Sree Narayana Guru was born in 1856 in Chempazhanthi village near Trivandrum. His parents were Madan Asan, a farmer, and Kutti Amma. His parents called him ‘Nanu’. Nanu had three sisters. His family enjoyed social respectability and economic status. At the age of five, he began his education in the neighbouring school in the old ‘Gurukula’ model. But in those days, society was in the grip of a rigid caste system and untouchability was common. ‘Madan Asan’ was also a teacher (“Asan”), learned in Sanskrit and proficient in astrology and Ayurveda.
Narayana Guru possessed a prodigious memory. He was also a quick learner. As a boy, Nanu would hear with keen interest stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata which his father narrated to the villagers. His education at home began under the supervision of his father and uncle Krishnan Vaidyan. Vaidyan was an Ayurvedic physician and a Sanskrit scholar. Narayana Guru learnt the basics of Tamil and Sanskrit. He went through the traditional subjects like Siddharupam, Balaprobhodhanam and Amarakosam.
After this elementary grounding, he studied Sanskrit under the great Sanskrit scholar Raman Pillai. He learned poetry, drama, logic, poetics and grammar from another teacher. Narayana Guru
loved solitude and contemplation. During his stay at Varanappally, he composed some hymns and devotional songs. He returned in 1881 from Varanappally and taught children for some time.
According to the custom of the time a wedding could be solemnized in the absence of the bridegroom if the bridegroom’s sister offered a thali (mangalsutra) to the bride. This was how his wedding was formallysolemnized in 1882. But then he stoppedgoing home, and soonleft his native place forever.
He became a Parivrajaka or one who wanders from place to place in quest of Truth. He spent his days in forests, caves, seashores, and in temples. When hungry, he would eat what was offered by strangers. Probably, he first met the Chattampi Swami here, and they became close friends. During this period, he met Thykkattu Ayyavu, a distinguished yoga guru of Trivandrum, and learnt yoga from him. His father died in 1884, and he had a vision of it before a messenger came bearing the news.
Narayana Guruobservedtapas and meditation in Pillathadam cave at thetop of theMaruthwamala, located nearKanyakumari. He found enlightenment here.Narayana Guru lived in this cave on a diet of berries and tubers, and water from mountain brooks. At that time, he prayed to God, conceiving him in the form of Shiva. Popular stories abound about his intimate communion with nature and animals. Soon people came to know about Narayana Guru’s meditations and began flocking to Maruthwamala.
Narayana Guru’s mission was focused on not only promoting spiritual values and character ethics but also on social issues. He tried to redress bad social customs and to remove caste discriminations corrodingthe Indian society. He concentrated on ameliorating the conditions of castes at the bottom of the system. At that time, people in Kerala had no social unity and were superstitious.
During his period of wandering as a sanyasin, Narayana Guru spent his time mostly among the lower social groups. He told them about his life’s mission. He lived among the poor and shared their food. At night he would sit on the seashore in deep meditation. Soon people thought of him as a great yogiwith miraculous powers. People of all religions respected him.
He slept in inns, wayside rest-houses and on open grounds. In this wandering period of four to five years, he saw the inequalities, injustices and evil customs in society. They influenced his later activities. During his travels, he once reached Aruvippuram in Neyyattinkara – then within a dense forest.
As many people flocked to him for healing or advice, he thought of building a Shiva temple. It was here that he built a temple in 1888. Tradition mentions that Narayana guru descended into the river and then re-emerged, holding an idol of Shiva. He stood beneath the canopy with it in his arms for three hours, totallylost in meditation, tears flowing down his cheeks. Finally, at three inthe morning, he installed the idol on the pedestal. Usually, only Brahmin priests used to install idols.
After performing the sacred rite, he installed the idol on a small rock. It is said that when priests challenged his right to consecrate, he replied: “I installed my Siva; not a Brahmin Siva.”
He instructed his disciples to place a plaque containing the following motto on the temple wall:
Devoid of dividing walls of Caste Or hatred of rival faith,
We all live here In Brotherhood,
Such,knowthisplace to be! This Model Foundation!
In 1904, Narayana Guru abandoned his wandering life and settled down in Sivagiri to continue his Sadhana. Goddess ‘Amba’ became his deity of worship. He started many schools and built many temples. He started a Sanskrit school in Varkala. Poor boys and orphans were taken under his care. They were given education regardless of caste distinctions. In 1913, he founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva. 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.
Narayana Guru gave the following ten commandments of conduct.
1. Get enlightened with education.
2. Find strength through organization.
3. Attain progress through industry.
4. Don’t speakcaste, askcaste andthink caste.
5. Think that there is only one caste, one religion and one God for mankind.
6. Whatever be the religion, it is sufficient if it is good for mankind.
7. Whatever be the difference in faith, dress or language, all humanity belongs to one caste; there is no harm in inter-caste marriage and inter-dining.
8. Do not make liquor, don’t drink it and don’t sell it.
9. Spend judiciously.
10. Man who knows dharmashould workhard fortheprogressandwell-being of his neighbour.
NarayanaGurubelievedthat men shouldlive in amityand harmony. He advocated religious tolerance and compassion. The following observations reflect his thinking in these matters.
¤ Religion of man will find its perfection only when the cult ‘Ahimsa’ preached by Lord Buddha, love by Jesus, fraternity among men by Mohammed Nabi and the philosophical thoughts of Rishis of India, find their confluence and consummation.
¤ Paganists and hot heads of multifarious religions plead for supremacy of their own religion as blind men tried to establish the identity of an elephant by touching a part of the body of the elephant. Men should study all religions with equanimity, equal frame of mind, wisdom and devotion.
¤ Let there be diversity of profession, nationality and language among men. But the Dharma
that is inherent in the hearts of all men is ‘humanism’ and that is the caste of man.
¤ Man without compassion is tantamount to a lifeless mass of flesh emanating foul stink.
¤ Ahimsa is the greatest of all virtues. One who observes the Dharma of Ahimsa is the true manifestation of goodness. One who possesses all virtues except ‘ahimsa’ is none other than a brute.
Narayana Guru was a great spiritual master. He taught religious tolerance and social harmony. His teachings have a social orientation. He was concerned about the plight of the poor and the downtrodden and worked for their welfare. In his essential spiritual practices, he followed the hallowed, sacred traditions like other great saints.