Know yourself and serve others

Subhananda Gurudev founded an Organization, the Atma Bodhodaya Sangham (Reg.No.144 /1107), with its head quarters at Cherukole, Mavelikara, supporting the belief of ‘One Caste, One Religion and One God for the Mankind’, for achieving ultimate Self Realization. He, along with Swami Dharma Theerther. B.A.,LL.B, the then Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham, founded by Sree Narayana Gurudev, Sivagiri Madom, Varkala, as Advisor, registered it at Mavelikara Sub-Registrar Office on 6th May 1932. Sree Narayana Guru (1865– 1928) was stated to be the Athmeeya Guru, the Spiritual Guru of Swami Subhananda. By that time more than 33 Branches and 20 Ashrams had already been established by Subhanada Gurudev in different parts of Central Travancore, uniting the common mass, especially from the lower castes that were denied the basic human rights and freedoms of worship. His Highness Artist Ramavarma Raja, uncle of the then Sree Chithira Thirunal Maharaja of Travancore, has later become the Patron of the Sangham.

The name “Atma-Bhododaya Sangham”, literally means “organization to enlighten wisdom”; perhaps it is the only organization of this nature in the world. This was His noble mission and the head quarter is the holiest Subhananda Ashram in Cherukole, Mavelikara, Alleppey District in Kerala, South India and that continues to be the same till now. The Sangham upheld the path of Bhakthi and righteous living, and had founded a new social order wherein all distinctions of class, colour, creed, caste, or sex were deliberately discarded and removed. The religious dogmas, rituals and superstitions were condemned. A new spiritual order, with its own rituals and rules and regulations (Vyavastha), apt for the Kali Yuga Moksha for mankind had been established. Atma Bodham (knowledge about the soul) is Subhananda (auspicious bliss), embodiment of heaven.

The great mission of Atma-Bhododaya Sangham is to spread the message of peace and oneness and to establish the moral deed of “Sathya-Dharma”, truth and righteousness,which is hidden in every human-being by Maya the ignorance. Thus, in order to eradicate the ignorance and to instill and enlighten the truth in us, Lord Subhananda has mercifully disclosed the heavenly truth to the disciples during His various prayer discourses. Subhanandam is the eternal and everlasting auspicious peace that Jagath-Guru Subhananda spreads to the mankind. Gurudev teaches followers to attain self realization in order to see the eternal light which resides in all. Man is not self illumine, but the Guru lights the lamp in him and in the light emanates he can see himself.

Subhananda disciples who had experienced the ecstasy are working in all parts of India and abroad spreading the message of love and harmony to reach the oneness among us and get to know about the blissful values. Subhananda Gurudev stresses the primary need for educating people to abstain from Five Great Sins such as adultery, intoxication, tormenting others, violence and idol worship. Intoxication such as consumption of liquor and narcotics are harmful substances that lead to unrest at millions of homes and the society as a whole and as such it must be prohibited.

Subhananda Gurudev has been liberating tens of thousands of families from the malign practices through His divine discourses and awareness campaigns and spiritual rehabilitations. Educating the people is the only powerful way to eradicate poverty and slavery. Childrens care for the underprivileged (Anaadhasala), and Ayurvedic medical aid (Ayurveda Vaidyasala) for health-care are the other areas of concentration. In the early days Gurudev has been running old age homes and small scale industrial training centres. Gurudev devotees had constructed more than 30 ashrams at various places within this time and started providing innumerable social services to the underprivileged poor community. Childrens home, service to the aged and handicapped were also missions undertaken. Weaving centers and small scale agriculture based cottage industries were also started in order to provide living for the women and aged.

There were no external financial aid for these activities, and the devoted disciples, at times the Sanyasins often earned by working and even begging for help from the good hearted people. These activities were successful with the hard work and dedication by Gurudev and his dedicated Sanyasins and with the moral support from Maharaja Mahamahimasree Sreemoolam Thirunal Valiyathampuran. Gurudev had been doing this service for over twenty five years with the selfless assistance from his followers by imploring. However, due to intense requirement at that stage, and records reveal that in April 1935, Gurudev appealed to all the general public and well wishers to support his noble cause. Gurudev was prompt in maintaining accounts for all these activities and used to present it in the regularly conducted general body meetings of the Sangham.