Acharya Narendra Bhooshan

Early life

Narendra was born at Chengannur, in central Travancore area, a hundred kilometers west of the famous Sabarimala temple to Krishna Pillai and Thankamma.. He completed his school education in Kallissery High School, Chengannur in the year 1952 and joined NSS Hindu College, Changanasserry for higher studies.

Education

Later, he accepted various jobs before reaching the temple of learning, Dayananda Brahma Mahavidyalaya Hissar, Haryana. Returning from Hissar to his home state, he took up the cause of Vedic literature in India. Acharya Narendra Bhooshan started as an office assistant in an Export Company in Thiruvananthapuram in 1957. He also worked as a teacher and a journalist for brief periods. He served as the Kulapathi of Saraswathi Vaidika Gurukulam- Chenganoor and Upakulapathi of Maharshi Dyananda Vaidika Gurukulam in Vaikkom.

The Acharya is also the founder editor of "ARSHA NADAM" Magazine, which is exclusively devoted to the studies related to the Vedas and Upanishads. He admitted all Hindus irrespective of their caste, in his Gurukulam. Moreover, he initiated them to the world of Vedic knowledge by presenting them with the sacred thread (janayu) and the scared Mantra, hitherto viewed as exclusive birthrights of Brahmins. The Acharya has so far delivered about 5000 discourses on various topics mainly on Vedas and Vedic practices. He continued his life's mission ignoring health problems. It was Acharya Narendra Bhushan who for first time in Kerala introduced postal tuition classes for Sanskrit. He established the 'Veda Press' (Akshara Bodhini) in Chengannur in 1978 mainly for publishing materials and books related to Vedic studies in Malayalam.

Published works

He has to his credit a large number of books - translations, commentary and his original works. There are more than one hundred books by (Acharya) Narendra Bhushan, out which around fifty were published, on Vedas, Upanishads, Hindu philosophy and ancient wisdom. He also contributed to the welfare of the society by conducting two brihat (large) 'Yajnas' Atharva veda Yajna and Chathurveda Yajna at the Mahadeva temple Chengannur in Kerala during 1995. Perhaps his magnum opus is the "Chathurveda Samhitha", transcriptions of the entire chants and mantras of the four Vedas in the Malayalam alphabet along with a profound commentary, along with original Devanagari script. Acharya Narendra Bhooshan's commentaries on all major Upanishads are proof of his profound knowledge in that sphere. These commentaries are in Malayalam. His interpretation (in Malayalam) of 10 major Upanishads are compiled as Dashopanishad Shruthipriya Bhasha Bhayam. He has also done Lokamanya Tilak's "Geetha Rahasyam", Justice Ganga prasad's Origin of Religions "Mathangalute Uthbhavakatha", Swamy Sathyapathi Parivrajaka's "Yogameemamsa" into Malayalam. "Yogameemamsa" explain the true meaning of Yoga dispelling all superstitions of about the practice of Yaga. The contribution of Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Arya samaj were made familiar to the people of Kerala mainly through Acharya's work of "Sathyartha Prakasham" which was originally written in Hindi. Other work in Sanskrit by Swami Dayananda Saraswathy like, "Veda Paryatanam", "Vedageethamrutham" "Achara Bhanu" "Aryabhivinayam" Aryodhesha Ratnamala" were brought into Malayalam by Acharya Narendra Bhushan. Another very important- work is a commentary on "Harinama Keerthanam" explaining the Upanishad and Vedic dimensions of this simple yet very popular Keerthanam. "Mahamrithumjayam" is another work by the author which is a commentary on the inequitable problem of conform by death and the method of talking it by detachment. "Upasana" is another Malayalam work by Acharya Narendra Bhooshan giving in details the Pancha Mahayajna's to be practical in daily life. This book serves as a practical guide for the layman in conducting his life.

He has also contributed to the field of literature by translating BHASA's famous Sanskrit dramas "Abhisheka" and "Ooru Bhanga" to Malayalam. The Malayalam work "Yogesweranaya Sree Krishna" gives a picture of the life Sreekrishna as a Yogi. "Ayodhyayile Sree Raman" is yet another work that render proof for the author's mind "Yaga Parichayam" is a work in Malayalam that attempts to give details regarding the "Yaga". Another book 'Paralokavum Punarjanmavum' serves is a book on Acharya Narendra Bhooshan's thoughts on vedic tradition, religion and spirituality. This book emphasizes the link between spirituality and scientific thought and dismissed some religious practices when they act as obstacles to the development of the self. This book also attempts to unveil the mysteries concerning life after death.

Awards and honours

Acharya Narendra Bhooshan is also the recipient of many awards and recognitions. The Arya Sama Centenary puraskar 1983, Maharshi Dayanand Puraskar both from Ajmeer, the Vedopadesha Puraskar Bombay in 1992 presented by the then President of India,Dr Gyani Zail Singh, are a few to name. Another award, the first Amrita Keerthi Puraskaram (award) was also bestowed to Acharya Narendra Bhooshan. He also received Veda Ratna award in 2007 from Kashyapa Veda Research Institute, Kozhikode, Kerala. He was among the panel of scholars to prepare the History of Vedic literature in 1988 for the Kerala Sahitya Academy. The work was published by the Academy in 1991. He also served as a member in the selection committee for Academy Award of Kerala Sahitya Academy. He was entrusted by the Kerala state language institute to prepare the history of the three reformation movements of 19th Century, the Arya Samaj, the Brahma Samaj and Prarthana Samaj. Another work by Pt. Veda Bandhu Sharma is under the process of publication under his editorship entitled the Nirukta Pravesika of Yaskka Muni. In 2009 He decided to reject the title ACHARAYA.