MANIRATNA MALA

These are some of the questions and answers from the Maniratna Mala or the Prashnottar Mala which was written by Shri Adi Shankaracharya. These have been sourced from a book ‘Indian Saints and sages’ by Prof. Shrikant Prasoon published by Hindology Books.

Q	Who is a Slave?
A	He is a slave who indulges in physical pleasure.
Q	What is salvation?
A	Detachment from all physical longing is salvation.
Q	What is the worst hell?
A	Longing for body is the worst hell.
Q	What is heaven?
A	The state of no lust is heaven.
Q	What cuts of the worldly bondage?
A	Self-revelation according to the dictates of shruti cuts of the worldly bondage.
Q	What is the purpose of salvation?
A	The purpose of salvation is self-revelation.
Q	Where is the entrance to hell?
A	The entrance to hell is women and sex.
Q	How is heaven achieved?
A	Heaven is achieved only through non-violence; by saving and not killing other living beings.
Q	Who sleeps in peace?
A	He sleeps in peace who meditates on God.
Q	Who is awakened?
A	He is awakened who knows the good and the bad.
Q	Who are enemies?
A	Our own sense organs are enemies but if won over they turn to be friends.
Q	Who is a pauper?
A	He is a pauper who has uncontrolled lust.
Q	Who is rich?
A	He is rich who is fully contended.
Q	Though alive, who is dead?
A	He is dead who does not work.
Q	Who is living?
A	He is living who is aloof from physical pleasures.
Q	What strangles?
A	Fascination and ego strangles.
Q	What intoxicates like wine?
A	Women intoxicate like wine.
Q	Who is completely blind?
A	He is completely blind who has intense desire for sex.
Q	What is death?
A	Self-notoriety is death.
Q	Who is a preceptor (Guru)?
A	He is a preceptor who guides for betterment.
Q	Who is a disciple?
A	He is a disciple who is devoted to the preceptor.
Q	What is lasting disease?
A	The disease of worldly longing is a lasting disease.
Q	What is the panacea for it?
A	The sense of good and bad is the panacea for it.
Q	What is the best ornament among the ornaments?
A	Good character is the best ornament.
Q	What is the greatest pilgrimage?
A	One’s own pure mind is the greatest pilgrimage.
Q	What things should be despised at?
A	Gold and women should be despised at.
Q	What should one always listen to?
A	One should always listen to the teaching of the Guru and the Vedas.
Q	What are the ways of union with the Brahman?
A	Companionship of Saints; Charity; Thoughtfulness; and Contentment are the ways to get united with Brahman.
Q	Who is a Saint?
A	He is a Saint who is completely detached and is devoted to the Brahman as Shiva.
Q	What is fever in living beings?
A	Anxiety is fever in living beings.
Q	Who is a fool?
A	He is a fool who has lost his reasoning.
Q	With whom one should cultivate friendship?
A	One should cultivate friendship with a devotee of Lord Shiva.
Q	What is good life?
A	An error free life is a good life.
Q	What is knowledge?
A	That is knowledge that helps in getting united with the Brahman.
Q	What is wisdom?
A	That is wisdom that facilitates salvation.
Q	What is profit?
A	Self-revelation is profit.
Q	Who has won the world?
A	He has won the world who has won his mind.
Q	Who is the greatest warrior among the warrior?
A	He is the greatest warrior who is not affected by enticement of sex.
Q	Who has equanimity, patience and wisdom?
A	He has equanimity, patience and wisdom who is not enchanted by the winks of a coquette women.
Q	What is the poison of sensual earning?
A	All the sensuous elements are poison.
Q	Who is always aggrieved?
A	He is always aggrieved who is licentious and indulges in sensual pleasures.
Q	Who is lucky?
A	He is lucky who helps others.
Q	Who is respectable?
A	A devotee of Lord Shiva is respectable.
Q	What one should not do in all the circumstances?
A	One should not show lust for sensual pleasure and one should not commit sin in all the circumstances.
Q	What should the wise man do diligently?
A	The wise man should study scriptures and classics and perform religious deeds diligently.
Q	What is at the root of the Universe?
A	Anxiety is at the root of the Universe.
Q	Whom we should not accompany and with whom we should not leave?
A	We should not accompany or live with fools, sinful, wicked and malignant people.
Q	What should the person do immediately who wish to get salvation?
A	The person with a wish for salvation should be in the company of saints; be extremely cruel to longings and be totally devoted to god.
Q	What is the reason for poverty?
A	Asking from others is the reason for poverty.
Q	What is the root of importance?
A	The root of importance is non-asking from others.
Q	Whose life is ideal?
