BASAVANNA THE UNIVERSAL LIGHT (RV)

By

Prof.B.Virupakshappa

Dr. S.Vidyashankar

T.R.Mahadevayya

Translated by

Dr. C.R.Yaravintelimath

*

BASAVA SAMITHI, BANGALORE

Shri Basaveshwar Circle- 560001

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PUBLISHER’S WORD

Ever since its foundation in 1964 Basava Samithi has been carrying on the task

of propagating the doctrine of Basavanna uninterruptedly. It has so far brought out

more than seventy books . By publishing the periodicals, dedicated to the propagation

of Basavanna’s doctrine, like Basava Patha , a monthly in Kannada, Basava Journal , a

quarterly in English and Masava Marga, a half yearly in Hindi, the Samithi has been

ably serving the noble cause. It has popularized the Basava principle on the national and

the international levels by getting Basavanna’s vachanas translated into English , Hindi,

Marathi, Tamila, Telugu, Assamee, Gujarathi, Punjabi and Russian languages, and is still

doing it. It has published several works that carry the messages of Basavanna and other

sharanas. It has recently brought out Veerashaiva Paribhashika Padakosha with a view to

facilitating the study of the Sharana literature, especially vachana literature. It is indeed a

giant stride made by the Basava Samithi in the history of Veerashaiva literature. In order

to propagate the Sharana principle still more effectively, and widely too, many more

projects have been undertaken by the Samithi. These include “Bedagina Vachnagala

Arthakosha” and “Veerashaivaa Sahitya Charitre”.

Hitherto there was no authorized work comprising the life and achievements of

Basavanna. As the Samithi felt the dire need of such a comprehensive book, its research

wing constituted a committee of scholars with Prof. B. Virupakshappa as its Chairman

and Dr. S. Vidyashankar and Shri T.R. Mahadevayya as members in August 1999 .

These scholars have done a lot of work in the field of vachana literature. These learned

scholars met as many as eight times to discuss and finalize the matter pertaining to the life

and achievements of Basavanna which had been jointly collected. so as to make the

proposed work worthy of international acclaim. They got the writing work divided

among themselves as follows: Shri T.R. Mahadevayya was to write Chapter I

:Basavanna’s birth and childhood at Bagewadi, Dr. S. Vidyashankar to write Chapter

II:Basavanna’s stay at Kudala Sangama, and Prof. B. Virupakshappa to write all the

remaining Chapters III—IX which cover Basavanna’s career as Dandanayaka at

Mangalawede and his career as the Chief Minister of King Bijjala at Kalyana, besides his

socio-religious activities culminating in an inter-caste marriage—consequent calamity—

capital punishment to Sharanas Haralayya and Madhuvarasa—Bijjala’s assassination –

Basavanna’s departure from Kalyana and his uniting with Linga at Kudala Sangama,

These three scholars have done an excellent job of collecting the material from reliable

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sources and presenting it in a systematic way. They have taken the guidance of His

Hliness Shree Shree Shivarudraswamigalu, president of Beli Math.in order to bring

uniformity both to the matter and the manner of its presentation. Now the Samithi has a

sense of satisfaction of having placed this valuable book in the hands of the admirers of

Basavanna as also of having met the need of the hour. The Smithi is ever indebted to

these three scholars as well as to His Hliness Shree Shree Shivarudraswamigalu for their

valuable service.

Our another aim as part of the Samithi’s main objective is to get as many

Kannada books on Basavanna and other Sharanas as possible translated into English and

other Indian languages and foreign languages like French, German and Russian. In

keeping with this very ideal aim, this book Vishwajyoti Basavanna has been rendered

into English by Dr C.R.Yaravintelimath, Professor Emeritus, Karnataka University,

Dharwad. The Samithi places on record its gratitude to Dr C.R. Yaravintelimath for his

lucid rendering.

The Samithi also expresses its deep sense of gratitude to Sr. Vice President

Chandappa Patel, Vice Presidents Shri H.Renuka Prasada and Shri B.Mahadevappa,

General Secretaries Shri Kashinath Kadadi and Prof. R. Rachappa, Treasurer Shri

R.S.Kalyanashetty and other office bearers who have taken keen interest in bringing out

both Vishwajyoti Basavanna and its English version Basavanna the Universal Light.

Likewise, the Samithi thanks ----------Printers Bangalore for their neat job of printing.

BANGALORE ARAVIND JATTI

Basava Samithi President

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TRANSLATOR’S WORD

Basavanna’s is a multifaceted glorious personality. His biography, like the lives of

most saints is a mingled yarn of history and legend. It is not easy to sort out the elements

of history and legend which have become an integral part of Basavanna’s life.

Vishwajyoti Basavanna which is the fruit of a joint venture by Prof. B. Virupakshappa,

Dr. S. Vidyashankar and Shri T. R. Mahdevayya is an honest attempt at projecting the

prismatic image of Basavanna on a wider canvas, though in a modest way. Of all

Veerashaiva Sharanas, Basavanna is unique in all respects. He is a giant among saints.

It is not easy to depict his transparent personality in equally transparent colours.

Admirable indeed is the attempt of the three scholars to mirror the gigantic personality of

Basavanna, which is like his own Maker’s “wider than the wide world and wider still,

and deeper than the deep under- world, higher than Brahma’s egg, imperceptible, past

understanding and beyond compare” into Vshwajyoti Basavanna, which holds it as a tiny

mirror does a giant elephant.

My task has been a pleasant ride, which I enjoyed greatly. Since the statue was

ready, I had to stitch an English coat for it. Hope this English robe of British colours sits

well on this rare Kannada statue of spiritual magnificence, which is meant not to conceal

the splendour of the original but to add beauty to Truth. That is all I intended doing when

I undertook to render Vishwajyoti Basavanna into English, and I think, that is what I have

done within my limits.

I take this opportunity to thank Shri Aravind Jatti, President, Basava Samithi,

Bangalore, whose implicit trust in me and whose suave manners have compelled me not

to say ‘No’ to whatever the Samithi asks me to serve the noble cause of propagating the

doctrine of Basavanna. I also thank all other office bearers of Basava Samithi whose

dedicated service has contributed to the overall development of the Samithi

CHAITRA C.R.YARAVINTELIMATH

Nirmal Nagar Emeritus Professor

Dharwad Karnatak University, Dharwad

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CONTENTS

Publisher’s Word

Translator’s Word

Page No

I. Birth and Childhood

II. From Kudala Sangama to Mangalawede

III. On the Road to Total Revolution

IV. The Arrival of Lord Prabhu at Kalyana

V. The Founding of the Anubhava Mantapa

VI. The Divine discourse : Making of the Sharana Siddhanta

VII. The Great Revolution of Kalyana

VIII. The Uniting of Basavanna with the Linga

IX. Conclusion

X. Bibliography

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BASAVANNA THE UNIVERSAL LIGHT

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I BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD

Introduction:

Basavanna is an epoch-maker, who, born in Karnatak, became a universal man

and tried to elevate and idealize the life of collective pervasion. He was a unique soul

who transcended the limitations of the social conditions that prevailed then, and a brave

fighter who honestly tried to make the Hindu religion, which was a victim of superstition

and wrong practices, rationalistic and pro-common people. Rejecting the aged culture that

had run into a rut, he dreamt of building up a new welfare society on the basis of the

principle of good of all by forging a genuine human bondage, to realize which he

dedicated his life. He was such a great person.

Basavanna’s time is early 12th

century. The social condition, the ideas and

practices that had formed the warp and woof of the life of the time might have greatly

contributed to the advent of such a great man. The fact that a person, whosoever he be, is

shaped by the environment in which he is born, in addition to the innate qualities, can not

be gainsaid. So it is proper to get to know the political, social and religious circumstances

which prevailed at the time of his birth.

Political Condition:

That was a time when in the Indian sub-continent so many upheavals took place.

At that time the country had been staggering under the repeated Muslim invasions.

