Bhagavatham

The Narayaneeyam adheres closely to the Bhaagavatham in its structure and sequence of narration. Like the larger epic, this is also subdivided into Skandams (Cantos).

1. The first nine skandams of the Bhagavatham are reflected in the same number of skandams in the shorter work, spanning Dasakams 1 to 36. 
2. The tenth skandam, spanning Dasakams 37 to 90, corresponds to the tenth skandam of the Bhagavatham. 
3. The eleventh skandam, Dasakams 91 to 97 (Verse 4) covers the entire matter contained in the eleventh skandam of the Bhagavatham. 
4. Verses 5 to 10 of Dasakam 97 contain an account of Sage Markandeya and his vision of the Lord in the form of a child of indescribable beauty and charm lying on a banyan leaf, with its toe placed in its mouth, floating on the waters of the deluge. 
5. Dasakam 98 incorporates the poet's meditation on the Lord's abstract, incorporeal (Nishkala or Nirguna) form and his supplications to the Lord. 
6. Dasakam 99 incorporates the mantras of the Rig Veda in praise of the glory of the Lord. 
7. Dasakam 100 is the climax of the whole Narayaneeyam, wherein the poet gives a glowing and graphic description of the dazzling vision of the Lord which was vouchsafed to him on the 100th day. The head-to-foot picturisation of the Lord in this Dasakam is unrivalled for its beauty, grandeur and vividness. Its perusal uplifts the reader to heights of devotional ecstasy. 
8. In the eleventh (and final) stanza of this Dasakam, the poet explains the rationale of the title, Narayaneeyam, by saying that it is apt in two senses, namely, the central theme which is Lord Narayana, and the narrator whose name is also Narayana. The concluding words of this stanza "ayurarogyasaukhyam" constitute a code, which has been decoded by scholars to indicate the date of the work.