According to a legend, the Navaratnam Grantha was composed by Śrī Mahāprabhu in Vikrama Saṃvat 1558 (1501–1502 AD) in Aḍel. This text was written for Govinda Dūbe of Kherālgrāma.

From the very beginning, Govinda Dūbe’s mindset was inclined towards renunciation (vairāgya). At a young age, he left his parents and went on a pilgrimage to Dvārakā, where he eventually settled. According to Bhāvaprakāśa, he was a soul dedicated to upholding religious boundaries (maryādā), and thus, he had a deep attachment to the divine pastimes (līlā) of Dvārakā. He was particularly devoted to the form of Śrī Raṇchoḍjī in Dvārakā. After the demise of his parents, he went to perform their last rites. On his way back, he met Śrī Mahāprabhu at Maṇikarṇikā Ghāṭa. Upon seeing Mahāprabhu, he desired to stay with him and acquire some knowledge. With Mahāprabhu’s permission, he brought a grammar book, but Mahāprabhu taught him Sanskrit, grammar, and philosophy through the study of the original Gītā. Impressed by this, Govinda Dāve was initiated into the Puṣṭimārga and, following Mahāprabhu’s instructions, returned home to engage in the service of the Lord (Bhagavān).

According to the 84 Vaiṣṇavas’ accounts, “Govinda Dūbe served in dharma, but his mind was very restless (vyagra), so he could not concentrate on service. Then Govinda Dūbe wrote a letter to Śrī Ācāryajī:

‘Mahārāja! My mind is very restless. I cannot focus on serving the Lord. What should I do?’

When the letter reached Śrī Ācāryajī, he wrote and sent the Navaratnam Grantha to Govinda Dūbe, saying,

Read this Navaratnam Grantha, and your mental restlessness will be dispelled.

Upon reading it, by the grace of Śrī Ācāryajī, all his restlessness and anxiety vanished, and his mind became absorbed in the service of the Lord.

Just as a person walking on a path is shown ten villages, but he goes to the village he knows, similarly, whether through the Lord’s grace, the Guru’s grace, or Īśvara’s grace, one’s mind becomes firmly attached to the path according to one’s eligibility. Thus, Govinda Dūbe developed a firm devotion to Śrī Raṇchoḍjī.

The Diversity of Paths in Puṣṭimārga

In the ’Puṣṭipravāhamaryādā’ Grantha, the differences in spiritual paths are explained. All souls have unique paths. Even within the Puṣṭimārga, there are numerous ways to reach Bhagavān. The path that we can naturally follow is the one we should strive for effortlessly. If we abandon our natural path and attempt to follow others out of desire for fruits or false imitation, it is natural for the mind to become anxious, restless, or agitated.

For a follower of the Puṣṭimārga, it is natural and necessary to contemplate one’s own nature, one’s duties, or the nature of the Lord to be worshipped. However, if unnatural anxiety replaces this contemplation, it does not please Śrī Mahāprabhu. This is because the root of anxiety lies not in faith, devotion, or acceptance but in lack of faith, agitation, and rejection. After surrendering to the Lord, one should offer everything — worldly or otherworldly — to Bhagavān. The Lord is omniscient, omnipotent, and the well-wisher of all. On this ground of devotion, the poisonous sprouts of doubt, anxiety, or prayer cannot sprout. True wisdom lies in accepting whatever happens with the understanding of the Lord’s pastimes (līlā). The more the mind becomes absorbed in the service of the Lord or in the narration of His pastimes, the more one should enjoy it. This is a healthy attitude of acceptance. On the other hand, anxiety or agitation about not achieving the ideal absorption through unauthorized efforts is an unhealthy attitude of rejection. Desiring more than what is attainable is not unnatural, but anxiety or agitation about the unattained is an unnatural mental state. Similarly, constantly worrying about worldly or Vedic matters is also a devotional mindset.

Therefore, Śrī Mahāprabhu, through this Navaratnam Grantha, wishes to free all Puṣṭi devotees from all kinds of anxieties.

The Essence of Self-Surrender (Ātmanivedana)

Just as the right to perform Vedic rituals is obtained by receiving the Gāyatrī Mantra, the right to serve the Lord in the Puṣṭimārga is obtained through initiation into the Brahma-sambandha. The significance of self-surrender (ātmanivedana) is realized only when the service to the Lord is performed. Even in worldly dealings, one should use as much as possible the materials offered in the service of the Lord. The purpose should always be the uninterrupted performance of the Lord’s service. It is forbidden to take back something offered to the Lord as a gift, but it is not forbidden to use something that has been offered and then returned in the process of surrender. In fact, this is the proper way. Otherwise, even the prasāda (offered food) would have to be considered forbidden to take back. According to the principles of the siddhānta, only unoffered items should be renounced. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate for a self-surrendered soul to first use all offered items in the service of the Lord and then consume them for personal use. Following this rule leads to self-purification.

But should one make an effort to gather items like food and clothing again after they have been used once in the service of the Lord? If not, then the nature of future service will not be maintained, and if one does, it will have to be done according to worldly customs. In the process of earning, one may get entangled in worldly affairs again, which could hinder service. Such anxiety may arise in the mind of a devotee. Clearly, this anxiety is not self-serving but is for the sake of serving the Lord. However, Śrī Mahāprabhu instructs that a devotee should not worry, either for personal fulfillment or for the sake of serving the Lord.

The Path of Worrylessness

For a self-surrendered soul, it is essential to accept whatever happiness or sorrow comes in life as the will of the Lord, without any anxiety. It is possible that while engaged in worldly efforts to fulfill worldly responsibilities, the detachment of the maryādā path may not be achieved. However, since the Lord has accepted us in the Puṣṭimārga, we should have firm faith that the worldly flow will not affect the Puṣṭi soul. To avoid being distracted by external engagements while serving the Lord through business or employment, one should always remember, “I belong to Kṛṣṇa — I am Kṛṣṇa’s servant.”

Even if service becomes difficult in adverse situations, it is essential to maintain the remembrance of self-surrender through the association of other self-surrendered devotees. Because if this remembrance fades from the mental slate, the possibility of demonic influence becomes strong.

All puṣṭijīva who have surrendered themselves, whether of high or low status, are connected to the Lord as servants. So, what is there to worry about? The Lord is our master; whatever He does according to His will should be acceptable to us. Moreover, the Lord is also under the control of His devotees. Therefore, the Lord will fulfill all the pure desires of His devotees without any need for prayer. We should have this faith and free ourselves from anxiety.

The Assurance of Śrī Mahāprabhu

This assurance—this opinion—is not only for Govind Dūbe but for all puṣṭijīva, as given by Śrī Mahāprabhu.

The emaciation of a puṣṭijīva in the affectionate experience of separation from the Lord is the highest state of Puṣṭi — “Why are your servants so emaciated? They have come to the path despite obstacles and are enjoying the fruits!” This emaciation is an interesting transitory emotion (sañcārī bhāva) of the stable emotion (sthāyī bhāva) of Puṣṭi devotion. Therefore, it is also relishable. But anxiety or agitation, contrary to the stable emotion of devotion, creates a semblance of rasa (rasābhāsa). Some of the various types of anxiety that create rasābhāsa are indicated here. Śrī Mahāprabhu wishes to protect the mind of the Puṣṭi devotee from being tainted by these, so that Kṛṣṇa’s service can develop from physical and financial service to mental service — so that the seed of self-surrender can sprout in divine love (prema), blossom in divine attachment, and ultimately bear fruit in divine addiction (vyasana)!