NARAYANA GURU
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(Redirected from Sree Narayana Guru)
'NÄrÄyana Guru (नारायण गà¥à¤°à¥,നാരായണ à´—àµà´°àµ)' (1856 - 1928), also known as Sree NÄrÄyana Guru Swami, was a Prophet[1] [2], saint, sage and social reformer of India. He was born into an ''Ezhava'' family, in an era when the Ezhava caste, because of its precarious position between the upper and lowest strata in the caste hierarchy, faced much social injustice. ''Gurudeva'', as he is fondly called, revolted against casteism and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and of social equality, thereby transforming the society in Kerala.
NÄrÄyana Guru is revered for his ''Vedic'' knowledge, poetic proficiency, openness to the views of others, non-violent philosophy and his unrelenting resolve to set aright social wrongs. NÄrÄyana Guru was instrumental in setting the spiritual foundations for social reform[1] in the current State of Kerala (erstwhile states of Travancore, Kochi, Malabar district of British India) and Costal Karnataka and was one of the most successful social reformers who tackled caste in India. He demonstrated a path to social emancipation without invoking the dualism of the oppressed and the oppressor.
In contrast to certain other reformers who criticised Brahmins and other upper caste Hindus for the conditions of the lower castes, NÄrÄyana Guru stressed on the uplift of a community through its own efforts by the establishment of schools and temples. In the process he brushed aside the Hindu religious conventions based upon ''Chaturvarna''. His transformation of the social face of Kerala relied on emphasizing the Advaita philosophy of Sankara.
''Chempazhanthi'' is a village twelve km to the north-east of Trivandrum. Coconut palms grow there in plenty. Palm leaves are used to cover the roofs of houses. The place is rich in vegetation. The jack fruit and the mango trees grow in abundance. There was a farmer's family called ''Vayalvaaram'' in the village. Maadan Asan was the head of the family. Kutti Amma was his wife. To this couple a male child was born on the twentieth of August in 1854. The child was named Narayanan (which normally gets a nickname ''Nanu''). Maadan was not only a farmer. He was an Asan too. Asan means 'Acharyan' - a teacher. He knew Samskrita (Sanskrit), and was a master of Astrology and Ayurveda, the system of Indian medicine. As per Nataraja Guru, the people of the village highly respected him. He used to help the rustics by advising them on many matters. As per Nataraja Guru, his dress was simple, wore a piece to wrap round the waist, and a piece to cover the upper part of the body, and usually travel with a palm-leaf umbrella. As Maadan was learned in Sanskrit, he knew well the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the great epics. He used to give talks on them in simple language once a week, sitting in the verandah of his house. The people of the village used to gather and listen to him with great interest. Nanu too would listen with interest. Sometimes when Maadan was not present, he had to give the talks himself. As per the historians, Nanu's mother was true to her name 'Kutti'- i.e., a child without a blemish. She was intelligent and full of kindness. She was ever calm in her work. NÄnu’s uncle Krishnan Vaidyan was a reputed Ayurvedic physician and Sanskrit scholar. NÄnu is said to have been initiated into traditional formal education ''Ezhuthinirithal'' under Chempazhanthi Pillai, a local schoolmaster and village officer. Besides schooling, young NÄnu continued to be educated at home, under the guidance of his father and his uncle Krishnan Vaidyan, where he was taught basics of the Tamil and Sanskrit languages and traditional subjects such as ''SiddharÅ«pam'', ''BÄlaprobhodhanam'' and ''AmarakoÅ›am''.
Biographical accounts describe NÄnu as a reticent and intelligent boy who was intensely drawn to devout worship at the ''Manackal'' temple adjacent to the ''ValyalvÄrathu'' home. The boy NÄnu is also said to have many a time criticised his own relatives for social discrimination and the apartheid-like practice of segregating children of, supposedly, lower castes in his times. He is also said to have preferred solitude for meditation and to have shown a strong aptitude for poetics and reasoning, composing hymns and singing them in praise of God. He lost his mother around the age of 15. NÄnu is thought to have spent most of his adolescent years and early youth assisting both his father, in tutoring, and his uncle in the practice of Ayurvedic medicine whilst giving the rest of the time to himself for intense devotional practices at temples nearby.[3]
As per writers who have written biography of Narayana Guru, young Nanu was slim, active and clever, and had good physique. Many biographies says, he showed great interest and excelled his companions both in studies and in games, and his writing was correct and easy to read. Impressed by this his uncle sent him for further education under an eminent scholar Kummampilli RÄman Pillai ĀśÄn of Karunagapalli, a village fifty miles away from his native place, at the age of 21. Living as a guest in a prominent family house ''Varanapallil'' near Kayankulam, NÄnu, along with other students, was tutored by this scholar in subjects like advanced Sanskrit Language and Poetry, Drama and Literary Criticism, and Logical Rhetoric. He studied the Vedas and the Upanishads. He started teaching in a school near-by.He led a pure life. He became famous as Nanu Asan. His knowledge earned him the respect of many.
Around the age of 25,Nanu returned once to his village to see his father, who was on his death bed. It was a great joy to the father to see his son after a long time. He was proud of his son who had become an Asan too. He addressed him as a Vidwan (scholar). He also desired to be fed by his sacred hands. He then was intermittently involved in running a village school for children. Whilst teaching and continuing his quest for Truth, through self-study and his own experiences in life, NÄnu ĀśÄn moved around on foot to places in the vicinity, often spending time in the confines of temples, writing poems and hymns and lecturing to village folk on philosophy and moral values.
Very little is known about the married life of Nanu Asan. In a nearby village called Chirayinkizhu, where one of his uncle, a doctor (''Visha vaidyar'') who used to cure snake bites and scorpion stings, was put up. He had a daughter ''Kaliamma''. Nanu's sisters made him agree to marry that girl. The marriage was a simple affair. Nanu was not at all interested in it. He was interested in reciting the Ramayana and explaining it to others. The sisters themselves invested the bride with the 'Thaali' (emblem of wedding) on his behalf. The bride stayed away in her parent’s house, since Nanu asan became a wanderer then. Though, Nanu used to visit his father-in-law's house often. His wife died after a few years. Hence, the marriage ended abruptly.
After the death of his father and his wife Nanu Asan continued his life of a wandering Sanyasin. He became a 'Parivrajaka' (one who wanders from place to place in quest of Truth).
During his meandering days, at the house of another Sanskrit scholar and his friend, Perunalli Krishnan Vidayar, NÄnu ĀśÄn got introduced to many learned men and peers, including Kunjan Pillai, later came know as Chattampi Swamikal. Kunjan Pillai, who discovered and appreciated NÄnu ĀśÄn’s philosophical genius and passion for Yoga, introduced him to a master of Yogic practices by the name of ''Thycaud Ayyavu''. Under the Yogi, NÄnu ĀśÄn mastered various Yogic practices including Hatha Yoga. The exposure gained from this scholastic experiences had a lasting impact on the later life and philosophy of NÄrÄyana Guru.
Guru did 'Tapas' in Pillathadam Cave in Maruthvaamalai, near Kanyakumari ( Cape Comorin). This lonely life of intense meditation, lasted for 7-8 long years. It's a still a mystery how Guru managed to live so long in the caves solely dependent on essential plants and rare herbs.
It is uncertain as to when precisely NÄnu ĀśÄn moved to his hermitage deep inside the hilly forests of MaruthwÄmala, where he is said to have subjected himself to the most austere life immersed in meditative thought, other rigorous yoga practices and extreme sustenance rituals. After an unpretentious life of over thirty years abounding in knowledge and harsh experiences, this epoch is considered the culmination of the meditative recluse; the point at which NÄrÄyana Guru is believed to have attained a state of Enlightenment.
