Subhananda Gurudevan came to the world on 28 April 1882 in Pooram Star at Budhanoor in Chengannur, Alappuzha District, Kerala. He was born to Ittiyathi and Kochuneeli in Kalappurackal family as a delegated offspring.

Termed ‘delegated’ as his parents spent 24 long years, in prayer and penance, awaiting birth of a child. The decades long penance was completed with a 41 days prayer at the Salagrama Temple at Vazhappally, Changanassery. Kochuneeli experienced a vision and revelation “…

"Soon a son will be born to you, submit him for the will of God”.

Subhananda Gurudevan is the holy outcome of this divine revelation.

Narayanan lost his mother at the age of 12. This led him to the life of a vagabond. The vagrant life lasted for about nine years, till he reached the age of 21. Being a nomad, he came in touch with several faiths and religious scholars. However, none of these led to eternal solution for the human sufferings. Hence he left all of them as he firmly believed that the eternal solution lies in knowing the inner self. This can be realized only through severe penance with the blessings of God. He thus began the 12 year long Great Penance at the age of 21. He chose the hills of Western Ghats in Idukki District for this. During the initial nine years, besides penance he also took up social service, however, the last three years were devoted entirely to deep penance. This was at Ambalappara (Tapogiri) in Karinthiri Hills. He intermittently experienced divine vision, revelation and prophecy. The secret of Creation and the disposition of the three aeons viz. Kretha, Thretha and Dwapara were revealed to him one after another. With the attainment of total enlightenment, eternal happiness arose internally like Himalaya in him. As this divine disposition stabilized, he left Tapovanam, accepting the “Subhananda” denomination. This was on 16 November 1914.

Social Reforms through Spirituality

1. The first is the hiking to Sivagiri in 1927. In this historical move from Mavelikkara, Gurudevan led about 480 disciples.
2. Gurudevan unambiguously declared that the caste system is perpetuated through temples. In repentance of the Great Sin of untouchability, temples should be opened for all. The Temple Entry campaign led by Gurudevan was a remarkable renaissance movement.

He led a march of 101 ascetics to Thiruvananthapuram Palace on 10 November 1935 from Kallimel near Mavelikkara. This procession of the downtrodden has been etched in golden letters in history.

Meeting with the King Sree Chithira Tirunal

Gurudevan: Caste cannot make inequalities among the Creations, as the Creator has created all as Equal. Humans should achieve greatness as one’s own light. Hence the Caste system and the present Religions are unjust. The pretention that God, who is just and all encompassing, warrants untouchability is as mean and repugnant as excrement. Reinforcing such an observance through temples is demeaning to millions of downtrodden in this country and has to be done away through a royal decree that permits the entry of all devotees into temples,irrespective of the caste.
The King: No one has so far brought this issue to my notice, as you have done. Anyway, I will deeply think about this and do the needful.
Temple entry to all castes became a reality on 12 November 1936.
Self-revelation is Vedanta from beginning till end. It is based on the dictum “One Caste, One Religion, One God”.

Essence of Self-revelation Vedanta has been defined as follows: Oneness in humans is defined by physical and spiritual being and relationships. Self-revelation brings unity. All religions aim the same. Any entity that brings out self-revelation is religion. Eternal self-revelation is God. Ignore the Religion and Caste of Today, however, look for the ancestral Religion and Caste and lead the egalitarian life. According to Gurudevan, one should realize that the primary religion is self-revelation and caste is nothing but humanity.

Note the following stanza from Vedanta:
“Consciousness originated first and the world is consciousness.
Salvation by unity through consciousness."

One who is enlightened through self-revelation is safeguarded by the same.”

Consciousness existed even before the creation of the Universe, and the same is God and the first religion. Consciousness led to knowledge, which in turn became power. Knowledge and power together led to creation of the Universe. Thus consciousness became both Creator and the Creation.

The foremost Commandment of the self-searching Vedanta is “the annihilation of slavery”. Accordingly, both the slave and the oppressor should redeem their debts, for themselves as well as for the future and deceased generations, and achieve salvation.