navarathna mAlai (Garland of nine gems)

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:

This is a very brief grantham composed by piLLai lOkAchAryar. This is one of his rahasya granthams. Let us enjoy the meanings of this grantham.

How should a SaraNAgatha (person surrendered to SrIman nArAyaNa) consider the following nine entities namely self, body which is an enemy for self, bodily relatives, samsAris (materialistic people), other dhEvathAs, SrIvaishNavas, AchArya, pirAtt (SrI mahAlakshmi) and ISvara (SrIman nArAyaNa)?

  1. Self (AthmA) – One should think about self being different from the body, eternal, remaining the same always, being atomic (indivisible), being an embodiment of knowledge and bliss, being the abode of knowledge and bliss, being the one who does not think or speak about anything other than bhagavAn and being owned by such bhagavAn, being unqualified to protect oneself and having bhagavAn as the goal.
  2. Body – One should think about one’s body as that which does not let one know about the self truly, causing contradictory knowledge, being a collection of twenty four achith (insentient) entities, being impermanent, always changing, not being the abode of knowledge ever, always causing endless sorrows, as the one which engages in sensual pleasures and destroy the self.
  3. Bodily relatives – One should think about [mere] bodily relatives as those who destroy one’s knowledge about self and bhagavAn and the taste towards bhagavAn and the urge towards bhagavAn, who cause more attachment towards body for the self, ahankAram (ego) and mamakAram (possessiveness), lust, anger etc and who lead towards disaster in many ways.
  4. Materialistic people – One should think about materialistic people as those who are hurdles for enjoyment of bhagavAn and service to bhagavAn, and as those who nurture materialistic life.
  5. Other dhEvathAs – One should think about other dhEvathAs as those who are ignorant and incapable, being born from bhagavAn and enjoying the positions/powers given by him, yet being proud and are opposing him, who consider themselves to be great and bewilder the people of the world and cause disaster.
  6. SrIvaishNavas – One should think about SrIvaishNavas as those who would nurture knowledge about bhagavAn, detachment from worldly aspects and devotion towards bhagavAn, being good companions, and being the ultimate goal [to serve].
  7. AchArya – One should think about one’s AchArya as “the one who reformed me through his merciful glance, made me qualified to be accepted by sarvESvaran, uniting me with bhagavAn’s divine feet, taught me those matters which are unknown to me, being the lord, one who is the great benefactor who accepts my service always”.
  8. SrI mahAlakshmi – One should think about pirAtti (SrI mahAlakshmi) as the one who makes bhagavAn tolerate and forgive all our sins, and who breaks his freewill, and kindles his qualities such as mercy, motherly forbearance etc, being our purushakAra bhUthA (recommendation authority), being the mother and lord, and being the goal.
  9. SrIman nArAyaNan – One should think about sarvESvara (SrIman nArAyaNa) as “the one who bestows us the body and senses during creation, preserves our existence by remaining as our antharyAmi (in-dwelling super soul), causing noble qualities such as non-hatred, being favourable [both towards bhagavAn], union with noble persons etc, uniting us with the true AchArya, tolerating and forgiving all our mistakes, eliminating our connection with samsAra [material realm], granting us the archirAdhi mArgam (the path of light leading to SrIvaikuNtam), SrIvaikuNtam and enjoyment of his qualities, and being the lord who accepts our eternal kainkaryam forever”.

navArtha rathnamAlEyam sadhbirdhAryA sadhA hrudhi |
badhdhA yEnAthiyaSasA tham jagadhgurumASrayE ||

piLLai lOkAchAryar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam
jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam
jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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1 thought on “navarathna mAlai (Garland of nine gems)”

  1. Pranam. AdiyEn.
    Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha.
    AzhwAr Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam.
    Very grateful for bringing these Precious Granthams of our SamprAdAyam, and
    Presenting Kalakshepams on them,
    Providing the text content of their meaning , as well,
    Here on the website for ready reference by All of us ByagavathArs, desiring Nithya Kainkaryam.
    PallAndu, PallAndu to koyil.org, zpillai LokAcharya Swami.
    Adiyen. Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha.🙏🙏🌸🌸🌸

    Reply

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