50. Sadguru Sivalingadasa Swamikal

Disciple of Sree Narayana gurudevan

Sadguru Sivalingadasa Swamikal


Sivalingadasa Swamikal was one of the first and prominent disciples of Narayana Guru. He was born in 1859 in an orthodox Nair family in Aruvippuram. Before he became a Sanyasin he was known as Ayappan Pillai. Swami met Guru for the first time when Guru was staying in a cave near Neyyar River . He listened to Guru's words very carefully and sometimes he accompanied Guru in his journeys. Guru taught him some Sanskrit and later send him to Perunelli Krishnan Vaidyar for further study. He learned Sanskrit grammar under famous Sanskrit scholar Shri. Venkateswara Sasthri.


He became acquainted with Kumaran, who later became the poet Mahakavi KumaranAsan, at Aruvippuram and they became close friends. In 1905 Ayappan Pillai accepted the ascetic way of life from Guru and became Sivalingadasa Swami. When Guru moved to Varkala he took Sivalingadasa Swami with him. Sivalingadasa Swami helped to build a hermitage for Guru at Sivagiri. He served in many Ashrams and temples according to Guru's suggestions. Later he stayed at Trichur Peringottukara Ashram; he started a Sanskrit school there. Later in his life he left the Ashram and started to live in Viswanatha Temple in Chavakkad.

In 1919 Sivalinga Swami attained Samadhi. Kumaranasan wrote the poem ‘Parannu poya hamsam' (The flown away Swan) in remembrance of the Swami. The Swamikal wrote many spiritual compositions, ‘Vedanthasaravali', ‘Sharadhashtakam', and ‘Sree Narayana Guruvarya Panchakam' are a few his famous works.