122.The 155th Guru Jayanti message is for all

Sree Narayana Guru - Prophet of the Peace

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by Satchidananda Swamy
President Sree Narayana Guru Chaithanya Madham Perambra
Trichur, Kerala - South India
www.sivagiri.org

Sree Narayana Guru


On September 4th 2009 we will be celebrating the 155th Jayanti anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru. In the United States celebrations will take place in Washington DC, Chicago, Houston, and New York City.

The world has forever been enriched by spiritual preceptors of superhuman genius. There have been many philosophers who are capable of dialectical arguments of split-hair precision to explain the nature of the universe. But it has not been observed that they ever came down to the centre of human society and attempted social reformations by finding solutions to the burning problems of the people through understanding human feelings and emotions. For example, Socrates, Aristotle, Adi Shankaracharya, etc. were wise and erudite philosophic genius, but reformation of the society was never a part of their lives.

Quite different from them, there are a set of humanistic philosophers whose hearts overflow with love and compassion for humanity. They wipe the tears of the poor, soothe the suffering, and feel complacent to spend their own lives to serve other lives. But they are not known as great philosophers, or men of wisdom. For example, look at the lives of great men like Mahavi Jain and Sri Buddha. In their thoughts, social reformation programmes were not in equal proportions in their activities.

An exception to this is Sree Narayana Guru. He is a great boon to humanity, kindly granted by God Almighty; Let us enjoy nectar of his biography. This Universal Guru shines as an extremely brilliant philosopher and an exceptionally kind hearted social reformer at the same time, with equal intensity.

In the history of the world, Sree Narayana Guru glows with an incomparable individuality which has integrated dialectics and social reformation programmers in equal proportions. That is why the famous French philosophic writer Romain Rolland defines Sree Narayana Guru as “A Gnani of Action” in his book, The Life of Ramakrishna. The Guru has thoroughly studied all philosophic trends and the nature of the Universe in the light of his own experience. With his sharp intellect and insight, he had an intuitive vision of how the world is going to be in the future. This intellectual exercise has evolved into a Unitive Philosophy and presented it to the world, which remains like a great tower of light emanating beams of radiance all around. Because he could integrate all abstract theories of philosophy with kindness and compassion for living beings, the Theosophical Society of India has written about him in the editorial of their magazine Sanatana Dharma.

“No one in India in the recent centuries, has earned such long standing, wide spread and glowing universal respect as Sree Narayana Guru. He ha not given platform speeches or discourses. But, by his mere presence, he could radiate love and vitality. He is equal to Pantajali in Yoga, Adi Shankara in wisdom, Buddha in sacrifice, Nabi is perseverance, and Jesus Christ in humility. This holy Saint Narayana played the human role for 73 years, and then returned to his original abode. In future he will be worshipped as a deity, along with incarnations and Holy Saints.” From this opinion of the Theosophical Society, the nature of Gurudev is clearly understood.

In the course of history, a man of superhuman virtue may emerge on the state of the world only once in a thousand years. The emergence of these superhumans, who can change the course of history and usher in a new dispensations, can be compared to the appearance of the spring season. During spring, nature wakes up in glory with a new spirit and beauty, filling the earth with greenery, sweet smell of flowers and succulent life giving fruits. Similarly these universal Gurus emanate the beams of love, brotherhood and nonviolence through their messages, establish ‘Dharma’ and disappear behind the curtains of time. Sree Krishna, Sree Buddha, Prophet Mohammed, Jesus Christ, etc. are all such universal Gurus. Sree Narayana also belongs to this series, to their tradition.

Once Gurudev had stated, “During the time of Buddha violence was the rule, therefore he gave prominence to nonviolence. During the time of Nabi, the bondage of brotherhood was lacking. So he gave supreme importance to fraternity. But what is the need of our times? The Guru himself gave the answer, “Liberation from the clutches of caste and religion”. From these words one point is clear; Great Universal Gurus prescribe ‘Dharma’ (righteous duty) especially suitable for the period in which they live. Those Gurus who prescribed non-violence, love and brotherhood, had visions which can go beyond the constraints of time and place. In course of time, these prescriptions of philosophical thought metamorphosed into religions.

The objective of Sree Narayana Guru’s life was to liberate the people from the clutches of caste and religious feelings. The greatness of his personality is revealed to the world through his own words. He is a Universal Guru, born in the tradition of these Universal Gurus mentioned above. Buddhism emerged in the same of Buddha, Christianity in the name of Christ and Islam in the name of Prophet Mohammad. But no religion has emerged in the name of Sree Narayana Guru. He had declared, “I am not going to establish another religion”. Instead he advised, “The world needs a unitive culture which integrates the non-violence of Buddha, the love of Christ, the brotherhood of Nabi, the wisdom of Adi Shankara, and the spirituality of ancient Indian Gurus”. The purpose behind the incarnation of Sree Narayana Guru was to generate this unified culture in this world. The Guru’s philosophy is a doctrine of integration. He could integrate all divisions of philosophical thoughts through compassion and goodwill. In his composition “Anukampadasakam” (Ten Stanzas of Compassion) this integration of all themes of philosophical thought can be clearly observed.

