Sree Narayana Guru: Leaders of Kerala Renaissance

Jun 2020|๐ŸŸขCurrent|8 min read|74 entries

Key Takeaway

ree Narayana Guru was one of the greatest social reformers Kerala has ever seen.

Last verified: 12 Feb 2026ยทSource: www.pscarivukal.com

Sree Narayana Guru

(1855 โ€“ 1928)

S(74)

Basic FactsBirth
August 28, 1855(เดšเดคเดฏเด‚1032เดšเดฟเด™เตเด™เด‚14)Chempazhanthy, Thiruvananthapuram
Family
Vayalvaram Veedu(เดตเดฏเตฝเดตเดพเดฐเด‚ เดตเต€เดŸเต)
Parents
Madan Asan & Kuttiyamma(เดฎเดพเดŸเดจเดพเดถเดพเตป & เด•เตเดŸเตเดŸเดฟเดฏเดฎเตเดฎ)
Sisters
Kochu, Thevi & Matha
Wife
Kaliyamma(1882)
Childhood name
Narayanan(Nanu)
Death
September 20, 1928, Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram
Epithets
Father of Kerala Renaissance, Buddha of Kerala, Periya Swami(by Dr. Palpu), Second Buddha(by G. Sankara Kurup)
Philosophy
One Caste, One Religion, One God for All(from "Jathi Mimamsa")
Famous Words
โ€œเดœเดพเดคเดฟเดญเต‡เดฆเด‚ เดฎเดคเดฆเตเดตเต‡เดทเด‚ เดเดคเตเดฎเดฟเดฒเตเดฒเดพเดคเต† เดธเตผเดตเตเดตเดฐเตเด‚ เดธเต‹เดฆเดฐเดจเตเดตเต‡เดจ เดตเดพเดดเตเดจเตเดจ เดฎเดพเดคเตเดฏเด•เดพ เดธเตเดฅเดพเดจเดฎเดพเดฃเดฟเดคเต.โ€(inscribed on the walls of Aruvippuram temple, from "Jathi Nirnayam").โ€œเดฎเดฆเตเดฏเด‚ เดตเดฟเดทเดฎเดพเดฃเต, เด…เดคเตเดฃเตเดŸเดพเด•เตเด•เดฐเตเดคเต, เด•เตŠเดŸเตเด•เตเด•เดฐเตเดคเต, เด•เตเดŸเดฟเด•เตเด•เดฐเตเดคเต.โ€โ€œเดธเด‚เด˜เดŸเดฟเดšเตเดšเต เดถเด•เตเดคเดฐเดพเด•เตเดตเดฟเดจเตโ€.โ€โ€œเดตเดฟเดฆเตเดฏ เด•เตŠเดฃเตเดŸเต เดชเตเดฐเดฌเตเดฆเตเดงเดฐเดพเดตเตเด•.โ€โ€œเดฎเดคเดฎเต‡เดคเดพเดฏเดพเดฒเตเด‚ เดฎเดจเตเดทเตเดฏเดจเตโ€ เดจเดจเตเดจเดพเดฏเดพเดฒเตโ€ เดฎเดคเดฟ.โ€โ€œเดถเตเดšเดฟเดคเตเดตเด‚ เด…เดŸเตเด•เตเด•เดณเดฏเดฟเดฒเตโ€ เดจเดฟเดจเตเดจเต เดคเตเดŸเด™เตเด™เตเด•.โ€Teachersโ€“Moottha Pillai Asan(1871)
Perunnalli Krishnan Vaidyar
basics of Tamil & Sanskrit, Amarakosam Balaprobhodhanam & Siddharupam
Thycadu Ayya
Hadayoga Vidya, Nauli, Dhoudi, Khadam & Khechari mudra
Enlightenment
Pillathadam Cavein Maruthwamala in Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu
Books
45Malayalamโ€“Aathmopadesh Shathakam(เด†เดคเตเดฎเต‡เดพเดชเดฆเต‡เดถเดถเดคเด•เด‚),Adwaitha Deepika(เด…เดฆเตเดตเตˆเดค เดฆเต€เดชเดฟเด•),Arivu(เด…เดฑเดฟเดตเต),Athma Vilasam(เด†เดคเตเดฎ เดตเดฟเดฒเดพเดธเด‚),Bhadrakaalyashtakam(เดญเดฆเตเดฐเด•เดฒเตเดฏเดพเดทเตเดŸเด•เด‚),Chijjada Chintanam(เดšเดฟเดœเตเดœเดก เดšเดฟเดจเตเดคเดจเด‚),Daivadasakam(เดฆเตˆเดตเดฆเดถเด•เด‚),Daiva Vichinthanam โ€“ 1 & 2(เดฆเตˆเดต เดตเดฟเดšเดฟเดจเตเดคเดจเด‚),Dharma(เดงเตผเดฎเตเดฎเดƒ),Gajendra Moksham Vanchipattu(เด—เดœเต‡เดจเตเดฆเตเดฐ เดฎเต‹เด•เตเดทเด‚ เดตเดžเตเดšเดฟเดชเตเดชเดพเดŸเตเดŸเต)(Sree Narayana Guru dedicated Gajendra Moksham Vanchipattu & Navamanjari to โ€“Chattambi Swami)Jeevakarunya Panchakam(เดœเต€เดตเด•เดพเดฐเตเดฃเตเดฏเดชเดžเตเดšเด•เด‚),Jaathi Nirnayam(เดœเดพเดคเดฟ เดจเดฟเตผเดฃเดฏเด‚),Jaathi Lakshanam(เดœเดพเดคเดฟ เดฒเด•เตเดทเดฃเด‚),Kolatheereshastavam(เด•เต‹เดฒเดคเต€เดฐเต‡เดถเดธเตเดคเดตเด‚),Mangalasamsa(เดฎเด‚เด—เดณเดพเดถเด‚เดธ),Navamanjari(เดจเดตเดฎเดžเตเดœเดฐเดฟ),Sree Krishnana Darsanam(เดถเตเดฐเต€เด•เตƒเดทเตเดฃเดฆเตผเดถเดจเด‚),Vedantha Suthram(เดตเต‡เดฆเดพเดจเตเดค เดธเต‚เดคเตเดฐเด‚)