Although the native rulers were strong, they were divided among themselves owing to

internal quarrels. Consequently, they lost their sovereignty to foreign invaders. In

Karnatak, that was the fag end of the reign of the Chalukyas of Kalyana. A conspiracy

had been brewing by the time the reigns Someshwara III, the son of Vikramaditya VI

and his grand son Jagadekamalla II ended. Later when it erupted during the reign of

Tailapa III, it proved fatal to the very existence of the Chalukyas. All the feudatories

arrogated to themselves the powers of the ruling King. It is also said that among them,

Bijjala I of the Kalachuris was responsible for the death of Tailapa by causing riots and

rebellion to erupt within the kingdom. During the time of Someshwara I, Bijjala was

appointed Chief Officer at Mangalawede, that is, Mahamandaleshwara of Mangalawede.

He became still more powerful when his son Karnadeva won several battles. And his son

Jogam’s daughter was married to Vikramaditya VI. As a result of all this, the Kalchuris

grew formidable. When Jogma’s son Permadi married the daughter of Vikramaditya VI,

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the Kalachuris’ position became more strong and stable in the political arena of

Karnataka, and at the same time the Chalukyas lost their hold. Permadi’s second son

Bijjala made good use of this golden opportunity. Usurping the Chalukyas’ throne, Bijjala

proclaimed himself the emperor. He vanquished the Chalukyas of Kalyana, one of the

most powerful rulers of Kanrataka. This is how the Kalachuris assumed sovereignty.

But the other feudatories did not accept his sovereignty. Then stiff opposition

from the feudatories went on increasing day by day. Hence peace and stability remained a

distant dream. The Kalachuris’ reign was comparatively short. We see the fall of the

Kalchuris by the end of 1184. It was with Someshwara IV that once again the Chalukyas’

reign began.

The society of the 12th

century was hierarchical in its structure. The caste system

was its basis. The principle of the division of labour giving way to the division of people,

disparity among people became blatant. The fixing of castes on the basis of vocations led

to the feeling of high and low. All the facilities of life and opportunities were the

monopoly of the high class people. The low class people were denied all that the high

class people enjoyed freely and abundantly. No one could question the system. Religious

fanaticism disturbed the tranquility of the people. Human values being degraded, the

social set-up got into a rut and started stinking like stagnant water.

In the society, the condition of the Shudras was pitiable. That too, the treatment of

untoucability meted out to the Pnchamas was still worse and sever beyond imagination.

They were robbed of learning facilities, religious opportunities and social status and

dignity. Only drudgery and slavery had fallen to their lot. The beneficiaries were the high

class people. If the well-to-do went on increasing their affluence, the poor could hardly

rise above the poverty line. Thus the gap between the haves and tha have-nots went on

increasing. In the society, in which there was no economic parity, it was impossible to

live happily and peacefully. Cursed were the lowly people. They were simply

condemned to live a life of constant drudgery and endless misery.

For a self-reliant society to come into existence, all the arts and crafts required for

life should receive equal attention. As there was a sense of discrimination among people

regarding professions, many useful crafts came to be neglected. This discrimination

between one profession and another also contributed to the deterioration of social

condition. More over, the yard-stick to measure the worth of an individual was not right

at all. While measuring the worth of a person what mattered most were not his or her

virtues, conduct and character but his or her family pedigree and its status and dignity in

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society. Just because a person was born in respectable family, he came to be highly

respected, despite his corrupt nature and misconduct. Many talented and able persons

born in the low class families went unnoticed, and suffered the blight of neglect. Heinous

was the state of women also in that society. There was a time when woman was

worshipped as a Goddess. Hence the saying –“Where women are highly respected gods

enjoy themselves” reverberated then. But the same thing could not be said about the

condition of women in 12th century. Karnataka. The disrespect shown to her in the caste-

ridden society was worse than that shown to the Shudras. Under the pretext of purity, she

was distanced away from religion and spirituality. She was considered an object of

enjoyment only, and nothing more. Deprived of all the opportunities to improve her mind

and status, she was compelled to lead the life a beast of burden. Where there was rampant

discrimination between man and man, caste and caste, man and woman, there was no

peace and harmony. In such a society, prosperity and contentment remained a dream

never to come true.

Religious Condition:

The Vedic religion disillusioned the people in respect of the high ideals set before

them. The hydra head of injustice resulting from the division of society on the basis of

castes makes its appearance in the field of religion also. Equality was not possible at any

level in society. Religion was the monopoly of the higher classes; it was the privilege of

the few. So it suffered total eclipse. Temple entry, telling of beads, worship and other

religious observances were reserved for the high-born only. The Vedic religion which had

fostered temple culture, set people to worship formless God in the form of idols. But it

did not provide opportunity of worship to all people.

The lower class people, being denied entry into temples were compelled to resort

to worshipping mean deities in order to give vent to their religious feelings. By adopting

unrighteous modes of worship, they indulged in violent forms of worship. And those who

were admitted into temples became victims of exploitation; they were caught in the net of

fear of sin and desire for merit, cleverly woven by the priestly class. When a similar

bewildered state had prevailed in the pre-Christian era, Buddhism and Jainism made their

appearance. Condemning the ritualism of the Vedic religion and rejecting the four-fold

Caste system, both preached non-violence. But it was a sad thing that Buddhism

gradually fled India, and Jainism, being too austere, distanced itself from common people.

In south India, Shaivism was being widely practiced. Kapalika, Kalamukha, Pashupata

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and Lakulisha were some of the most popular sects of Shaivism. Kapalikas being

extremists adopted unrighteous modes of worship. Staying away from society, they

indulged in most grotesque practices. Lakulisha and Pashpatas were some what mild, and

righteous also. They did not touch meat and wine, but they worshipped the installed

Linga.

This was the religious condition prevalent in Karnataka in the12th

century.

Meaningless rituals and superstitions permeated all walks of life. Chaos and confusion

reigned supreme. Polytheism was in practice.

The ideal of cultural hegemony had an upper hand every where. Unfortunately, it

could not provide equality to all. But equality was a basic need of the people. The

orthodox people had kept common people in the dark. They were exploiting the innocent

people in the name of religion, setting before them fictitious worlds of heaven and hell.

The orthodox people and the people with vested interests were trying to suppress

progressive ideas. The religion which was meant for the good of all people was reduced

to a scarecrow in the hands of self-seekers. It had become a means of robbing the

innocent Religion was in dire need of being freed from the clutches of the orthodox

people, and to be made pro-common people. The common people had been yearning for

a religion that could redeem them. There was pollution in all fields—political, social and

religious—in those days. Literary field was in no way different from all these.

Literary field:

It was during this period that the Champu form in Kannada attained maturity.

Literature was the property of a select few persons only. It was the sole property of a few

learned scholars. The theme and technique of poetry were traditionalistic in character.

Poetry came to be written in the Sanskritised Kannada and set in ready-made frames.

Poems were being written at the instance of kings and the board of scholars. Highly

metrical as they were, they were beyond the reach of common men.

Poetry writing was not open to all. The free-for all atmosphere did not prevail

anywhere then. None could write as he pleased. The same was the case with the number

of people who could read and understand poetry. Common people could not read and

understand poetry, let alone compose it. It was, indeed, a hard nut for them to crack. So

the scholarly poets cheated the common people out of the pleasures of reading and

enjoying poetry. What the poet Madhur said then about poetry throws clear light on the

attitude of the learned scholars towards literature:” If all and sundry want to have the

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poetry meant for the scholars well-versed in various arts read out to them, is it a

hackneyed cock and bull story?” Discouraging, indeed, was the attitude of the poets

towards ordinary people. That literature was not pro-common people is clear from the

way the desire of common people to read and enjoy literature was suppressed. It was

winter for the Nightingale of Kannada literature. People were eagerly awaiting an early

spring in the garden of Kannada literature. They were spending time in eager expectation

of a sunny atmosphere in which every one, even the commonest of the common, could

jubilantly participate in literary activities.

Thus people were bored and disgusted with the rotten state of affairs in all walks

of life. There was chaos and confusion all around. People were hoping for such an

opportune time as would bring light, dispelling the solid darkness of ignorance settled

thick in the minds of the people., and install equality in place of inequality. It is common

belief that whenever religion declines, and there is threat to its existence, God’s grace

descends to the earth in the form of poetry, which embodies divine power. Basavanna

was born in such a suffocating atmosphere.

Bagewadi:

An Agrahara called Bageawdi of Bijapur district is the birth place of Basavanna.

