Janani Navaratna Manjari is a unique philosophical poem in Malayalam written by Sree Narayana Guru who contributed much towards the upliftment of the down trodden communities in India in 1908. It is one of the most famous poems belonging to the category of sthotras written by him.
It is a tradition of Indians to sing sthotras or praising songs of their beloved deities intending to please them. In such songs, simple and melodious lines were being used.Meaning of the words used were not important.
Guru recognized true knowledge as the basement of personality formation. He also recognized the need for an unconscious and spontaneous expansion of knowledge from childhood itself so as to create a man of knowledge. The only way to create such a situation is to modify the traditional literature and practice.
Sree Narayana Guru concentrated much in the modification of the traditional style of literature, especially poetry. He performed himself as a guide to the coming generations.Janani Navaratna Manjari is a typical example.The philosophical clarity, the style of expressing ideas and the combination of meaningful and sweet melodious words places this sthotra to the heights of classic poems.
Janani Navaratna Manjari is a poem consisting of nine slokas. In each sloka, the length, the breadth and the depth of spiritual knowledge is personified symbolically as the Goddess of Knowledge. Each sloka in this poem is a diamond, merged into the ocean of Knowledge.
A translation of Guru's poem is not an easy task. I am fully aware of my limitations as a common man in interpreting the meanings also. My intention is only to attract the new generations to the literary works of the great Guru. With a humble request to go through the work, I am submitting this before the literary minds.
Malayalapuzha Sudhan
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