Shri Mekkad Neelakanta Sadguru

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Shri Neelakanta Sadguru (1898-1945) It is said of Bhakta Prahlada that he became beloved of Sri Hari because Sage Narada spoke to him through the ears of his mother even when he was in her womb. Mekkad Neelakanta Sadguru was in his mother’s womb when Shri Kunjikkavu Nambudiri gave her sanctified ghee which was what endeared him to Lord Guruvayurappan and made him leave his native village Parakkad near Angadippuram and settle in Guruvayur. The Lord often chooses His devotees as messengers at different times. If Meppattur came to Guruvayur seeking cure for his rheumatism, the immediate cause that led Neelakanta guru to resort to Guruvayur was a stomach ailment. But once there, he made it his life’s mission to serve the Lord and the devotees through Bhagavata and Namasankirtan. By then he had become a great scholar and was even honoured with Pattatanam at Tali temple in Kozhikode

in recognition of his learning. Sadguru had started popularising the efficacy of namajapa first among the simple Nambudiri womenfolk who were traditionally confined to their homes. In due course it became a mass movement conducive to the welfare of the community. It was Sadguru who introduced Nama saptaha yajna (seven day chanting of Holy name) for the first time. Except for short breaks during temple rituals like Seeveli etc. the routine lasting seven hours a day consisted chanting of “Narayana” interspersed with short discourses on the greatness of the Nama and inspiring bhajans. From April 1940, Nama saptaha was held every month in kuttambalam. Within a year requests poured in from individuals and organisations for similar yajnas to be conducted at homes and other places. Thus the movement spread wings and Nama yajnas were conducted at diverse places like Tripunithura and Tiruvilwamala. In 1942 when horrors of the Second World War gripped the country, with foodgrains and other essential ommodities becoming scarce and people fleeing cities because of atom bomb scare, every one turned to the Almighty God for help and protection. Even the government issued directions to people to offer prayers at all places of

worship for peace and welfare. Kongot Ramankutty Nair was then the Devaswom Manager of Guruvayur temple and a great devotee. He called a conference of like minded bhaktas and a few other leaders at Guruvayur. At this meeting Neelkanta Guru declared with firm conviction that the welfare of the world could be ensured by mass chanting of Narayana in front of Lord Guruvayurappan. Thus mass Namajapa lasting 41 days commenced on 26 December 1942 under the leadership of Sadguru. The japa started after the morning Siveli and lasted till the evening Diparadhana. The prayer was not for the victory of the allies or for the defeat of the enemies - it was the universal prayer, Lokha Samasthah sukino

bhavantu. It is noteworthy that the movement gave an impetus to the bhakti cult through Namasankirtan and since then Namajapa is held for half an hour every evening and became part of the daily ritual at Guruvayur. Nowadays it is held at the Aadhyatmika Hall (first floor section of the temple building complex to the southern side of western gopuram-above the Bhandaram Counting hall . Religious discourses on Srimad Bhagavatha are held there) He often said -“ After coming to Guruvayur and having had the darshan don’t worry yourself asking what you got. Come on, take this – the Kamadhenu of Narayana nama and bring it up – all your wishes would be fulfilled. Don’t fail to do Namajapa because of pressure of work, you can do it even while working. Catch hold of the name and don’t feel shy, go on chanting”. There were several instances of devotees getting cured of dreaded diseases through the ‘medicine’ of Harinam during Sadguru’s time.