Then it belonged politically to the Tardewadi division. It was a famous Agrahara with

500 houses of Shrotriya Barahmins. Besides these Brahmins, there were also people of

several other castes, pursuing different vocations, but they were to dance attendance on

these Brahmins, for they were all employed in the service of the Agrahara Brahmins. The

head of such an Agrhara is called Agrahareshwara, meaning Lord of Agrahara If

Agraharas were the centres of primary education and each teacher could promote Vedic

culture, Brahmapuris were the centres of higher education.

Madiraja of Mandage was the head of Bagewadi. Madalambe was his much

devoted ideal wife. The Arjunawada Inscription (1260 A.D.) records: “ Madiraja was the

head of Bagewadi coming under the jurisdiction of Tardewadi ( Tardavadi madhya grama

Bagewadi Puravaradhishwara Madiraja)”. About Bagewadi and the scholars residing

there in, the Honnawadi inscription states as follows: “ The five hundred Mahjanas of

holy Bagewadi were brilliant scholars well-versed in various Vedas and Vedangas,

possessed lotus-like bright eyes, were broad-chested, etc.”Mandage Madiraja was a great

scholar, and virtuous too. His wife Madalambe who hailed from Ingaleshwara, was

equally virtuous, had firm faith in piety, was interested in observing vows. To this holy

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couple were born first a son named Devaraja and a daughter named Nagalambike, and

later, by the grace of Lord Nandi, Basavanna was born in 1131 A.D.

Being the youngest and dearest son of the head of an Agrahara, Basavanna was

dear to all. Exceedingly good looking as Basavanna as a child was, there was none in

the whole Agrhara who would not take him up in his or her lap and fondle him . Indeed,

being the cynosure of all, Basavanna grew up in a pleasant environment. In Bagewqdi,

Madiraja’s was a palatial building.; opulent in every respect. His father, who was the

head of a community of 500 Mahajanas, was ever engaged in six kinds of Vedic rites ,

like performing sacrifice (Yajna), getting a sacrifice performed by others (Yaajana),

study ( Adhyana), teaching ( Adhyapana), giving gift ( Dana), and receiving gifts (

Pratigraha). His house reverberating with the recitation of Vedic texts, the sacred

sacrificial fire blazing throughout the day in the sacrificial pit, the atmosphere in the

house was naturally sanctified with the smell and smoke of the sweet ghee offered to

the sacrificial fire, his mother ever neat and tidy in dress and bedecked with befitting

ornaments, assisting his father in the matter of Yagna and Yaaga, her pleasing manners

with which she would accord warm welcome to their guests, and the diurnal activities

of his untiring parents—amidst such things did Basavanna grew up.

Basavanna’s father was a strict follower of Vedic religion. Such a cultured

environment prevailed in the house. All around there were reputed scholars. Wherever he

cast his eyes, he would find Vedic rituals like Yajna and Yaga; wherever he went, he

would hear loud recitation of Vedas. The child Basavana learnt numerous Vedic stanzas

by heart without effort. He sucked the essence of Vedas in a playful manner, and

naturally grew up under their influence. The high level seminars conducted at his house

by learned Vedic scholars, the periodic preaching of Puranas and Pravachanas, the

enacting of scenes from the legend of Lord Shiva—all these left their deep impact on the

formative mind of Basavanna. The father’s solemn and sobre gait, his profound learning

and brilliant arguments, his mother’s piety and steadfast faith in worship, and her

compassion for all creatures, and affection for her children—all these things did leave

their indelible impression on the burgeoning personality of Basavanna.

Basavanna as a child was very sensitive. He was endowed with sharp intellect,

besides phenomenal memory. He was inquisitive by nature, and would, out of curiosity,

put a series of questions to probe the mystery of things in nature. He would be terribly

disappointed if he did not get satisfactory solutions to the doubts clouding his mind. He

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was very free with his elder sister Akkanagamma. It was she who could give satisfactory

answers to his smart questions. Some times he would ask questions beyond his age.

Then his sister would silence him by cutting him short, saying: “Better keep quiet

now. You will understand all this when you grow up.”

Akkanagamma was like a mother to Basavanna in the sense that it was she who

actually shaped his personality in his childhood. She would entertain him with tales of

Shivasharanas, and Basavanna would sit absorbed in listening to the tales of Shiva

devotees and sit brooding over them. Bedara Kannappa (Kannappa the Hunter) was a

savage, uncouth in every respect. He knew not a whit about due modes of worship. He

was an ignoramus fellow. But what a steadfast faith in Lord Shiva his was! On seeing

Lord Shiva suffer from an eye sore, Kannappa immediately took out his eyes and gifted

them to Lord Shiva who pretended as being affected by an eye sore. How sweet and great

the plain gruel offered by Madara Chennayya to Lord Shiva was! Lord Shiva was

satisfied with that plain gruel several times more than the sumptuous grand feast

arranged by King Chola. It is not what is offered that matters most but with what sort of

mind and heart some thing is offered that actually matters. The child Basavanna

understood at so early an age that true and pure devotion is more important than any

ostentatious worship. Likewise, the faithful devotion of Tirunilakantha had a salutary

effect on Basavanna.

Basavanna did not put on the airs of a high-born person, nor did he vaunt the pride

of being a son of the head of an Agrahara. He always wanted to be with the children of

his age. His charming looks, his sweet and soft speech, guileless nature, simple and suave

conduct—all these attracted every one towards him. The children of the Agrahara and of

other lanes always surrounded him. The circle of his friends increased when he was put to

school. It seems this strong desire to mix with people freely was connate in him. In the

beginning, a separate seat was reserved for him as a son of the head of the Agrahara.

Later gradually, he came to mix with his classmates. But the low class children feared to

approach and talk to him. An incident that occurred on the very first day in school

brought out the latent potentiality of the child Basavanna. The teacher first wrote the

Primeval letter ’OM’ and then asked Basavanna to write over it. But Basavanna, instead

of writing over what was already written by the teacher, surprised the teacher by writing

afresh, erasing the letter written by the teacher, and also asked the teacher to explain the

meaning of ‘OM’. But the teacher, instead of explaining its meaning, simply snubbed

the child, saying “Now just learn to write the alphabet. Later you will come to know its

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meaning. “After school hours also, the low class children did not join him in play. Saying,

“You are high-born, we are low-born” , they would withdraw . Yet a few more would

stand away from him saying, “We are low born and live in the ghettos outside the town.”

The children of the untouchable colony would stand away and stare at him with eyes

filled with a desire to play with Basavanna. It was but natural that they wanted to

approach Basavanna , talk to him and walk and play with him. But in those innocent

children’s minds the seed of inferiority complex had been sown by repeatedly telling

them that were untouchables, and so they should not go near the high class people. This

attitude of the high class people towards the untouchables appeared strange to the young

Basavanna. So he himself went to them and talked to them intimately. Among the

untouchable boys Durga and Keta were smart. But they did not attend school “Why are

they not going to school? Why should they not learn to read and write and live like other

citizens?” he would often ask himself. To make them shed their inferiority complex and

join him in play etc. he took utmost pains. He was simply amazed at their pure-hearted

friendship.

As soon as his father came home in the evening, Basavanna asked him, “ Father,

Durga and Keta, who live in the colony that is on the outskirts of the town , do not join

us in play. Asked why they do not play with us, they say they are untouchables. Why,

Father, what is wrong with them? Why, what is the matter, Father?” His father said, “Yes,

yes, my son, our scriptures have laid that restriction. They are untouchables. So they

dwell outside the town.” Then Basavanna said, “But, Father, they do all our work.” To

that Basavnna’s father said, “Yes, they do all our out-door works. They are born only to

serve us the high class people. They are low-born, and we Brahmins are high –born

ones.” Then Basavanna shot another question immediately :Why are Brahmins superior

and the untouchabes like Durga and Keta inferior?” The exasperated father said to the

inquisitive son: “My son, all these are beyond your understanding now. When you grow

up you will come to know all this. Better play with the high-born ones” Then Basavanna

said, ”Father, one more thing. Durga , you know. Do you know how sharp he is? When I

recited a verse, he instantly learnt it and recited it. Why does he not go to school? Why

doesn’t he learn Sanskrit?” To this Madarasa said, “Basava, they are not supposed to

learn Sanskrit. Sanskrit is meant for the high-born ones only. “Then pat came another

question: “What do you mean? Why should they not learn Sanskrit?” “ O Basavanna,

you won’t understand it now. Better go and attend to your studies”, thundered Madarasa

The poor child Basavanna, saying nothing more, withdrew quietly.

