Arunachala Navamani Malai

Arunachala Navamani Malai means The Garland or Necklace of Nine Gems in praise of Sri Arunachala. This poem of nine verses was composed by Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi himself, in praise of Arunachala, the Lord of the Red Hill.

Commentary by Sri Sadhu Om, translated by Michael James
Verse 1
Though (Lord Siva is) truly Achalan (the motionless one), in that assembly, (at Chidambaram) He dances in front of the Mother, (Sakti Devi), who is Achalai (The consort of Achalan), (in order to bring her dance to an end). (But) know that when that Sakti subsides in His motionless form (here in Tiruvannamalai), He shines exalted as Arunachala.

Note : The word Achalan means the motionless one and is a name of Lord Siva which is used to denote the fact that He is the immutable, Supreme Reality. The word Achalai means the consort of Achalan and is a name of Sakti, the Divine Mother.

Though He is motionless by nature, in Chidambaram Lord Siva had to dance in front of Sakti in order to bring Her frenzied dance to an end. But in the form of Arunachala Lord Siva remains ever motionless, and thus by the power of His mere stillness Sakti was irresistably attracted to Him and with great love she subsided in Him and became one with Him. Hence of all the forms of Lord Siva, Arunachala shines as the most exalted. The words ‘ongum Arunachalam’ means ‘rises high’ or rises above others, and hence the words ‘ongum Arunachalam endru ari’ (know that He shines exalted as Arunachala) may also be taken to mean, know that Arunachala is superior (to Chidambaram)!

Verse 2
On considering (the import of the name) Arunachala, which bestows Liberation (Mukti) when (merely) thought of and which is lustrous (like) red gold, (it is revealed that) the meaning of (the three syllables) ‘A-ru-na’ is not only Existence – Consciousness – Bliss (Satya – Chit – Sukha) but also that (great vedic revelation) ‘That Thou Art’ (Tat-Tvam-Asi), which denotes the oneness of the Supreme and the Soul (Parajiva Aikya), and that the meaning of Achala is ghana (firmness, fullness, abundance or greatness).

Note : When a Guru formally gives a mantra to His disciple, He explains to him the meaning and significance of each syllable of the mantra and tells him the fruit to be gained by meditating upon that mantra. In the same manner, in this verse Sri Bhagavan has explained the meaning of each syllable in the name ‘Arunachala’ and has revealed that mere thought of this name, will bestow liberation. Therefore the name Arunachala is the mantra which Sri Bhagavan has openly given to the whole world, so if any of His devotees wish to have a mantra they can confidently regard this name to be the mantra given to them by Him.

Verse 3
Those (mature souls) who – with a mind which always seeks the clarity (of true knowledge or Jnana), having given up the liking for the mental delusion of being attached to wealth, country, relatives, caste and so on-are longing for the Divine grace of the red Lotus-Feet-of the Supreme Lord, the embodiment of Grace, who abides in Arunachala, will drown in the ocean of Bliss, having for ever attained (His) grace, which is like the rays of the rising Sun, (their) ignorance having been destroyed in (this very) world (that is, in this very life time).

Verse 4
O Annamalai (Arunachala) ! Do not think of letting me pine away looking upwards (in despair) like one who has not thought of you. It is not proper (for you to allow me) to perish as earth by thinking the impure body, which is (composed of) earth, to be ‘I’. O Beloved, (who are dear) to my two eyes!. Without playing any trick (upon me), look (at me) with (your) eyes, which are full of cool (refreshing) compassion. O Lord, whose form is the light (of consciousness), which transcends the forms of female, male and neuter! (Graciously) abide (and shine forth) in my heart (as the all transcending consciousness ‘I-I’).

Verse 5
O Lord, who is the form of consciousness (ChitSwarupa) and who shines gloriously as the great Sonagiri (Arunachala) ! Forgiving all the great wrongs of this insignificiant person (myself) and protecting (me) in such a way that I do not fall again into this void (of worldly delusion or ignorance), bestow (upon me) the glance of (Your) cloud-like (ever-showering) grace. If (You do) not (do so), I will be unable to reach the shore (or to be freed) from the cruel (ocean of) birth (and death). Tell (me), is there anything equal to the unequalled good which a mother does to (her) child ?

Verse 6
O Arunachaleswara! You are always praised by (Your) devotees as Kamari (the destroyer of kama or lust). Yes, yes, (this is) true. (yet) I doubt, is this (name) befitting You ? If it is befitting, how can Anangan (the bodiless one, Kama), though (he is) indeed a brave and valient person, enter a mind which takes refuge in the fort of the Feet of You, who is Kamari.

Verse 7
O Annamalai! The very moment you took me as Your own, You took possession of (my) soul and body. (Therefore) is there (now) any shortcoming (defect, want or grievance) for me ? (Since my shortcomings and virtues cannot exist apart from You) I will not think of them, (my) shortcomings and virtues but only of You. O my life (my Real Self), whatever be (Your) will, do that (alone). O beloved, Bestow (upon me) only ever-increasing love for Your two Feet.

Verse 8
I was born to the virtuous tapasvi Sundaram (Sundaramaiyar) and to (his) faithful wife Sundaram (Azhahammai) in Tiruchuzhi, which among the towns of God (Siva Kshetras) in the world is called Pongidum Bhuvi (the surging place, that is, the place of the tank of surging holy water). The Lord of the Red Hill (Arunachala), who stands in the world so that consciousness will glow and so that the reality will flourish (in other words, so that Atma-vidya, the science of Self-Knowledge, will shine and flourish on earth), gave me His own state (of Selfabidance) with His heart overflowing with joy, in order that the miserable distress (of my life) in the world (that is, the miserable distress of being ensnared) in the wickedness of the petty senses, would come to an end.

Verse 9
Having borne and tended me in the world in the form of (my) mother and father, before I fell and drown in the deep ocean of that worldly illusion (Maha – Maya) You entered my mind, pulled (me) and established (me) at your Feet (or in Your state). O Arunachala, who is of the nature of consciousness (chinmaya)! What a wonder of Your Grace (this is)!

Note : To be a mother or a father and to bear and tend a child is described here by Sri Bhagavan as ‘am mahi – mayai’ (that worldly illusion or Maya). In this verse Sri Bhagavan says that Arunachala Himself gave birth to Him in the form of His mother and father, but that Arunachala then saved Him from falling into the great Maya of this giving birth to a child.