MUNI NARAYANA PRASAD

Muni Narayana Prasad was born in 1938 in the Trivandrum District of Kerala. After passing the high school final examination, he studied to be an Engineering draftsman so that he might secure a job to support his family. While studying Engineering, he met with Nitya Chaitanya Yati and thus he became acquainted with the Narayana Gurukulam. After completing a one year program of Engineering, he began living at Narayana Gurukula, Varkala. He took a government job in Quilon, commuting there daily while continuing to live at the Gurukula. In such a way, he was able to continuously attend the classes given by Nataraja Guru, Mangalananda Swami and Nitya Chaitanya Yati, and follow a disciplined routine of self-study.

After the foundation stone was laid for the Brahmavidya Mandir at Varkala in 1963, Muni Narayana Prasad was put charge of its construction while living in a small hut beside the site. This gave him the opportunity to be in the constant service and contact of Nataraja Guru. His overall experience as a disciple of Nataraja Guru is outlined in his small book entitled Life and Lessons with a Guru. Once Nitya Chaitanya Yati began his continuous programs of teaching and travel, Muni Narayana Prasad was placed in charge of the Varkala Gurukula. This responsibility included caring for the boarding of the boys, as well as publishing the Monthly magazine and other publications. Supervising the Monthly and tasked with including material for print compelled him to translate into Malayalam the various works of Nataraja Guru, who himself had only wrote in English. The Monthly also compelled to begin writing articles of his own. As such, he became better acquainted with writing and a deeper level of thinking.

With time, Muni Narayana Prasad became interested in delving into the wisdom of the Upanisads and wrote several commentaries as a result. Between 1989 and 1991 he led a secluded life in the Fiji Islands, spending his time meditating and writing. While there he also made his first trip to the United States. Upon returning to India, he wrote commentaries on all works of Narayana Guru in Malayalam and commentaries in English on the philosophical works of the same. In the meantime, more Upanisads were commented upon, as was the Bhagavad Gita. Other books were written, bringing the total near to a hundred. An English translation of the Complete Works of Narayana Guru was also prepared and published.

In 1999, upon Guru Chaitanya Yati’s attainment of mahasamadhi, Muni Narayana Prasad became the Guru and Head of the Narayana Gurukulam. In 2005 he fell seriously ill, and though recovering, became partly disabled, and has gradually recovered his health. The love of wisdom has impelled him to continue to teach and write. Guru Muni Narayana Prasad continues as Guru and Head of the Gurukuka, which stands as a centre open to all eager Wisdom seekers.