Sanskrit
Dharsanamala(เดฆเดฐเตโ€เดถเดจเดฎเดพเดฒ)
Tamil
Thevarappathinkangal(เดคเต‡เดตเดพเดฐเดชเตเดชเดคเดฟเด•เด™เตเด•เตพ)
Translations
Thirukural(เดคเดฟเดฐเตเด•เตเด•เตเดฑเตพ),Isavasyoupanishad(เดˆเดถเดพเดตเดพเดธเตเดฏเต‹เดชเดจเดฟเดทเดคเตเดคเต),Ozhivil Odukkam(เด’เดŸเตเดตเดฟเดฒเตŠเดดเตเด•เตเด•เด‚)
Temples & Sree Narayana GuruSree Narayana Guru built several temples at various locations across South India. Some of the famous temples are as follows:Total no. of temples are consecrated by Guru
43.1888 โ€“ Consecration of aSivalinga at Aruvippuram, Neyyattinkaraon the banks ofNeyyar riverin the month of March
Famous quote
"I consecrated the Ezhava Shiva and not the Brahmin Shiva."โ€œเดœเดพเดคเดฟเดญเต‡เดฆเด‚ เดฎเดคเดฆเตเดตเต‡เดทเด‚ เดเดคเตเดฎเดฟเดฒเตเดฒเดพเดคเต† เดธเตผเดตเตเดตเดฐเตเด‚ เดธเต‹เดฆเดฐเดจเตเดตเต‡เดจ เดตเดพเดดเตเดจเตเดจ เดฎเดพเดคเตเดฏเด•เดพ เดธเตเดฅเดพเดจเดฎเดพเดฃเดฟเดคเตโ€(inscription on the walls of Aruvippuram temple)Book written duringย Consecration of templeย at Aruvippuramย โ€“Siva Satakam(เดถเดฟเดตเดถเดคเด•เด‚).1889 โ€“ Built Mannanthala Devi Temple.1895 โ€“ Establishment of a mutt and temple at Muttakkadu near Kovalam.1899 โ€“ Consecration of Subramanya Idol at Kunnumpara, near Kovalam.1904โ€“ Establishment ofSivagiri Muttat Varkala.1908 โ€“ Installation ofSree Jagannatha Templeprathishta(idol)at Thalaserry.1909 โ€“ Guru establishedThiruppatheeswara temple at Mangalapuram(Mangalore)1912 โ€“ Built a temple of Sarada Devi(เดถเดพเดฐเดฆเดฎเด เด‚)at Sivagiri1913โ€“ Advaita Ashramam at Aluva
The motto of Advaitha Ashramam
Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra(เด“เด‚ เดธเดพเดนเต‹เดฆเดฐเตเดฏเด‚ เดธเตผเดตเดคเตเดฐ).1915 โ€“ Conference held at the Advaitha Ashramam with the message โ€˜โ€˜One Caste, One Religion, One God for Man.โ€™โ€™1924 โ€“ Held All religions' Conference(เดธเตผเดตเตเดตเดฎเดคเดธเดฎเตเดฎเต‡เดณเดจเด‚)
Chairmanof All religions' Conference
Justice Sivadasa Iyer
Famous Slogan
โ€˜โ€˜No to argue and succeed, but to know and make others understandโ€(เดตเดพเดฆเดฟเด•เตเด•เดพเดจเตเด‚ เดœเดฏเดฟเด•เตเด•เดพเดจเตเดฎเดฒเตเดฒ, เด…เดฑเดฟเดฏเดพเดจเตเด‚ เด…เดฑเดฟเดฏเดฟเด•เตเด•เดพเดจเตเด‚)was written at the main entrance of the religions conference held at the Advaita Ashramam.1916 โ€“ Established Sree Narayan Seva Ashram at Kanchipuram.1920 โ€“ Consecration of a temple(Vilakkambalam)at Karamukku, Thrissur with "nilavilaku" as an idol.1922 โ€“ Built a temple at Murukkumpuzha and consecrated without an idol but with a mere inscription of "Truth, Dharma, Love, Mercy."1927 โ€“ Consecration of a temple at Kalavamkodam with a mirror with the message "Om Shanthi" written on the surface on June 14
