Canto – 1

NARAYANEEYAM begins with the acknowledgement of the universal objectives that every living being should aim for.

We are born into a conflicted situation that should be transcended to attain peace and permanence.

Slokam 1

The author provides an insight into what is being sought by us human beings, whether we consciously know or realize it or not.

Sri Bhattadri points out that, even assuming we are knowledgeable and diligent, it is finally only the Paramathma’s merciful gesture to endow upon us the benefit of the effort.  The attainment of the higher state of existence is an endowment only and cannot be directly attained by us, no matter how intense or focused the effort is.

The endowment is the liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.  Essentially, when it is certain that our demise awaits us at a future date, we are filled with apprehension and fearfulness of the inevitable and spend much of our lives in fear of something over which we have no control.  This fear needs to be overcome. If the fearfulness is not overcome, it is more than likely that the higher state cannot be attaind.  Sri Bhattadri points out that at the point of exit all our faculties must be focused on the Paramathma to the exclusion of everything else. 

It has been said repeatedly by the Paramathma also  in the Bhagavath Gita and Srimad Bhagavatham that the object of focus of the mind at the point of exit of life from the body will determine largely, the form that we take on our rebirth.

At the point of exit, the mind must be set un the attainment of the ultimate truth.  Anything that changes with time can never represents the truth.

The author says that this unchanging state relates to the mind, which represents the origin point of consciousness.  The mind is basically in a constant hum of activity. Consciousness on the otherhand represents the stillness of eternity.

Sri Bhattadri explains that all our effort should be focused on the control of the mind and keep it in a state of stillness with continuous focus on the Paramathma’s swaroopam and manifestations.

When this steady focus is retained by the mind for extended periods, a channel of communication is established with the Paramathma, which in turn makes Him to notice and reward the effort through endowment.

The endowment helps us to disassociate our consciousness from the mind, body and the five senses.  Effectively the endowment makes us drop all our worldly attachments.  It is not possible to attain the higher state of existence, which eternal permanence and tranquility and freedom from re-births.

Sri Bhattadri elaborates on the higher state by clearly stating that  the higher state is attained when we shed our attachments to this world, and transcend the  boundaries of Time and Space. He says that all the five sense objects should only be used to contemplate on the Paramathma, by listening, to His glory and contemplation on His greatness.

He mentions that the scriptures do not spell out the requirements clearly enough for all to comprehend.  This is the way the scriptures are constructed and the purpose it to inculcate a sense of inquiry and discovery in the mind of the reader.

Sri Bhattadri declares that we are indeed fortunate that Sri Krishna’s physical and spiritual presence in Guruvayur, provides all among us (including those not endowed with the ability to read and interpret the scriptures), an avenue for attainment (evolution) to a higher state by mere sight of the resplendent form of Sri Krishna which shines before His beholders.  The glorious form locks in the mind of the devotee and prevents it from wandering/scampering  hither and tither.

The Truth according to the scriptures is that which never changes, under any circumstance. The Paramathma’s love for us is one such example.

The slokams begin with an explanation of what consititures Truth and what is the impact of attaining true knowledge.

Knowledge is again an endowment. It is a collection of truths about different aspects of one’s own self, including the relationships and interdependencies of the different forces that constitute this existence.

Our daily prayers should include an invocation of the eternal compassion to provide continual guidance on veering away from the right path.