NÄrÄyana Guru’s later literary and philosophical masterpiece ''AtmopadeÅ›a Åšatakam'' (''one hundred verses of self-instruction'', written in Malayalam circa 1897) is considered a fertile poetic expression, encapsulating the Guru’s philosophy of egalitarianism, emanating from the author’s attainment of an experienced state of primordial knowledge and quintessence of the Universe; and his ensuing ability to view the human race, from a dignified and elevated perspective, as nothing but one of a genus, in unqualified equality and without any racial, religious, caste or other discriminations whatsoever.
Learning from the sacred books and the practice of Yoga did not give peace of mind to Gurudevan. He continued his wanderings in quest of Truth. By and by, he came to a beautiful place called Aruvipuram. It was a forest area. There were hills around. A gurgling rivulet (of river Neyyar) also flowed there. As more people sought him out for healing or advice, he and his disciples felt the need for a regular temple for worshipping Shiva. At a beautiful spot near the river, he had his followers build a small canopy of coconut leaves and mango leaves over an altar on a rock jutting out in the water. The year was 1888. ''They improvised lamps with shells and arranged them in rows. They were lighted at dusk and a piper began to play devotional tunes. The whole place was soon filled with pious village folk.'' Gurudevan, who had been sitting apart and meditating all night, stood at midnight and walked into the river. As thousands watched silently (''If silence had music, the atmosphere was filled with it,'' wrote one correspondent) he descended into the river and then reemerged, holding an idol of Shiva. He stood beneath the canopy with it in his arms for three hours, totally lost in meditation, tears flowing down his cheeks. Finally, at three in the morning, he installed the idol on the pedestal. His action was the Keralite equivalent of overturning the tables of the money changers, or refusing to give up a seat on the bus. From the beginning of time, so far as anyone knew, only Brahmins had ever installed an idol. ''Yet when Gurudevan performed the sacred rite it appeared so natural for him to pick up a small rock and install it. To those who questioned the timing of the consecration saying it was not an astrologically auspicious time, he replied: ''Horoscope is to be cast after the birth of a child, not before''. He instructed to place a plaque containing a motto on the temple wall which read as:
:''Devoid of dividing walls of Caste''
:''Or hatred of rival faith'',
:''We all live here''
:''In Brotherhood'',
:''Such, know this place to be''!
:''This Model Foundation!''
A new phase began in the Guru's life in 1904. He decided to give up his wandering life and settle down in a place to continue his Sadhana (spiritual practice). He chose Sivagiri, twenty miles north of Thiruvananthapuram. Goddess 'Amba' became his deity of worship.
Next, he started a Sanskrit school in Varkala. Poor boys and orphans were taken under his care. They were given education regardless of caste distinctions. Temples were built at different places - Trichur, Kannur, Anjuthengu, Tellicherry, Calicut, Mangalore. A temple was built for Sharada Devi in 1912, at Sivagiri. Worship at such temples helped reduce to a large extent superstitious beliefs and practices.
In 1913, he founded the ''Advaita Ashram'' at Alwaye. This was an important event in his spiritual quest. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle - ''Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra'' (all men are equal in the eyes of God). This became the motto of the new Ashram.
When NÄrÄyana Guru attained the age of sixty, his birth day was observed throughout the west-coast from Mangalore to Sri Lanka. Between the years 1918 and 1923 he visited and taught in Sri Lanka. In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Alwaye. Again in 1924, a conference of all religions was held at Alwaye. The Guru stressed the need for a ''Brahma Vidyalaya'' for a comparative study of different religious faiths.
Sree NÄrÄyana Guru had many followers and disciples. Nataraja Guru, a notable disciple of Sree NÄrÄyana Guru, introduced Guru's visions and ideals to the western world. He established Narayana Gurukulam in 1923 at the Nilgiris with the blessings of NÄrÄyana Guru.
Since Adi Shankara, Sree NÄrÄyana Guru was the greatest proponent and re-evaluator of Advaita Vedanta and hailing from the same region, i.e., present day Kerala. NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy, which is fundamentally of Advaitic and non-dual wisdom in principles, further extended Advaita concepts into practical modes of self-realisation through spiritual education, compassion and peaceful co-existence among the human race, whilst promoting social equality and universal brotherhood. His philosophy of non-violence and ahimsa strongly denounced discrimination in the name of caste or religion, and emphasised focusing on education and private enterprise for the ongoing uplift of the quality of life. The Guru’s philosophy emphasised the consistency between true existence of the “common reality†on Earth and one Divine behind the creation and sustenance of the Universe, dismissing any concepts of illusory worlds.
The Guru’s philosophy is exemplified in his mystical writings that are truly interchanging warps and wefts of ethics, logic, aesthetics and metaphysics woven into masterpieces of silken rich poetry. The Guru’s literary works are in Malayalam, Sanskrit and Tamil languages, and these works are of a conceptual and aesthetic quality at par with the Upanishads.
At the time of its conception, NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy was in many respects ahead of its time and focused on a futuristic world order that could be shaped from his philosophical connotations that are underlain with transcendental aesthetics and logic embodied in knowledge and pure reason. Most of the serious scholars of NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy have been from generations beyond his lifetime; and this list keeps growing.
Concerning the caste system, Gandhi said the following to NÄrÄyana Guru: "''The caste-Hindus and the low caste-Hindus are both the sons of Hinduism. The caste-Hindu is the elder brother who shoulders responsibility, and he therefore exercises certain privileges. The low caste-Hindu is his younger brother who is to be cared for. If the elder brother turns out to be somewhat rough and aggressive that should not make the younger brother a runaway from his mother Hinduism.''"[2] NÄrÄyana Guru, however, disagreed, and voiced his tolerance for those who converted to other religions, with the argument that one should follow what one truly believes in. He also questioned the logic of Gandhi's argument, arguing that caste in India was a socio-economic issue.
Since his lifetime NÄrÄyana Guru has been conferred formal recognitions and honours by the State, intelligentsia and society. In 1901 the State Census Manual of Travancore recorded Sree NÄrÄyana as a revered “Guru†and an erudite Sanskrit scholar. A sharp drop in the statistics of the commission of crime was also attributed to the correcting and moralizing influence of NÄrÄyana Guru on the society. In 1904 the then Maharajah of Travancore exempted NÄrÄyana Guru from personal appearances in court, an honour recognizing the Guru as a distinguished living personality.
The first statue of the Guru was conceived by Moorkoth Kumaran and sculpted by an Italian sculptor Prof. Tavaroli whilst the Guru was still alive. The bronze statue, which took 14 months to complete, was installed at the Jaggannaatha temple at Thalassery and unveiled on 13th March 1927, after the consecration of the statue by Bodhananda Swamikal, the disciple and then spiritual successor-designate to NÄrÄyana Guru.
On the Guru's ''samadhi'' (passing away), the famed Jnanapith award winner poet Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup paid tribute to NÄrÄyana Guru by writing a Malayalam verse venerating the Guru as the "''Second Buddha''". Sree NÄrÄyana Guru's legacy continues to be revered at esteemed levels within social, intellectual and spiritually organised communities worldwide.
