Narayaneeyam is a celebrated Sanskrit devotional hymn composed by Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri in 1586 AD. It condenses the 18,000 verses of the Bhagavata Purana into 1,036 verses, praising Lord Narayana (Vishnu) and his avatars. Bhattathiri wrote it while suffering from severe rheumatism, after praying to transfer the illness from his guru to himself. Composing Narayaneeyam at the Guruvayur temple, he chanted one chapter daily, seeking divine healing. On completing the hundredth chapter, he is said to have been cured by Lord Krishna’s grace.
Dashakam 100 Description of the Lord from Tip to Toe
Dashakam 100 of Narayaneeyam is the grand culmination of the entire work, offering a vivid, detailed, and sublime description of Lord Narayana from head to foot. This concluding Dasakam captures the divine vision that Bhattathiri experienced on the hundredth day, following his intense devotional journey through the previous 99 Dasakams. The Lord is portrayed as a youthful, radiant being surrounded by sages like Narada and a group of beautiful maidens symbolizing the Upanishads.
The description begins with the Lord's head, adorned with lustrous, thick, curly hair decorated with emerald-studded peacock feathers and garlands of hibiscus flowers. His broad, moon-like forehead is marked with sandal paste, and his compassionate eyebrows resemble ocean waves. His long, lotus-petal-shaped eyes are dark and mesmerizing. The Lord's form is radiant and youthful, inspiring awe and deep surrender in the devotee.
This Dasakam progresses meticulously down the Lord's form, highlighting the beauty, majesty, and divine symbolism of every feature, leading finally to the devotee’s ultimate refuge at the Lord’s feet. Bhattathiri humbly seeks forgiveness for any shortcomings in his praise and prays for the Lord’s blessings of long life, health, and happiness to all who recite or hear the Narayaneeyam.
In essence, Dashakam 100 represents the peak of devotional ecstasy and detailed divine vision, embodying the essence of Bhakti and the ultimate fulfillment of the poet’s spiritual quest through a glorious, head-to-foot portrait of Lord Narayana.
Namaskarams and Dhanyavadaha to Smt Savithri Ramesh and Smt Asha Murarka for their help.
14 Aug 2025
Dashakam 099 The Prayer of the Vedas
Dashakam 99 of Narayaneeyam is a powerful hymn in praise of the Lord's glory, incorporating the mantras of the Rig Veda. It extols the supreme energy, majesty, and omnipresence of Lord Vishnu as the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the entire universe. This Dasakam describes the Lord as the ever-new, eternal, and all-encompassing being who is beyond time, pervades everything, and holds all beings in His cosmic form.
The verses highlight the divine acts of the Lord, such as His cosmic strides that measure the three worlds and the primordial cosmic lotus emerging from His navel, symbolizing all creation. Despite being vast and multi-faceted, He also dwells inside the heart of every living being as the innermost self, transcending the body and senses and enjoying blissful liberation.
The hymn closes with a plea for the Lord's protection from illnesses and sorrows while praising both His formless (Nirguna) and manifested (Saguna) aspects. It teaches that even though the formless aspect is difficult to apprehend, the manifested form of the Lord with attributes is clear, loving, and the refuge for devotees.
In summary, Dasakam 99 is a Vedic-style praise that celebrates the infinite glory of the Lord in both His cosmic and intimate forms, inspiring devotion and surrender to the supreme divine.
RelatedWhat specific mantras from the Rig Veda are included in Dasakam 99 and their meaningsHow does Dasakam 99 depict Lord Vishnu’s role in creation and preservationWhat explanations are given in Dasakam 99 about Lord Vishnu’s infinite gloriesWhy do the verses in Dasakam 99 emphasize Lord Vishnu’s transcendental natureHow can I meditate on the Vishnu mantras from Dasakam 99 effectively to deepen devotion
Namaskarams and Dhanyavadaha to Smt Savithri Ramesh and Smt Asha Murarka for their help.
14 Aug 2025
Dashakam 098 Meditating on the Brhman
Dashakam 98 of Narayaneeyam is titled "Nishkala Brahma," which means the attribute-less, formless Supreme Brahman. This Dasakam focuses on meditating upon the Supreme Being who is the substratum of the entire universe—He is the origin from which the universe arises and into which it dissolves. This Brahman is beyond all description, beyond the grasp of words, mind, or even the knowledge of gods and sages.
The stanzas emphasize that the Supreme Being is beyond any physical form, gender, species, or qualities such as actions, birth, and dualities of existence and non-existence. The Lord is what remains after negation of everything—beyond matter, action, attributes, and mind. The universe is seen as projected by the Lord's Maya (illusion) and is like a dream, where the divine power manifests all creation and eventually withdraws it with the power of time, like a tortoise drawing its limbs inside.
Despite the vast cosmic processes, the Lord shines in supreme bliss and remains unaffected. Bhattathiri offers respectful salutations to this attribute-less Brahman, acknowledging the difficulty of comprehending this ultimate reality but recognizing it as the ultimate source of all joy and liberation.
In summary, Dashakam 98 highlights meditation on the formless, attributeless Brahman as the highest spiritual practice, recognizing the world as a transient projection of Maya and saluting the divine timeless reality beyond all attributes.
Namaskarams and Dhanyavadaha to Smt Savithri Ramesh and Smt Asha Murarka for their help.
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