XXXI Abstracts Part 1 page 1-189

While Muthukutti was searching for some breakthrough remedy from the oppressive social order an opportunity
presented itself at the age of 22. He was taken on 2-3-1833 to the ‘Masi festival’ of Tiruchendur Murugan Temple on the
east coast. He disappeared into the sea and reappeared after three days as an ‘Avtar’(incarnation) with the name “Sri
Vaikuntar”. [12, 13, 14, 15]
Sri Vaikuntar had the vision of integrated humanism characterized by equality (Dharma Yuga/ Sarvodaya Order)
and also had the strategies of
• Confronting the exploitative forces (i.e. forces of Kali Yuga) through innovative tools of ‘Satyagraha’ involving fearless
self-assertion and non-violent non-cooperation.
• Preparing the ‘self’ through self-refinement and the community through a process of socio-cultural and economic
reconstruction and
• Sustaining the new found ‘social order’ through a multi-tier stewardship structure each endowed with an effective ‘reachout’
and communicative dynamics.
Sri Vaikuntar’s life became his message. The process of preparing the self and training an ‘army’ started in
Swamythope in the year 1833 itself on return from his ‘pilgrimage’.
Sri Vaikuntar went on a six year penance (or tapasya). During the first two years (devoted to Yuga Tapasya) he
meditated sitting in a six feet pit and subsisting only on liquid food. The next two years were devoted to a reflection on a
casteless society. During this period he took milk and fruits. The last two years were spent in Prison etc.
The response was spontaneous. People belonging to all the castes / religions started coming in large numbers and
the process of communication started. He got first hand information of people’s sufferings and figured out the ‘mantra’ that
could electrify the situation and make them feel empowered.
Sri Vaikuntar ordered his fellows to wear turbans on their head. This indeed created shockwaves – particularly
since wearing of clothes below the knee and above the waist had been prohibited. In fact the situation would have been
comparable to the salt Satyagraha which took place a century later.
Further he encouraged the oppressed communities not to submit themselves to Uliam (free service) and be
fearless. He blamed the king for the oppressive taxes and discriminatory social order. Having characterized himself as their
crusader he declared the unjust rule as that of a ‘Maneesan’ (big demonic/ oppressive ruler). The Britishers who were
behind the scene were called ‘Venneesan’(White Oppressors). The situation was thus ripe for a confrontation with the rulers
and the upper castes.
King Swathi Thirunal (1829-1847) responded to the numerous complaints and had the Swamy arrested and bought
to Trivandrum. The king attempted to test whether the Swamy had any divine powers. Since the latter refused to take note
of the king’s urgings he was kept as a prisoner at Singarathoppu, an open air prison near the royal temple there and was
subjected to a number of inhuman tortures. When he survived all these and was attracting huge admirers from his native
region and other regions the king began concerned. He offered to release Vaikuntar if the latter signed in an undertaking
sent to him, which demanded that the Swamy should carry on his mission only among his own caste. To the Swamy whose
life mission was the destruction of caste system this offer was meaningless and thus he tore away the proposed draft
agreement. He further insisted, in the spirit of Satyagraha, that he will leave the prison only after completing the 3 ¾ months
of imprisonment as originally ordered by the king.
Sri Vaikuntar was released in the first week of March 1838 and was taken to the second ashram called Ambalapathi
in a procession made of his enthusiastic devotees. During the period 1838-1851 Sri Vaikuntar demonstrated his philosophy
into a livable proposition – called Ayyavazhi, the path of Ayya (=the father)
3.4 Framework of ‘Ayyavazhi’ to usher in Dharma Yuga (Sarvodaya social order)
a) Self-respect
In one stroke Swami Vaikuntar links this abstract question of new world order to a shockingly new vision of order in
‘self’. Contrary to the views hitherto held about Kaliyuga, Dharmayuga etc. he said: