Varavur Kaplingat Narayana Bhattathiri (1880-1954 A.D) was a renowned Vedic scholar, Sanskrit teacher, and social activist.

During the first half of the twentieth century, when conservative ideas on Vedic learning prevailed in Kerala, as elsewhere in India, V.K. Narayana Bhattathiri, a prolific writer, strongly advocated the cause of Vedartha Vichara, maintaining at the same time a profound reverence to the Vedas. He made a pioneering contribution to Vedic literature in Malayalam language Bhattathiri introduced an element of his Vedic vision in every single piece of his writings. He, thereby, upheld the relevance of the Vedas to modern times, as well.

In order to open up, for the first time, Bhattathiri's Vedic perception to the non-Malayalee readers, it was felt, for the purpose of translation, the medium of Sanskrit as core language will be best suited. Keeping this aim in view, V.K. Narayana Bhattathiri Memorial Educational and Charitable Trust (Regd), Kozhikode, Kerala, approached Dr.C.M.Neelakandhan, Reader in Sahitya and Co-ordinator, School of Vedic studies. Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala, with a request for help and guidance. He was kind enough to take up this responsibility. The work involved a thorough perusal of all the published books of V.K Narayana Bhattathiri (six books which include 137 articles dealing with different fields of Vedic knowledge and Vedic commentary of Patanjala Yoga), selection of a representative cross-section of articles from among them, editing, translating and the preparation of the final manuscript. The Trust is deeply thankful to Dr. C.M. Neelakandhan and also to Sri. K.P. Vinod Kumar and Sri. V.P.Udaya Kumar of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, who helped Dr. Neelakandhan in this work.