ABOUT SREE NARAYANA GURUDEVAN
Sree Narayana Guru - 1856-1928
Sree Narayana Guru (28 August 1855 – 20 September 1928) was a philosopher, spiritual leader, renowned poet, and social reformer in India. Guru led a reform movement against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala in order to promote spiritual enlightenment and social equality. A quote of his that defined his movement was "one caste, one religion, and one god for all human beings." He is the author of 65+ works including Atmopadesha satakam, Darshana mala , AdvaitaDeepika, Daiva Dasakam, etc. Daiva Dashakam is one of the most used poem in Kerala for community prayer.
Narayanan, alias Nanu, was born on 28 August 1855 to Madan Asan and Kuttiyamma in a family of ayurvedic physicians, in f Chempazhanthy near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Unlike other students,, who confined their Sanskrit reading to ayurvedic works, Narayana Guru studied religious texts as well.[7] His early education was in the Gurukula way under Chempazhanthi Mootha Pillai..
At the age of 21, He went to central Travancore to learn from Raman Pillai Asan, a Sanskrit scholar who taught Him Vedas, Upanishads and the literature and logical rhetoric of Sanskrit. He started some local (Kudipallikoodam) schools in His native place to educate the people who are considered as lower strata of Society, earned him the name Nanu Asan. , Leaving home, he traveled through Kerala and Tamil Nadu and it was during these journeys, he met Chattampi Swamikal, a religious reformer, who introduced Nanu to Ayyavu Swamikal from whom He learned meditation and yoga.[8] Later, he continued his wanderings until he reached the “Pillathadam cave” at Maruthwamala , area was secluded with heavy forest and inhabited with wild life . Narayana set up a hermitage and practiced meditation for the next eight years and attained enlightenment. And became Narayana “GURU,”
After attaining the “ENLIGHTMENT” Guru moved to Aruvippuram and spent time meditating in a cave ( in Kodithookkimala) near the Nayyar River. It was a dense forest with lot of wild animals and inaccessible to common man. At Aruvippuram Guru met His first and one of his prominent disciples, Sivalingadasa Swamikal. During this time, a lot of people from all walks of life visited and got blessings for their ailments and other problems. In 1888 SIVARATHRY DAY GURU consecrated The Famous Siva Idol, picked from the deepest part of the Neyyar River, a whirlpool sinkhole known as 'Sankaran Kuzhi'. The act, which later came to be known as Aruvipuram Pratishta, created a social commotion among the upper caste Brahmins who questioned Guru's right to consecrate the idol. His reply to them that "This is not a Brahmin Shiva but an Ezhava Shiva"] later became a famous quote, used against casteism. In Aravippuram, Guru posted His aim “ to create a world with no Barriers of Caste , Religions or such things” . Until His Maha Samadhi Guru worked hard to create a world devoid of divisions , being a living example of “Advitha” It was here, the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam) was founded on 15 May 1903 by the efforts of Padmanabhan Palpu with Narayana Guru as its founder president. While living at Aravippuram Guru composed a lot of Vedic works.
Guru then shifted His base to Sivagiri, near Varkala in 1904 where he opened a school for children from the lower strata of the society and provided free education to them without considering their caste. By this time Guru had a lot of disciples both Sanyasi and House hold people. Sivagiri Mutt became the center of attraction to everyone in then Travancore, Kochi and Madras . The Sarada Mutt was built in 1912 for the “ Goddess of Wisdom.” Guru also built temples in other places such as Vakkom, anchuthengu Kunnumpara, Kolathur in Travancore, , Cherthala in Alappuzha Thrissur, Thalassery, Kozhikode, and Mangalore and it took him to many places including Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) where he made his final visit in 1926.
Gurudevan travelled almost everywhere in South India and Ceylon , organized a lot of activities to improve the lives of Millions of People , took a lead role to improve the social and religious harmony . educate people, created a lot of temples and Mutts to propagate Guru’s Philosophy, started industrial units to give employment and alleviate poverty, conducted the second All Religious Conference at Alava, Organized the First Industrial and agricultural Exhibition in Kollam in connection with the SNDP Yogam 2nd Anniversary , opened a large number of schools for all sections of society . Guided to Organize First Labor Organization in Alappuzha, , Also the first Chitty system in India , Banking (Cochin Bank by Swami Bodhananda), improved the social life by banning child marriage , killing of animal for deities, and countless activities.
Guru wrote Poems, verses, and other Mantras in three languages – Sanskrit, Malayalam and Tamil, also translated Upanishad, and Thirukural. Which shows the unparallel Philosophy of Guru. Daivadahskam is translated to 100 + languages and now a lot of researches going on in Guru’s contributions.
Guru supported the development of a big army of Social reformers, parliamentarians, Poets, Political leaders, Free thinkers and activists like swami Bodhananda, Swami Ananda Thither , Dr P Palpu, N Kumaran Asan ,Mooloor Padmanabhan Panicker, T K Madhavan , Moorkothu Kumaran, C Krishnan, Sahodaran Ayyappan, C Kesavan ,CV Kunju Raman, . R Sankar etch, etc.
