Navaratnamaalaa

नवरत्नमाला
(Necklace of nine gems)

This is a random selection of nine gems from the Treasure Chest of Shankaraachaarya's gift to us.

1. मनुष्वत्वं मुमुक्ष्वत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रय:
manuShyatvaM mumukShatvaM mahaapuruShasaMshrayah

The Aachaarya says these three things are difficult to be blessed with:
i. मनुष्वत्वं manuShvatvaM - birth in a human body. This world is called Karmabhoomi. Even Gods come down to atone for their sins/ommissions.
ii. मुमुक्षत्वं mumukShatvaM - desire for moksha. Born a human, one must yearn for Moksha.
iii. महापुरुषसंश्रयः mahaapuruShasaMshrayah - guidance of a Guru. For saadhanaa to move towards moksha, the guidance of a guru is essential. If one fails to encash this rare opportunity of the three blessings together, he has no destination but hell (From Shankara's VivekachoodaamaNi (approximately 500 shlokas) which is considered as the classic work on Advaita. RamaNa has written a 60 page essay on this. Aatmabodha, a shorter work, is a good companion book).


2. क्व च न समुद्रो तारङ्गः
Kva ca na samudro taarangah

In Advaita philosophy, the sea and the wave is the general relationship used to show oneness of the jeevaatmaa and paramaatma. A wave is a part of the sea and nothing but the sea itself. It rises in the sea, is sustained by the sea and finally merges into the sea. It never separates itself from the sea. The Aachaarya says - A wave is always saamudr (belonging to the sea i.e. samudra). The sea is never taaranga (belonging to the wave i.e.taranga). This is from the ViShNuShaTpadee - the six shlokas in adoration of ViShNu.. I recite this stotra at pooja time every morning. This hymn is full of alliterations.

3. भिक्षाम् देहि कृपावलंबनकरी
bhikShaam dehi kRupaavalaMbanakaree

From the hymn addressing AnnapoorNeshwaree in Kaashi. Mother holds a gold pot filled with seeds for all plants in creation. Even Shiva had once approached Her with His begging bowl seeking alms during a famine.

Every shloka ends with - Give me bhikShaa, Mother., Your Graces is support to the entire universe. In the last shloka, the Aachaarya specifies the alms he seeks - jnaana and vairaagya. Not for any material gain.

4. परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम्
parabrahmalingaM bhaje paaNDurangam

A majestic composition written on visiting Pandarapur. You wonder how the Aachaarya went round the country thrice in his short span of life, visiting all temples and singing in praise of the deities there. At a time, too, when most travel was by foot and occasionally by bullock carts. He was however blessed with the siddhi to disappear from one place and appear at another.
paaNDu ranga is white colour but He is no less charmimg as a black stone idol. Linga is symbolic representation. It inspires you according to your faith.

5. स्वदेशो भुवनत्रयं
swadesho bhuvanatrayaM

Universal brotherhood, conceived by the Aachaarya centuries ago. The forefathers of the forefathers of the founders of the United Nations founders were not born then. Vasudhaiva kutumbakam was talked in Vedic times.

Paarvati is my Mother. Maheshwara is my Father. They set the universe going. Being their child, I am a relative of all their children, the universe over.

6. मा कुरु धनजनयौवनगर्वं
maa kuru dhanajanayouvanagarvaM

(From Aachaarya's Bhaja GovindaM) Do not feel proud of money - LakShmee is chanchal - money is slippery. Perhaps guarding it keeps you on a hot plate always, as the fear of loss is always there. Even the son is impatient for your exit in order for him to take over the treasury.

Do not feel proud of men who surround you. Men follow money more than you and will slip away when money and power behind money leaves you.

Do not feel proud of your youth and strength. Pikkale paana paDtanaa tarne paana haastaa. One day the green leaf also will change colour and fall. All are in the same grindstone and will be crushed some day.

7. पुत्रादपि धनभाजां भीतिः
putraadapi dhanabhaajaam bheetih

(From Aachaarya's Bhaja GovindaM) Time passes at its own pace for all. It does not go faster for older people. A son would like his father to pass away early so that he inherits wealth early. Papers come with news of impatient sons who took a short cut by cutting throats of parents. So the Aachaarya warns that wealth brings in fear of loss, loss of life itself. Money may bring momentary pleasures but all pleasures do not add up to give happiness, much less towards bliss.
8. शम्भो तवाराधनं
Shambho tavaaraadhanam

In whatever I do, whenever I do, it is always in adoration of you. It truly reflects the nature of a fully dedicated man (In the Lord's words - yatkaroshi yadashnaasi yajjuhosi dadaasi yat yattpasyasi kaunteya tatkurisha madarpnam).

9. मम मतिरास्ताम् तव पदकमले
Mama matiraastaam tava padakamale

The Gangaastotra is a lilting hymn on Mother Gangaa. When you recite this, you almost hear Ganga's merry flow down the stones in the earlier course of her journey in the Himaalayas. Like sounds of ghaaggari on the ankles of a young maiden dancing.

All the shlokas in the Gangaastotra end with this line - May my mind always rest at Your lotus feet. The sacredness of the sacred river is fully described. At one place, the Aachaarya says - Better live as a crab on Your bank than in a palace.