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Once Basavanna and his friends together were playing the monkey on the tree

game. Suddenly they heard a cry –“Alas! I am dead. Please don’t beat me. I won’t repeat

“ coming from the direction of Tripurantaka tank, which was near by. Basavanna and all

the children, stopping the game, ran towards the tank. Lo! What they saw there was

heart rending. The temple priest was seen thrashing Keta black and blue. Keta’s head

was wounded, and blood ran down his body from the wound. What was shocking was the

fact that the poor boy was belaboured for a trifle. That is, the preaching of some Purana

was going on in Tripurantaka temple. The tale of Shiva devotee which was being

narrated by the Puranika was so captivating that Keta, while passing by the temple heard

it and stood engrossed in listening to it. .On seeing Keta stand in front of the temple, the

temple priest thought it a grave sin committed by Keta. So he punished him so brutally.

To Basavanna the behaviour of the priest seemed very disgusting. “ After all what is his

crime? Is it wrong to listen to a holy tale? Is it wrong to cherish a desire to hear a holy

tale? Should the wretched caste come in the way of a person’s listening to a Purana?”

asked Basavanna. When will the practice of giving such a heartless treatment to the low

class people end?” reflected Basavanna. Basavanna and his friends being angry with the

priest, snatched the stick from the priest, and chased him away. Basavanna consoled

Keta. And when, out of curiosity, Basavanna asked Keta to narrate the tale that had

captivated his heart, Keta narrated the whole tale of a Shiva devotee in his own way: “

Once a hunter saw the splendid worship of Shiva Linga in a temple situated in the midst

of a thick forest by King Chola of Tamilanadu. Desiring to worship Shiva Linga, the

hunter prayed the King to tell him how to perform worship of Shiva Linga . Doubting

what an uncouth hunter could do with worship of Shiva Linga, he derisively said, “ Oh!

It is not a great thing. Just pour water over the Linga, fetch ashes from some cremation

ground and smear them on the Linga. That is all.” The simple-minded hunter, taking the

King’s words as true as Vedic mantras, started worshipping, along with his wife, the

Shiva Linga as told by the King. Unique was the joy the hunter got from that worship.

Once as heavy rains had washed away all the ashes from the cremation ground, no ashes

were available, and the hunter was in a great fix. It was indeed a testing time for the

hunter. It seemed as though Lord Shiva wanted to test his steadfast devotion for, and

unflinching faith in, Linga worship. The wife then suggested an idea to her husband:

“You see, I will stay inside our hut. If you set fire to the hut, you will get huge quantity of

ashes for Linga worship.” That guileless devotee did as suggested by his equally innocent

wife; that is, he burnt his wife to ashes! Lord Shiva was immensely pleased with the

16

hunter who worshipped Him with the ashes of his own wife. Then Lord Shiva

manifesting Himself brought the hunter’s wife back to life and took both along with Him

to Kailas.”

After having listened to what Keta narrated, they said to themselves: “What could

Keta do when he was attracted by such a holy tale but stand and listen to it with rapt

attention?” This incident once again drove home to Basavanna the point that to please

God pure piety is more important than various other ostentatious modes of worship. At

that time so many religious rites and traditional practices were beyond question. Most

people followed them blindly. None would ever question them. The questions put by

rationalist Basavanna would often put the Vedic scholars in awkward positions. His keen

and critical observations and rational thinking were an eloquent testimony to his mature

mind far beyond his age. Just as he appreciated full-throatedly whatever good things he

found in society, he would also stage a violent protest against whatever he found unjust.

Amazing indeed was his originality.

Social inequality and meaningless religious rites robbed the child of his sleep.

They worried him constantly and set him to ask himself: “Why so much inequality and

injustice in society? Why so much blind adherence to religious practices?” Vedic rituals

and modes of worship, gradually becoming mechanical practices, lost their meaning on

many occasions. They expect only blind faith; there is no room for rational thinking. On

seeing the rank injustice being committed in the name of God, and the innocent persons

being made scape-goats, Basavanna felt sorry for the victims.

Once, while Basavanna was returning home from school, he saw a throng of

women around a pipal tree. That was the occasion of Naga Panchami festival. A large

number of women had gathered there to celebrate the festival , that is , to worship Naga

the serpent god, by pouring milk over ant-hills and the images of snake carved in stone.

While they were pouring milk over the ant-hill, a live snake came out through a hole.

Then all the women were frightened, and they ran helter-skelter, and a passer by, who

came to their rescue, killed it. The women continued their worship of the stone image of

Naga.

This particular incident set the little boy Basavanna to think seriously. What sort

of worship is it? Killing a live snake, people worship a stone image. How superstitious

people are! Instantly, Basavanna was reminded of another incident. That was the incident

of driving away a hungry Jangama and offering food to the stone-Linga installed in a

17

temple which never ate any thing. The milk and ghee poured over the stone-snake flowed

into the street. That was simply mocking the meaningless superstitious practices! There

were many poor children who had not tasted milk in their life. Had they given milk to the

hungry children to drink, how fine it would have been! Basavanna’s heart always brooded

over this issue.

One day it so happened that when Keta and Durga did not come to play,

Basavanna decided to go to their colony in order to call them .On the way to the colony

of the untouchables, he saw the festival of Goddess Mari being celebrated. All the

devotees were ready to offer sacrifices to the Goddess. Hen, sheep and other animals were

being dragged to the altar. The plaintive cry of sacrificial birds and beasts was piercing.

Basavanna was shocked at that horrible sight. The stunned Basavanna asked himself:

“Does the Goddess who protects all the creatures in this world want animal sacrifice?

How ignorant these people are!” His mind within him said: “The higher order of the

social hierarchy is responsible for all this. Because when it prevented the untouchables

from entering temples, what could they to offer their devotion? Is not the entire

community responsible for their resorting to such unrighteous ways?... While he was

reflecting thus, some one came there dragging his sheep for sacrificing it to Goddess

Mari. Its piteous bleating was unbearable. It was straining its neck to reach the mango

leaves and plantain plants with which the pandal was decorated. The behaviour of that

poor animal which was about to be sacrificed to the Goddess made Basavanna exclaim:

“Oh, what does this heartless ritual mean? Is notdesiring the good of all creatures a true

form of worship? Basavanna saw vividly the pride and pomp of the high-born in contrast

with the inferiority of the low-born. Basavanna, at times, stood helpless at the sight of a

large portion of the society being deceived by a small section which grabbed all the

privileges for itself by prescribing one way (of life) for itself and another for the

Shudras. A person’s worth was being measured on the basis of his caste, family pedigree

and wealth etc. As a result of this, even the worthless ones, just because they were high-

born, were being honoured and allowed to occupy high positions of power and prestige,

whereas the low-born ones, though worthy and fully deserving, were denied all

opportunities and utterly neglected. Basavanna who believed in the doctrine of

equality—equal share for all in property and equal rights for all to enjoy life—felt restless

at the sight of the social and religious injustices that were being committed all around

him. The young Basavanna was enthusiastic to set right such wrongs as were being

committed in society. But who would listen to his word. That is why he was trying to

18

bring that equality and harmony among his friends. He equated himself with the children

of the low class, and responded to their desires. They also reciprocated to his progressive

ideas. Not only did the low class children but also the high class children come under the

his influence. The feeling of caste disparity and class disparity disappeared among all his

friends. They strolled in the pleasant field of humanity surrounded by the atmosphere

permeated with love. But they were ignorant of the forthcoming time which would clip

their wings in the name of religion.

One evening all the children had gathered in the playground close by Tripurantaka

tank to play some games. One of the children who were looking on standing outside the

ground, had gone to the tank to drink water. But unfortunately, he slipped into the tank

and started crying for help. On hearing the loud cry of the boy, all the children engaged in

playing games went to the spot. The boy who had fallen into the tank was from the colony

of the untouchables. All were afraid of their elders who had warned them against

touching any of the untouchable children. So no one came forward to save the drowning

boy. How strange! Basavanna could not keep quiet and did not become a mute spectator.