Guru’s vision was attracted by a lot of Noble personalities in India and outside, they include Rabindranath Tagore. Mahatma Gandhi, Acharya Vonbha Bhave,, CF Andrews, C Rajagopalachari, Swami Sradhananda, Sir CP, Ulloor Parameswara Ayer etc. The Maha samadhi of Guru at Sivagiri Mutt is still one of the most holy places in India and visited by millions of people including the Presidents and Prime Ministers of India
Early followers of Guru tried selflessly to implement Guru’s vision of Casteless society. Guru’s Slogan like “strengthen Through organization, Become wise through Education, Liquor is Poison, don’t make it, don’t give it and don’t take it” “Never ask Caste, never Say Caste or Never Think about Caste” etc. In 1928 Guru attended a meeting at Nagampadam, Kottayam to distribute Registration Certificate to SNDP Yogam Branches including the first 25 in Kuttanadu, and the First SNDP Union in Kuttanadu (ALAPPUZHA) which was the last public function Guru attended. Guru also gave permission to start well-known Sivagiri Pilgrimages in 1928 with 8 objectives, which are the pillars of modern life. They include Education, Sanitation, Believe in Almighty, Organization, Cultivation, Business, Handicrafts, and technology .
Guru became ill and underwent treatment at places such as Aluva, Thrissur, Palakkad, and finally in Chennai; the physicians attended to him included Ayurvedic physicians like Cholayil Mami Vaidyar, Panappally Krishnan Vaidyar and Thycauttu Divakaran Moos as well as allopathic physicians viz. . Krishnan Thampi, Panicker, Palpu and a European physician by name, Samrawell etc. Guru returned to Sivagiri Mutt and attained MAHASAMADHI on 20th September 1928, at the age of 73.
Guru was a light to the darkened society by caste divisions, malicious customs and other ignorance, Guru’s selfless effort to enlighten everyone without any rivalry among people was a unique example in world history .
Sree Narayana Guru (28 August 1855 – 20 September 1928) was a philosopher, spiritual leader, renowned poet, and social reformer in India. Guru led a reform movement against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala in order to promote spiritual enlightenment and social equality. A quote of his that defined his movement was "one caste, one religion, and one god for all human beings." He is the author of 65+ works including Atmopadesha satakam, Darshana mala , AdvaitaDeepika, Daiva Dasakam, etc. Daiva Dashakam is one of the most used poem in Kerala for community prayer.
Narayanan, alias Nanu, was born on 28 August 1855 to Madan Asan and Kuttiyamma in a family of ayurvedic physicians, in f Chempazhanthy near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Unlike other students,, who confined their Sanskrit reading to ayurvedic works, Narayana Guru studied religious texts as well.[7] His early education was in the Gurukula way under Chempazhanthi Mootha Pillai..
At the age of 21, He went to central Travancore to learn from Raman Pillai Asan, a Sanskrit scholar who taught Him Vedas, Upanishads and the literature and logical rhetoric of Sanskrit. He started some local (Kudipallikoodam) schools in His native place to educate the people who are considered as lower strata of Society, earned him the name Nanu Asan. , Leaving home, he traveled through Kerala and Tamil Nadu and it was during these journeys, he met Chattampi Swamikal, a religious reformer, who introduced Nanu to Ayyavu Swamikal from whom He learned meditation and yoga.[8] Later, he continued his wanderings until he reached the “Pillathadam cave” at Maruthwamala , area was secluded with heavy forest and inhabited with wild life . Narayana set up a hermitage and practiced meditation for the next eight years and attained enlightenment. And became Narayana “GURU,”
After attaining the “ENLIGHTMENT” Guru moved to Aruvippuram and spent time meditating in a cave ( in Kodithookkimala) near the Nayyar River. It was a dense forest with lot of wild animals and inaccessible to common man. At Aruvippuram Guru met His first and one of his prominent disciples, Sivalingadasa Swamikal. During this time, a lot of people from all walks of life visited and got blessings for their ailments and other problems. In 1888 SIVARATHRY DAY GURU consecrated The Famous Siva Idol, picked from the deepest part of the Neyyar River, a whirlpool sinkhole known as 'Sankaran Kuzhi'. The act, which later came to be known as Aruvipuram Pratishta, created a social commotion among the upper caste Brahmins who questioned Guru's right to consecrate the idol. His reply to them that "This is not a Brahmin Shiva but an Ezhava Shiva"] later became a famous quote, used against casteism. In Aravippuram, Guru posted His aim “ to create a world with no Barriers of Caste , Religions or such things” . Until His Maha Samadhi Guru worked hard to create a world devoid of divisions , being a living example of “Advitha” It was here, the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam) was founded on 15 May 1903 by the efforts of Padmanabhan Palpu with Narayana Guru as its founder president. While living at Aravippuram Guru composed a lot of Vedic works.