All across the State of Kerala, and outside of the State, hundreds of small chapel-like ''Guru Mandirams'' are devoted to the reverence and worship of Sree NÄrÄyana Guru. Most recently, a distinctively styled iconographic statue of NÄrÄyana Guru named the Jnana Vigraham was conceived and created by a team of artists, as a suggestive model for the future, to improve the aesthetic quality of statues of NÄrÄyana Guru kept in homes and placed in ''Guru Mandirams'' worldwide.
Although NÄrÄyana Guru built a number of temples and composed many poems in praise of popular Hindu deities, he had many followers who were atheists. This shows the Guru's tolerance of personal views and his love for humanity as a whole which was irrespective of any faith based affiliations. Some of his atheist followers in fact considered him as their icon of righteousness, whilst duly acknowledging that Narayana Guru was himself an unblemished believer in God3. For instance, one of his prominent disciples Sahodaran Ayyappan was a militant atheist and one of the founders of Yukthivadi, the first rationalist/atheist magazine in Malayalam. When Sahodaran Ayyappan modified NÄrÄyana Guru's famous catchphrase, ''Oru Jati, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam Manushyanu'' (One Caste, One Religion, One God for Humanbeing) and re-written it as ''Jati Venda, Matham Venda, Daivam Venda Manushyanu'' (No Caste, No Religion, No God for Humanbeing), the latter did not protest2.
Casteism in the first half of 20th century was so rabid that upper caste people refused to have food along with the people belonging to lower caste and "untouchable" communities. When Sahodaran Ayyappan, inspired by Narayanaguru's message of caste-less and creed-less society, launched what is called ''"Panthibhojanam"'' or community feasts participating people belonging to various castes and communities, the Ezhava lords called him ''"Pulayanaiappan"'' (''Pulaya'' was used as a derogatory term for having feast with the Pulayas, an "untouchable" community in the caste-hierarchy of Hinduism) and tried to forcibly prevent the feast. It was in this context that NÄrÄyana Guru came out in support of Sahodaran Ayyappan and sent the message reproduced alongside. Translated into English, the message reads: ''"Whatever be one's religion, costume, language etc, since their caste is the same, there is nothing wrong in having inter-marriages and community feasts".'' It is this message of Narayanaguru, which transgresses the established canons of religion, that makes him a rationalist icon.
To avoid attempts made by a section of his followers to identify him with the caste of the family he was born into, NÄrÄyana Guru was forced to state explicitly that he did not belong to any particular caste or religion. Through a message he sent in the year 1916, he proclaimed : ''It is years since I left castes and religions. Yet some people think that I belong to their caste. That is not correct. I do not belong to any particular caste or religion.''
In 1913, the Guru founded an Ashram at Alwaye. It was called ''Advaita Ashram''. This was an important event in the life of the Guru in his spiritual quest. That Ashram was dedicated to a great principle - ''Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra'' (all human beings are equal in the eyes of God). This became the motto of the new Ashram. In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Alwaye. Again in 1924, a conference of all religions was held at Alwaye. The Guru stressed the need for a ''Brahma Vidyalaya'' for the comparative study of various religious faiths. An institution called ''Narayana Gurukula'' was established at the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu by his disciple Nataraja Guru. Some time around 1914 the following happened in a temple (owned by ezhava community) festival. A small group of people sat apart from the others at a distance. They could not mix with the large group of people. They were ''untouchables'' - unfit to be touched, belonging to a ''lower'' caste than the people around! The Guru's eyes turned towards them. He then asked the speaker to stop for a while who was welcoming Gurudevan for the occasion. He beckoned two children sitting among the 'untouchables' and asked them to sit by his side, and said to himself. ''These are also God's children as everyone else is.'' He was giving an important message to world; all human beings are equal in the eyes of God.
Gurudevan visited Ceylon again in 1926. He had some moving experiences while travelling in Tamil Nadu in connection with his journey to Ceylon. While he was in Sree Ganapathi temple in heavy rain he said, "If there is anyone writing my biography, these experiences should not be missed, they should be recorded."After that journey to Ceylon, Gurudevan did not want to return. He went back only after repeated requests of his disciples and devotees.
In a message to the SNDP Yogam in 1926 Gurudevan declared, ''No community can make progress except through organization.'' He further said in that message, ''The name Ezhava does not denote a caste or a religion. Therefore people can be admitted to this organization without paying heed to differences of caste.''
On June 14, 1927 Sree Narayana Guru consecrated a mirror in a temple in Kalavankode - perhaps his last prathishta in a temple. The prathishta of the mirror is symbolic. Advaita philosophers interpret the mirror as the visible symbol of the unity of the Finite and the Infinite.
When he arrived in Kalavankode one K C Kutten approached him. There was local opposition to the consecration of a deity, Kutten informed Gurudevan.
''Bring a mirror.'' Narayana Guru instructed him. In its centre scrape out the surface to read ''Om shanti''.
He did no more prathishtas. Schools rather than temples are to be preferred, he exhorted in a dramatic shift of focus.
Gurudevan participated in the anniversary of the SNDP Yogam held at Palluruthi in 1927. It was a splendid meeting which demonstrated the sincere, devout faith of the people in Gurudevan. T.K.Madhavan was one of the chief architects of this meeting. In 1928 Gurudevan took part in the special meeting of the SNDP Yogam at Kottayam and gave away registration certificates to the branch organizations.
==Sivagiri pilgrimage==
''Sivagiri pilgrimage'' was conceived by Vallabhasseri Govindan Vaidyar and T K Kittan Writer. It was duly approved by Gurudevan on January, 1928. The setting was SNDP's Nagambadam Shiva temple. It was 3 pm and Gurudevan was resting under a mango tree when the two presented the concept of Sivagiri pilgrimage. Before giving its his blessings he set out the goals of such a pilgrimage.
He said:
"Let the pilgrims congregate at the beginning of the European New Year. It should be Dhanu 16-17 in Malayalam calendar. Let the pilgrims observe 10 days'self-purification according to Sri Buddha's principles of five purities (pancha dharma) - body, food, mind, word, deed.
He ruled that pilgrims could wear yellow clothes - the colour of the garments Sri Buddha wore.
''Let no one purchase yellow silk because we have recommended yellow garments. Not even new clothes are required on the pilgrimage. A pilgrim can dip a white garment in turmeric water and wear after drying. The pilgrimage should be conducted with simplicity and preferably be accompanied by the chanting of hymns. There should be no shouting and pilgrims should scrupulously avoid trappings of ostentation.''
To Govindan Vaidyar and Kitten Writer, Gurudevan counted on his fingers the goals of the pilgrimage, explaining how to achieve them. The goals were the promotion of
★ 1. Education
★ 2. Cleanliness
★ 3. Devotion to God
★ 4. Organisation
★ 5. Agriculture
★ 6. Trade
★ 7. Handicrafts
★ 8. Technical training
He advised them to organise a series of lectures on the themes with experts conducting them. The lectures should be listened to attentively. More important, the principles should be put into practice. Success must accompany efforts. Only then will the country and the people benefit. this must be the core purpose of Sivagiri pilgrimage.
The Palluruthi event in 1927 was the last anniversary of the Yogam which Gurudevan attended. It was also the last public function Gurudevan attended.
Gurudevan went to Vellur Mutt at Vaikom to rest. There he was taken ill. He went to Alwaye and later to Trichur for treatment. Dr. Krishnan took Gurudevan to Palghat. From there Gurudevan travelled to Madras for treatment.
