This is a collection of wisdom sayings of Sri Narayana Guru, presented individually in the context of its respective usage or intended message. Sayings are independently validated as truly expressed by Narayana Guru during his lifetime, as included in his literary works or in public pronouncements on specific occasions. Translations to the English language are largely based on books and other publications of Narayana Gurukula Foundation. NPHIL collaborators will keep adding to the collection of quotes and occasionally updating this slide set.

1. Compiled by
Shamita Bharatan
NPHIL Canada
August 2015
2015 © NPHIL Canada
THUS SPAKE
NARAYANA GURU
A Collection of His Wisdom Sayings

2. This is a collection of wisdom sayings of Sri Narayana Guru, presented individually
in the context of its respective usage or intended message.
Sayings are independently validated as truly expressed by Narayana Guru during
his lifetime, as included in his literary works or first hand recordings at public
pronouncements on specific occasions.
Translations to the English language are largely based on books and other
publications of Narayana Gurukula Foundation. NPHIL collaborators will keep
adding to this collection of wisdom quotes and occasionally updating this slide set.
Shamita Bharatan
NPHIL Canada
August 2015
Thus Spake Narayana Guru
Version 1.1
A Validated Collection

3. On Human Oneness
“One in kind, One in faith,
One in God is Man;
Of one womb, Of one form,
Difference none there is at all”.
Origin: Poem ‘Jati Nirnayam’ (A Critique on Caste) – Verse 2
Context: Emphasizing the oneness of humankind, irrespective of superficial differentiators like
race, ethnicity or personal faith.

4. On Species Rationale
“Within a species, does it not
Offspring truly breed?
The human kind thus seen
To a single species belongs”.
Origin: Poem ‘Jati Nirnayam’ (A Critique on Caste) – Verse 3
Context: Scientific rationale for oneness of the ‘Human’ species (Homo Sapiens), as only within
a species can individuals be interbreeding.

5. On Multicultural Coexistence
“Whatever may be the differences in
men`s creeds, dress, language, etc. –
because they all belong to the same kind
in creation, there is no harm at all in their
dining together, or having marital relations
with one another”.
Origin: Handwritten message sent by Narayana Guru to the Sahodara-Sangham (a social
brotherhood) on the occasion of their annual conference. Circa May 15, 1921.
Context: Supporting and encouraging inter-caste dining and marital relations.

6. On Yoga
“The state of mind-restraint
By which one unites oneself with
And becomes united with
Atma, which in essence is pure
Consciousness,
That is praised as Yoga”.
Origin: Poem Darsanamala (Garland of Visions) - Verse IX-1
Context: Introduction to Yoga Darsana as a philosophical perspective for Self-realization.

7. On Bliss via Yoga
“When mind, the bumblebee, sips the
honey-like sweetness of one’s own bliss,
The fluttering ceases and is drawn into
Yoga-breeze (the union)”.
Origin: Poem Darsanamala (Garland of Visions) - Verse IX-8
Context: Elaborates the holistic definition of Yoga Darsana and the attainment of bliss, when
the fluttering, or agitated nature of the mind, is not affected by inner and outer urges.

8. On Non-violence
“Not-killing makes a human good
Else an animal’s equal he becomes;
No refuge has the ‘taker of life’
Though to him all noble deeds accrue”.
Origin: Poem Jiva Karunya Panchkam (Mercy to Living Beings) – Verse 5.
Context: When man willfully kills other animals, or causes others to do so, such crude a
crime it is that it overshadows all other good he hath done in life.

9. On Futility of Religious Rife
“To win by fighting (any religion) is never
possible; no religion
Can be vanquished by dueling;
The opponent of faith Not remembering this
and persisting a fight;
His own doom shall he fight for in vain,
beware!”
Origin: Poem Ātmopadesa Satakam (One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction) - Verse 46
Context: This forms part of a series of verses on the meaninglessness and futility of
religious conflicts.

