This is a response to an article published in “Hinduism
Today” written “By Mr G K Nair, Kerala.”
Dear Editor,
I was reading the article on “Chattampi Swami’s Long
Shadow” in your magazine, “Hinduism Today”.
The claim of the author that Sree Narayana Guru
was a disciple of Chattampi Swami is fabricated story. They were classmates and
Chattampi Swami was two years senior in age and thus even though very good
friends, Sree Narayana Guru considered Chattampi SwAmikal, as an elder brother
and gave him every respect of an elder brother deserves. (In Malayalam we
address Him SwAmikal, not just Swami; out of our reverence to Him as a
Jeevanmuktha). In fact none, (I repeat
NONE) of Sree Narayana Gurudevan’s biographers ever said that He was Chattampi SwAmikal’s
disciple. I have eleven of them with me. Few years back there was an article published
in one of the leading newspaper in Kerala; written by the son of the “Tykkaad
Ayyavu Swami” under whom both Sree Narayana Gurudevan and Chattampi SwAmikal
studied. We may say that both were disciples of “Tykkaad Ayyavu Swami”. In that
article, he gave very clear reply for this ‘manufactured controversy’. I hope
the author of this article read that article and understand the facts and correct
the false information. How can there be a more reliable witness to settle this controversy
than the son of the teacher under whom both have studied and who was living in
the same house.
And some of the elders on my family and village
who met both of them; Sree Narayana Gurudevan and Chattampi SwAmikal together, during
their journey around Kerala/India during their Avdhootha life, before both got
enlightened; has told us (this is not third hand information, but second hand
information from the people who interacted with them); that they, Narayana Gurudevan
and Chattampi SwAmikal were very close and very good friends who moved around
like brothers Balarama and Sree Krishna.
“Narayana Guru” was given the name “Narayana Guru”
by the people of India when He started teaching people the lessons of braHMavidya,
as His given name was Narayana (Narayanan in Malayalam). Later the people gave
Him the name “Gurudevan” (meaning Guru, who is also a Devatha), when people realized
the divinity in Him. That is how He is known to the people who try to follow
His teachings or who His devotees are. His name was not “Nanu”. “Nanu” was the nick
name or pet name, his elders and relatives called Him, which is a shorter
version of “Narayanan”.
And, Gurudevan and Chattampi SwAmikal met long
before Chattampi SwAmikal become Jeevanmuktha. They were classmates at the
school of “Tycaatt Ayyavu Swami” whom the author refers in the article as “Ayyavu
Swami”. After the study they did wonder around as Avdhootha and then depart in
two ways. Gurudevan as a “Yogi”; a combination of Bhakthi Yogi, a JnAna Yogi
and a Karma Yogi and worked on the uplift of Spiritual and Materialistic life
of the people of India and wrote his literary works. His literary works are
still in the topmost among the literary works in the field of Spirituality
and Bhakthi literature. They may never be relegated to number two spot in those
fields. Chattampi SwAmikal as a jnAna Yogi wrote His high standard literary works
books, which included linguistic and religious books.
And the statement of the author “While Ezhava
community has reverently accepted his disciple Narayana Guru as their spiritual
preceptor…..” is not the full fact either, and it is very much misleading.
Narayana Guru was accepted as Spiritual Preceptor by a lot of people, which
included the members of the Nair community and the Brahmin community as a good
number of His disciples were from those communities. Muslims and Christians
also revered Him as a Spiritual Master.
The difference between the two was that while
Chattampi SwAmikal remained a “JnAna Yogi” Gurudevan ventured into Bhakthi Yoga
and Karma Yoga along with JnAna Yoga. Narayana Gurudevan’s Spiritual writings
are real germs of Indian Spirituality which are as good as any Upanishads and could
be termed as modern day Upanishads. He also gave a great deal of importance to
education, cleanliness, entrepreneurship and financial fields for the all-around
progress of the people.
The author is in reality did a disservice to both
these Rishis as he tried to project them as the representations of two communities,
contrary to the fact that they both were the Rishis of the “Adwitha” discipline
of Indian Spirituality. To me they were complimentary to each other and should
be revered by all. They both are my inspiration and my guiding lights. Please
do not separate them based on which community they were born into or one as the
teacher of the other. Look at them as “Adwitham” not as “Dwaitham”
I request the Editors of “Hinduism Today” to
please retract the parts of the article mentioned above as they are factual errors,
un-intentionally or intentionally brought by the author.