The Guru became seriously ill in September 1928. He could not leave the bed for sometime. Devotees came in huge crowds to have the last Darshanam. In the same year, his devotees in many places, mostly in Kerala, Madras, Mangalore and Simhala celebrated the birthday of the Guru. His chief disciple Dr. Natarajan (later Nataraja Guru) was then in Geneva. The Guru's birthday was celebrated in that distant city of Europe also. On the twentieth of September, the Guru died at Varkala, a place which was very dear to him. His followers felt a great loss. The world too lost a truly great saint.
Thus Nanu,who became 'Chattambi','Assan', 'Yogi', 'Social Reformer', 'Guru'and 'Gurudevan' found his final resting place. Thousands of his disciples who followed him with absolute faith derived peace, spiritual strength and satisfaction.
★ ''One in kind, one in faith, One in God is man Of one same womb, one there is at all.''
★ ''All are of one Self-fraternity Such being the dictum to avow,In such a light how can we take life And devoid of least pity go on to eat''
★ ''Whichever the religion It suffices If it makes a better man.''
★ ''Ask not, Say not Think not caste''
★ ''Acts that one performs For one's own sake Should also aim for the good Of other men''
★ ''Love of others is my happiness, Love that is mine is happiness for others. And so, truly, deeds that benefit a man Must be a cause for other's happiness too.''
★ ''Grace, Love, Mercy -all the three - Stand for one same reality- Life's Star. He who loves is who really lives.''
★ ''Whatever may be the difference in men's creed, dress, language etc. because they all belong to the same kind of creation, there is no harm at all in their dining together or having marital relation withone another.''
★ ''Liquor is poison Make it not Sell it not Drink it not.''
★ ''Devoid of dividing walls Of caste or race Or hatred of rival faith We all live here In Brotherhood ''
★ Shivalingadasa Swamigal
★ Sathyavruta Swamigal
★ Chaitanya Swamigal
★ Swamy Bodhananda
★ Nataraja Guru
★ Swamy Ananda Theerthan
★ Swamy Dharma Theerthan
★ Swamy Ernest Kerk
★ Govindhananda Swami
★ Dharma Thirthar Swami
★ Atmananda swami
★ Sankarananda Swami
★ Sreenarayana Theerthar
# ''Swanubavageethi''
# ''Atmopadesa Åšatakam''
# ''Advaitha Deepika''
# ''Arivu''
# '' Daiva Desakam''
# ''Jeevakarunya Panchakam''
# ''Anukamba Dasakam''
# ''Jathi Nirnayam''
# ''Jathi Lakshanam''
# ''Sadacharam''
# ''Chijanda Chinthakam''
# ''Daiva Chintanam - 1 & 2''
# ''Athma Vilasam''
# ''Darsana Mala''
# ''Brahmavidya Panchakam''
# ''Nirvruthi Panchakam''
# ''Slokathrayi''
# ''Vedantha Suthram''
# ''Homa Manthram''
# ''Municharya Panchakam''
# ''Asramam''
# ''Dharmam''
# ''Charama Slokangal''
# ''Homa Mantram''
# ''Chidambarashtakam''
# ''Guhashtakam''
# ''Bhadrakaliashtakam''
# ''Vinayaka Ashtakam''
# ''Sree Vasudeva Ashtakam''
# ''Navamanjari''
# ''Thevarappathinkangal''
# ''Thirukural''
# ''Isavasyo Upanishad''
# ''Ozhivil Odukkam''
★ Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham
★ Sivagiri, Kerala
★ Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
★ Sree Dharma Paripalana Yogam
★ Temples built by Narayana Guru
★ M.C.Joseph
★ C.V.Kunhiraman
★ Mithavaadi Krishnan
# ''Matha virodhathinte Matham - The Religion of Irreligiousness'' BY M.C.Joseph (Page 322-325 in Narayanaguru: Ed: P.K.Balakrishnan, March 2000 (First Edition 1954) , Kerala Sahitya Academy
# See article by T.N.Jayachandran in ''Yukthireka'' (August 2004) and the book ''Charithrathe Aghadhamakkiya Guru'' by K.P.Appan (May 2005)
# See bilingual image (on the right) quoting observation by T.N.Jayachandran in his article in ''Gurupadhom'' published by Kerala Kaumudi on Guru's 150th birth anniversay celebrations(August 2004.
1. Journal of Asian and African Studies Page 35
2. Religion and Social Conflict in South Asia
3. Narayana Guru- The Social Philosopher of Kerala
★ ''The Word of the Guru : The Life and Teaching of Guru Narayana '': Nataraja Guru, D.K. Printworld, 2003, New Delhi, ISBN 81-246-0241-7
★ ''Guru - Kumaranasante Drushtiyil'' : DC Books, Kottayam, Kerala
★ ''Srinarayana Guruvinte Sampoorna Kruthikal'' (Complete Works of Sri Narayana Guru): Mathrubhoomi Publishers, Kozhikode, Kerala
★ ''Sri Narayana Guruvinte Mathavum Sivagiriyum'' (Sivagiri and the Religion of Sri Narayana Guru): K. Maheshwaran Nair
★ ''Guru'': K. Surendran (Biographical novel published in 1992, won the 1994 Vayalar Ramavarma Sahitya Award for the best literary work in Kerala): DC Books, ISBN 81-7130-253-X
★ ''Sri Narayana Guru - Jeevitham, Darsanum, Kruthikal'': Editor: K.N.Shaji, Current Books, Trissur, Kerala
★ ''Narayanaguru''- Editor: P.K.Balakrishnan (A collection of essays in Malayalam):March 2000, (First Edition 1954), Kerala Sahitya Academi, Trichur, Kerala.
★ ''Narayanam'': Perumpadavom Sreedharan (Biographical novel on Sree Narayana Guru published in 2004): Distributors: Current Books. ISBN 81-240-1427-2
★ ''The Philosophy of Narayana Guru'': Swami Muni Narayana Prasad, D.K. Printworld, 2003, New Delhi, ISBN 81-246-0236-0.
★ ''Yukthirekha'' August 2004 (Special issue commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Narayana Guru) - Dhanuvachapuram Post, Trivandrum-695503, Kerala.
★ ''Charithrathe Aghadhamakkiya Guru'' : K.P.Appan -DC Books, Kottayam -686001 (ISBN 81-264-1025-6)
★ ''Sreenarayanaguruswamy Jeevacharithram'' by K. Damodaran, 2nd ed., 2003. Publisher: Kaumudi Public Relations. (in Malayalam)
★ ''Maharshi Sreenarayanaduru'' by Dr. T. Bhaskaran. Publisher: Cultural Publication Department, Govt of Kerala, Trivandrum-14 (in Malayalam)
★ ''Sreenarayanaguru'' by Koyikkal Jacob, MA. (in Malayalam)
★ Shree Narayana Guru Mission of the UK
★ Biography of Sree Narayana Guru by Dr.S.Omana at SNDP Website
★ Narayana Gurukulam
★ Narayana Guru
★ Sree Narayana Kendra, Delhi
★ Darsana Mala
★ Sivagiri
★ The Sree Narayana Effect
★ A genius and saint
Narayana Guru
Commemorative stamp issued by the Indian Post & Telegraph Department
'NÄrÄyana Guru (नारायण गà¥à¤°à¥,നാരായണ à´—àµà´°àµ)' (1856 - 1928), also known as Sree NÄrÄyana Guru Swami, was a Prophet[1] [2], saint, sage and social reformer of India. He was born into an ''Ezhava'' family, in an era when the Ezhava caste, because of its precarious position between the upper and lowest strata in the caste hierarchy, faced much social injustice. ''Gurudeva'', as he is fondly called, revolted against casteism and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and of social equality, thereby transforming the society in Kerala.
