INTRODUCTION TO THE TREATISE Taking pity on the divine creature His Holiness shrimad Vallabhacharya wrote a number of scriptures. Shrimad Vallabhacharya himself has shown the way to all the initiated devotees of the pure path of grace for the riddance of their worries through his holy treatise-NAVARATNAM, which he wrote for one, shree Govind Dubey (One of shree mahaprabhuji’s eighty four devotees in the ) to free him from his worries and anxieties. Shree Govind Dubey was badly suffering from ambivalence and could not attend to devotional service. Then Shree Govind Dubey humbly apprised Shrimad Vallabhacharya of his mental tension by writing to him letter. As a result, Shreemad Vallabhacharya composed the holy treatise, NAVARATNAM and sent it to him (shree Dubey) with the holy command that recitation of the scripture would lead to the erasure of his mental conflict. On receipt of the letter shree Govind Dubey delightfully started the regular recitation of the NAVARATNAM. The trough reading of his holy treatise made him carefree and without tension and he become engrossed in divine service.
Only divine initiation vests one with the eligibility of divine service. The significance of divine initiation lies in the dedicated articles and commodities, according to necessity for the success of divine adoration and dedication. The divine (devout) being are deeply anxious about whether or not they should strive to arrange for the objects for further dedication after the already-dedicated wealth has been utilized in the service of the Lord, because in madding effort to manage for suitable objects for the dedication to Lord, the mind gets distracted from God and is entangled in the objects itself. As such the activities of all the sense organs correspond with it and that ultimately leads to his involvement in worldliness. The more one strives for it, the more the interruptions in divine service. Of attempt is not made, then the devotee is pained because of total dearth of an object for divine offering and the divine souls are struck with anxiety.
The dedicated soul need never, in any way, worry because anxiety makes the heart unstable and interrupts divine dedication. If, having been initiated, the dedicated objects are put to otherwise use, the devotee naturally feels perturbed. But the utilization of all the objects is governed by the will of God. Hence the devotees should not feel concerned even at the otherwise use of objects. The anxiety should be abandoned conceiving Acharya shree Vallabh’s utterance NIJECCHATAHKARISYATI, that is, God performs as He wills because Lord is profusely gracious. He never allows the terrestrial way gather better of the devotees. Hence one should clearly understand God’s path of Grace and assuming all to be the sport of Lord Shree Krishna, put all one’s anxieties aside. Total absolution is possible only through the recitation of God’s pious name. One should, therefore, keep constantly saying the eight-lettered sacred formula “SHREE DRISHNA SARANAM MAMA” (I seek refuge in Lord Shree Krishna). In order to drive away the worries and cares the Acharya Shree in the holy treatise NAVARATNA exhorts:
CHINTA KAPI NA KARYA NIVEDITATMABHIH KADAPITI,
BHAGNAPI PUSTISTOH NA KARISYATI LAUKIKIM CA GATIM. (1)
Those who have dedicated their souls, etc. should not be careworn, become the initiated soul are fully settled in the path of divine grace. Hence the gracious God will never let them incline toward the terrestrial ways. The initiated ones should be assailed neither with worldly cares nor with the anxiety about God’s favour. The individual soul must have the belief that in his being initiated, God Himself will do everything for his (individual’s) benefit, as it is the way of God that He assumes the well-being of one who has been owned by Him. Therefore, for the sale of testing or owing to fatality even if God delays, there is no cause of concem.
If anybody comments that such an assumption will cause unstrained behavior leading to extroversion, at this Shree Madacharya Charan commands (in the following couplet):
NIVEDANAM TU SMARTAVYAM SARVATHA TADRSAIRJANAIH,
SARVESVARASCA SARVATMA NIJECCHATAH KARISYATI. (2)
The initiated soul should unreservedly keep contemplating the divine initiation in the company of devoted soul (who have identified themselves with Him). (Of the original text contains the word SARVADA, it will mean “always”). In the absence of constant recollection of divine initiation one is charged with demoniac thoughts and feelings. In response to the query-God should be prayed to or not for the purpose of celestial or terrestrial accomplishments, his Holiness Shree Mahaprabhuji exhorts: the dedicated soul should not pray for anything, because the one to whom the dedication has been made is the Supreme Self and the soul of all. He will perform all and everything of His own freewill or He will do in accordance with the will of his dedicated souls totally free from all perversions.
If one is again struck with the anxiety that the physique, etc. once dedicated to the Lord are utilized for one’s wife and progeny, etc. it amounts to clear violation of one’s path.
