About the Temple

About Brahmasree Neelakanta Gurupadar

Born in a small village near Chengottukonam in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Brahmasree Neelakanta Gurupadar had no formal schooling and ran a small tea shop. He was visited by an unknown Brahmin who called himself Vishnu Potti and taught him the worship of Lord Rama; Gurupadar later revealed that Vishnu Potti was Lord Karthikeya Himself, who had come to reawaken his spirituality.

Gurupadar then entered a forest cave containing a Shiva Linga said to have been installed by the Pandavas and performed fourteen years of Sadhana there and in another Subramaniam temple. He emerged transformed into the state of Atma Rama, or absolute unity with Lord Rama.

He established Swamiyar Madom on fourteen cents of inherited land in Chengottukonam. On 4 July 1962 it was renamed Sree Rama Dasa Ashram. He established daily Aradhana of Lord Rama and Atma Rama Abhishek, and instituted daily recitation of the Adhyatma Ramayana.

Gurupadar taught Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — that the world is one family — and represented the Rishi Parampara of Bharat with profound humility. He always referred to himself as “We”, saying that the individual ego had gone.

He chose the name “Gurupaad”, colloquially Gurupadar, meaning “Guru’s Feet”; his disciple Sathyananda Swamikal explained the deeper significance of Paad as “Foundation”, describing Gurupadar as one with the Nirguna Brahman, the Foundation of the Universe.

At the time chosen by Gurupadar, he entered Mahasamadhi in the presence of his disciple H H Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi. His final message, heard by his disciple, was: “We go nowhere. Do your duty”.

About Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi

Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi had an inborn spiritual disposition that flowered as he grew up. On the eve of his departure to the Himalayas, Gurupadar summoned him to the Ashram, where Swamiji spent three years with Gurupadar.

After the Samadhi of Gurupadar, His Holiness performed a fourteen-year-long penance on Sree Lalita Tripurasundari, following a rigorous regime of conducting poojas five times a day. His Holiness realised the Divine Mother and, at Her Divine Command, has been engaged in the comprehensive uplift of Indian society.

His Holiness is described as a Saint-Incarnation of the highest order and a Trikala Jnani whose awareness spans the past, present and future. He is said to possess the Ashtaiswarya Sidhis and many other Sidhis like his Guru, Brahmasree Neelakanta Gurupadar.

Swamiji’s life is presented as a unique confluence of Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Karma Yoga. He is described as a treasure of spiritual wisdom, an ecstatic devotee of Mother Goddess, a yoga teacher and a Karma yogi dedicated to upholding Sanathana Dharma.

He is also a poet and scholar of philosophical depth and has authored books, articles, essays and pamphlets on Hinduism. His works include An Introduction to Ramayana and Reflections on Hinduism. He completed a ten-volume commentary on the Adhyatma Ramayana.

Swamiji conducted Sathakoti Archana at Thiruvananthapuram from January 4 to August 4, 2000. His mission abroad included the World Hindu Conference 2000, the Millennium World Peace Summit at the United Nations, and the establishment of Sree Rama Dasa Mission centres in several cities in the United States.

About Sreesakthi Saanthananda Maharshi

In the serene land of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on June 25, 1961, Sreesakthi Saanthananda Maharshi was born. His life would become a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern society.

His spiritual journey began at the age of 11, in 1972, when he received his first divine darshan of his Guru, Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi. In 1975, he became an inmate of Sree Rama Dasa Ashram, immersing himself in spiritual discipline under the direct guidance of his Guru.

Alongside his spiritual life, he pursued Economics, completing graduation and post-graduation in Trivandrum. Between 1978 and 1983, he founded INSPIRES, contributing to a cultural and spiritual awakening among youth.

He went on to serve in organizations including the Young Men’s Hindu Association and the Sree Rama Dasa Mission. As an orator and spiritual trainer, he travelled across Bharat, conducting discourses, debates and spiritual camps.

One defining initiative was the Sri Rama Navami Ratha Yathra from Mookambika to Kanyakumari, bringing together communities across all 14 districts of Kerala with a vision of rekindling dharma and cultural consciousness.

In 2002, following his Guru’s advice, he shifted his centre of activities to Mysore. Between 2003 and 2006, he travelled across India as a Parivrajaka. He established the Swami Satyananda Saraswathi Foundation in 2007 and the SSS School of Sampoorna Yoga in 2008.

In 2010, he took over the Sri Dharmashasthagiri Ayyappa Swami Temple near Electronic City, Bangalore, transforming it into a vibrant spiritual hub. In 2014, his inclusive vision found expression through the introduction of Pongala. He also organized the Sri Rama Navami Ratha Yathra in Karnataka from 2015 to 2017.

Today, Sreesakthi Saanthananda Maharshi serves as a trustee of several spiritual organizations across India, a national-level spiritual leader and a guiding force in global initiatives. He also serves as President of Sree Rama Dasa Ashrama at Thiruvananthapuram.