Swami Satchidananda, President, Sri Narayana Dharma Sangha | Tuesday 08 November, 2022 | 12:00 AM
Many sages have visited Sivagiri, attracted by the bright light of Sri Narayana Surya. ‘Meeting Gurudev was the greatest blessing of my life and my South Indian tour was complete.’ Mahatma Gandhi said after seeing Gurudeva.
Rabindranath Tagore himself was the most prominent among those who visited Gurudev at Sivagiri. This meeting created waves of ethereal emotion in both the greats. Sivaprasad Swamikal, Dr. Palpu, Kumaranashan and Natarajaguru were prominent among those who paved the way for Tagore’s journey to Sivagiri. The news that the Gurudev of North India was coming to see the Gurudev of South India created a wave of joy among the devotees of Sree Narayana. Thousands gathered to be a part of that gathering. Some nobles tried to prevent this gathering from happening. It was overcome by the timely intervention of Sivaprasad Swami. He was then the secretary of the Kerala unit of the Brahmo Samaj. Tagore was also a member of the Brahmo Samaj.
Tagore, the great poet who came to Saradamath, the specialty of Saradamath; The prohibition of Vedic tantric rituals, abhisheka-nivedyadis, windows and doors with stained glass, the light enclosure wall made of stilts, the sugar sand filled in it, the cleanliness of the Saradamath, and the Guru’s appointment of paraya-pulayakutti as priests were all asked and understood from Kumaramahakavi. Moreover, non-festival at Saradamath, student assembly organized on the day of dedication, women’s assembly, sports and games – Gurudev’s civilized views were also understood.
On November 15, 1922, at four o’clock in the evening, Tagore went up to the verandah of the Guru’s resting place at the Sivagiri Vedic Math, and at the same time Sri Narayana Gurudeva, who had been resting behind the door of the room, opened the door and came out. Tagore’s autobiography was ‘Oh great saint’ when he saw Gurudev. Tagore began the dialogue with the introduction, ‘My heart has undergone a change at the sight of you.’ Vivekanandaswamy, his soul friend and world conqueror, said that it is a ‘madhouse’ and where is the hell ‘Hanta! Damn!’ Tagore realized with wonder that Sri Narayanaguru had transformed the land lamented by poets into a model pilgrimage site for the whole of India in the course of two and a half decades. To Tagore’s comment that ‘Guru, you have done a lot, Kerala is not a madhouse’, the Guru’s reply was ‘We are not doing anything’.
From this, Tagore understood that Sri Narayana Gurudeva, a Brahmin and Paramahamsa, was performing the Lok Leela with the utmost darshan of spirituality – Paramatvidya. Sree Narayanaguru was engaged in Karma all the time, but he did not get involved in it. Recognizing the majesty of the Guru’s vision, the great poet declared that despite traveling all over the world, he had never met a spiritual master higher than Sri Narayana Gurudeva.
‘I saw God in human form. Guru devotees and Keralites should also carefully understand Andrews’ view that that great soul is none other than Sree Narayanaguru who is victorious in the southern tip of India.
On the centenary of Tagore’s visit to Gurudev, we commemorate that divine gathering. Embrace their ideals of life. Take comfort in it. And the centenary of the meeting between the Guru and Tagore on November 15 is requested by the entire Gurudeva movement and socio-literary-cultural organizations in the name of the Guru’s line of disciples.