Narayan Ravi - Mumbai

Pavanapuresha-Series

Pavanapuresha series part 6: Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri.

Narayana Bhattathiri was born in the Melpathur Illam situated on the northern side of the Bharatapuzha river, about 2 miles away from the Tirunavaya Navamukunda temple in Ponnani. He led a wayward life in his youth, growing up against the traditions of his caste & family, without any proper education or study of the Vedas. He ran away from home & lived at Trikandiyur (it has a famous Siva temple) for some days, on temple charity. Here, the great master Achyuta Pisharody rebuked him for wasting his precious human birth. Bhattathiri then became a student of Pisharody, growing into a genius. Once his master Pisharody was affected by rheumatism. Bhattathiri took the disease upon himself. He tried every remedy known, but failed. At last he turned to Guruvayurappa for refuge. Here he composed the Narayaneeyam, a condensed form of the Srimad Bhagavatam, consisting of 1036 verses.

When Bhattathiri was describing the Narasimha avatara, he was in a dilemma as to how to describe the man-lion form of the Lord. It is said that the Lord sprang up from one of the pillars of the vatilmatam (raised platforms on both sides as one enters the Nalambalam) as Narasimha & revealed Himself to the poet.

When he was describing the episode where Hanuman hands over Sita's hair-jewel (Chudamani) to Rama, he wrote 'Mauliratnam dadau' (handed over the head ornament to), but could not write 'Rama' after that as it led to one extra syllable which the poetic metre(format) did not allow. It was then that the Lord stretched His right arm towards Bhattathiri, indicating that the jewel was given to Guruvayurappa Himself. Bhattathiri immediately wrote the word 'te' meaning 'to you' & completed that line.

Poontanam was a humble devotee of Guruvayurappa. Oncehe pronounced 'Padmanabho Amaraprabhu' from Vishnu Sahasranamam as 'Maraprabhu', Bhattathiri laughed at him, upon which a voice was heard from the sanctum sanctorum saying 'the Lord is Amaraprabhu as well as Maraprabhu'.

When Poontanam presented his great Malayalam work 'Jnanappana' or the 'song of wisdom' to Bhattathiri for his review, Bhattathiri rudely said that the Lord did not care for anything other than Sanskrit! Poor Poontanam went home & cried bitterly before the Lord. The Lord immediately proceeded to Bhattathiri's house in the form of a Brahmin boy. Bhattathiri was preparing to recite the Narayaneeyam. As he began reciting, the boy was quick to point out a mistake in the very first verse, 2 in the second, 3 in the third & so on. After the 10th sloka, Bhattathiri realised his fault & that the boy was Guruvayurappa Himself, who said - 'Poontanam's bhakti is more pleasing to me than your vibhakti (knowledge)'. Bhattathiri fell at Poontanam's feet & asked for forgiveness. To his utter surprise, the Jnanappana was completely flawless!

Once Bhattathiri went to the Mookkola Devi temple & sat down to compose a foot to head description of Devi. Proud at having been able to condense Bhagavatam, he thought Bhagavathi's descripition would be child's play for him. But even after composing 70 stanzas, he could not move beyond describing Devi's feet. He remained at Mookkola for many days praying to Devi. One day a celestial vehicle appeared & ascended to Vaikuntha with Bhattathiri. That sacred spot is worshipped even today. May the compassionate Kesava bless one & all.

Hare Krishna