He immediately plunged into the tank and brought the drowning boy to the bank. Then

placing him face downward on the bank, pressing his belly hard made him vomit

whatever water he had drunk. Thus Basavanna saved the life of that boy. But the high

caste persons said that Basavanna did a wrong thing. Some went to complain to the

elders against Basavanna. Some even span a tale that Basavanna himself pushed the boy

into the tank. But Basavanna did not care a pin whatever others said. After all he had the

satisfaction of having saved the life of a boy.

Those who lodged a complaint with the head of the Agrahara bewailed that

Brahminhood had been desecrated. What could Madarasa the head of the Agrahara do,

helpless as he was? Though he knew well that his son had done a noble deed out of

humanitarian concern, he was not in a position to vindicate his son’s act. The religious

practices of the time forced him to shut his mouth. “The boy is ignorant. He has erred out

of ignorance. His is a stage of playing pranks. After Upanayana, he will be all right. Let

us purify him by sprinkling holy water over him. I will see to it that he will not repeat

such a thing.”, said Madaras to the ritualists.

The very next day of the incident, Basavanna sitting by his father’s side said

innocently, ”Father, why should we not allow Lakka , Durga and Keta to touch us? They

are also human beings like us. Aren’t they?” “But they are low-caste children. They are

called Pariahs. They are the lowest among Lord Brahma’s creations. We Haruas

19

(Brahmins) are high caste persons . So it is a sin to touch them.”, said Madaras. Then

Basavanna added a rejoinder, “Be they Haruas or be they Pariahs, are not all God’s own

children? Has God discriminated against them while creating them? No. These categories

of high and low are not God’s making. Aren’t they man’s making only? What sort of

justice is it to keep them away in the name of the caste system or to deem them low?”

Basavann’s brilliant argument silenced Madaras. But because of the chair he had

occupied as the head of the Agrhara, he had but to uphold the caste system in order to

protect his Vedic religion. He had to behave with due dignity and responsibility. So he

said, “ My dear child, listen to what the elders say. You will come to know all that in

future.”

The holy Kudala Sangama situated at the holy confluence of the rivers Krishna

and Malapahari was a centre of attraction. Its surrounding serene atmosphere, the divine

presence of Lord Sangamanatha, the splendid celebrations of the annual fair—all drew

people from distant places towards Kudala Sangama. At the time of the annual car

festival people used to throng in huge numbers. For this year’s fair Madarasa and

Madalambike were supposed to go to Kudala Sangama,. But for some unavoidable

circumstance, they could not make it. So they entrusted the task of making offerings to

Lord Sangamanatha to their eldest son Devearaja. Then Akkanagamma and Basavanna

also got ready to go to Kudala Sangama to see the car festival.

As Basavanna entered the precincts of holy Kudala Sangama, he experienced an

incomparable ecstasy, and his mind was filled with tranquility. Its very environment was

such. The words of his parents that at the time of his birth, Sangamesha Guru from

Kudala Sangama blessed him by applying the holy ash to his forehead and whispering

into his ears the sacred five letter spell, that is, Panchakshari Mantram, occurred to his

mind, and at the recollection of the past incident, he was thrilled with joy, and his hair

stood on its end all over his body. After having offered fruits and nut to the chief deity of

the place lord Sangamanatha, they felt relieved of the anxiety of fulfilling the vow and

went to see the Guru. Ishnya Guru welcomed Madarasa’s children with warmth , and

enquired after the welfare of all at their house. Calling Basavanna to his side, laying his

hand on his head, and seeing him with gracious eyes, He said, “ My boy, you will soon

come to this place for pursuing your higher studies. Won’t you?” Basavanna said, “ Yes,

Guruji”, and then prostrating to him, he obtained his Holiness’ blessings. At the touch of

the Guru’s hand, he felt as though some sort of electric current passed through his entire

body. He felt as though some new light entered his heart.

20

When they got ready to go back to Bagewadi, such questions as –“When shall I

come back? When shall I carry on my studies sitting at the holy feet of his Holiness

Ishnya Guru?” --, along with a feeling of eagerness sprang up in his mind. Although they

felt like staying there a little longer time, as they had to reach their native place

Bagewadi before sun-set, they had but take their leave of Ishanya Guru.

The brilliance that Basavanna had inherited from his lineage, the cultured

environment that prevailed at the Agrahara, the preaching of the teachers at Bagewadi,

the knowledge and experience that his sister Akknagamma, who was actually his first

Guru at home, besides his parents, had been providing him constantly the unalloyed love

that his dear friends gave him, besides their innocent and guileless manners—all these

together shaped the young boy Basavanna’s personality. The tales of many

Shivasharanas which he had heard and the lives and works of the mystics of that time

like Keshiraja of Kondaguli, Jedara Dasimayya, Shankara Dasimayya, Telugu Jommayya,

Bhoganna of Kembhavi left deep impression on the growing mind of Basavanna. The

life-time achievements of these mystics were widely spread among people. Their

precious jewelled words which were on their lips spread orally from mouth to mouth.

Their simplicity, brevity, clarity, pregnant meaning appealed to Basavanna in no small

measure. They acted as a sort of a lever to his deep thinking.

Years passed by. Basavanna became eight years old Now it was time for him to

undergo Upanayana and its attendant rituals as per the conventional Vedic modes. To

Basavanna it gives a second birth and with it do his study of Veda, Agama and other

scriptural writings commence. The wearing of the sacred sacrificial thread, that is,

Jannadara or Yagnopavita, is the main part of the ceremony. If to Basavanna;s parents,

relatives and friends it were a matter of prestige and grand celebration, to Basavanna

somehow it meant a sort of imprisonment. By then he had amassed some experience of

life, and had formed some opinion about these rituals. He had come to see every thing

from the rationalistic point of view. He had actually witnessed the inhuman way the anti-

common people Vedic religion had taken by discriminating against the low caste people,

and thereby sowing the seeds of inequality in society. He had also got it ascertained that

the Bhakti Marga was better than the Karma marga. His heart was longing to find out

such a religion as treated all people equally, making no discrimination against women and

the low caste people.

Basavanna knew that by undergoing the Upanayana diksha, he would be losing

his freedom and would be inevitably driven to distraction and distress, as he would be cut

21

off from the surrounding world through the injunction of purity. Therefore, the very

thought of Upanayana sent cold shivers down his back. So he did not want to enter into

the bondage of Karma. On that account he argued with his father, reminding him of the

instance of his being already initiated at his birth with Linga and Mntropadesha at the

hands of Ishanya Guru from Kudala Sangama, and pleaded that there was no need of

any other initiation for him. Not only that, Basavanna raised another very pertinent issue

and put a straight question to his father: “ Why this Upnayana for me only and why not

for my sister who is older than I in age? Are there different religions for – one for men

and another for women; one for the rich, another for the poor? Is it ever possible?” “The

Vedic religion has not granted any right for woman to practice religious rites. She gets it

through her husband. The Brahmin caste is highest of all castes. A Brahmin is entitled to

undergo sixteen kinds of rites ( Sanskaras ). It is his special privilege. You have got it by

your merit earned in your previous birth. Your Upnayana diksha is a matter of our family

honour and prestige. You should not refuse it”, said his Vedic tradition-conscious father

very firmly.

Other elders too joined their voice, and some how succeeded in persuading

Basavanna to undergo Upanayana diksha. When Basavanna came to know the fact he

was going to be condemned to the Karma bondage, he resorted to his sister. But his sister

too, at that moment, dared not disobey her father and dared not tell Basavanna to defy the

Vedic tradition. Only on the score of the stand that he should listen to their father and

should not do any such thing that would hurt his feelings, affect their father’s status and

honour in society, she advised Basavanna—“ Do not argue against elders’ word. They

should follow the tradition according to which a Brahmin boy ought to undergo

Upanayana diksha before he is eight years old. What will be the state of tradition, if the

chief of the Agrhara himself honours it in its breach? So, please give your consent

without further argument for Upanayana ceremony.. Please wear the sacred thread now. If

in future you do not feel it right to wear it, you may snap it. Let us wait and see.”

Then a great conflict rose in Basavann;s mind. As a boy, he decided at that

moment that it would not be wise on his part to swim against the turbulent stream of the

hoary tradition. So he willy-nilly consented to Upanyana.

