Karunakara Guru (1 September 1927 – 6 May 1999), also known as Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru, was an Indian Guru, and the founder of Santhigiri Ashram in Pothencode, Kerala, India.^[1]

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Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru was born on 1 September 1927 to the Chittekattu family in Chandiroor village in Kerala, India. As a child, he is said to have maintained simplicity, cleanliness and a regular prayer routine, and wanted to lead a monastic life.^{[citation needed]}

Around the age of 14, Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru left his family home and joined Advaita Ashram in Aluva, a branch of Sivagiri Mutt, founded by Narayana Guru, and spent the next 17 years at the various branches of Sivagiri Mutt.^{[citation needed]}

In 1957, Karunakara Guru left Sivagiri and moved to a hut on a nearby hill.^{[citation needed]} With the help of Khureshia Fakir, a Sufi saint, Karunakara Guru experienced several visionary experiences.^{[citation needed]} In 1968, Karunakara Guru founded Santhigiri Ashram. After five years of meditation, prayers, and physical hardships, Karunakara Guru attained 'spiritual completion' in 1973.^{[citation needed]} Following this, Karunakara Guru instructed his followers to adopt a worship system based on faith in one Universal God – the Brahman.^{[citation needed]} The Santhigiri Ashram was advertised as open to all.^{[citation needed]} Karunakara Guru would spend hours talking to people on spiritual matters.^{[citation needed]} Many people visited him to receive guidance with personal and family-related problems.^{[citation needed]} Guru’s devotees believe he was, and still is, after he left his body, the path to true knowledge and spiritual evolution. Karunakara Guru died on 6 May 1999.

The Santhigiri Ashram is located at Pothencode in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.