoy uninterrupted Bliss, with the
honey of immortality streaming forth.

3. aadyaayaasheShakartre pratinimiSha naviinaaya bhartre vibhuuteH
bhaktaatmaa viShNave yaH pradishati haviraadiini yaj~naarchanaadau
kR^iShNaadyaM janma yO vaa mahadiha mahatO varNayetsO(a)yameva
priitaH puurNOyashObhistvaritam- abhisaret praapyamante padaM te
The devotee of Thine, who, in the fullness of devotion, worships Thee with oblations
in the form of sacrifices and offers of flowers, fruits etc., to Lord Vishnu who is
Primeval (causal), Eternal and the Creator of everything; who renews Himself every
moment; who is the Lord of all wealth, power, plenitude, splendour, magnificence,
superhuman faculties (Siddhis), etc; or the devotee who expounds and expatiates
upon Thy most exalted incarnations as Krishna, etc., he (that devotee) abides in this
world, enjoying happiness and great renown and, in the end, proceeds without
delay to that Supreme abode of Thine which is worthy of attainment.

4. he stOtaaraH kaviindraastamiha khalu yathaa chetayadhve tathaiva
vyaktaM vedasya saaraM praNuvata jananOpaatta liilaakathaabhiH |
jaanantashchaasya naamaanyakhilasukhakaraaNiiti sankiirtayadhvaM
he viShNO kiirtanaadyaistava khalu mahatastattvabOdhaM bhajeyam
O great poets (who are adept at eulogisation) ! Use your faculties and talents, in
whichever manner you deem fit, in singing praises of the Lord who is the essence of
all Scriptures; the recounting of whose glorious and miraculous incarnations and
sportive exploits, the chanting of whose manifold names and the elaboration of
whose marvellous deeds with understanding and involvement confer immense joy
and fulfillment on everyone. O Vishnu, I shall indeed comprehend Thy true nature
by
chanting Thy names and miraculous deeds and singing hymns of adoration to Thee,
the Great One.

5. viShNOH karmaaNi sampashyata manasi sadaa yaiH saH dharmaanabadhnaad
yaaniindrasyaiSha bhR^ityaH priyasakha iva cha vyaatanOt kshemakaarii |
iikshante yOgasiddhaaH parapadamanishaM yasya sanyak prakaashaM
viprendraa jaagaruukaaH kR^itabahunutayO yachcha nirbhaasayante ||
May you (fellow humans) always contemplate on that Lord Mahavishnu and the
mighty deeds by which he established and sustained the Rule of Dharma (by vesting
the appropriate authorities with their respective duties); all the deeds that He
executed for the welfare of Indra, sometimes as a servant, sometimes as a friend or
companion; whose extremely effulgent state and exalted abode (Vaikunttha) is
forever contemplated upon, viewed and experienced by accomplished Yogis, and
which is revealed and expatiated upon by vigilant holy men (Brahmins) through the
singing of His eulogies with devotional fervour.

6. nO jaatOjaayamaanO(a)pi cha samadhigatastvanmahimnO(a)vasaanaM
deva shreyaamsi vidvaan pratimuhurapi te naama shamsaami viShNO |
taM tvaaM samstaumi naanaavidhanuti vachanairasya lOkatrayasyaapyuurdhvaM
vibhraajamaane virachitavasatiM tatra vaikuNThalOke ||
O Omnipresent Lord Vishnu, there is none who is born or yet to be born, who knows
the limits of Thy glory. Being well aware that the chanting of Thy names, again and
again, is conducive to the attainment of all that is auspicious and good, I shall
engage
in such chanting and singing various hymns in praise of Thee who doth have His
abode in Vaikunttha, which shines above all the three worlds.

