Context:
Kerala CM recalls Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings on his 170th birth anniversary.
Sree Narayana Guru:
- An ardent social reformer who played a crucial role in the Kerala Renaissance, fighting against caste discrimination and promoting social justice
- Birth – In 1856 in Chempazhanthy, a village near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Philosophy – Advocated for social equality, education for all, and spiritual enlightenment
- Famous Slogan – “One Caste, One Religion, One God for All” (Oru Jathi, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam, Manushyanu)
- Death – 20th September, 1928. (observed as Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi in Kerala)
Major Contributions:
- One of the greatest proponents and re-evaluators of Advaita Vedanta, the principle of non-duality put forward by Adi Shankara
- In 1888, consecrated a Shiva idol at Aruvippuram, challenging the caste-based restrictions on temple entry.
- In one temple he consecrated at Kalavancode, he kept mirrors instead of idols, symbolising his message that the divine was within each individual.
- Founded the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam in 1903 to promote social reform and education
- Provided impetus for the Vaikom Satyagraha, a movement aimed at temple entry for lower castes in Travancore
- Literary works – Advaitha Deepika, Asrama and Thevarappathinkangal
- “Not Many, But One” is the English translation of poems of Sree Narayana Gurudev.
Source: Press Trust of India
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) Mimamsa and Vedanta
(b) Nyaya and Vaisheshika
(c) Lokayata and Kapalika
(d) Sankhya and Yoga
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Lokayata and Kapalika do not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy. The Kapalika tradition was a non-puranic, tantric form of Shaivism in India. The term Lokayata and Charvaka belongs to the philosophical school of Indian Materialism.