For the solution of such type of anxiety, Shrimad Vallabhacharya commands:
SARVESAM PRABHU SAMBANDHO NA PRATYEKMITISTHITIH,
ATONYA VINIYOGEPI CHINTA KA SVASYA SOPICHET. (3)
After initiation all the dedicated objects belong to God. Those who have initiated don’t have any different type of relationship (other then those who have been dedicated.) such is the propriety of acceptance in divine initiation. While dedicating, the one is the chief entity and he surrenders his each and everything alone with him. At the time of dedication the person dedicating occupies-his soul, his physique his vitality, his senses, his conscience, his wife, his progeny and his wealth, etc. Automatically stand initiated. As inanimate objects like wealth, etc. are just mutually utilized, one shouldn’t feel embarrassed. Similarly, what cause of concern is their if animate objects or self are mutually engrossed in various types of duties. One’s wife, etc. stand naturally dedicated on one’s own initiation. Thus one’s relations with all of them are also dedicated. But because the animated objects like the wife, etc. have their independent existence, their separate initiation is also essential. Only then, according to ‘THE SIDDHANTA RAHASYAM’ (THE SECRET OF DOCTRINE), the five categories of defects are absolved. The inanimate objects like the wealth, etc. are under the sole possession of one who dedicates. They, therefore, become immaculate with the initiation of the self.
AJNANADATHAVA JNANAT KRTAMATMA-NIVEDNAM,
YAIH KRSNASATKRTA PRANAISTESAM KA PARIDEVANA. (4)
‘To dedicate everything to God id the supreme fruit’, the initiated persons not knowing this fact belonging to their inferior category as also those initiated persons fully knowing this fact falling under the mediocre category need not at all worry. Over and above these two aforementioned categories, how then can the initiated devotees who have dedicated themselves heart and soul to Lord Shree Krishna ever be assailed with any kind of botheration. Of the nine categories of devotion, Sravan, Kirtan, Smaran are under the control of the individual soul.
There are two kinds of Padsevan devotion-one, going on foot to a holy shrine, etc.; this is under the possession on the individual soul. Second, the devotional service of God’s lotus feet; this depends entirely upon the supreme will of the Lord.
TATHA NIVEDANE CHINTA, TYAJYA SHREE PURUSOTTAME,
VINIYOGEPI SA TYAJYA SAMARTHO HI HARIHSVATAH. (5)
The initiated souls should give up the anxiousness about the admission of initiation by SHREE PURUSHOTTAMA. ‘Purushottam’ prefixed with ‘SHREE’ here represents the constant association of the devotees with LORD SHREE KRISHNA. All the cowherds of Vraj would one time worship INDRA, the rain god. The Lord Shree Krishna weaned away all of them from him and granted his patronage to them (the Vraj-devotees). Those who have surrendered their all and sundry to God, need never worry. The Lord remains with His devotees and He nourishes them (His devotees) by deigning His own delectable divine sight to them. So one need not nurse any botheration about the admission of one’s dedication by the Lord. Because of terrestrial; disturbances if an individual soul, due to temperamental weakness, makes use of other sources for dispelling them (worldly disturbances). Even then there is no cause of concem. On madding use of other sources due to larches or inadvertence, God shall not forsake him because the Lord never expects any means from His devotee for his redemption or deliverance. The Lord so omnipotent and drives away everybody’s sins and pains.
LOKE SVASTHYAM TATHA VEDE, HARISTU NA KARISYATI,
PUSHTIMARGASTHITOH YASMAAT SAKSINO-BHAVTAAKHILAH. (6)
The trouble-remover Lord, being Gracious, will not allow comfort or peace of mind and ease in the performance of tress trial affairs and vaidic rituals, etc. to his devotees. Despite being well engrossed in terrestrial and vaidic matters-body, word and mind, if, due to disturbances and distractions, how can then one expect the fruit thereof? The Lord is the absorber of pains. Hence He naturally grants all the cherished accomplishments irrespective of terrestrial and vaidic endeavors. After being initiated in The Path of Grace, the Lord does not expect any bond of terrestrial or vaidic proprieties. Divine duty having been attained, the terrestrial and vaidic confines automatically evaporate. The mundane and vaidic obligations should, therefore, be discharged with apathy.
What to do of the disturbances in terrestrial or vaidic matters arise?
With regard to such an apprehension Shree Madacharya Charan commands that the devotees should remain distance spectators. What God does in terrestrial and vaidic affairs should be witnessed as an indifferent spectator.
The seventh SKANDH of the Holy Scripture Shreemad Bhagvarta reads under the characteristics of al godly householder. One should support without attachment what one’s parents, progeny, other kin and members of one’s race say. To behave accordingly is the trait of divine adoption.