Sree Narayana Guru was such a divine person, with a very special individuality which could transform anyone who came near him into his admirer and worshipper. The opinions of some great men who had visited and understood the Guru, are given below.

“I have been touring different parts of the world. During these travels, I have had the good fortune to come into contact with several saints and Maharshis. But I have frankly to admit that I have never seen one who is spiritually greater than Swami Narayana Guru of Malayalam-nay, a person who is on a par with him in spiritual attainment. I am sure, I shall never forget that radiant face illumined by the self effulgent light of divine glory and those mystic eyes fixing their gaze on a far remote point in the distant horizon.”
Raveendra Nath Tagore

“I feel it as the greatest privilege in my life to have visited the beautiful state of Travancore and to have a darshan of venerable sage Shree Narayana Guru. I had the fortune to sTay one day in his holy Ashram. Her Excellency the Regent Empress also spoke to me about the greatness of Guruswamy. I fervently hope that you
Mahatma Gandhi

“Shree Narayana Guru is considered as one of the five or ten Avatars that have appeared in India during the last hundred years. I had an opportunity of meeting him in the year 1925 when I had been to Kerala for Vaikom Styagraha. In those days he was residing at Varkala. There I had talked to him for an hour or two. My humble respects to the memory of this great sage.”
Acharya Vinobabhave

During recent centuries no one in India has enjoyed so much reverence as Shri Narayana Gurudev commanded, a reverence so glorious so enduring, so comprehensive, so universal and so pure. Like the sun, by mere presence, he spread his light and love...... His life or renunciation has shown to numerous people the secret of the path of dedicated service or Karma Yoga. Rishi Narayana who has awakened Kerala patanjali in Yoga, Sankara in wisdom, Manu in the art of Government, Buddha in renunciation, Muhammad in strength of sprit and Christ in humility, after 72 years spend in the drama of human life has gone to whence he came......For future generations he will be one of the divine personalities among the incarnations of God and the superhuman beings of India's religious.
Theosophical Society

Shri Narayana Guru had not much to talk to me. For he was the "Mahatma" Of high intellectual Supremacy.
Ramana Maharshi

A great Social Reformer, a staunch Promoter of Hindu Religion, and a true Philosopher Shri Narayana Guru was a revolutionary Yogi of Kerala, Chopping of heads, and creation of chaos and confusion are not the necessary ingredients of revolution. Any sincere effort to transform of civilized life is revolution.
Dr. Radhakridhnan

I had a vision of God in human form. Shri Narayana Guru who was renown in the Southem - most of Indiwas that "Supreme Being."
C.F. Andrews

He was born on the 28th of August 1855 (Chingam 14th of 1031), as per the Malayalam Calendar) under the star of Shathabhisham (Chathayam in Malayalam) in a small village called Chempazhanthi in Trivandrum Dist. of Kerala state, at the southern tip of India. His parents were Maadan Aasan and Kuttiamma. It is said that the Guru was born to this ideal couple after intensive prayers and many years of wating. Though the little boy was named Narayanan, in course of time, the name came to be shortened to Nanu. But Nanu as a person did not care to be reduced in stature. Nanu means (Na + Anu) that which is not small, in other words, a great person. He certainly grew up to become great. It is said that even his birth was extraordinary. Usually the world comes to know about the birth of a child by its cry. But this baby did not cry when he was born, did not cry when the umbilical cord was cut, not when he was bathed. He never cried even of hunger, thirst or any other physical needs. This calmness is a strange phenomenon in the life of the Guru. When the whole world was crying for want of peace and calm, this holy man who was born and lived without crying had become the harbinger of peace. The incidents in his life proclaim this.

Guru shared with us timeless words of wisdom, “One Caste, One Religion, One God for Mankind”, “Get Freedom Through Education, Strength through Organization”, and “You (God) are Truth, Knowledge and Bliss”. In South India – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Sri Lanka is where Guru’s work began. Guru attained Mahasamadhi at the age of 73 on September 20, 1928.

“Sree Narayana Guru will be the prophet of the future” Once Swamy John Darmatheerthan said. Guru preached for a Cosmopolitan life and his direction to future is without any boundaries of caste, religion, or places. He was above all discriminations. Guru was born in South India. Kerala became famous as Gods own Land. Because of social reformation activities of Guru Kerala became a blessed land. Chempazhanthi and Sivagiri the birth and Samadhi places became pilgrim centres. In our cultural field a school of Sree Narayana Guru literature is developed. In order to propagate his messages and teachings nearly a dozen of publications are on the field. The state Government had declared his Jayanti and Samadhi days as holidays. His Jayanti has become a national festival. It is evident from that every nook and corner of our state is celebrating his Jayanti as a token of respect.

The 155th Guru Jayanti message is for all. May our beloved Sree Narayana Gurudev bless us.