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Gurudev had a special interest in the activities of the All Kerala
Sahodara Sangham under the leadership of his favourite disciple
Sahodaran Ayyappan. Gurudev said in a famous message which he gave
in writing to Sahodaran Ayyappan, "Whatever may be the differences
in the dress or language of people, as their religion is one the
religion of man there is no harm at all in their dining together
or having marital relations with one another." On May15, 1921
a large meeting of Sahodara Sangham was held at Alwaye, with the
blessings of Gurudev.
It was in the same year that Gurudev consecrated at Murukkumpuzha
temple the inscription, "Om Sathyam, Compassion, Shanti."
In 1922 the great poet Rabindranath Tagore came to Sivagiri and
visited Sree Narayana Guru. The poet was enraptured by the ethereal
spiritual radiance of Gurudev. Bowing at Gurudev with folded arms
he said, "As soon as I saw your holiness there occurred a change
in my mind."Certain poetic sentences which Tagore wrote in
the visitor's diary at Sivagiri before leaving there throws light
on the unique personality of Guruswamy. Tagore wrote,
"I have been touring different parts of the world. During these
travels I have had the good fortune to come into contact with several
saints and Maharshies. But I have frankly to admit that I have never
come across one who is spiritually greater than Swami Sree Narayana
Guru of Kerala nay, a person who is on a par with him in spiritual
attainments. I am sure I shall never forget his radiant face, illuminated
by the self-effulgent light of divine glory and those yogic eyes
fixing their gaze on a remote point in the far-away horizon."
Along with Tagore his friend C.F. Andrews, a European, had also
come to Sivagiri. C.F. Andrews declared, "I have seen God in
person. That is none other than Sree Narayana Guruswamy who lived
in the southernmost part of India."Gurudev's disciple, the
great poet Kumaran Asan, who has left a deep imprint of Malayalam
literature passed away in 1924. On hearing this news, Gurudev was
silent and pensive for some time. 
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The Conference of World Religions which
Gurudev convened at Alwaye in February1924 was the second of its kind
in the world and the first in Asia. At the entrance of the venue of
the meeting the following words of the Guru were inscribed,"Not
to argue and to win, but to know and to let know."
Throughout that conference which was held in conjunction with Alwaye
Sivaratri Gurudev was on the rostrum as chairman. Sir T Sadasiva
Iyer, a judge of the Madras High Court, presided. It was Gurudev's
beloved disciple and gifted orator Satyavrathan Swamigal who made
the welcome speech, expressing Gurudev's religious outlook.
Distinguished representatives of various religions spoke about
their respective religions. The first speaker was K K Kuruvilla,
representing the Christian religion. Buddhist faith was represented
by Manjeri Rama Iyer and Manjeri Ramakrishna Iyer. Swami Sivaprasad
presented the Brahma Samaj philosophy. Muhammed Maulavi presented
the underlying principles of Islamic brotherhood. Arya Samaj's Pandit
Rishiram spoke in English which wass translated into Malayalam by
Sahodaran Ayyappan.
The grand conference with Gurudev highlighting the universality
of all religions. He said:
"This conference has established the purpose all religions
is the same and there should be no bickering between followers of
different religions. With this in view we hope to establish in Sivagiri
a great seat of learning where all religions will be taught..."
Sree Bodhananda Swamikal, T.K. Madhavan, C.V. Kunjuraman, Sahodaran
Ayyappan and many other distinguished persons worked untiringly
to organize the conference. C V Kunjuraman thanked the congregation
for making the meet a great success.
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