Idol ConsecrationsMirror
Kalavancode, Karamukku, Murukkumpuzha, Ullala, & Vengoor
First Mirror consecrated Temple
Kalavancode
The last temple consecrated by Sree Narayana Guru
Ullala
Vilakku
Karamukku, Murukkumpuzha
Idol of Saraswathi
Varkala.(Previous Year PSC Questions: Assistant Professor in Physiology, 2019)Idol ofSubramanyaโ€“ย Vakkom Subramanya Swami Temple(also known as Velayudhan Nada).SNDP (Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam)Aruvippuram Temple became the center of activity for the upliftment of the backward classes. The disciples of Sree Narayana Guru conducted a feast on the full moon(Vavu)day for pilgrims who came to offer prayers and sacrifices in the temple. Thus "Vavoottu Yogam" was formed
Headquarters
Kollam
First President & permanent Chairman of SNDP*
SreeNarayana Guru
First Secretary of SNDP*
Kumaranasan
First Vice President of SNDP*
Dr. Palpu
First Annual General Body meeting at Aruvipuram
February 1904
Journal Published by SNDP
Vivekodayam(1904, by Kumaranasan & M. Govindan)
First Editor
Kumaranasan
Official Editor
M. Govindan
Sivagiri Pilgrimage / Sivagiri TheerthadanamConducted from
30 December to 1st January
The idea of Sivagiri pilgrimage was conceived by
Vallabhasseri Govindan Vaidyar & T. K. Kittan Writer
Guru gave approval for Sivagiri Pilgrimage on
January 1928
First Pilgrimage
It started at the Village of Elavumthitta(Pathanamthitta)
Dress code for Pilgrims
Bright Yellow
The pilgrims were reciting
'Swaathanthrya Gadha'(written byKumaranasan).๐Ÿ“ŒRead More:Previous Year Repeated PSC Questions on Sree Narayana GuruFamous Meetings with Sree Narayana Guru1882 โ€“Chattambi Swamikalat Anniyoor Temple, Thiruvananthapuram.1891 โ€“ MetKumaranasanat Kayikkara.1895 โ€“Dr. Palpumet Sree Narayana Guru in Bangalore.1912 โ€“ MetAyyankaliat Balaramapuram.1914 โ€“Vagbhatanandan.1916 โ€“Ramanamaharshiat Thiruvannamalai.1922 โ€“Tagoreon November 22 at Sivagiri(Translator โ€“ Kumaranasan)
Tagore's writings about Guru after his visit
"I have been touring different parts of the world. During these travels, I have had the fortune to come into contact with several saints and maharishis. But I have frankly to admit that I have never seen one who is spiritually greater than Swamy Narayana Guru of Malayalam- nay, a person who is on par with him in spiritual attainment. I am sure, I shall never forget that radiant face illuminated by the self-effulgent light of divine glory and those majestic eyes fixing their gaze on a far a remote point in the distant horizon.โ€โ€“ Met C.F. Andrews.1925 โ€“ Sree Narayana Guru MetGandhijion March 12 at Sivagiri(during Vaikom Satyagraha)
EstablishedNarayana Gurukulamat
Nilgiri Hills(1923)
Narayana Gurukulam was later handed over to
Nataraja Guru
First sanyasa disciple
Sivalinga Swamikal
Last sanyasa disciple
