Published: 31st Aug, 2021
Context
Recently, the Prime Minister of India has paid tributes to SreeNarayana Guru on his Jayanti.
Who was SreeNarayna Guru?
- SreeNarayana Guru was a catalyst and leader who reformed the oppressive caste system that prevailed in society at the time.
- His philosophy always advocated social equality, education for all, and spiritual enlightenment. The caste system was rampant in Kerala at that time.
- Caste: Born in the Ezhava caste.
- Narayan Guru had experienced discrimination from the upper caste of society.
- One of his famous sayings in Malayalam was ‘One caste, one religion, one god for all.’
Contribution in anti-caste revolution
- Narayana Guru consecrated the first temple of Lord Shiva in 1888 where an idol was ordinated by a non-brahmin in Aruvippuram village of Kerala.
- His step sparked off the anti-caste revolution against the upper-caste Brahmin communities.
- In 1903, he established the SreeNarayana Dharma ParipalanaYogam (SNDP) as the founder and president.
- The organization continues to mark its strong presence to this day.
Contribution to National Movement:
- He was in the forefront of the movement for universal temple entry and against the societal ills like the social discrimination of untouchables.
- He provided the impetus for Vaikom agitation, which was aimed at temple entry in Travancore for the lower castes.
- He captured the essence of Indianness in his poems, which highlighted the unity that lies beneath the world’s apparent diversity.
Literary Works:
- He wrote various books in different languages. Few of them are: AdvaithaDeepika, Asrama, Thevarappathinkangal, BrahmavidyaPanchakam etc.
Philosophy of SreeNarayana Guru:
- SreeNarayana Guru became one of the greatest proponents and re-evaluators of Advaita Vedanta, the principle of non-duality put forward by AdiShankara.
- 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 SahodaryamSarvatra (all men are equal in the eyes of God).
Courses
Study
Notes
Home
Resources
More
