SWAMI AGAMANANDA: A DISREMEMBERED SOCIAL REFORMER

R Harinarayanan
E Mail: harinarayanan02@gmail.com
Mob: +91 9497479544, +91 8075710779

“This article is dedicated to my Grandfather N.V. Nambiathiri, who was a true disciple of Sri.
Agamananda Swamikal.”

Introduction

Swami Agamananda was a social reformer and a true follower of Swami Vivekananda. He was
one among the disremembered mainstream reformers in Kerala. Even though historians
ignored his name, he was a prominent reformer of the tremendous social reforming activities
of 20th Century, Kerala. Historical texts discuss mainly about leaders like, Aiyya Vaikunda
Swamikal, Chattambi Swamikal, Vagbhadanandan, Ayyankali etc. and he appeared as a
forgotten personality. Agamananda started his reforming activities inspired by Sree Narayana
Guru, who ignited the social reform works in 19th century. He had the full credit for the
development of Sri Ramakrishna Mission as a great movement. Social reform movements
started much earlier before the National movements. His reform movements were related with
religion and spirituality during its initial stages and he connected the spiritual reformations with
social reformations. Poonthanam, Melpathur, Ezhuthachan etc. were the promoters of
Vaishnavaite movement in Kerala, which started in India during the second half of 15th
century.

Kerala Society: 19th Century

Kerala society was under the clutches of miserable caste system which influenced largely
among the people. Reformers started their activities based on a common ideology. Swami
Agamananda was born on 27th October, 1896 in a conservative Brahmin family at
Panmanachola, Chavara in Kollam. His early name was Krishnan Nambiathiri. He was very
interested in spirituality from his childhood days. This great saint got his college education
from Madras Presidency College and completed his education through many challenges raised
by conservative people. During his early days he was attracted by the ideology of Anandamada,
propounded by Alathoor Brahmananda Shiva Yogi. Later he joined in the Sri Ramakrishna
Mission, established by Swami Vivekananda and became an active partner in Kerala. In 1928,
he accepted asceticism from Brahmananda Swamikal, hence became Agamananda and won
knowledge in Darshanas mainly Vedanta, Nyaya and Meemamsa. He was highly worried about
the situation of Kerala society which was filled with grotesque rituals and customs like
untouchability, Mannappedi, Pulappedi etc. Swami Vivekananda too was disturbed with these
religious absurdities. He realized that these can be disentangled only through social awareness.
Swami Agamananda tried to enhance the real message of religion and spirituality to the minds
of unprivileged masses. Many temples and spiritual centers far and wide Kerala was setup and
delivered lectures about social inequality, illiteracy and other social problems of Kerala to
make a consciousness in the minds of common people. It enabled the conservatives to rethink.
The miserable caste system was questioned by him. The work made by him to dismantle the
basic concepts of caste system and also initiations staunched by him to extend the religious
consciousness and spiritual ideologies of Swami Vivekananda and Sree Ramakrishna
Paramahamsar are inevitably remembered. The deep knowledge in Vedas and Puranas made
him to work accordingly.

Role of Agamananda Swamikal

Swami Agamananda became an active spokesperson in Sri Rama Krishna mission and was
blessed to engage with the disciples of Sree Rama Krishna Paramahamsar. He was benevolent
to untouchables and Harijans. Exhortations of Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsar about temple
entry and worship freedom of Harijans highly influenced him. He debated and won with
conservative Namboothiris. Despite many challenges for the establishment of a spiritual center,
Sri Ramakrishna Ashram was founded by Swami Agamananda at Kalady in 1936.

Swami focused for the upliftment of Harijans and expressed his love and compassion to them.
The impecunious people of Kerala was always backed and made protest against the denial of
the temple entry of avarnas. Swami Agamananda took charge of a temple which was under the
Puthukkat Namboothiris and enabled the temple entry of Harijans without the consent of upper
castes. As a result, many people entered the temple in such a situation where Harijans had no
right to walk along the roads nearby temples. Following his reform activities, Travancore
government had given permission to the avarnas for entering temple under Travancore state
government. But this fact was disremembered by the Kerala historians. Swami was much
worried about the meaningless caste system and he took effort for the temple entry for Harijans
before Vaikom Satyagraha. Hence, Swami Agamananda deserves the full credit for the temple
entry proclamation. But he never tried to get honoured for that. He was an active participant of
Vaikom Satyagraha in 1924. Swami Agamananda was entrusted to talk with Mahatma Gandhi
to discuss the problem of Harijans and again he was appointed as a mediator of a controversial
conversation between Mahatma Gandhi and Indamthuruthy Nambiathiri who was a
conservative and the then priest of Vaikom temple. A group of people who followed Sanathana
Dharma1, purposefully tried to misconstrue Mahatma Gandhi in the discussion held before the
gates of Indamthuruthy Mana. Sanathanies made mistakes deliberately to misunderstand
Gandhiji. Swami Agamananda was there to correct the misunderstandings. Prof. S.K
Vasanthan has mentioned this statement.