Andatheertha Swamikal
First European disciple
Ernest Kirk
Works on Sree Narayana GuruFirst Biography of Sree Narayana Guru was written by
Moorkoth Kumaran.โ€œGuruโ€ โ€“K. Surendran.โ€œGurudevakarnamrithamโ€ โ€“Kilimanoor Kesavan.โ€œMaharshi Sree Narayana Guruโ€, โ€œBrahmarshi Sree Narayana Guruโ€ โ€“T. Bhaskaran.*Englishtranslation of โ€œBrahmarshi Sree Narayana Guruโ€ โ€“A.J. Thomas.*Tamiltranslation of โ€œBrahmarshi Sree Narayana Guruโ€ โ€“Vijayakumar Kunnissery.*Hinditranslation of โ€œBrahmarshi Sree Narayana Guruโ€ โ€“H. Balasubramaniam.โ€œNarayanneyamโ€ โ€“Perumbadavam Sreedharan.โ€œNarayanaguruswamiโ€ โ€“Prof. M. K. Sanu.โ€œSree Narayana Dharmaโ€ โ€“Bodhananda Swamikal."Yugapiravi" โ€“K. Vasudevan
Sree Narayana Guru(Film, 1985)
P.A
Yugapurushan(Film, 2010)
R. Sukumaran(Director)
English translation of "Atmopadesa Sathakam"
Nataraja Guru
Statues, Institutes & Boat racesThefirst statueof Guru was erected at
Jagannatha Temple, Thalassery(1927)
Made of
Panchaloha
Installed on
13 March 1927 under the aegis of Moorkoth Kumaran
Installed by
Bodhananda Swamikal
Sculptor
Professor. C. Thavarli(Italian)
Sree Narayana Trust
R. Sankar(Kollam, 1952)
Sree Narayana Vidyalayam
Swami Anandatheertha(Payyanur)
International Center for Sree Narayana Guru, Sree Narayana Mandira Samiti
Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
Sree NarayanaJayantiBoat Race
Kumarakom, Kottayam
Sree NarayanaTrophyBoat Race
Kannetti Kayal, Karungapally.๐Ÿ“SideNotes:Guru's Guruโ€“ Thycadu Ayya
Travancore's King during the birth of Sree Narayana Guru
Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma
First work of Sree Narayana Guru
Gajendra MokshamVanchipattu
First Malayali to appear on an Indian stamp
Sree Narayana Guru(August 21, 1967)
First Malayali to appear on a foreign country stamp
Sree Narayana Guru(Sri Lanka, 2009)
First Malayali to be inscribed on a coin of RBI(to commemorate his 150th birthday)
Sree Narayana Guru(2006)
Sree Narayana Guru started a school at
Anchuthengu(1881)
Misrabhojanam under the Guru's guidance was done on
1915
Guruโ€™s last public function was at
Palluruthi(1927)
The only foreign country visited by Sree Narayana Guru
Sri Lanka(1918-1923)
The early works of Sree Narayana Guru were published in
Kerala Kaumudi
Founder of the Newspaper โ€Kerala Kaumudiโ€ in (Mayyanad, Kollam) 1911 in order to propagate the ideals of Sree Narayana Guru
C.V. Kunjiraman
Who introduced Narayana Guruโ€™s visions and ideas to the Western World?Nataraja Guru.Dr. Palpu called Kumaranasan as
Chinnaswamy.*As a part of the National Academy of Letters project in 2011 for translating the book โ€œBrahmarshi Sree Narayana Guruโ€ into 23 languages including English
First Sree Narayan Guru Global Secular & Peace Award was given to
Dr. Shashi Tharoor(2013)

* Time-sensitive data โ€” verify for latest information