Guru then shifted His base to Sivagiri, near Varkala in 1904 where he opened a school for children from the lower strata of the society and provided free education to them without considering their caste. By this time Guru had a lot of disciples both Sanyasi and House hold people. Sivagiri Mutt became the center of attraction to everyone in then Travancore, Kochi and Madras . The Sarada Mutt was built in 1912 for the “ Goddess of Wisdom.” Guru also built temples in other places such as Vakkom, anchuthengu Kunnumpara, Kolathur in Travancore, , Cherthala in Alappuzha Thrissur, Thalassery, Kozhikode, and Mangalore and it took him to many places including Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) where he made his final visit in 1926.
Gurudevan travelled almost everywhere in South India and Ceylon , organized a lot of activities to improve the lives of Millions of People , took a lead role to improve the social and religious harmony . educate people, created a lot of temples and Mutts to propagate Guru’s Philosophy, started industrial units to give employment and alleviate poverty, conducted the second All Religious Conference at Alava, Organized the First Industrial and agricultural Exhibition in Kollam in connection with the SNDP Yogam 2nd Anniversary , opened a large number of schools for all sections of society . Guided to Organize First Labor Organization in Alappuzha, , Also the first Chitty system in India , Banking (Cochin Bank by Swami Bodhananda), improved the social life by banning child marriage , killing of animal for deities, and countless activities.
Guru wrote Poems, verses, and other Mantras in three languages – Sanskrit, Malayalam and Tamil, also translated Upanishad, and Thirukural. Which shows the unparallel Philosophy of Guru. Daivadahskam is translated to 100 + languages and now a lot of researches going on in Guru’s contributions.
Guru supported the development of a big army of Social reformers, parliamentarians, Poets, Political leaders, Free thinkers and activists like swami Bodhananda, Swami Ananda Thither , Dr P Palpu, N Kumaran Asan ,Mooloor Padmanabhan Panicker, T K Madhavan , Moorkothu Kumaran, C Krishnan, Sahodaran Ayyappan, C Kesavan ,CV Kunju Raman, . R Sankar etch, etc.
Guru’s vision was attracted by a lot of Noble personalities in India and outside, they include Rabindranath Tagore. Mahatma Gandhi, Acharya Vonbha Bhave,, CF Andrews, C Rajagopalachari, Swami Sradhananda, Sir CP, Ulloor Parameswara Ayer etc. The Maha samadhi of Guru at Sivagiri Mutt is still one of the most holy places in India and visited by millions of people including the Presidents and Prime Ministers of India
Early followers of Guru tried selflessly to implement Guru’s vision of Casteless society. Guru’s Slogan like “strengthen Through organization, Become wise through Education, Liquor is Poison, don’t make it, don’t give it and don’t take it” “Never ask Caste, never Say Caste or Never Think about Caste” etc. In 1928 Guru attended a meeting at Nagampadam, Kottayam to distribute Registration Certificate to SNDP Yogam Branches including the first 25 in Kuttanadu, and the First SNDP Union in Kuttanadu (ALAPPUZHA) which was the last public function Guru attended. Guru also gave permission to start well-known Sivagiri Pilgrimages in 1928 with 8 objectives, which are the pillars of modern life. They include Education, Sanitation, Believe in Almighty, Organization, Cultivation, Business, Handicrafts, and technology .
Guru became ill and underwent treatment at places such as Aluva, Thrissur, Palakkad, and finally in Chennai; the physicians attended to him included Ayurvedic physicians like Cholayil Mami Vaidyar, Panappally Krishnan Vaidyar and Thycauttu Divakaran Moos as well as allopathic physicians viz. . Krishnan Thampi, Panicker, Palpu and a European physician by name, Samrawell etc. Guru returned to Sivagiri Mutt and attained MAHASAMADHI on 20th September 1928, at the age of 73.
Guru was a light to the darkened society by caste divisions, malicious customs and other ignorance, Guru’s selfless effort to enlighten everyone without any rivalry among people was a unique example in world history .
Sivagiri Mutt
This is the place where Sree Narayana Guru's tomb is located and place where guru was enlightend and got the salvation. The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru here attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days 30th December to 1st January. The Sivagiri Mutt, built in 1904, is situated at the top of the Sivagiri hill near Varkala. Even decades after the guru breathed his last here in 1928; Gurudevan's samadhi continues to be thronged by thousands of devotees, donned in yellow attire, from different parts of Kerala and outside. The Sivagiri Mutt is also the headquarters of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham, an organization of his disciples and saints, established by the Guru.
This is the place where Sree Narayana Guru's tomb is located and place where guru was enlightend and got the salvation. The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru here attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days 30th December to 1st January. The Sivagiri Mutt, built in 1904, is situated at the top of the Sivagiri hill near Varkala. Even decades after the guru breathed his last here in 1928; Gurudevan's samadhi continues to be thronged by thousands of devotees, donned in yellow attire, from different parts of Kerala and outside. The Sivagiri Mutt is also the headquarters of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham, an organization of his disciples and saints, established by the Guru.