10. On Religious Biases
“All plead but for one’s religion to prevail
Which the disputants fail to remember
withal;
Those wise ones, freed from rejection of
another’s faith,
Alone know wholly the secret of this all.”
Origin: Poem Ātmopadesa Satakam (One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction) - Verse 47
Context: Only the wise are free from the bias leading to rejection of others’ religions.

11. On Forming Opinion of Others
“What’s your native-land? What caste?
Trade? How old?
From enquiries such, when one is free
One gains Inward Release (Nirvriti).”
Origin: Poem ‘Nirvriti Panchakam’ (Five Verses of Emancipation) written in honour of
Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi in 1916.
Context: Emphasizing that one who has gained a state of Nirvriti (emancipation) does not
bother to ask personal questions to a stranger, as such question are cause for biases in
our opinion of strangers. A true rishi (Ramana) is unconcerned of personal attributes,
and sees another as a reflection of the same Universal consciousness as himself.

12. On Securing Mutual Joy
“The happiness of another - that is my
happiness; one’s own joy is another’s joy
- this is the guiding principle; that action
which is good for one person should bring
happiness to another.”
Origin: Poem Ātmopadesa Satakam (One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction) - Verse 22
Context: The guiding principle that if one takes joy in other’s joy it should be mutually
beneficial.

13. On Meaningful Contentment
“Acts that one performs
For self-satisfaction,
Should also result in
Comfort to other men”.
Origin: Poem Ātmopadesa Satakam (One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction) - Verse 24
Context: A maxim that formed the keystone of Narayana Guru’s whole life, by the pursuit of
his own contentment in actions that resulted in the betterment of humankind.

14. On Three Virtues
“Grace, Love, Compassion – all the three -
Stand for one same reality – Life’s Star.
He who loves is he who really lives.”
Origin: Poem ‘Anukampa Dasakam’ (Ten Verses on Compassion). Verse 3
Context: Emphasizing the one Truth or reality in humane virtues that appear as three.
Those that love make the fullest of life.

15. An Unbiased Progress Wish
“Whichever the religion,
It suffices
If it makes a better man”.
Origin: Recordings by Nataraja Guru – ‘Life and Teachings of Narayana Guru’, P 72.
Context: Speaking about non-exclusivity of religion and where contemplative science has
its virtue recognising that ideological rivalries can only spell disaster.

16. On Knowledge Vs. Ignorance
“When the lamp is lit nearby
No devil appears to be,
But for those afraid
Of darkness, the very same
Darkness looms as devil”
Origin: Poem Advaita Deepika (Lamp of Non-duality) Verse 5 latter half.
Context: On close examination the world is philosophically a delusion, or nescience in the
absence of knowledge of the non-duality of existence. The lamp and darkness analogy
is used to explain this.

17. On An Open Institution
“Without racial prejudice
Without religious malice
Hither shall be
A model abode
Where all of humanity
In brotherhood thrive.”
Origin: Motto inscribed on the wall of the Aruvippuram Siva temple in 1888.
Context: Emphasizing that the temple is an open institution for all of humanity.

18. On Enlightenment
“The dawn of brilliance comes
Like the brilliance united
Of ten thousand suns
This light it is
That, with its keen saw
Can tear asunder the darkness,
Truth hiding, impermanent
Of Maya:
And victorious reigns!
The Primordial Sun Supreme!”.
Origin: Poem Ātmopadesa Satakam (One Hundred Verses of Self Instruction) - Verse 35
Context: Vision of enlightenment had led him nearer and nearer the Truth and had become
part of his own experience, harmonised and united with the rest of his being.

19. On Consciousness
“I am not the body but Awareness.
Even before the body was born, ‘I’ – The
Awareness was there.
Even if all these Cease to exist, ‘I’ will
remain effulging like this.”
Origin: ‘Gadya Prarthdana” (A prayer in prose).
Context: The timelessness of consciousness and the Self as eternal awareness that is,
even if an individual’s life ends. Truly, Narayana Guru lives through these words as
you are reading this!

20. Compiled by
Shamita Bharatan
NPHIL Canada
August 2015
2015 © NPHIL Canada
The End.
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