Readers familiar with Malayalam will recognize that Chattampi Swamikal's writings often employ a challenging style, characterized by lengthy and intricate sentences, obscure vocabulary, and passages that can leave one perplexed. Perhaps due to the changing times, even native Malayali speakers may struggle to comprehend his writings fully. This attempt to present Chattampi Swamikal's work to an English-speaking audience is a humble endeavour, aiming for those do not know Malayalam also to benefit from and be inspired by his teachings. He was undeniably a saint of remarkable qualities, excelling in various arts such as poetry, music, dance, and Ayurvedic medicine, and possessing proficiency in languages like Arabic, Malayalam, Tamil, and Sanskrit. He had also achieved profound inner peace through the practice of Yoga and meditation, attaining the highest state of realization.
Living a simple life akin to that of a wandering ascetic, with only essentials like an umbrella, a single dhothi, and a ganjira drum for accompaniment while singing, he continues to be remembered for the miracles he performed, as recounted by parents who met him to their children even today. His boundless compassion extended to all living beings, as evidenced by his advocacy for non-violence towards animals, exemplified in his book 'Compassion: A Crique.' Chattampi Swamikal also emerged as a social reformer, challenging the injustices perpetuated by the caste system through his writings, which debunked the claims of superiority by higher castes and advocated for equal access to Vedic knowledge for all, regardless of birth status, as articulated in his composition 'Right to Learn Vedas: A Critique.'
He staunchly defended the rights of Hindus to freely practice their religion amidst the increasing influence of assertive Christian missionaries. In his bold critique titled 'Christianity: A Critical appreciation,' he vehemently ones of the Bible. He authored 'Ancient their interpretations Land of Malayalam,' giving a comprehensive historical overview of Kerala, and 'Origin of Language,' a work debunking the notion of Sanskrit as the oldest language.
Beyond these scholarly pursuits, he composed numerous poems and devotional hymns, some of which were discovered posthumously, scattered in the homes of his devotees on bits of loose paper, leading one to speculate that perhaps it was divine providence that preserved at least these treasures for future generations.
His life exemplified the principles he advocated. Tales of his actions continue to resonate, such as an incident near Trivandrum where a wealthy man invited him for a feast. Chattampi Swamikal agreed, mentioning he would arrive with his friends the next day. When Swamikal arrived, he was welcomed graciously, and the host eagerly inquired about his companions. Swamikal assured him that they would arrive shortly and urged the man to begin serving the meal. As the food was laid out on banana leaves, the host remained puzzled by the absence of Swamikal's friends. Finally, Swamikal signalled, and to the host's surprise, several dogs entered the house, each settling beside a plate on the floor in a poised manner.
Vedas (1180)
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