A	His life is ideal who won’t take birth again.
Q	Who is immortal?
A	He is immortal who does not die again.
Q	What is the worst enemy among the enemies?
A	Sex, Anger, Falsehood, Desire and lust are the worst enemies.
Q	Who is never satisfied even after excessive indulgence in sensual pleasure?
A	Desire never gets satisfied.
Q	What is the cause of pain?
A	Affection is the cause of pain.
Q	What a wise man should do when death is very close?
A	The wise man finding death very close should meditate on him who takes off the fear of death with complete devotion and dedication.
Q	What is the purpose of day and night?
A	The ephemeral quality of the world and the self like Shiva are the purpose of day and night.
Q	What are good deeds?
A	They are good deeds that Lord Krishna loves.
Q	In whom one should doubt?
A	One should doubt the oceanic world.
Q	What are the provisions for the journey?
A	Religion is the provision for the journey.
Q	Who is a scholar?
A	He is a scholar who has learning and reasoning.
Q	What is poison?
A	Insult to elders is poison.
Q	What is enchanting like wine?
A	Affection enchants like wine.
Q	Who is a robber?
A	The sensuous group is the robber.
Q	What is the creeper that lives on others?
A	Lust for sensuousness is the creeper that depends always on others.
Q	Who is an enemy?
A	Lack of endeavor is enemy.
Q	What is instable like drops of water on a lotus leaf?
A	Youth, wealth and Age are instable like the drops of water on lotus leaves.
Q	Who is as clean as the rays of moon?
A	The saints are as clean as the rays of moon.
Q	What is hell?
A	Slavery is hell.
Q	What is pleasure?
A	Renunciation of all companies is pleasure.
Q	What is truth?
A	Truth is that which helps the living beings.
Q	What does the living being love?
A	All living beings love life.
Q	What is real charity?
A	The charity without expectation is real charity.
Q	Who is a friend?
A	He is a friend that stops one from committing a sin.
Q	What is ornament?
A	Moral character is ornament.
Q	What is the ornament of speech?
A	Truth is the ornament of speech.
Q	What is destructive?
A	Pride is destructive.
Q	What gives pleasure?
A	The friendship of gentlemen gives pleasure.
Q	Who succeeds in destroying all bad habits?
A	He succeeds who has relinquished everything.
Q	Who is blind?
A	He is blind who has indulged in bad deeds.
Q	Who is deaf?
A	He is deaf who does not listen to good advice.
Q	Who is dumb?
A	He is dumb who does not speak sweetly at right time.
Q	What is deadly?
A	Foolishness is deadly.
Q	What is precious?
A	Charity at right time is precious.
Q	What pinches till the death?
A	Secret sins pinch till the death.
Q	Who is a Sage?
A	He is a Sage who has good moral character.
Q	Who is vile?
A	He is vile who has lost his character.
Q	Who is able to win the world?
A	He is able to win the world who speaks the truth and has tolerance and forgiveness.
Q	What is grievous and sorrowful?
A	Miserliness of wealthy is grievous and sorrowful.
Q	What is praiseworthy?
A	Benevolence is praiseworthy.
Q	Who is worthy of respect among the scholars?
A	He is worthy of respect among the scholars who is gentle by nature.
Q	What are the four gentle qualities that good men usually praise?
A	Charity with sweet words; Knowledge without pride; Valour with forgiveness; and Wealth with sacrifice are the four gentle qualities that good men usually praise.
Q	What should be the aim of day and night?
A	Chanting the hymns to God should be the aim of day and night.
Q	Who is blind with eyes?
A	The atheists are blind with eyes.
Q	Whom should all remember?
A	All should always remember the God.
Q	What should the wise man not say?
A	The wise man should not say scandalous and false things.
Q	How does one get salvation?
A	One gets salvation only through devotion to God.
Q	Who is God?
A	He is God that releases from ignorance.
Q	What is ignorance?
A	The inaction of soul is ignorance.
Q	Who is illusory?
A	God is illusory.
Q	What is magical?
A	The things of the world are magical.
Q	What is dream like?
A	The awakened actions are dream like.
Q	What is truth?
A	Brahman is the truth.
Q	Who is the God present before us?
A	Mother is the God present before us.
Q	Who is respectable and like teacher?
A	Father is respectable and like a teacher.
Q	What is like all the Gods?
A	The active and wise Brahmin is like all the Gods.
Q	What is the gain from devotion to god?
A	Realisation of God and union with him or getting his abode is the gain from devotion to God.
Q	What is salvation?
A	The annihilation of ignorance is salvation.
Q	What is most important in the Vedas?
A	Omkâr is the most important in the Vedas.