The Upanayana ceremony was conducted on a grand scale. It is a special

ceremony for every Brahmin boy. Then should it not be very special in the case of the

son of the head of the Agrahara. Indeed, it was a very grand ceremony. All the due rites

pertaining to the ceremony, Yajna and Yaga were conducted with meticulous care. The

22

boy Basavanna wore the sacred thread which was as it were a creeper of Karma.

Basavanna repeated mechanically, parrot-like, whatever was told by the Guru. Somehow

he completed all the rites, though half-heartedly.

The officiating priest preached the lesson of purity and impurity to Basavanna

who had hitherto been free to do whatever pleased him. The priest emphasized the need to

keep himself away from the commons, and, that too, from the low caste people, and to

ever engage himself in studies and sacrifices. Where there were no restrictions earlier,

severe restrictions came to be laid now. Taking special cold water bath, performing

morning and evening worship, performing periodical rituals etc. now entered the list of

Basavann’s daily activities. For Basavanna, who had hitherto been, moving about freely,

mixing with all kinds of persons, the various restrictions laid on him through Upanayana

were an unbearable torture. He felt that Upanayana literally robbed him of the freedom of

finding pleasure in the things that were dear to his heart. The Upanayan ceremony being

over, all the orthodox elders heaved a sigh of relief. The priests were pleased with

munificent gifts and cash presentations, besides sumptuous feast. Basavanna’s parents

were naturally happy and contented since their son cooperated with the priests while

performing various conventional rites. But Basavanna was far from being happy. Since

the thread he wore, he felt brought him an experience that it, being a creeper of Karma,

was tightening its hold on him every moment. In the heart of his hearts, he repented every

moment for having consented to Upanayana, coming under the pressure of his parents and

other elders in the Agrhara. This guilty conscience was pricking him and gnawing at his

heart.

After the Upanyana, the necessary arrangements were made for his study of Vedic

scriptural texts. Eminent scholars were appointed for teaching him the Vedas and the

Agamas. Basavanna was enthusiastic to learn the Vedas and the Agamas. He was ever

eager to widen the horizon of his knowledge. But he was disinterested in observing the

religious rites that had lost their meaning and significance. He was observing them but

only mechanically. It was with the binding of the Vedic ritualistic practice that

Basavann’s study of the Vedas and the Agamas had started. Basavanna was being

instructed to observe the very ritualistic practices with which he was disgusted.” His was

not to question why” but to obey and cry in the wilderness. No one was there to read and

understand his mind. Even if he questioned any thing, no one was there to give him some

convincing answer. That ritualistic practice was far from being rationalistic in its

approach. His aversion for such orthodox ideas as were augmenting the feeling of high

23

and low among people went on increasing. How long can his father’s authority over him,

the threat of the community elders , the strong hold of Vedic practices suppress

Basavann’s indomitable spirit ?

Once a straight confrontation took place, when Basavanna visited the colony of

the untouchables. Basavanna came to know that his dear friend Durga was seriously ill.

Then Basavanna could not contain himself. He went straight to the Pariah colony to see

his friend. Entering the poor boy’s hut, Basavanna enquired after his welfare, feeling him

with his healing touch all over his body. Although Basavanna had been longing for long

to visit the houses of the cursed low caste people, who were victims of the worst of

diseases, that is, the disease of social stigma like untouchability, it had not been possible

for him to visit their colony. Now he, for the first time, saw the stark reality of the life of

an untouchable. He was startled. His heart melted with compassion at the sight of the

heart-rending scene in that hut. ”What a wretched life the people who serve us are

leading! When will their lot improve?” This worry enveloped Basavanna’s mind.

Basavanna’s visit to Durga’s cottage raised a storm in the Agrahara. It created

anxiety in all the people of the Pariah colony., including Durga.. “ Master, you should

not have come to this colony.”, said the colony people.. They earnestly appealed to him to

leave the place before others would come to know of it. Beacause a Brahmin boy’s

visiting , that too, a Brahmin boy, son of the head of the Agrahara, wearing the sacred

thread, the Pariah colony and talking to Pariahs and talking to them is no small news ,

and no less a calamity than an earth quake. It is indeed a shattering news!

But Basavanna did not feel so. He took out the golden chain from his neck and

giving ot to Durg’s parents, told them to get the required medicine for Durga. Also, he

tried to cheer up Durga and wishing him speedy recovery from illness, he left the colony.

Basavanna was non-plussed. In fact he had the satisfaction of having helped a person in

difficulty. He was compassion incarnate.

However this incident shook the entire Pariah colony to its roots. Durga’s parents

collapsed all of a sudden Accustomed to live in the dark, their mind seems to have found

it hard to open its eyes to the light of humanity. The news of Basavanna’s visit to the

Pariah colony spread in the whole of Agrahara like wild fire. The orthodox Brahmins

belched fire, blew hot and cold. They raged that it was a blight on Brahmminism: “How

could religion survive, if the son of the Chief of the Agrahara himself committed such an

offence?” they worried. A delegation of all the elders in the Agrhara approached the

Dharmadhikari and lodged a complaint against Basavanna. The four-fold caste system

24

had grown such deep roots that it snapped all sacred human relationship. There was no

room for progressive ideas. The heart and mind of those people had been frozen, as they

were tradition-bound. None of the high caste people had the heart to accept the idea of

equality-- that all human beings are equal-- put forth by Basavanna.

This incident was too much to bear for Basavanna’s father, who, being the

Dharmadhikari of the place, had the responsibility of protecting religion at any cost.

It was his bounden duty to see to it that no rule was violated by any. If

unrighteousness is committed in the house of the head of the Agrahara, what will be the

fate of religion at other ordinary persons’ hands.So Basavanna’s father made up his mind

to conduct an enquiry into the matter.

Basavanna was frightened at such an unexpected development. He knew well that

the religious restrictions that were being honoured by the so called redeemers of religion,

were artificial, and that there was no point in practicing those hollow rules. So he decided

to refute and treat them with derision.

The meeting was held at Madarasa’s house .and that too under his own

president ship.. All the scholars assembled . Basavanna, despite being a holy Brahmin

wearing the sacred thread had been to the Pariah colony and touched the untouchable

boy much against the scriptural injunction and had thereby desecrated Brahminism. So

what is the remedy for this ?—was the main issue. Madarasa did not want to antagonize

his community people. He was ever cautious in his dealings. He had thought that his

son’s rudeness would lessen , once he was given the Upanayana treatment( Sanskara).

Now because of his misconduct he found himself in a fix. He was at his wit’s end, and did

not know how to save himself and his son. Finding Madarasa caught in the nice net, the

fanatics pleaded that Madarasa be excommunicated . They unanimously stated that that

was the only remedy. They clamoured that if such punishment was not meted out to

Madarasa and his family, every body would take to bad ways and tread wrong paths,.

and religion would die a miserable death. When the Dharmadhikari also arrived at the

same decision , Basavanna could not keep quiet. Unable to endure the agony, Basavanna

questioned the community elders: “ Your worshipful Dharmadhikari and respected

elders, you are talking of excommunicating us. After all, what is my crime? My bosom

friend was ill and I went to pay a courtesy call to him. I found his parents had no money

to buy medicines. So I gave them one of ornaments. It is the common human concern of

all to enquire mutual welfare, and to such of our friends as are in difficulty. Moreover, the

persons whom I helped serve us day in and day out. Is it not our duty to enquire their

25

well-being. You are elders, after all. Has heavens fallen down by my misconduct, if you

call it misconduct ? Why do you raise such a hue and cry?”

Then Madarasa reprimanding his son said,” Shut up. Besides doing what is

forbidden, you plead innocent. Was it necessary to go to the Pariah colony to enquire

their welfare? You are no longer a small kid. Should you be so rude as to defy what the

sacred scriptures prescribe? And try to brazen it out.” To this Basavanna replied: “Pray,

do not mistake me Don’t think it a tall talk for a boy of my age, if I say some thing. What

is it that makes a man Pariah? Who is a Pariah? Those innocents who lead an honest life

without playing hide and seek with their conscience are the high-born. Those who are

guileful, wicked and heartless are the true Pariahs. Those whose speech and conduct are

in harmony with one another are truly great; they are high-born. I visited the place of such

high born ones.” Instantly, Madrasa gagged his son’s mouth and said,” You fool, are you

greater than the elders our community? You were made to swear that you would uphold

the orthodox Vedic religion while wearing the sacred thread. Don’t forget that you have

on your shoulders the responsibility of fostering Brhaminism. Now by your misconduct

your sacred thread has been defiled.” Then Basavanna spoke without losing his temper:

“My revered Father, I do not have disregard either for you or for the community elders.

