Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi(1852-1929) 

An introduction:

The greatest rationalist yogi, Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, after Brahaspati and Charvaka, was born on August 26th 1852 in an aristocratic family as the 9th son of Smt. Nani Amma of Karat Nair family and Sri Kunjikrishna Menon of Vallangi Ravanyaram at Nemmaara in Palakkad district of Kerala. In his childhood he was called Govindankutty.

Social condition in Kerala during the later part of 19th century and first part of 20th century were so pathetic. Untouchability, social discrimination, superstition, irrational customs, social injustices, etc; were taking an upper hand in those days. To make the condition right social reformers like Ayyankali, Vakkom Abdul Kader Moulavi, Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, Chattambi Swami, Sree Narayana Guru and Vagbhadanandan were in the scene.

Ayyankali and Vakkom Abdul Kader Moulavi were only social reformers, where as Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, Chattambi Swami, Sri Narayana Guru and Vagbhadanandan were spiritual leaders cum social reformers. Their work was mainly on religious reformation.

Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi's philosophy Anandadarsam can be considered to be one in the category of "Nastik class". Like Charvaka, Sivayogi also refutes the Vedas. He says, "Those who taking up the path of ritualism, do not know the way to salvation, and are immersed in darkness or ignorance. They delude others by their preaching and get them introduced to their ignorant path of sacrifices, vows and the like, and lead them astray from the path of salvation or eternal bliss"

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An interview with Nirmalananda Yogi:

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?AuthorID=55510

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Sivayogi was a rationalist, religious reformer, a thinker, yogi, etc. He wrote 16 books. The well known book is Mokshapradeepam written in Malayalam language. The Sanskrit book Anandadarsam was written last. It contains criticism on religions and questions against religious leaders. The other famous books are Vigraha aradhana khandanam, Ananda sootram, Rajayoga parasyam, Ananda Vimanam, etc. You can read Sivayogi's Books in Malayalam language online from the following link.

(മലയാളത്തില്‍ ശിവയോഗിയുടെ പുസ്തകങ്ങള്‍ ഓണ്‍ലൈന്‍ ആയി വായിക്കുവാന്‍ താഴെ കാണുന്ന ലിങ്ക് കോപ്പി പേസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യുക)
www.sreyas.in/brahmananda-sivayogi

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"The cause for the lack of practice and publicity of Yoga is the delusion of the world in ritualism advocated by false Sastras. You may ask, are there texts to be branded as false Sastras? That I will explain:

"Naanaa kapada sastrani prapanja kadhithaani vai,

drustwaa vishwaasa poorvvanthu vidwaanapi chalathyaho"

Various sorts of false texts are proclaimed in the world. Seeing them, the wise also implicitly believe in them and go astray.

The world is over-powered by Karma or rituals, and on account of the association with those rituals, all have turned out to be rituals. Therefore, he who gives up ritualism is verily Iswara or God.

Seeing the false Sastras composed by the pedantic scholars, the rituslists are driven to the fear of "This is meritorious and this is sinful"

Their daily lot is nothing but birth, infirmity of old age and death.

O Goddess! as birds caught in the nets, beings are always deluded by rigorous vows and austerities which tend to the unsteadiness of the mind, ie; to misery.

From these lines, the following six facts are conclusively established:

1. That there are false texts.

2. That even the wise are led astray by their implicit faith in them.

3. That all people are attached to ritualism.

4. That the man who has given up all ritualism is like unto God.

5. That the lot of those who believe in ritualism is nothing bur birth, decay and destruction.

6. That the Sastras, that enjoin ritualism, are called false Sastras, since ritualistic practices lead to unsteadiness of mind, and consequent misery."

(Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi)

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Prabhakar Thiruvananthapuram writes: Brahmananda Swami Shivayogi never advocated anybody to join his " Aananda matham" his was just a declaration . the very criticism on him was he never cared who follow him , he just declared his thoughts and left it to those who felt it true, to accept or reject. and was sharp on the criticism on religion and left no opportunity to attack it at a period when the religions had an upper hand in the society. for that simple reason he need a salute.

If one reads Robert Green Ingersoll. a 19th Century Scholar , will understand that his thoughts on humanity were not an isolated one . the hare krishna movements were also based on smae approach on life from a different angle . Osho also give glimpses of the very thought in different perspective.

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Those who wish to learn more about Shivayogi may read some articles from the following link:

https://www.google.co.in/search?q=The+greatest+social+revolutionist+Brahmananda+Sivayogi&hl=en-IN&gbv=2&oq=&gs_l=