Brahmasree Neelakanta Gurupadar
Kama krudhaadyakhila dosham apaasya Rama
Namaaksharaamritakanair Hridayam Nishinchan
Yah Saadhvanugraha Pathena Divam Vivesha
Tam Neelakanta Gururpadam anusmaraami
- Spiritual Swayambhoo: a selfmade saint
- Realization of Lord Siva and Lord Subrahmanya before the age of 20
- In 1920 moved in to the 14 cents of land (ashram premises) and never stepped out.
- 45 year long intense, incessant and penetrating penance.
- Practiced ATMARAMA WORSHIP where the worshipper and the worshipped attained absolute communion.
- ATMARAMA ABHISHEKAM where the abhishekam is performed on oneself in the anahatachakra,unparalled except in the case of Lord Anjaneya.
- Embodiment of Divine light and veritable treasure of Vedic wisdom.
- Possessed Ashtaiswarya Sidhis : knowing everything beforehand, disappearing from the view of others,assuming the form of any living being and being present at distant places, etc.
- Despite the powers led a simple and humble life clad in a short piece of dhothi.
- Very personification of compassion and universal love, but was ever uncompromising with untruth and egoism in any one.
- Could have attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi at the age of 32, but waited for 32 more years for the spiritual successor to arrive.
- Swetcha Mrityu (one who could choose when to leave the mortal body behind) like Bhishma. Postponed the Samadhi twice.
- Instituted the uninterupted recital of Ramayana from morning to evening everyday ever since 1920
- Established Sree Rama Dasa Madom and consecrated a Rama-Sita-Anjaneya temple and introduced regular worship.
- Anointed his beloved disciple as Madathipathi in 1965.
- Attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi on the self chosen day and time : Utharayana Shuklapaksha,Ekadasi (May 26th 1965)
Gurupadar was born in the Uliyazhthura Village of Sreekariyam in Thiruvananthapuram District on 23rd of December ,1897. The family of Gurupadar was moderately rich.In his early life he was known as Neelakantan.Unlike other children Neelakantan was grave and was inclined to remain in solitude.Even at an early age he used to recite the 'Rama mantra' which he continued till the day of renunciation.All his super human powers were the result of the recitation of 'Rama mantra' with concentration.The 'Adhyatma Ramayana' composed by Ramanujan Ezhuthachan was his favourite religious text which he used to read everyday ,a practice which is being followed in the Ashram even today.His wealth was spent in feeding the poor.After having mediated and practised penance at the Madavoorpara Siva temple Gurupadar mediated at the Subramonya temple at Veli Mala in the Kanyakumari Distict in Tamil Nadu where he had 'Darsan' of Anjaneya Swamy and Subramonya.After getting celestial vision and becoming enlightened he returned to Thiruvananthapuram.The consecration of Sree Rama-Sita-Hanuman idol was performed in the Ashram on July 4.1962.
The celestial attainments of Gurupadar are beyond description. The Gurupadar had the divine power of knowing everything beforehand,disappearing from the sight of undesirable persons,assuming the form of any living being and being present at distant places.He welcomed everyone to his ashram but was uncompromising with untruth and egoism.The Gurupadar proclaimed that the IDENTIFICATION of oneself with the universal being is to be understood by experience and not by any intellectual exercise.He used to correct the wrong recitation of any text including the Vedas,Upanishads and Puranas.The Gurupadar was a firm believer in 'Advaita' philosophy and considered the whole world as one family.In his concept of family was included not only human beings but all living objects including even Trees.By emphasizing the principle of universality.Gurupadar indicated his knowledge of 'Brahma'.He used to perform 'Abhisheka' in the temple on the principle of 'Aham Brahmasmi'(i am the universal being).After having completed his mission in this world the Gurupadar decided to attain 'Samadhi' and made preparations for the same.The chief disciple (the present Matadhipathi,Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathy)was blessed with celestial vision of Anjaneya(with the form of Sree Rama and Sita on Anjaneya's chest) before the Gurupadar attained 'Mahasamadhi'(willfully giving up the physical body) on 26 th May,1965.The Gurupadar is a notable link in the series of Indian hermits.