Please do not call me rude. Religion’s task is to create and integrate. The basic objective

of every religion is that all should live together respecting and loving one another and

treating all as equals. But what is happening today? There is one type of treatment for

men and another for women; one type of treatment for the high class and another for the

low class. What sort of justice is this? O my respected elders, one more thing I would like

to say. If you think what I have done is wrong, for that I am solely responsible, not my

father. You need not punish him for my mistake. He has not failed in his duty as father.

He has been guiding me as best he can, but it is I who am at fault., if at all you call me

guilty. But my conscience says I am right. I am true to my conscience. You seem to

honour only empty shell, throwing away the kernel. Obviously, you labour under some

illusion, for brushing aside human values you say that only old tradition honoured

practice is good. I cannot abide by your rules and regulations”, said the small boy. One

wonders from where he got that much courage!

At last Basavanna’s patience burst, and he thundered: “Lo, I do not want this

thread which, screening true religion, discriminated between people and people. I out

26

rightly reject it. “, thus giving vent to his utter disgust tore the sacred thread, and throwing

it at the elders walked away. Nagamma too followed him as a guardian angel would.

The religion that had settled in his heart was the one that could bring all human

beings together and respect one and all. He was gentle but brave. He could express what

felt right without mincing matters. Being a born revolutionary, Basavanna always

expressed his wrath at the sight of evil, wherever it be. He had that courage .to face the

wrath of the elders who represented the mighty establishment. So it was possible for

Basavanna to question it and to defy it.

That is why, longing as he had been from the beginning to leave the world of

rituals in preference to the world of devotion, to leave filthy existence in preference to

pure living, to leave superstitious practice in preference to true joy, he quit the narrow

world.. In those days such a bold act was unimaginable. Here Basavanna looks a brave

boy who swam against the violent current with grim determination to uphold such human

values as do good to all without, however, compromising with evil in any form. All those

who had gathered there stood aghast with staring eyes and open mouth.

Basavanna darted away from home. His quitting the house was sudden and

unpremeditated. He knew not where to go. He bent his steps towards his maternal grand

mother’s place Ingaleshwara a few miles away from Bagewadi. Being an incarnation of

filial love, her affection for her grandson was incomparable. When Basavanna went to

her, her joy knew no bounds. His stay with his grand parents pacified his troubled mind.

Besides, his beloved sister’s company assuaged his agony, helping the deep wound in his

mind heal up gradually.

At the moment two things occupied his mind. One was his desire to get out of the

suffocating environment, and the other was his resolution to seek a suitable place for his

studies. Ishanya Guru had accorded Basavanna a standing invitation to go to Kudala

Sangam for his studies. Now he recalled that invitation. He too had felt that Kudala

Sangama, a place with salubrious surroundings, was a suitable place for pursuing further

studies. So he brooded over the thought of going to Kudala Sangama.

Kudala Sangama was a famous Brahmapuri. Inscriptions and epics provide

sufficient information about this well-reputed centre for learning. It was an educational

institute of the order of a university. There was provision for the study of Veda, Agama,

Upanishat , in addition to many branches of Shastras. Moreover, it was a kind of spiritual

and philosophical workshop where open discussions and debates were held regularly. It

possessed a library with a huge collection of manuscripts. It was an abode of reputed

27

teachers, Shivayogis, and mystics. It was the field of activities of Shaivacharyas

belonging to the Pashupata sect. There was no scope for ritualistic practice. There was

ample scope for widening the horizon of one’s knowledge and mystic experience.. The

open-minded and rationally thinking teachers who accept only that thought which

could stand the test of open heated debates and were found worthy by common consent

of practice. They would rather take stroll in the garden of divine knowledge and mystic

experienceget bogged in the muddy ditch of ritualism. They were highly accomplished in

Vedas , Agamas, Upanishats and Shastras, besides the art of living and were rich mines

of virtues. Students from distant places flocked there for purpose of pursuing higher

studies.

Kudala Sangama extended an open-armed invitation to Basavanna who had gone

there, abandoning his home and hearth. The holy place kindled in Basavanna who had a

strong desire to widen the horizon of his knowledge and experience., a new hope.

Basavanna felt in the heart of his hearts that it was a proper place for his thoughts of ‘

good of all’ which were in the seed form to sprout. It is in this state of mind and with such

a high hope of over all development of his personality that Basavanna entered the

precincts of Kudala Sangama.

Akknagamma’s husband’s native place was close by Kudala Sangama. That was

an additional factor to induce Basavanna to opt for Kudala Sangama, since Shivaswamy ,

his brother-in-law ( Akkanagamma’s husband) was also an accomplished mystic. And to

be near him and grow under his supervision was a matter of great advantage.

The force of his sister and his brother-in-law and the gracious invitation of

Ishanya Guru and his heart’s whisper – with this three-fold support, Basavanna decided to

shape his life and to dedicate his life to the service of common people. With this firm

determination he entered the holy place.

The loud recitation of Vedas and the loud chorus of mass prayer seemed to extend

a warm welcome to Basavanna. The feeling that he was entering a divine workshop

which would help realize his dreams thrilled him. His sister and his brother-in-law too

heaved a sigh of relief.

Basavanna met Ishanya Guru on the way itself. Bowing to the great Master,

Akkanagamma said, “Your Holiness, in response to your pressing call my brother

Basavanna has now come to you, abandoning every thing --home and parents. Kindly

accommodate him in your compassionate heart and admit him to your spiritual and

philosophical workshop, and forging him into a shape, bless him to realize his numerous

28

dreams.” Shivawamy too joined Akkanagamma in requesting Ishanya Guru to shower his

blessings on Basavanna. Ishanya Guru was much pleased to see the tender bud-like

Basavanna stand before him with bowed head and folded hands, the very incarnation of

humility and piety. With tears of joy trickling down from both his eyes and his throat

choked with overwhelming emotion, Ishanya Guru said , “May Lord Sangamanath bless

you! As the saying—“the chip of the platform returned to the platform” goes, Basavanna

who belongs to Lord Sangamanatha, has returned to Lord Sangamanatha. Basavanna will

make his mark in the world and shine as the elder brother of the world.”

29

II FROM KUDALA SANGAMA TO MANGALAWEDE

Basavanna had left Bagewadi for good, but the memory of Bagewadi did not leave

him; it did not fade from his mind. On the contrary, it haunted him where he went. The

thought of Bagewadi would come to him again and again day and night. The environs of

Ingaleshwarara where he was born, the love and affection of his grand-parents, his father

and mother, his friends in Bagewadi—all would crowd in his mind. Ingaleshwara, his

mother’s native place, was a little distance, that is, about six miles, away from Bagewadi.

His childhood memories of his often shuttling between the two places too haunted him.

The religious environment of his house in the Agrahara at Bagewadi was of one

type, and the academic and spiritual environment of the Agrahara at Kudala Sangama was

of another type. He realized this difference after having arrived at Kudala Sangama. The

environment of the Agrahara at Bagewadi was tradition-bound. The daily Homa and

Havana that were being performed by the Brahmins of this place , their method of

studying Vedas, the classical approach to the recitation of the Vedas, its sonorous sound,

the sight of holy teachers sitting in the corridors of houses and teaching eighteen

Shastras, Grammar, metre, poetry, drama to their students, the testing of the students’

grasping power by the holy teachers, the question –answer session , the intermittent

explanation given by the teachers wherever necessary—all these were common scenes

here.. This Agrahara was patronized by kings and rich persons. Its administration was

entrusted to 500 Mahajanas. It had earned the reputation of being the crest-jewel of all

Agraharas.

