Mokshapradeepa Khandanam

Mokshapradeepa Khandanam by Chattampi Swami is a critical work on Mokshapradeepam, a treatise by Brahmananda Swami Siva Yogi of Alathur. Brahmananda Swami championed 'Yogamarga' at the expense of Jnanamarga. He attempted to establish that Raja yoga is the one and only method for moksha. He argued that karma, shakthi and jnanamarga are baseless superstitions and not useful for attaining moksha. Mokshapradeepam codified his view on this line. Based on Sivayogi’s arguments the disciples insulted Temple worship, Vedic texts etc. At that time Narayana Guru was establishing temples and this led to a conflict. Guru kept silent with the view that these objections will naturally subdue. But the fight spread to various levels to an extent that it may affect Hinduism. In response to the persistent solicitations of disciples Chattampi Swami wrote in between 1905 and 1914. Mokshapradeepa Khandanam contradicting the theories of Brahmananda Swami. It is not a mere critical work on Sivayogi’s views. Those who have read the manuscript have stated that it is an encyclopedia on Yoga. It establishes the greatness of Jnanamarga. But Swami asked his disciples to publish only the general content of the work as a book on Yoga. But it was not published and what is available now are extracts used in other works of Swami’s contemporaries.

Extract from: Chattampi Swami: An Intellectual Biography. By R. Raman Nair and L. Sulochana Devi. Trivandrum, Centre for South Indian Studies, 2010

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