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Whenever Chattambi Swami saw me, he used to talk of the Swami. He was charmed by the Swamis voice. He used to say, When the Swami used to sing, it was just like the sound of a golden pot. Oh, how sweet a voice! He used to praise the eyes of the Swami too. Once when the Swami and Chattambi Swami were talking in Sanskrit, a Sanskrit scholar happened to be present. He pointed out a grammatical mistake in the Swamis language. The Swami immediately reacted: I need not follow grammar; the grammar will follow me. . . . . According to K. P. K. Menon, author of the short biography Chattambi Swamigal, the Swamis meeting with Chattambi Swami took place at the house of Rama Iyer, the Dewans Secretary, who was a great admirer of the latter. Research into the Swamis visit to Kerala has been done by Shri P. Seshadri. I n the Vivekananda Centenary Souvenir, published by the Vivekananda Centenary Central Committee of Trichur in 1963, he writes: It is said that Swamiji met the great Chattambi Swami at Ernakulam. Both were impressed with each other and Swamiji asked Shri Chattambi Swami to go over to him alone. He did so and they were talking together one whole night. It is said that one of the topics they discussed was the Chinmudra. It is also said that Swamiji wrote down the name and address of Shri Chattambi Swami in his diary and told him, I am writing that I have met a real man in Malabar [Kerala]. Shri Chattambi Swami often used to speak of Swamiji with great admiration. In a letter he wrote, with his characteristic modesty: I doubt whether the difference between Vivekananda Swami and me is merely that between Garuda [the King of Birds] and a mosquito! o
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Chattambi Swami
Life of Swami Vivekananda by His Eastern and Western Disciples, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 1.328-9
Reference:
Note: Revered as Sree Vidyadhiraja Parama Bhattaraka Chattambi Swamikal (1853-1924), Chattambi Swami was a saintly social reformer from Kerala. His thoughts and work influenced the launching of many social, religious, literary and political organizations and movements in Kerala and for the first time gave voice to those who were marginalized. Chattambi Swamikal denounced the orthodox interpretation of Hindu texts citing sources from the Vedas. Swamikal along with his contemporary, Narayana Guru, strived to reform the ritualistic and caste-ridden Hindu society of the late 19th century Kerala. He authored several books on spirituality, history, and language. 3 7