7. aapaH sR^iShTyaadi janyaaH prathamamayi vibhO garbhadeshe dadhustvaaM
yatra tvayyeva jiivaa jalashayana hare sangataa aikyamaapan |
tasyaajasya prabhO te vinihitamabhavat padmamekaM hi naabhau
dik patraM yatkilaahuH kanakadharaNibhR^itkarNikaM lOkaruupam ||
O Lord, the Primeval (causal) Waters which came into existence at the beginning of
Creation, held Thee in their bosom, wherein the individual souls were massed
together and merged in Thee, who art recumbent on those waters. O Hari, who art
birth-less, there arose from Thy navel, a single lotus having for its petals the eight
quarters, and the Mahameru mountain as its pericarp, and which, it is said,
adumbrates all the worlds in subtle, causal form.

8. he lOkaa viShNuretad bhuvanamajanayattanna jaaniitha yuuyaM
yuShmaakaM hyantarasthaM kimapi tadaparaM vidyate viShNuruupam |
niihaara prakhya maayaa parivR^ita manasO mOhitaa naamaruupaiH
praaNapriityaikatR^iptaashcharatha makhaparaa hanta nechChaa mukunde
O hapless human race ! It is, indeed, pitiable that, knowing neither that Lord Vishnu
created the universe, nor that there is another, indescribable, form of His lying
embedded in your innermost self (Soul), and with your minds enshrouded by the
mists of Maya and misguided by names and forms, you squander your precious days
in enjoying sensual pleasures and ever intent solely on performing sacrifices, and
alas, without any yearning for Lord Mukunda.

9. muurdhnaamakshNaaM padaanaaM vahasi khalu sahasraaNi sampuurya vishvaM
tat prOtkramyaapi tiShThan parimitavivare bhaasi chittaantare(a)pi|
bhuutaM bhavyaM cha sarvaM parapuruSha bhavaan ki~ncha dehendriyaadiShu
aaviShTO hyudgatatvaadamR^itamukharasaM chaanubhunkshe tvameva ||
Possessing thousands of heads, eyes and feet, encompassing the entire universe and
transcending it, and (yet) dwelling in the limited space of the heart besides, Thou
art, O Supreme Soul, the past, (present) and future and everything else. Further,
though
pervading the body, the sense organs etc, (as the jiva), Thou alone doth, through
projecting beyond these, revel in the Supreme Bliss of liberation.

10. yattu trailOkyaruupaM dadhadapi cha tatO nirgataH anantashuddha-
j~naanaatmaa vartase tvaM tava khalu mahimaa sO(a)pi taavaan kimanyat |
stOkaste bhaaga evaakhila bhuvanatayaa dR^ishyate tryamshakalpaM
bhuuyiShThaM saandramOdaatmakamupari tatO bhaati tasmai namaste ||
Even though manifest as the three worlds, Thou surpasseth them and doth exist as
the embodiment of Infinite, Pure Consciousness (unlimited, immaculate
knowledge).
Indeed, Thy glory is so great, that nothing more can be said about it. The entire
visible universe is but a small part of Thee, while the major (three-fourths) part,
which is concentrated, pure Bliss, and which is immense, and which transcends all
worlds, is resplendent beyond description. My obeisance to Thee, who art that
Infinite Being.

11. avyaktaM te svaruupaM duradhigamatamaM tattu shuddhaikasattvaM
vyaktaM chaapyetadeva sphuTamamR^itarasaambhOdhi kallOlatulyam |
sarvOtkR^iShTaamabhiiShTaaM tadiha guNarasenaiva chittaM harantiiM
muurtiM te samshraye(a)haM pavanapurapate paahimaaM kR^iShNa rOgaat ||
Thy abstract, unmanifest (Nirguna) aspect is beyond comprehension, but Thy pure
(Sattva) form is easily perceivable and, besides, it is like a wave on the Ocean of Bliss
(Brahman). Therefore, O Krishna, Lord of Guruvayur, I take refuge in Thy Saguna
form
as (the image of) Krishna, which is most exalted, pleasing and captivating to the
mind by reason of its attractive qualities (like affection towards one's devotees).
May Thee save me from all ailments.