Bhakti-Mañjarī is a unique poem composed by Mahārājā Svāti Tirunāḷ (1813- 1846) with bhakti as its
central theme. With the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata Purāṇa as its basis, Bhakti-Mañjarī expounds the
philosophy of bhakti through its one thousand poetic verses divided over ten śatakas set to various
metres. The supremacy of bhakti over all spiritual paths, the various classes of devotees, the selfless
and spontaneous compassion of the Lord, the futility of human birth devoid of bhakti, etc. are some of
the topics discussed in the work. A major portion of the work is dedicated to an elaborate delineation
of the nine forms of devotion viz. śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa, pāda-sevana, arcana, vandana, dāsya,
sakhya and ātma-nivedana. Episodes from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata Purāṇa such as the life of Prahlāda,
the redemption of Gajendra, the redemption of Ajāmila, the self-surrender of Bali, etc, are briefly
represented in the course of describing the various forms of devotion. The creation of the universe, its
geographical divisions, duties of the four classes and stages of life, the procedure of reciting the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavata Purāṇa, the rules of japa, consecration of sacred images, the greatness of Gaṅgā
and Tulasī are some of the other highlights of this great work. The brief representation of the pristine
philosophy of bhakti through verses embellished with figures of sound and sense makes the work a
cherished treasure of scholars and devotees, alike.

About the Author:

Mahārājā Svāti Tirunāḷ Śrī Rāma Varmā III (1813-1846) the illustrious ruler of Travancore was a poet, a musician and a great patron of arts & literature. His literary compositions include Syānandūrapura-varṇana-prabandha, Padmanābha-Śataka and Bhakti-mañjarī, his magnum-opus. His musical works include 300-odd  songs of different genres in various languages  and two operatic poems in Sanskrit viz. Kucelopākhyāna and Ajāmilopākhyāna.

About Editor:

Shakuntala Gawde, Assistant Professor and former head of the Sanskrit Department at the University of Mumbai, is a distinguished scholar who has made significant contributions to the field of Sanskrit studies and research. She has published six books and fifty articles in esteemed journals, edited volumes, and encyclopaedias. In 2021, she was honoured with the Academisthan Best Teacher Award.

About the translator:

‘Marutiśiṣya’ Dr. Sriram Narainswamy Iyer, Deputy Director, Sanskrit Studies & Research, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai is an artist, author and Sanskritist. Apart from his academic pursuits, he has also composed and directed Sanskrit dance-ballets such as “Umā-Pariṇaya”, ‘Śrī Bhāgavata-Caritam”, “Śrī Śaṅkara-Digvijayam” and “Śrī Rāma Rājyam”