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.

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

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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.

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The story of Markandeya as presented in Narayaneeyam, particularly in Dasakam 97, highlights the supreme devotion of the sage Markandeya and his intimate relationship with Lord Narayana. Markandeya was a pure devotee who experienced deep spiritual joy on beholding the wondrous form of the Lord. Despite being offered many boons by the Lord, Markandeya humbly refused all except the wish to see the Lord’s Maya (divine illusion), out of innocent curiosity since he had never experienced it due to his constant absorption in supreme consciousness.

The story recounts how Markandeya witnessed the Lord's divine form lying on a banyan leaf, and in a moment of divine play, was drawn into the Lord’s body and shown the fourteen lokas (worlds). After this mystical experience, Markandeya tried to embrace the Lord, but the vision disappeared, and he found himself back in his hermitage. The story ends with Lord Shiva and Parvati coming to bless Markandeya with immortality and eternal youth because of his steadfast devotion.

This episode signifies the height of Bhakti (devotion) where the devotee transcends worldly concerns and the illusions of Maya, gaining the Lord’s direct grace and eternal protection. It serves as an inspiration for devotees aspiring for Moksha (liberation) through unwavering devotion and surrender to the divine.

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Dashakam 96 of Narayaneeyam highlights the integration and importance of the three classical paths to the divine: Gnana (knowledge), Bhakti (devotion), and Karma (action). It explains that these three paths are the main ways by which a devotee can reach the Supreme Lord.

The Dasakam states that for those who are completely free from worldly desires and attachments, the path of knowledge is appropriate. For people engaged in worldly life but wishing to progress spiritually, the path of selfless action (karma yoga) dedicated to the Lord is prescribed. For those who have moderate detachment but take joy in remembering and worshipping the Lord, the path of devotion (bhakti) is recommended.

It further suggests that knowledge, action, and devotion all lead to the Supreme, but Bhakti Yoga is the quickest and sweetest path in the current age. The devotee seeks the Lord’s grace to strengthen this devotion, which can destroy attachments and lead to ultimate liberation. The Dasakam also highlights the power centers (vibhutis) of the Lord manifesting in the universe and emphasizes surrender to the Guru and Lord for spiritual progress.

Thus, Narayaneeyam Dashakam 96 underscores the complementary nature of knowledge, devotion, and action, with special emphasis on bhakti as the most accessible and effective path to attain God and liberation in this age.

Namaskarams and Dhanyavadaha to Smt Savithri Ramesh and Smt Asha Murarka for their help.

Dashakam 95 of Narayaneeyam focuses on the method and significance of meditation (Dhyana Yoga) on the Lord. It begins by describing the Lord as the origin of the universe, initially manifesting in the form of Hiranyagarbha. The devotee seeks to rise above the influence of the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) through devotion, ultimately transcending even the Sattva quality to realize a state of Nirguna (beyond qualities) and pure consciousness.

The Dasakam instructs the practitioner to sit erect in a comfortable posture, concentrate the gaze at the tip of the nose, and regulate the breath through pranayama as part of the meditation technique. The meditator is guided to visualize the heart as an inverted lotus and imagine the sun, moon, and fire above it, meditating on the form of the Lord, described as dark and gentle like a water-laden cloud.

It also highlights the mental benefits of this focused devotion—where the mind attains joy, loses desire for worldly pleasures, and steadies itself in non-dual bliss. The Dasakam cautions against being distracted by supernatural powers (siddhis), encouraging the devotee to seek only the blissful presence of the Lord. Ultimately, this meditation leads to a deep communion with the divine and liberation from suffering.

In summary, Dashakam 95 underscores meditation as a disciplined practice of devotion that leads the seeker beyond material qualities and desires to steady the mind in the blissful presence of Lord Krishna, fostering spiritual progress and liberation

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The "Generation of Wisdom" in Narayaneeyam is beautifully explained in Dasakam 94. This chapter describes how a wise person attains philosophical wisdom through the grace of a great Guru and by performing pure actions without attachment to their fruits. It speaks about recognizing the self (Atman) as distinct from the body and the sense organs, understanding the illusory nature of bodily attributes like stoutness or thinness, which arise due to association with the body, much like fire appearing in different forms.

The wisdom generated leads to the understanding that the supreme Self (Brahman) is all-pervading and pure, untouched by the various changes and dualities of the material world. This wisdom helps one attain detachment from the body and its qualities and reach a state of equanimity and higher spiritual realization.

Thus, Narayaneeyam presents this generation of wisdom as the essential knowledge for spiritual liberation, fostered by the Guru’s teachings and selfless actions, enabling the seeker to transcend the illusions of the physical existence and realize their true nature as the supreme Self.

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Dashakam 93 of Narayaneeyam is significant as it presents the concept of the "24 Gurus" (twenty-four teachers) through whom the humble devotee learns valuable spiritual lessons. This Dasakam emphasizes that everything and everyone in the world, including nature, the elements, and various life experiences, can act as a teacher (guru) guiding the seeker on the path of wisdom and devotion.

The Dasakam teaches the importance of humility and surrender to the Lord, recognizing that the grace of the Lord enables one to renounce attachments, see the world as an illusion (Maya), and transcend dualities such as good and bad. It extols learning virtues such as patience from the earth, non-attachment from the air, purity like water, and equanimity like the vast sky. The reflective contemplations underscore that by observing and learning from the world and its phenomena, devotees can cultivate the qualities needed for spiritual progress.

In essence, Dashakam 93 highlights that spiritual enlightenment and transformation arise from embracing all experiences and entities as teachers by the Lord’s grace, leading to detachment, equanimity, and devotion.

Namaskarams and Dhanyavadaha to Smt Savithri Ramesh and Smt Asha Murarka for their help.