NARAYANIYAM
                       (Text with Introduction & English Translation)
                                                Dr. K. P. A. Menon
Narayaniyam is, undoubtedly, the most widely read and possibly the finest among the compositions of the scholarly poet of Kerala, Narayana Bhatatiri, a living legend associated with the sacred abode of Vishnu at Guruvayur. Luckily for posterity, the poet has left enough details about himself and his times, in some of his compositions which enable us to get a fairly correct idea about the date and time of some of his works and, indirectly about his own life-span. Going by the Kalidinasankhya appearing in the last line of concluding verse of Narayaniyam Ayurarogyhsaukhyam we know definitely that the poet completed the task of composition on the 28th day of the month Vriscika of the Kola era of 762 coinciding with the Christian date of 14th of the December 1587. It is believed that the poet was twenty seven years old when he composed what turned out to be his magnum op [us, the Narayaniyam. It is hoped that Narayaniyam will gain greater popularity in all the English speaking countries if a translation in English is available along with the text. 
 
CLASSICAL SANSKRIT LITERATURE OF KERALA VOL NO. 4