Main objectives of Swami were to make the people aware of the ideologies of Swami
Vivekananda and Sree Rama Krishna Paramahamsar. He was a practical user of Swami
Vivekananda’s Darshanas. This great saint often encouraged the young unemployed-literates
to teach the Harijan students and also remembered the society that the bad customs like
untouchability and unapproachability were not a part of Hindu Dharma. The activities of
Mahatma Gandhi for harijans were praised and advised others to follow his principles. Swami
opposed the theme spread by Shankarasmrithi of Kerala Brahmins and called it as a ‘fake
book’. Swami Agamananda started a hostel for Harijans near Sree Ramakrishna Ashram,
Kalady on 1935 and adopted many orphaned Harijans and equipped them with higher
education. Many among them reached greater positions later. Also, he established a hospital
for the poor, started Brahmanandodayam High School in Kalady and Sree Sankara College. He
dreamt about a Sanskrit University to be founded in Kalady which later became true.

The necessity of modern education was realised and Swami had a clear view that this education
should be free and compulsory to all people which was his main educational policy. The
government was supposed to give the free education. He added that the continuing education
was a meaningless process. In his point of view the education will be completed if and only if
it provides plenitude to body, intelligence and mind, which is the real education. Modern
education cannot satisfy the starvation of people even at ones. Modern education only creates
and promotes luxuriousness and laziness. Education should develop our will power and
reasoning power. Rational thinking should be developed. A student should think freely and
should take own decisions. One can get self-control through purification of mind. Swami said
that this should be our educational concept. This type of education will create true servants of
the society and thus students can serve the poor people. According to him, education must
relate with religion and it can promote the messages of universal brotherhood. Education

1 One who follows the traditional customs and rituals in Hindu society
should give the adequate knowledge on historical consciousness whereas scientific education
is very essential and we can connect the scientific education with religion. Opposite ideas are
not possible on these cases. He emphasized on scientific-religious learning and had a vivid and
an extensive view on educational subjects.

Agamananda Swamikal and his Activities

Swami Agamananda opposed the suzereinty of Brahmins in the 20th Century. It made him
enemies among from Brahmins itself. Since caste system and untouchability are the main
causes of the decline of Hindu religion, he opined that Hindu religious reformation is very
essential for the social upliftment. This made him to react against the grotesque practices made
by Hindu society in the name of worship. A clear picture about temple worship was put forward
and he commented that if anyone has concentration and devotion, was eligible to enter the
temple. He also questioned the ‘Shuddhi concept’ In his in his view, avarnas are not impure
and promoted the theory of Adwaitha, which was propounded by Sri Shankaracharya for the
eradication of social inequalities. In addition to this view, he added that Brahmins were not
ready to propagate the theory of Sri Sankara, which leads to the decline of Kerala society.
Brahmins acquired all privileges and became the head of the society. The priesthood as well as
upper class domination was strongly rejected and he was a true follower of Swami
Vivekananda on these matters. Brahmins owned the Vedas as their own property. They
increased the numbers of castes and categorized society and also refused the rights of women
to acquire knowledge in religious learning. Priests misused their knowledge for their own
existence. To him, anyone can accept priesthood, if and only if they have real devotion and a
purified mind. Swami Agamananda, delivered lectures and at the same time he became
practical to, what he said and made great effort for that. Swami promoted the welfare of the
society through spirituality and had a nice keep in touch with the public, which was something
great among the social reformers during that period. He tried to know the real social problems
in his own way and also tried to solve those. Also he kept a strong relation with Sree Narayana
Guru. Swami Agamananda opined that Guru was a great person, after Sri Shankaracharya. His
thoughts basically stood on Adwaitha Philosophy. People were considered as equal without
any discrimination. On his visit with Sree Narayana Guru, they discussed about the miserable
caste system and made his own interpretations on savarna-avarna concept. His advice was that
the young generation should create a healthy religious concept in modern age not to mix politics
with religion. To him, religion and spirituality are very essential for the service in a society,
luxuriousness should be avoided in the name of spirituality and insists that these can be used
for the development of the society such as to build hospitals, construct factories, guest houses
and orphanages. Swami Agamananda questioned the activities of temples. Temples should give
food to poor and should construct orphanages and guest houses. He moreover tried to make a
unity among the people of different religions and should stood as a united power for the
development of the society. Many sermons were made throughout Kerala and had an ability to
present the complex religious ideologies in a simple way so that the common mass can
understand. His open mindedness created enemies, mostly from the conservative sections and
they suspected him. Swami Agamananda authored many articles related with religion,
spirituality, social service and political science. He propagated the ideologies of Vivekananda,
which attributes him as ‘Second Vivekananda’. He had aegis in Gandhian views and socialist
concepts. Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri mentioned that Swami Agamananda always quoted
the name of Jayaprakash Narayan in case of social problems. Swami had extensive views in
health, environmental disaster, world peace, political science etc. The multifaceted knowledge
of this great saint wondered others. Swami Agamananda was one of the main architects of
modern Kerala. P. Govinda Pillai had entitled him with the name ‘Vivekananda of Kerala’. He
fostered humanity through spirituality and started the journal of Sri Ramakrishna Mission
entitled ‘Prabudhakeralam’ and also published many valuable articles. Sri Ramakrishna
Mission published his articles in four volumes in the name of ‘Veeravani’.

