This stotra, Narayaniya, so called because of the deity Narayana
whom it extols as well as because it is composed by Narayana,
summarises, in order, the whole story of Srimad-Bhagavata. It consists
of 100 Dasakas (decades) of more or less 10 slokas each, and contains,
on the whole, 1036 slokas. This is not only an excellent stotra, in
itself, being an effusion of devotional sentiment, but also a Karya, on
account of its wealth of poetic merits. It is regarded in Kerala as much
a work of devotion as Srimad-Bhagavata, and the pious people make it
their duty to recite it daily with the utmost faith and reveronce. It
was thought advisable to publish a commentary also for the elucidation
of certain concise and abstruse portions. Hence the gloss of Desa-
mangala Varya is added to this. It is now issued in Devanagari
characters to secure wider circulation. The present edition of the text is
based on five manuscripts, and the commentary, on three manuscripts,
all obtained from the Palace Library.
The author of the work, Nárayana Bhatta was the son of a
Brahmin of Kerala, named Mátridatta. He was born in Mepputtar
Illam, in the village of Perumanam, near the temple of Tirundvd, on
the northern bank of the river, Nila, in North Malabar. He studied
Vyakarana and other subjects under one Achyuta Pisharodi. Tradition
has it that he was once attacked with rheumatism, and to get himself
freed from this dire disease he propitiated his favourite deity, Srikrishna
of Guruvayur composing in His honor a Dasaka of this work each day
and that he was completely cured of the disease. In course of times
his fame as a poet and an author grew high, and the excellence of his
works was recognized by all. Devanarayana, King of Ambalapuzha.
