Modern Indian Thinker Narayan Guru Philosophy YouTube Lecture Handouts

Doorsteptutor material for competitive exams is prepared by world's top subject experts: get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.

Narayan Guru: About Him, Thinker, Literature - Modern Indian Thinker|Philosophy

Title: Modern Indian Thinker Narayan Guru

About Him

  • Shri Narayan Guru was born on the 28th August in 1855 into a family belonging to a lower caste in Kerala- Ezhava caste (untouchables) .
  • Narayan Guru himself witnessed the atrocities on people under the garb of untouchability and started him journey to free millions of people from their suffering.
  • Narayan Guru was a saint, a social reformer, a philosopher, etc.
  • He aimed at achieving two things;
    • Free people from the clutches of Caste system
    • Free religion from superstitions, taboos and ritualism
  • Vaikom Satyagraha is closely associated with Guru himself.
  • Narayan Guru was stopped or not allowed to tread along the road leading to the Mahadev temple in Vaikom, Kerala.
  • The movement began on the 30th March 1924 at the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple.
  • Gandhiji, Swamikal, Sree Narayana Guru, Madhavan, Kesava Menon etc. supported the movement. The Akalis from the state of Punjab supported the movement by setting up kitchens to provide food to the Satyagrahis.
  • E V Ramaswami Naicker (also known as Periyar) came from Tamil Nadu to support the movement and then he was arrested.
  • This resulted in opening of the temple and temple roads for lower caste people in Kerala.
  • In other words, the Avarnas were no longer restricted to enter the temple and use the temple roads.
  • Narayan Guru organised an “All Religion Conference” in 1920s.
  • The conference was held at Advaita Ashram and the motto of the conference was, “We meet here not to argue and win, but to know and be known.”
  • Guru believed in Advaita Vedanta philosophy and most importantly believed in the ethical values of brotherhood, social equality, fraternity, etc.
  • According to Guru, Oru Jathi, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam, Manushyanu was the basic philosophy.
    • Oru Jathi, One Caste
    • Oru Matham, One Religion
    • Oru Daivam, One God
    • Manushyanu for all beings.

Literature

  • Anukampadasakam in Tamil
  • Swanubavageethi in Malayalam
  • Śivaśatakaṃ in Malayalam
  • Nyayadarsanam in Malayalam
  • Darsanamalla in Sanskrit
  • Slokathrayi in Sanskrit, etc.
  • He also translated Isavasyo Upanishad and Thirukural.

Question

Oru Jathi, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam, Manushyanu was the basic philosophy of

1. Periyar

2. Narayan Guru

3. Aurobindo

4. None

Answer: 2

Explanation:

  • According to Guru, Oru Jathi, Oru Matham, Oru Daivam, Manushyanu was the basic philosophy.
    • Oru Jathi, One Caste
    • Oru Matham, One Religion
    • Oru Daivam, One God
    • Manushyanu for all beings.

Manishika