glories of No 9. No 9 has a significant role with relation to our hindu scriptures &

glories of No 9. No 9 has a significant role with relation to our hindu scriptures & sampradhaya:-

a)Chakravarthy Thirumagan Sri Rama was born on Navami (9) Thithi, the thithi, which is usually avoided for doing subha karyams. But when Emperumaan was about to incarnate, the Navami Thithi came running & cleansed itself.

b)According to Puranic cosmography, the entire cosmos is divided into seven concentric island (sapta-dvipa vasumati), among them Jambudvipa forms the innermost concentric island which consists of 9 kandaas, they are :-

1)Ilavrutum kandaam
2)Bhadrasvam kandaam
3)Harivarsham kandaam
4)Ketumaalam kandaam
5)Ramyakam kandaam
6)Hiranyam kandaam
7)Uttaragur kandaam
8)Kimpurusham kandaam
9)Bharatam kandaam (It is worth noting, that we are living here)

c)The human body has 9 openings, referred to as nava dwara in sanskrit and onpathu vasal in tamil

“Oonidaisuvarvaiththu enbhuthoon
nAtti orOmam vaidhu onbhadhu vAsal thAnudai kurumbhai”

explains Thirumangai Alwar in Periya Thirumozhi (1-6-9)
Meaning "Oh lord of Naimisaranyam this body is made up of flesh, and to give it a structure & to hold it, the bone foundations are made and it is covered with hair and it has 9 holes, when my soul departs from this house, I take refuge only in your Thiruvadi, due to your grace, I took refuge in them.

d)Navaratnas are 9 gems which are 1)Manikkam 2)Muthu
3) Pavazham 4)Maragadham 5)Pushparagam 6)Vairam 7)Neelam 8)Gomedhakam 9)Vaiduryam, these stones are very valuable, but they are another set of priceless navarathnas which Swamy Ramanuja blessed us with, his 9 great works they are:-

1)Vedartha Sangraham - The resume of Vedantha

2)Shree Bashyam - Commentary on Bramha sutras

3)Vedantha Saara - (essence of Vedantha) an appendix to Sri Bashyam

4)Vedantha Deepa - (the light of Vedantha) another appendix to Sri Bashya

5)Gita Bashya - his commentary of Bhagavath Geetha

6)Nithya Grantham - About the day to day activities to be perfomed by all Sri Vaishnavas

7)Vaikunta Gadyam - describing in great detail Sri Vaikuntam & recommending meditating it.

8)Sri Ranga Gadyam - a prayer of surrender to the feet of Shri Ranganatha

9)Saranagathi Gayam - - dialogue between Ramanuja and Piratti and Perumal where Swami petitions Sri Lakshmi to recommend Lord to give him grace both Perumal & Piratti accept swami's surrender



e)Nava Tirupathi Temples, these are 9 divya desams,which are collectively called Nava Tirupathy

1)Alwar Thirunagari/Thirukurugoor (birth place of Nammalwar)
2)Thirukoolur (birth place of Madhurakavi Alwar)
3)Then Thirupeerai
4)Sri/Thiru Vaikundam
5)Thirukkulandai
6)Thiruppulingudi
7)Thiruvaragunamangai
8) & 9) Two temples at Thirutholaivillimangalam about
100 yards of each other are counted as one for the purpose Divya desam & are known as Irattai Tirupathi )

The specialties about these temples are:-

i) Mangalasasanams done only by Nammalwar

ii)These are found on either side of Thamarabarani river

iii)In all these Nava Thirupathi Divya Desams, there are 2 thayars found.

iv)Each of the nava grahas is said to have prayed to the emperumaan of these 9 Divya desams

DIvya Desams Thayars & Graha

1)Thirukurugoor -- Aadinatha Nayaki & Kurugoor Nayaki - Guru


2) Thirukoolur -- Kumudhavalli & Koolur Valli - Chevvai

3) Then Thirupeerai -- Sri Kuzhakadhu valli Naachiyaar &
Thirupperai Naachiyaar - Sukran

4)Thiru Vaikundam -- Sri Vaikundavalli and Chora Nayaki -Surya

5)Thirukkulandai -- Sri Kamalavathi & Kulandai Valli - Sani

6)Thiruppulingudi -- Malarmagal,Nilamagal &
Puliangudi Valli - Budhan


7)Thiruvaragunamangai -- Sri Varagunavalli Thaayar & Varagunamangai Thaayar- Chandran

8 & 9) Thirutholaivillimangalam

a)Srinivasar/Deva Piran -- Alarmelmanga & Sri Padmavathi - Rahu

b)Aravindalochanar/Senthamarai Kannan --
Karunthadanganni thayar & Bhoo devi - Ketu


f)They are said to 9 Sanskrit grammar works called "Nava Vyakarnas", all these were mastered by Siriya Thirvadi (Hanuman) hence got the title "Nava Vyakarna Pandithar". Hanuman is said to have learnt this from his guru "Surya Dev" the Sun god.

g)In Kumara Samhita, Sri Agastya Maharishi speaks about the benefits of 9 day (Navaham) Parayanam of Srimadh Ramayana Sundara Kandam, which bestows all benefits and boons to the reader of this great Itihasam as per prescribed rules.

h)Prahalada Alwan one among great thirumal adiyars, has propagated 9 types of bhakthi, through the foll sloka:-

"Sravanam Keerthanam Vishnoo Smaranam Padha Sevanam,
Archanam Vandhanam Dhaasyam Sakhyam Aathma Nivedhanam,
Ithi Pumsamarpitha Vishnow Bakthi Chetnavalakshana,
Kriyathey Bhagavath Yattha Dhan Manye Atheetham Utthamam"

1)Sravanam :- Listening to Emperumaan'stories & kalyana gunas like King Parik****h.

2)Keerthanam :- Chanting his thiru namam like Sage Suka Bramham.

3)Smaranam :- Just like Thila dhara (continuous oil pouring) nama sankeertanam should be done like Prahaladha Alwan.

4)Paadha Sevanam : - Worshipping Emperumaan in all temples, Piratti shows us the way for this.

5)Archanam :- Doing Archanai to emperumaan with Fragnant fresh flowers, like Brigu Chakravarthy.

6)Vandhanam : - "I have no gathi (refuge),only you should grace with nargathi(sreyas) saying so we have to take refuge only in HIM like Mahan Akroorar.

7)Daasyam:- Doing Kainkaryam to Emperumaan for his (emperumaan's) pleasure, like Siriya Thiruvadi Hanuman

8)Sakhyam:- Making friendship with HIM, & act favorably for him to gain his friendship like Sugriva to Lord Rama and Arjuna to Lord Krishna.

9)Aathma Nivedhanam:- To dedicate our soul & belongings to the Lord, just like Mahabali

Thus our Alwars and Poorvacharyas followed the above 9 types of Bakthi


i)Nidhi means treasure, they are said to be 9 of them(navanidhi), but for sri vaishnavas, the real "nidhi" is "sannidhi" of emperumaan, which ultimately grants us "srinidhi" which is none other than "neengaadha kainkarya selvam"

to be continued..............


Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan