Life Sketch:

In August 1856 when a child was born in a humble cottage in the pretty hamlet of Chempazhanthi near Trivandrum, no one knew it would mark the dawn of the most remarkable epoch in the social evolution of Kerala. This child was to blossom forth as the great sage Sree Narayana, the most revolutionary social reformer Kerala has produced.

Ezhavas or Thiyyas are the largest non-caste Hindu community in Kerala. Sree Narayana was born into a middle class family of this community. His parents, ‘Madan Asan’ and ‘Kutty Amma’ endearingly called him ‘Nanu’. At the age of five, he began his education in the neighboring school in the old “Gurukula” model. After his elementary education in this school, he became the disciple of a great Sanskrit scholar ‘Raman Pillai Asan’ of Puthuppally in Central Travancore. Under his master’s tutelage, he became well versed in Sanskrit classics. For some time he too functioned as an ‘Asan’, a teacher of infant pupils. Thus he came to be known as ‘Nanu Asan’.

Sree Narayana’s mind was always agitated by a spiritual urge that induced him along with a fellow-spiritualist renowned as ‘Chattampi Swami’, to become the disciple of a man named Ayyavu, the then Superintendent of the British Residency in Trivandrum from whom he learned Yoga. At the age of twenty-three he left his family, renounced the pleasures of his world and wandered about as an “avadhutha” or mendicant, keeping his body and soul together by the alms he received from all sorts of people. Soon human eyes detected the “Sanyasin” and devotees began to gather around him at Aruvippurm, the seat of his meditation.

In due course the sage emerged from his retreat and like Buddha, came out to shed light onto a world of darkness. Thus began his crusade against social inequality and other iniquities.

In those days, the foundation and consecration of a Hindu temple was the exclusive monopoly of the Brahmins. Sree Narayana’s first revolutionary act was the challenge thrown against this monopoly, by consecrating temples. The first in this line was the temple dedicated to Shiva in Aruvippuram in 1888 A.D. In the temple is inscribed in Malayalam the following ideal, which epitomizes the Sree Narayana creed. “This is the ideal place Where all live in full harmony Without distinction of Caste or prejudice of Creed”.

The people of the Ezhava community were the first to be awakened by the teachings of Sree Narayana and to be inspired into a spirit of mass militancy to eradicate their social disabilities. This was partly because the great Guru was born in that community and partly because the Ezhavas constituted the largest single community among the downtrodden masses in Kerala. Thus the Ezhavas came to have their own temples on the model of caste-Hindu temples that denied them admission, and in their temples they could worship the deities until then monopolized by caste Hindus. Within a few years Sree Narayana established a multitude of temples all over Kerala.

Sree Narayana’s temples made no discrimination on the ground of caste, or creed. Unlike caste Hindu temples, they were open to both Hindus and non-Hindus.

Sree Narayana was a true “rishi” who lived with the people and for the people. He knew that without providing material comforts, it is futile to hold out the illusion of spiritual happiness to the starving and suffering millions. So he conducted a veritable campaign to eradicate the material disabilities of the downtrodden sections of Hindus.

Sree Narayana was a profound thinker, a great seer and a born poet. He was also a great scholar in Sanskrit and Tamil. He has been the author of many works in Malayalam and Sanskrit, which are “Atmopadesa Sathakam” and “Darsanamala” which epitomize his great moral and spiritual precepts. He has also beautifully translated Tamil works like “Thirukkural” and “Ozhuvilotukkam” into Malayalam. In his works he has superbly expounded the ‘Advaita’ philosophy. 'Daiva Dasakam' a simple prayer written by Guru.

The great Guru Sree Narayana attained Samadhi on September 20, 1928. Thus physically Guru disappeared, but spiritually he lives forever in the minds of mankind.