Karatt Govinda Menon (26 August 1852 – 10 September 1929), better known as Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, was an Indian sanyasi from present-day Kerala who founded the Ananda Maha Sabha in 1918.
[1] He was titled "Brahmananda Swamikal", recognising his spiritual and literary knowledge by Ayyathan Gopalan, a social reformer and propagandist of Brahmo Samaj in Kerala and founder of Sugunavardhini movement.
Brahmananda Sivayogi was born on 26 August 1852 at Kollankode, a small village in Palakkad district of Kerala.
He was the ninth son of Nani Amma of "Karatt" family and Kunhikrishna Menon of Kunnath Ravunnyarath at Vallengi.
He visited temples, worshipped individual Gods, involved in prayers, offerings and other religious customs.
He was greatly influenced by the non-idolatry and atheistic principles of Dr. Ayyathan Gopalan and Brahmo Samaj, His attitude towards God, religion and tradition was undergoing a slow change by then.
He was a frequent visitor at Brahmasamajam and wrote the book Brahmasankeerthanam on the request of Dr. Gopalan and Brahmosamajists of Malabar.
He started Anandamatham (Religion of Bliss) and made a tour in some parts of Kerala to propagate the ideals of Ananda matham‘ and carried on a consistent struggle against the anti socio-religious practices.
Even though he was a Sanskrit scholar, he preferred simple Malayalam, the vernacular language, to make the common people aware of their real status in the society.
Brahmananda Sivayogi believes that superstitions and evil customs influenced the common people due to their ignorance of Rajayoga.
The religious rivalry and misery can be put to an end by the knowledge that the original universal religion of mankind is "Ananda" alone.
The authoritative truths he proved, with examples and logic viz., the triumph of eternal bliss, real happiness is the peacefulness of the mind, the prime victory is the victory over the mind, non-violence is the foremost form of righteousness, rites like sacrifices creates ignorance, happiness is innate etc.
On its basis, the caste system, the practise of untouchability, idolatry, the temple oriented customs, animal sacrifice, superstitions, institutionalized religion, were opposed and the awareness that all men are equal was developed.
As a rational intellect, he stood for the rescue of poor, neglected and ignorant lay man and elevated them to a universal brotherhood.