NÄrÄyana Guru is revered for his ''Vedic'' knowledge, poetic proficiency, openness to the views of others, non-violent philosophy and his unrelenting resolve to set aright social wrongs. NÄrÄyana Guru was instrumental in setting the spiritual foundations for social reform[1] in the current State of Kerala (erstwhile states of Travancore, Kochi, Malabar district of British India) and Costal Karnataka and was one of the most successful social reformers who tackled caste in India. He demonstrated a path to social emancipation without invoking the dualism of the oppressed and the oppressor.
In contrast to certain other reformers who criticised Brahmins and other upper caste Hindus for the conditions of the lower castes, NÄrÄyana Guru stressed on the uplift of a community through its own efforts by the establishment of schools and temples. In the process he brushed aside the Hindu religious conventions based upon ''Chaturvarna''. His transformation of the social face of Kerala relied on emphasizing the Advaita philosophy of Sankara.
Family and Early life
A digitised image of a photograph taken when Narayana Guru was sixty
''Chempazhanthi'' is a village twelve km to the north-east of Trivandrum. Coconut palms grow there in plenty. Palm leaves are used to cover the roofs of houses. The place is rich in vegetation. The jack fruit and the mango trees grow in abundance. There was a farmer's family called ''Vayalvaaram'' in the village. Maadan Asan was the head of the family. Kutti Amma was his wife. To this couple a male child was born on the twentieth of August in 1854. The child was named Narayanan (which normally gets a nickname ''Nanu''). Maadan was not only a farmer. He was an Asan too. Asan means 'Acharyan' - a teacher. He knew Samskrita (Sanskrit), and was a master of Astrology and Ayurveda, the system of Indian medicine. As per Nataraja Guru, the people of the village highly respected him. He used to help the rustics by advising them on many matters. As per Nataraja Guru, his dress was simple, wore a piece to wrap round the waist, and a piece to cover the upper part of the body, and usually travel with a palm-leaf umbrella. As Maadan was learned in Sanskrit, he knew well the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the great epics. He used to give talks on them in simple language once a week, sitting in the verandah of his house. The people of the village used to gather and listen to him with great interest. Nanu too would listen with interest. Sometimes when Maadan was not present, he had to give the talks himself. As per the historians, Nanu's mother was true to her name 'Kutti'- i.e., a child without a blemish. She was intelligent and full of kindness. She was ever calm in her work. NÄnu’s uncle Krishnan Vaidyan was a reputed Ayurvedic physician and Sanskrit scholar. NÄnu is said to have been initiated into traditional formal education ''Ezhuthinirithal'' under Chempazhanthi Pillai, a local schoolmaster and village officer. Besides schooling, young NÄnu continued to be educated at home, under the guidance of his father and his uncle Krishnan Vaidyan, where he was taught basics of the Tamil and Sanskrit languages and traditional subjects such as ''SiddharÅ«pam'', ''BÄlaprobhodhanam'' and ''AmarakoÅ›am''.
Biographical accounts describe NÄnu as a reticent and intelligent boy who was intensely drawn to devout worship at the ''Manackal'' temple adjacent to the ''ValyalvÄrathu'' home. The boy NÄnu is also said to have many a time criticised his own relatives for social discrimination and the apartheid-like practice of segregating children of, supposedly, lower castes in his times. He is also said to have preferred solitude for meditation and to have shown a strong aptitude for poetics and reasoning, composing hymns and singing them in praise of God. He lost his mother around the age of 15. NÄnu is thought to have spent most of his adolescent years and early youth assisting both his father, in tutoring, and his uncle in the practice of Ayurvedic medicine whilst giving the rest of the time to himself for intense devotional practices at temples nearby.[3]
Transformation as master, yogi and seeker of truth
As per writers who have written biography of Narayana Guru, young Nanu was slim, active and clever, and had good physique. Many biographies says, he showed great interest and excelled his companions both in studies and in games, and his writing was correct and easy to read. Impressed by this his uncle sent him for further education under an eminent scholar Kummampilli RÄman Pillai ĀśÄn of Karunagapalli, a village fifty miles away from his native place, at the age of 21. Living as a guest in a prominent family house ''Varanapallil'' near Kayankulam, NÄnu, along with other students, was tutored by this scholar in subjects like advanced Sanskrit Language and Poetry, Drama and Literary Criticism, and Logical Rhetoric. He studied the Vedas and the Upanishads. He started teaching in a school near-by.He led a pure life. He became famous as Nanu Asan. His knowledge earned him the respect of many.
Around the age of 25,Nanu returned once to his village to see his father, who was on his death bed. It was a great joy to the father to see his son after a long time. He was proud of his son who had become an Asan too. He addressed him as a Vidwan (scholar). He also desired to be fed by his sacred hands. He then was intermittently involved in running a village school for children. Whilst teaching and continuing his quest for Truth, through self-study and his own experiences in life, NÄnu ĀśÄn moved around on foot to places in the vicinity, often spending time in the confines of temples, writing poems and hymns and lecturing to village folk on philosophy and moral values.
Married life
Very little is known about the married life of Nanu Asan. In a nearby village called Chirayinkizhu, where one of his uncle, a doctor (''Visha vaidyar'') who used to cure snake bites and scorpion stings, was put up. He had a daughter ''Kaliamma''. Nanu's sisters made him agree to marry that girl. The marriage was a simple affair. Nanu was not at all interested in it. He was interested in reciting the Ramayana and explaining it to others. The sisters themselves invested the bride with the 'Thaali' (emblem of wedding) on his behalf. The bride stayed away in her parent’s house, since Nanu asan became a wanderer then. Though, Nanu used to visit his father-in-law's house often. His wife died after a few years. Hence, the marriage ended abruptly.
'Parivrajaka' (A Spiritual Wanderer)
After the death of his father and his wife Nanu Asan continued his life of a wandering Sanyasin. He became a 'Parivrajaka' (one who wanders from place to place in quest of Truth).
During his meandering days, at the house of another Sanskrit scholar and his friend, Perunalli Krishnan Vidayar, NÄnu ĀśÄn got introduced to many learned men and peers, including Kunjan Pillai, later came know as Chattampi Swamikal. Kunjan Pillai, who discovered and appreciated NÄnu ĀśÄn’s philosophical genius and passion for Yoga, introduced him to a master of Yogic practices by the name of ''Thycaud Ayyavu''. Under the Yogi, NÄnu ĀśÄn mastered various Yogic practices including Hatha Yoga. The exposure gained from this scholastic experiences had a lasting impact on the later life and philosophy of NÄrÄyana Guru.
Guru did 'Tapas' in Pillathadam Cave in Maruthvaamalai, near Kanyakumari ( Cape Comorin). This lonely life of intense meditation, lasted for 7-8 long years. It's a still a mystery how Guru managed to live so long in the caves solely dependent on essential plants and rare herbs.
Enlightenment and its poetic expression
It is uncertain as to when precisely NÄnu ĀśÄn moved to his hermitage deep inside the hilly forests of MaruthwÄmala, where he is said to have subjected himself to the most austere life immersed in meditative thought, other rigorous yoga practices and extreme sustenance rituals. After an unpretentious life of over thirty years abounding in knowledge and harsh experiences, this epoch is considered the culmination of the meditative recluse; the point at which NÄrÄyana Guru is believed to have attained a state of Enlightenment.