Along with Sree Narayana Guru, Swami Agamananda also protested against the religious
conversion and also promoted the upliftment of Hindu religion like that of others. In his view
actual religion is one in which those who enjoyed real spiritual pleasures. Religions are not
superstitions or evil customs, but were to practice some moral believes and values. It should
create unity, and not to be quarrelled. He had great knowledge in Islam religion as well as
Christianity and Christianity like that of Hinduism. To get real devotion we should see all
religions as equal. All religions leads to attain one aim, for that a purified mind is essential.
Each person can show their privilege of their religion through activities. Each individual can
reveal their greatness of religion through their own life, and then religious conflicts can be
avoided and can bring up unity. Some people performed vulgarities in the name of religion. A
self-controlled person can only work for the welfare of the entire society. Religion can promote
ultimate peace to individuals. A person with calmness is far sighted and he indicates that Sree
Narayana Guru was the best model of that kind of man. Swami Agamananda also wrote about
the biography of Sree Narayana Guru and also mentioned about Guru as the man used religion
for the welfare of the entire world. Like that of Sree Narayana Guru, Swami Agamananda
influenced the society deeply and used his rational thinking in each and every matter. He
continued his tremendous reform activities until his last breath in 1961.

Conclusion

Swami Agamananda discussed about the challenges faced by the modern society. Quarrels
among religion and misuse of religions are the main challenges. He discussed whole subjects
which related with the society had a great far sight, but the society failed to recognize that.
Swami identified and resolved the problems based upon our traditions and social stratifications.

His views and activities mainly depend on ideologies Swami Vivekananda, Darshanas’ of Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahamsar, Indian traditions. N.V. Krishna Warrier said that “once he was
the most inspired person for my career, he had a flood of love. He did so many helps for the
poor people who find out him as their asylums. Swami Agamananda gave food, shelter and
education to all and never denied these. He took a huge effort to build Advaithashramam and
its day to day activities”. According to Dr. Sreekrishna Sharma, “he was highly influenced by
Swami Vivekananda and was also a humanist like him”. Welfare of the humankind was his
ultimate aim, he could achieve it through his activities and this great saint took his last breath
on 17th April, 1961. This saint leaves in the hearts of the people forever and his activities were
incomparable. He was a true sage as well as an exalted person.

References

1. Sharma, V.S. Dr.:1991: Shrimad Agamanandaswaamikal (jeevacharitra samkshepm),

Veeravaani-II (Preface), Kalady, Sri Ramakrishna Adwaithaashramam, p. XV.

2. Vasanthan, S.K., 2006: Nammal Nadanna Vazhikal, Thrissur,

Malayalapadanagaveshanakendram, p.325.

3. Aagamaanandaswaamikal, 1993: Veeravaani – II, Kalady, Sri Ramakrishna

Adwaithaashramam, p.323.

4. Aagamaanandaswaamikal, 1993: Veeravaani – III, Kalady, Sri Ramakrishna

Adwaithaashramam, p.101.

5. Aagamaanandaswaamikal, 1993: Veeravaani – III, Kalady, Sri Ramakrishna

Adwaithaashramam, p.174.
6. Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri, 1993: Veeravaani – IV (Preface), Kalady, Sri Ramakrishna
Adwaithaashramam, p.XI.

7. N.E. Sudheer, 2006 September: P.G Yude Lokam, Malayalam Vaarika Oonappathippu,
Edition 17, p.8.

8. Aagamaanandaswaamikal, 1993: Veeravaani – IV, Kalady, Sri Ramakrishna

Adwaithaashramam, p.92.

9. Krishna Varrier N.V., Swami Aagamanandasmaraka Prasangam – 1988, Sri Ramakrishna

Adwaithaashramam, Kalady, 1988, p.7-8.

10. Sreekrishna Sharma E.R., Dr.: Swaami Aagamaanandasmaaraka Prabhaashanangal, , Sri

Ramakrishna Adwaithaashramam, Kalady, 1990, p.13.