It has been exhorted that one should sight only the doing of God in the terrestrial and vaidic disturbances. For his, three types of patience 1.Corporal, 2. Sensual and 3. Divine have been suggested as a remedial measure. But initiation is rendered futile in the absence of sincere service of the Lord and it leads to the annihilation of one’s Duty. If such an anxiety springs up, Shreemad Vallabhacharya commands the measures for its riddance in the couplet that follows.
SEVAKRTIGURORAGYA BAADHANAM VAA HARICCHAYAA,
ATAH SEVAPARAM CHITTAM VIDHAYASTHIYTAM SUKHAM. (7)
‘One must remain highly devoted to one’s spiritual teacher just as one remains dedicated to God’. So states the SVETASVAVATRSRUTI. Hence it is the duty of the initiated persons to serve God acceding as their spiritual preceptor commands. One should nerve God in exactly the same manner in which the spiritual teacher or preceptor directs. Of the Lord gives specific commands in dream or in persons regarding the materials, etc. for divine service, his command must be carried out provided it be for the comfort of the Lord himself and not for the comfort of the individual soul. Divine service is the prime concem of the initiation creatures. Hence they should live cheerfully with a mind solely inclined to divine service. The devotee should remain a mere spectator regarding terrestrial matters but not respecting matters of divine service.
One can remain a spectator in a trivial discomfort but how can one to remain indifferent or a sheer spectator in a state of insufferable distress? As remedy, the Shree Mahaprabhuji exhorts (in the ensuing couplet).
CHITTODVEGAM VIDHAYAPI HAHIHYADYAT KARISYATI,
TATHAIVA TASYA LILETI MATVA CHINTA DRUTAM TYAHET. (8)
‘One should rid oneself of one’s worry thinking that mental perturbation and all else are nothing but divine sports. Whatever the Lord decrees to drive away the fatal sins, etc. of the devotees, may appear auspicious or for that matter inauspicious outwardly, and as such may cause restlessness in the heart but the devotee should take it for granted that whatever the Lord does to destroy the gross sin of the devotees by creating unease in their hearts is nothing but divine sport. The worry causing restlessness to causing by restlessness must be instantly give up because being wrapped up in long anxiety, if devilish feelings override the devotee due to preponderance of time, temperament and Action, this leads to delay or hindrance in the realization of fruit. Hence the worry or anxiety should instantly be given adieu. (In the couplet given heretofore, Acharya Shree Mahaprabhuji has given the solution to the worry regarding initiation and otherwise use (of the initiated). In the couplet that follows Acharya Shree, dwelling upon the uniformity of means and fruit, graciously gives the solution)
TASMAT SARVATMANA NITYAM “SHREE KRISHNAH SARANAM MAMA”,
VADADBHIREVA SATATAMSTHEYAMITYAMITYEVA ME MATIH. (9)
As stated about the individual souls themselves do not have the capacity to do all and everything. Hence one should continuously keep uttering ‘Shree Krishna saranam mama’ with all his being. This is my conviction. To enter into the path of devotion and have interest the rein. Grace of God alone is the soul cause. Even after one has engrossed him self in devotion, it is possible that fatal or temporal disturbances may take place in divine service, which are done away with by God, the sovereign ruler. Hence the refuge of the Lord is the ultimate means. Seeing the helplessness of the individual soul who has resorted to the refuge of the Lord. He endows him (the individual soul) with all the supernal accomplishment. The profound import of this all, therefore is that God will provide all accomplishments to one seeking His refuge with all one’s being. Irrespective of the similar feeing in the innermost heart, constant saying of (Shree Krishna Saranam Mama) is essential. To clarify this constant saying Shrimad Vallabhacharya has thus exhorted:
To keep saying like this leads to the learning of other persons. Too, or constantly uttering eight-letter spiritual formula- (Shree Krishna Saranam Mama) and remaining engrossed in divine service, it also means so.
Whether or not the individual soul can do even these much (At this) Shrimad Vallabhacharya commands: ‘this is my conviction’. In the Tenth SKANDH of the Holy Scripture Shrimad Bhagvat Shree Akrur has humbly implored Lord Shree Krishna “I have sought refuge at lat lotus feet. This is your grace, I assume so.” Hence the individual soul van resort to the refuge of the Lord only when God showers His grave in him. Shrimadacharya commands that those of our devotees who have ultimately dedicated themselves to the refuge of the Lord, they are His (God’s) favorite ones. Thinking so whatever I (Shrimad Vallabhacharya) have uttered, the devotees have to depart themselves accordingly.