NÄrÄyana Guru’s later literary and philosophical masterpiece ''AtmopadeÅ›a Åšatakam'' (''one hundred verses of self-instruction'', written in Malayalam circa 1897) is considered a fertile poetic expression, encapsulating the Guru’s philosophy of egalitarianism, emanating from the author’s attainment of an experienced state of primordial knowledge and quintessence of the Universe; and his ensuing ability to view the human race, from a dignified and elevated perspective, as nothing but one of a genus, in unqualified equality and without any racial, religious, caste or other discriminations whatsoever.
Consecration of ''Siva Lingam'' at Aruvippuram
Narayana Guru's Tomb at Sivagiri
Commemorative 5 rupee Coin issued by India Government Mint
Learning from the sacred books and the practice of Yoga did not give peace of mind to Gurudevan. He continued his wanderings in quest of Truth. By and by, he came to a beautiful place called Aruvipuram. It was a forest area. There were hills around. A gurgling rivulet (of river Neyyar) also flowed there. As more people sought him out for healing or advice, he and his disciples felt the need for a regular temple for worshipping Shiva. At a beautiful spot near the river, he had his followers build a small canopy of coconut leaves and mango leaves over an altar on a rock jutting out in the water. The year was 1888. ''They improvised lamps with shells and arranged them in rows. They were lighted at dusk and a piper began to play devotional tunes. The whole place was soon filled with pious village folk.'' Gurudevan, who had been sitting apart and meditating all night, stood at midnight and walked into the river. As thousands watched silently (''If silence had music, the atmosphere was filled with it,'' wrote one correspondent) he descended into the river and then reemerged, holding an idol of Shiva. He stood beneath the canopy with it in his arms for three hours, totally lost in meditation, tears flowing down his cheeks. Finally, at three in the morning, he installed the idol on the pedestal. His action was the Keralite equivalent of overturning the tables of the money changers, or refusing to give up a seat on the bus. From the beginning of time, so far as anyone knew, only Brahmins had ever installed an idol. ''Yet when Gurudevan performed the sacred rite it appeared so natural for him to pick up a small rock and install it. To those who questioned the timing of the consecration saying it was not an astrologically auspicious time, he replied: ''Horoscope is to be cast after the birth of a child, not before''. He instructed to place a plaque containing a motto on the temple wall which read as:
:''Devoid of dividing walls of Caste''
:''Or hatred of rival faith'',
:''We all live here''
:''In Brotherhood'',
:''Such, know this place to be''!
:''This Model Foundation!''
A new phase began in the Guru's life in 1904. He decided to give up his wandering life and settle down in a place to continue his Sadhana (spiritual practice). He chose Sivagiri, twenty miles north of Thiruvananthapuram. Goddess 'Amba' became his deity of worship.
Next, he started a Sanskrit school in Varkala. Poor boys and orphans were taken under his care. They were given education regardless of caste distinctions. Temples were built at different places - Trichur, Kannur, Anjuthengu, Tellicherry, Calicut, Mangalore. A temple was built for Sharada Devi in 1912, at Sivagiri. Worship at such temples helped reduce to a large extent superstitious beliefs and practices.
In 1913, he founded the ''Advaita Ashram'' at Alwaye. This was an important event in his spiritual quest. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle - ''Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra'' (all men are equal in the eyes of God). This became the motto of the new Ashram.
When NÄrÄyana Guru attained the age of sixty, his birth day was observed throughout the west-coast from Mangalore to Sri Lanka. Between the years 1918 and 1923 he visited and taught in Sri Lanka. In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Alwaye. Again in 1924, a conference of all religions was held at Alwaye. The Guru stressed the need for a ''Brahma Vidyalaya'' for a comparative study of different religious faiths.
Sree NÄrÄyana Guru had many followers and disciples. Nataraja Guru, a notable disciple of Sree NÄrÄyana Guru, introduced Guru's visions and ideals to the western world. He established Narayana Gurukulam in 1923 at the Nilgiris with the blessings of NÄrÄyana Guru.
NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy
Since Adi Shankara, Sree NÄrÄyana Guru was the greatest proponent and re-evaluator of Advaita Vedanta and hailing from the same region, i.e., present day Kerala. NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy, which is fundamentally of Advaitic and non-dual wisdom in principles, further extended Advaita concepts into practical modes of self-realisation through spiritual education, compassion and peaceful co-existence among the human race, whilst promoting social equality and universal brotherhood. His philosophy of non-violence and ahimsa strongly denounced discrimination in the name of caste or religion, and emphasised focusing on education and private enterprise for the ongoing uplift of the quality of life. The Guru’s philosophy emphasised the consistency between true existence of the “common reality†on Earth and one Divine behind the creation and sustenance of the Universe, dismissing any concepts of illusory worlds.
The Guru’s philosophy is exemplified in his mystical writings that are truly interchanging warps and wefts of ethics, logic, aesthetics and metaphysics woven into masterpieces of silken rich poetry. The Guru’s literary works are in Malayalam, Sanskrit and Tamil languages, and these works are of a conceptual and aesthetic quality at par with the Upanishads.
At the time of its conception, NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy was in many respects ahead of its time and focused on a futuristic world order that could be shaped from his philosophical connotations that are underlain with transcendental aesthetics and logic embodied in knowledge and pure reason. Most of the serious scholars of NÄrÄyana Guru’s philosophy have been from generations beyond his lifetime; and this list keeps growing.
The Guru's influence on other social thinkers
Concerning the caste system, Gandhi said the following to NÄrÄyana Guru: "''The caste-Hindus and the low caste-Hindus are both the sons of Hinduism. The caste-Hindu is the elder brother who shoulders responsibility, and he therefore exercises certain privileges. The low caste-Hindu is his younger brother who is to be cared for. If the elder brother turns out to be somewhat rough and aggressive that should not make the younger brother a runaway from his mother Hinduism.''"[2] NÄrÄyana Guru, however, disagreed, and voiced his tolerance for those who converted to other religions, with the argument that one should follow what one truly believes in. He also questioned the logic of Gandhi's argument, arguing that caste in India was a socio-economic issue.
Public acceptance, honours and veneration
The first Jnana Vigraham of Narayana Guru
Since his lifetime NÄrÄyana Guru has been conferred formal recognitions and honours by the State, intelligentsia and society. In 1901 the State Census Manual of Travancore recorded Sree NÄrÄyana as a revered “Guru†and an erudite Sanskrit scholar. A sharp drop in the statistics of the commission of crime was also attributed to the correcting and moralizing influence of NÄrÄyana Guru on the society. In 1904 the then Maharajah of Travancore exempted NÄrÄyana Guru from personal appearances in court, an honour recognizing the Guru as a distinguished living personality.
The first statue of the Guru was conceived by Moorkoth Kumaran and sculpted by an Italian sculptor Prof. Tavaroli whilst the Guru was still alive. The bronze statue, which took 14 months to complete, was installed at the Jaggannaatha temple at Thalassery and unveiled on 13th March 1927, after the consecration of the statue by Bodhananda Swamikal, the disciple and then spiritual successor-designate to NÄrÄyana Guru.
On the Guru's ''samadhi'' (passing away), the famed Jnanapith award winner poet Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup paid tribute to NÄrÄyana Guru by writing a Malayalam verse venerating the Guru as the "''Second Buddha''". Sree NÄrÄyana Guru's legacy continues to be revered at esteemed levels within social, intellectual and spiritually organised communities worldwide.