The great scholar and Bhagavata exponent Polpakkara Nambudiripad developed a diabetic carbuncle. Ashta Vaidyas and allopathic doctors alike opined that he would not live beyond 90 days. However, Nilakanta guru along with several devotees prayed to Guruvayurappan that the ailing Nambudiripad be blessed with “ayur arogya saukhyam.” He also organised a group of devotees and started namajapa sitting near the patient for two hours daily. In three and half months, the number of “namams” chanted totalled seven and half crores. Then the miracle happended. The coconut size tumour burst by itself one day. With constant nursing and namajapa the wound was completely healed within six months and

Nambudiripad was himself again, hale and hearty. Dr. Balakrishna Nedungadi of Madras who had seen service as a Major in the army, was the poor man’s doctor in the true spirit of “manava seva being Madhava seva.” A few years ago he was afflicted with paralysis and was virtually immobile below the waist. Treatment under Ayurvedic and allopathic systems, having failed to cure him, he resorted to Akhanda namajapa, continuous chanting, for 24 hours, at his residence, Kesari Kuteeram, in Madras. The very next day the doctor’s legs acquired some strength. He had a dream in which Lord Guruvayurappan appeared, Himself pushing a wheel chair with the patient seated thereon. The Lord commanded that when the patient himself was able to walk again, he should visit Guruvayur and surrender the wheel chair there. Lo! within a few days the doctor was enabled to do this! Sadguru himself was suffering from tuberculosis. In deference to the entreaties of his numerous disciples he submitted himself to medical treatment while his tongue incessantly chanted Lords’ names. In fact, there was no need to go in search of a doctor. Hearing the Guru’s ailment, the Civil Surgeon of Chavakkad hospital, on his own, came to treat him. He was none other than Dr. E. T. Vargheese who had great faith in the Guru and Guruvayurappan. Every morning he went round the temple tank, stood near the East nada dipasthambham and had darshan of Bhagavan. Hearing that Sadguru was seriously ill he went to his residence and prescribed the necessary treatment. There after he visited him daily. He partook of the Lord’s prasada, palpayasam, offered by devotees there and felt singularly blessed

by Lord Guruvayurappan and shed tears of joy. Indeed strange are the ways of God who wanted to bless this strange devotee, a non-Hindu, in this manner! It was the second day of the annual utsavam of February 24, 1945. Amidst loud chanting of Hare Guruvayurappa, Narayana, Sri Neelkanta Sadguru shed his mortal coil and attained the Lord. Devotees could only pray with

Poontanam: Gurunathan tuna cheika santatam Tirunaamangal naavimmel eppozhum piriyate irrikkanam nammute narajanmam saphala

rnaakkituvaan. (May Gurunathan be always with us, may Lord’s names be always on our tongues, without a moment’s break, so that we could fulfil the purpose of taking this human birth). The above was an english translation from the book Shri Guruvayurappan Thirunama Mahatmyam published by Sree Guruvayurappan Sankeerthana Trust, Guruvayur founded by Thirunamacharya Shri Anjam Madhavan Nambudiri (1918-1988), a scholar devotee who held vast audiences spellbound by his inimitable

discourses on Bhagavata and the Namasankirtan. It was an extract from a great book Sri Krishna The Lord of Guruvayur by Shri K.R.Vaidyanathan , Bhavan’s Book University . Narayanalayam is a building to the north of our Guruvayur temple facing the Rudra Tirtham. A statue of Bhagavatha Acharya Anjam Madhavan Namboothiri is present there. It's a hall where Namajapam, Kodiarchana, Lakshaarchana and Annadhanam are held. It also has the below idol of Bhagavan UnniKrishna which belonged to the great devotee poet Poonthanam Namboothiri. Every year Laksharchana is done to it . When Thirunamacharya used to be there, all Guruvayurappan devotees used to enter Narayanalayam after the temple visit and seek his blessings. He used to do puja upstairs and he gave prasad to everyone. Every year in February, the “Mekkad Nilakanta Sadguru Smaraka Saptaha Yagnam” is held at Narayanalayam, Guruvayur This year it will be the 63rd one. It was started by Thirunamacharya Anjam Madhavan Nambudiri in 1946. Apart from continuous Narayana chanting ,talks on the Thirunama Mahatmya, singing of Kirtans and Prasad distribution among children are

part of it. It ends in Akhanda Japa. Thirunamacharya Anjam Madhavan Nambudiri was his main disciple who further popularised the Nama Yajnas started by Sadguru. So, for the memory of both these Acharyas, two Nama Saptahas are held every year.

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