Quote from Bijoyees on May 26, 2026, 1:29 pm

It was in 2009 that I met Guru for the first time. I came to know about the Gurukula from the address printed inside the commentaries of Daṟśanamālā and Vēdānta Sūtras  that I had purchased from Thiruvananthapuram. However, I had no idea that the author of these books was still alive. It was around that time that Swami Sudhakara Soukumarya visited me, accompanied by a French lady who was staying at the guesthouse I used to run at Varkala Beach. Upon interacting with Swamiji, I realized he was an inmate of the Gurukula. When I expressed my desire to know more about Swami Muni Narayana Prasad, Swamiji said, "He is very much alive and at the Gurukula. Go there, meet him in person, and find out for yourself."

Honestly, that piece of news shocked me. Most of the books I was reading back then were penned by Gurus who had already attained Samādhi (passed away), including several seers from North India. Because they had all departed, a notion had settled deep within me that Guru Muni Narayana Prasad, too, belonged to a bygone era. Discovering that the author of the very books I was reading and deeply enjoying lived just three kilometers away from my residence left me utterly amazed. The very next day, I made my way to the Gurukula.

I carried with me both the English and Malayalam commentaries of Daṟśanamālā and Vēdānta Sūtras authored by Guru. Seeing these books in my hands on my very first visit, Guru asked, "Where did you buy these from?" When I replied, "Prabhu’s Books," it brought immense joy to Guru. His happiness stemmed from the realization that the Gurukula's publications were successfully reaching those who truly sought them.Our conversation continued. I asked, "Are there classes on Daṟśanamālā held here? I want to study it." Guru replied, "I have taught it multiple times already. From now on, read and study it on your own." Guru then affectionately signed those books for me.

Over the next two years, I read those books countless times. Meanwhile, Sudhakara Swami became a regular visitor at my guesthouse. He taught me the rituals of Homam (sacred fire ritual) and offered immense encouragement on the path of Wisdom. It was during this period that Sudhakara Swami visited again, this time with the invitation notice for the 2011 Gurukula Convention. I attended the convention and listened to every single class taken by Guru with rapt attention. During those seven days, I approached Guru once more and asked, "Will you teach Daṟśanamālā?" Guru remained silent. However, after the class on the 28th, he made a general announcement to everyone: "Starting next week, there will be a Daṟśanamālā class every Saturday and Sunday."

I attended those weekend classes for three months, and eventually, began attending the daily evening discourses at the Gurukula. By the end of 2012, I gave up running the guesthouse, and in 2013, I joined Guru completely. Becoming a close assistant in Guru's room, I immersed myself day and night in Vedantic contemplation. It was during this time that Guru commenced the translation of An Integrated Science of the Absolute—Nataraja Guru's monumental, comprehensive commentary on Daṟśanamālā . With that, my study of this wondrous text reached its absolute zenith, a journey that continues to this day.

Later, I also understood why Guru had remained silent when I first asked him to teach it. The real answer is that Daṟśanamālā is a work of such profound depth that no one can ever fully finish learning it.