All across the State of Kerala, and outside of the State, hundreds of small chapel-like ''Guru Mandirams'' are devoted to the reverence and worship of Sree NÄrÄyana Guru. Most recently, a distinctively styled iconographic statue of NÄrÄyana Guru named the Jnana Vigraham was conceived and created by a team of artists, as a suggestive model for the future, to improve the aesthetic quality of statues of NÄrÄyana Guru kept in homes and placed in ''Guru Mandirams'' worldwide.
Tolerance of rationalism and atheism
A message sent by NÄrÄyana Guru to ''Sahodarasangham'' during their annual conference - May 15, 1921
Although NÄrÄyana Guru built a number of temples and composed many poems in praise of popular Hindu deities, he had many followers who were atheists. This shows the Guru's tolerance of personal views and his love for humanity as a whole which was irrespective of any faith based affiliations. Some of his atheist followers in fact considered him as their icon of righteousness, whilst duly acknowledging that Narayana Guru was himself an unblemished believer in God3. For instance, one of his prominent disciples Sahodaran Ayyappan was a militant atheist and one of the founders of Yukthivadi, the first rationalist/atheist magazine in Malayalam. When Sahodaran Ayyappan modified NÄrÄyana Guru's famous catchphrase, ''Oru Jati, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam Manushyanu'' (One Caste, One Religion, One God for Humanbeing) and re-written it as ''Jati Venda, Matham Venda, Daivam Venda Manushyanu'' (No Caste, No Religion, No God for Humanbeing), the latter did not protest2.
Casteism in the first half of 20th century was so rabid that upper caste people refused to have food along with the people belonging to lower caste and "untouchable" communities. When Sahodaran Ayyappan, inspired by Narayanaguru's message of caste-less and creed-less society, launched what is called ''"Panthibhojanam"'' or community feasts participating people belonging to various castes and communities, the Ezhava lords called him ''"Pulayanaiappan"'' (''Pulaya'' was used as a derogatory term for having feast with the Pulayas, an "untouchable" community in the caste-hierarchy of Hinduism) and tried to forcibly prevent the feast. It was in this context that NÄrÄyana Guru came out in support of Sahodaran Ayyappan and sent the message reproduced alongside. Translated into English, the message reads: ''"Whatever be one's religion, costume, language etc, since their caste is the same, there is nothing wrong in having inter-marriages and community feasts".'' It is this message of Narayanaguru, which transgresses the established canons of religion, that makes him a rationalist icon.
To avoid attempts made by a section of his followers to identify him with the caste of the family he was born into, NÄrÄyana Guru was forced to state explicitly that he did not belong to any particular caste or religion. Through a message he sent in the year 1916, he proclaimed : ''It is years since I left castes and religions. Yet some people think that I belong to their caste. That is not correct. I do not belong to any particular caste or religion.''
Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra (The Brotherhood of All)
In 1913, the Guru founded an Ashram at Alwaye. It was called ''Advaita Ashram''. This was an important event in the life of the Guru in his spiritual quest. That Ashram was dedicated to a great principle - ''Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra'' (all human beings are equal in the eyes of God). This became the motto of the new Ashram. In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Alwaye. Again in 1924, a conference of all religions was held at Alwaye. The Guru stressed the need for a ''Brahma Vidyalaya'' for the comparative study of various religious faiths. An institution called ''Narayana Gurukula'' was established at the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu by his disciple Nataraja Guru. Some time around 1914 the following happened in a temple (owned by ezhava community) festival. A small group of people sat apart from the others at a distance. They could not mix with the large group of people. They were ''untouchables'' - unfit to be touched, belonging to a ''lower'' caste than the people around! The Guru's eyes turned towards them. He then asked the speaker to stop for a while who was welcoming Gurudevan for the occasion. He beckoned two children sitting among the 'untouchables' and asked them to sit by his side, and said to himself. ''These are also God's children as everyone else is.'' He was giving an important message to world; all human beings are equal in the eyes of God.
Final Ceylon Journey
Gurudevan visited Ceylon again in 1926. He had some moving experiences while travelling in Tamil Nadu in connection with his journey to Ceylon. While he was in Sree Ganapathi temple in heavy rain he said, "If there is anyone writing my biography, these experiences should not be missed, they should be recorded."After that journey to Ceylon, Gurudevan did not want to return. He went back only after repeated requests of his disciples and devotees.
Message to Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam
In a message to the SNDP Yogam in 1926 Gurudevan declared, ''No community can make progress except through organization.'' He further said in that message, ''The name Ezhava does not denote a caste or a religion. Therefore people can be admitted to this organization without paying heed to differences of caste.''
On June 14, 1927 Sree Narayana Guru consecrated a mirror in a temple in Kalavankode - perhaps his last prathishta in a temple. The prathishta of the mirror is symbolic. Advaita philosophers interpret the mirror as the visible symbol of the unity of the Finite and the Infinite.
When he arrived in Kalavankode one K C Kutten approached him. There was local opposition to the consecration of a deity, Kutten informed Gurudevan.
''Bring a mirror.'' Narayana Guru instructed him. In its centre scrape out the surface to read ''Om shanti''.
He did no more prathishtas. Schools rather than temples are to be preferred, he exhorted in a dramatic shift of focus.
Gurudevan participated in the anniversary of the SNDP Yogam held at Palluruthi in 1927. It was a splendid meeting which demonstrated the sincere, devout faith of the people in Gurudevan. T.K.Madhavan was one of the chief architects of this meeting. In 1928 Gurudevan took part in the special meeting of the SNDP Yogam at Kottayam and gave away registration certificates to the branch organizations.
==Sivagiri pilgrimage==
''Sivagiri pilgrimage'' was conceived by Vallabhasseri Govindan Vaidyar and T K Kittan Writer. It was duly approved by Gurudevan on January, 1928. The setting was SNDP's Nagambadam Shiva temple. It was 3 pm and Gurudevan was resting under a mango tree when the two presented the concept of Sivagiri pilgrimage. Before giving its his blessings he set out the goals of such a pilgrimage.
He said:
"Let the pilgrims congregate at the beginning of the European New Year. It should be Dhanu 16-17 in Malayalam calendar. Let the pilgrims observe 10 days'self-purification according to Sri Buddha's principles of five purities (pancha dharma) - body, food, mind, word, deed.
He ruled that pilgrims could wear yellow clothes - the colour of the garments Sri Buddha wore.
''Let no one purchase yellow silk because we have recommended yellow garments. Not even new clothes are required on the pilgrimage. A pilgrim can dip a white garment in turmeric water and wear after drying. The pilgrimage should be conducted with simplicity and preferably be accompanied by the chanting of hymns. There should be no shouting and pilgrims should scrupulously avoid trappings of ostentation.''
To Govindan Vaidyar and Kitten Writer, Gurudevan counted on his fingers the goals of the pilgrimage, explaining how to achieve them. The goals were the promotion of
★ 1. Education
★ 2. Cleanliness
★ 3. Devotion to God
★ 4. Organisation
★ 5. Agriculture
★ 6. Trade
★ 7. Handicrafts
★ 8. Technical training
He advised them to organise a series of lectures on the themes with experts conducting them. The lectures should be listened to attentively. More important, the principles should be put into practice. Success must accompany efforts. Only then will the country and the people benefit. this must be the core purpose of Sivagiri pilgrimage.
The Palluruthi event in 1927 was the last anniversary of the Yogam which Gurudevan attended. It was also the last public function Gurudevan attended.
Gurudevan went to Vellur Mutt at Vaikom to rest. There he was taken ill. He went to Alwaye and later to Trichur for treatment. Dr. Krishnan took Gurudevan to Palghat. From there Gurudevan travelled to Madras for treatment.
Passing Away of Guru
The Guru became seriously ill in September 1928. He could not leave the bed for sometime. Devotees came in huge crowds to have the last Darshanam. In the same year, his devotees in many places, mostly in Kerala, Madras, Mangalore and Simhala celebrated the birthday of the Guru. His chief disciple Dr. Natarajan (later Nataraja Guru) was then in Geneva. The Guru's birthday was celebrated in that distant city of Europe also. On the twentieth of September, the Guru died at Varkala, a place which was very dear to him. His followers felt a great loss. The world too lost a truly great saint.
Thus Nanu,who became 'Chattambi','Assan', 'Yogi', 'Social Reformer', 'Guru'and 'Gurudevan' found his final resting place. Thousands of his disciples who followed him with absolute faith derived peace, spiritual strength and satisfaction.
Guru'S Famous Teachings
★ ''One in kind, one in faith, One in God is man Of one same womb, one there is at all.''
★ ''All are of one Self-fraternity Such being the dictum to avow,In such a light how can we take life And devoid of least pity go on to eat''
★ ''Whichever the religion It suffices If it makes a better man.''
★ ''Ask not, Say not Think not caste''
★ ''Acts that one performs For one's own sake Should also aim for the good Of other men''
★ ''Love of others is my happiness, Love that is mine is happiness for others. And so, truly, deeds that benefit a man Must be a cause for other's happiness too.''
★ ''Grace, Love, Mercy -all the three - Stand for one same reality- Life's Star. He who loves is who really lives.''
★ ''Whatever may be the difference in men's creed, dress, language etc. because they all belong to the same kind of creation, there is no harm at all in their dining together or having marital relation withone another.''
★ ''Liquor is poison Make it not Sell it not Drink it not.''
★ ''Devoid of dividing walls Of caste or race Or hatred of rival faith We all live here In Brotherhood ''
Saint Disciples Of Guru
★ Shivalingadasa Swamigal
★ Sathyavruta Swamigal
★ Chaitanya Swamigal
★ Swamy Bodhananda
★ Nataraja Guru
★ Swamy Ananda Theerthan
★ Swamy Dharma Theerthan
★ Swamy Ernest Kerk
★ Govindhananda Swami
★ Dharma Thirthar Swami
★ Atmananda swami
★ Sankarananda Swami
★ Sreenarayana Theerthar
Works
In Malayalam
# ''Swanubavageethi''
# ''Atmopadesa Åšatakam''
# ''Advaitha Deepika''
# ''Arivu''
# '' Daiva Desakam''
# ''Jeevakarunya Panchakam''
# ''Anukamba Dasakam''
# ''Jathi Nirnayam''
# ''Jathi Lakshanam''
# ''Sadacharam''
# ''Chijanda Chinthakam''
# ''Daiva Chintanam - 1 & 2''
# ''Athma Vilasam''
In Sanskrit
# ''Darsana Mala''
# ''Brahmavidya Panchakam''
# ''Nirvruthi Panchakam''
# ''Slokathrayi''
# ''Vedantha Suthram''
# ''Homa Manthram''
# ''Municharya Panchakam''
# ''Asramam''
# ''Dharmam''
# ''Charama Slokangal''
# ''Homa Mantram''
# ''Chidambarashtakam''
# ''Guhashtakam''
# ''Bhadrakaliashtakam''
# ''Vinayaka Ashtakam''
# ''Sree Vasudeva Ashtakam''
# ''Navamanjari''
In Tamil
# ''Thevarappathinkangal''
Translations
# ''Thirukural''
# ''Isavasyo Upanishad''
# ''Ozhivil Odukkam''
See also
★ Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham
★ Sivagiri, Kerala
★ Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
★ Sree Dharma Paripalana Yogam
★ Temples built by Narayana Guru
★ M.C.Joseph
★ C.V.Kunhiraman
★ Mithavaadi Krishnan
Notes
TN Jayachandran’s observation on the Guru’s staunch theism
# ''Matha virodhathinte Matham - The Religion of Irreligiousness'' BY M.C.Joseph (Page 322-325 in Narayanaguru: Ed: P.K.Balakrishnan, March 2000 (First Edition 1954) , Kerala Sahitya Academy
# See article by T.N.Jayachandran in ''Yukthireka'' (August 2004) and the book ''Charithrathe Aghadhamakkiya Guru'' by K.P.Appan (May 2005)
# See bilingual image (on the right) quoting observation by T.N.Jayachandran in his article in ''Gurupadhom'' published by Kerala Kaumudi on Guru's 150th birth anniversay celebrations(August 2004.
Footnotes
1. Journal of Asian and African Studies Page 35
2. Religion and Social Conflict in South Asia
3. Narayana Guru- The Social Philosopher of Kerala
Bibiliography / References
★ ''The Word of the Guru : The Life and Teaching of Guru Narayana '': Nataraja Guru, D.K. Printworld, 2003, New Delhi, ISBN 81-246-0241-7
★ ''Guru - Kumaranasante Drushtiyil'' : DC Books, Kottayam, Kerala
★ ''Srinarayana Guruvinte Sampoorna Kruthikal'' (Complete Works of Sri Narayana Guru): Mathrubhoomi Publishers, Kozhikode, Kerala
★ ''Sri Narayana Guruvinte Mathavum Sivagiriyum'' (Sivagiri and the Religion of Sri Narayana Guru): K. Maheshwaran Nair
★ ''Guru'': K. Surendran (Biographical novel published in 1992, won the 1994 Vayalar Ramavarma Sahitya Award for the best literary work in Kerala): DC Books, ISBN 81-7130-253-X
★ ''Sri Narayana Guru - Jeevitham, Darsanum, Kruthikal'': Editor: K.N.Shaji, Current Books, Trissur, Kerala
★ ''Narayanaguru''- Editor: P.K.Balakrishnan (A collection of essays in Malayalam):March 2000, (First Edition 1954), Kerala Sahitya Academi, Trichur, Kerala.
★ ''Narayanam'': Perumpadavom Sreedharan (Biographical novel on Sree Narayana Guru published in 2004): Distributors: Current Books. ISBN 81-240-1427-2
★ ''The Philosophy of Narayana Guru'': Swami Muni Narayana Prasad, D.K. Printworld, 2003, New Delhi, ISBN 81-246-0236-0.
★ ''Yukthirekha'' August 2004 (Special issue commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Narayana Guru) - Dhanuvachapuram Post, Trivandrum-695503, Kerala.
★ ''Charithrathe Aghadhamakkiya Guru'' : K.P.Appan -DC Books, Kottayam -686001 (ISBN 81-264-1025-6)
★ ''Sreenarayanaguruswamy Jeevacharithram'' by K. Damodaran, 2nd ed., 2003. Publisher: Kaumudi Public Relations. (in Malayalam)
★ ''Maharshi Sreenarayanaduru'' by Dr. T. Bhaskaran. Publisher: Cultural Publication Department, Govt of Kerala, Trivandrum-14 (in Malayalam)
★ ''Sreenarayanaguru'' by Koyikkal Jacob, MA. (in Malayalam)
External links
★ Shree Narayana Guru Mission of the UK
★ Biography of Sree Narayana Guru by Dr.S.Omana at SNDP Website
★ Narayana Gurukulam
★ Narayana Guru
★ Sree Narayana Kendra, Delhi
★ Darsana Mala
★ Sivagiri
★ The Sree Narayana Effect
★ A genius and saint
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