Like Bagewadi, Kudala Sangama too was a well-reputed Brahmapuri. For Shaiva

Brahmins, it was the abode of Shaivism. More than one hundred Mahajana families

belonging to the Kalamukha sect had settled down there. The tutelary deity of Kudala

Sangama is Lord Sangamanatha. The Sthandhipati of all the Kalamukha mathas

belonging to the temple was Ishanya Guru. If the austere regular daily observances of the

Barhmins in the Agrahara of Bagewadi were of one type, the life style of the Brahmins in

the Agrhara of Kudala Sangama was of another type. Because Kudala Sangama was the

seat of higher learning of the order of our present university, students from different parts

of the country were coming here for pursuing higher studies. Sangama, that is, Kudala

Sangama, being the confluence of the rivers Krishna and Malaprabha, it was regarded as a

holy place of pilgrimage for all people, especially for the pious devotees.

30

The sixth day of the second half of Bhadrapada month is supposed to be an

auspicious day as Kapila Yoga occurs on that day. On that auspicious day thousands of

devotees from all around Kudala Sangama flock there to take a holy dip in the sacred

waters of the Krishna and the Malaprabha. A huge fair meets then. The confluence of the

Krishna and the Malaprabha is deemed as sacred as the confluence of the Ganga, the

Yamuna and the Sarawati at Alahabad in the Uttara Pradesha. So the devotees believe

that by taking a dip in the holy waters of the Krishna and the Malaprabha at Sangama

they earn as much merit as by taking a dip in the holy Ganges. The attractive temple

situated on the right bank of the Krishna and the effulgent Linga installed in the temple,

combined with the natural serenity of the surroundings, generate a feeling of gratification

and tranquility in the hearts of devotees. The Mahajanas of that Agrhara were well

reputed and highly respected; they were known for their profound knowledge, sound

scholarship,, versatility and regular religious observances. Moreover, that place adorned

with natural beauty was specially made for pursuit of spiritual attainment. Lord

Sangamnatha was Himself Beauty incarnate, an instance of sublime Beauty, and the

Beauty born of the murmuring sound of the gently flowing rivers also added to the

serenity of the place. The presence of such divine Nature naturally filled the

Mumukshus’ hearts with the spiritual experience and feeling that God is Nature and

Nature God. This place and the serene atmosphere pervaded with the divine presence of

Lord Sangamaantha inspired Basavanna to carry on his activities without let and

hindrance. This place enabled him to see and experience the omnipresent, formless,

effulgent Supreme Soul jn the form of Lord Sangamanatha. Lord Sangamanatha

became the guiding spirit and a source of perennial inspiration for both academic and

spiritual pursuits.

At Bagewadi, Basavanna had been taught metre, grammar, Agama, Purana and all

Vedas in accordance with the culture of his family. His method of learning was not

parrot-like learning. His nature was to accept only that knowledge which stood the test of

rational thinking. He was ever awake. He reflects on the competition among gods and

goddesses created by the Vedas. He gives serious thought to the social set-up accepted

by the Vedas, and wonders how that social set-up degenerated into the divide and rule

policy. He takes note of the fact how religion took to violence, and how the protectors of

religion turned into destroyers. Shastras prescribe one thing, but these Brahmins do some

thing else—thus on seeing the self-contradictory conduct and thought of the Brahmins,

31

Basavanna feels restless. During his stay at Bagewadi, Basavanna was ever engaged in

reflecting on these matters. He wanted to find out some remedy to these irksome issues.

The person, who was supporting Basavanna’s thoughts while his mind was in a

state of agitation, was his sister Akkanagamma. Older than Basavanna by ten years,

Akkanagamma was married to Shivaswamy of Kudala Sangama before she could attain

puberty. Hers was a child marriage. Because she was married before attaining biological

maturity, she had not yet been sent to her husband’s place. So Basavanna spent most of

his time with his sister only. He used to share all his thoughts invariably with his sister.

As an elder sister, she was giving him proper advice and making some suggestions by

way of observations while supporting his thoughts. When at the age of eight Basavanna

was to undergo Upanayana diksha, he insisted that his sister also be given the Upanayana

diksha.. That obviously raised a hue and cry in the house. When his father said that their

Shastras would not approve of the Upanayan Samskara and the sacred thread to woman,

Basavanna refused point blank to undergo the Upanaya rite, if his sister were to be denied

that privilege. When he came to know that his sister could not study Vedas and other

scriptures, as woman was not granted permission to read and write, he was shocked at the

blatant discrimination made against woman in the scriptures. Akkanagamma always busy

assisting their mother in the kitchen. When after attaining maturity she was sent to her

husband’s house at Kudala Sangama, Basavanna felt lonely and miserable. He was driven

to a state of mental blankness, since his mind was a complete blank. For some time he

was mute and tried to forget that agony by reading and reflecting. His brother Devaraja

was older than he by many years. Because of the age gap between them, Basavanna could

not be free with his brother. Moreover, his brother was always engaged in business and

household matters. The bond of love and affection between the two did not become

strong. So he would hardly share his revolutionary thoughts with his brother.

Basavanna had now sought resort in lord Sangamanatha mainly for the sake of a

proper guide. Right from the beginning, he had thirst for knowledge. Because of his keen

interest in studies, he could master easily and quickly whatever he read. The disciplined

academic environment that prevailed at Kudala Sangama, enabled Basavanna to develop

the habit of disciplined thinking. Basavanna was not only brilliant but had cultivated

rational thinking and wide awakening also. Thus his assiduous study, in addition to

broadening its base, led to the blossoming of his personality. His scholarship was like a

diamond studded in gold, that is, his perfect and profound learning lent an uncommon

glow to his sterling character and golden personality. By entering into debates with the

32

learned elders, he got for his line of thought a definite direction and a new dimension. The

scholars who visited that place were all broad-minded, without any blight of ritualism on

them. Therefore, it was possible for Basavanna to think freely and to express his thoughts

boldly without any restraint, to accept whatever he thought was right and to reject, at the

same time, without any fear whatever he thought was wrong. By coming into contact with

the good and holy souls coming from different parts of the country, Basavanna was

transformed into a divine personality. Along with his awakening to spiritual and

metaphysical relationship between man and God, his worldly knowledge also increased..

For Basavanna the two powerful magnets at Kudala Sangama were Lord Sangamanatha

and Ishanya Guru. The person who recognized at the first sight itself the great future

personality in Basavanna was Ishanya Guru .Having accepted Bsavanna as his disciple,

he undertook to shape his personality in the right mould.. He saw to it that Basavanna

made Lord Sangamanatha the centre of his activities—physical, mental and spiritual with

the result that Lord Sangamanatha possessed Basavanna’s body, mind and heart. In

order to control his fickle mind and unwieldy senses, he engaged Basavanna in the

activities connected with the worship of Lord Snagamanatha. Ishanya Guru assigned

Basavanna the task of fetching fresh flowers from the garden and hallowed water from

the holy river for the worship of Lord Sangamanatha. For that he had to get up early in

the morning; after attending to the nature calls, he had to bathe in the river and wear

washed clothes before going to fetch flowers and water. He introduced to Basavanna all

the branches of our ancient lore. The study of these holy books, quick as he was in

grasping their meanings and implications, widened the horizon of his knowledge. While

studying the doctrines of other religions, the human values reflected in them opened his

eyes to the wider and higher values than the ones he was hither to aware of.

Exceptionally brilliant and sensitive as he was to grasp subtle elements, it was possible

for him to recognize the defects inherent in the doctrines of other religions. As an aid to

his spiritual practice, Jataveda sage taught him Yogic approach also.

Although Basavanna was burgeoning beyond imagination by carrying on his

routine activities in the presence of Lord Snagamanatha, none of the citizens of Kudala

Sangama knew any thing about his steadfast devotion and the greatness and glory of his

penance. Because that day happened to be the day of Kapilashashtiyoga, that is, the sixth

day in the latter half of Bhadrapada month happening to be Tuesday, an exceptionally

auspicious day for all Hindus, people from distant places had thronged there. There was

a festive atmosphere in the precincts of the temple. All around the temple there was some

33

sort of pomp and ceremony. There was a special worship for Lord Sangamanatha. So the

worship was elaborate as per the Vedic prescriptions. A huge crowd of devotees had

gathered in the temple with an earnest desire to obtain the gracious sight of Lord Kudala

Sangamanatha. The mass of devotees stood absorbed in listening to the sonorous

recitation of sacred Mantras. The devotees were all attention, all eyes and ears. The

splendour of that Mahapuja, of that special worship was beyond comparison. After the

Mahapuja was over, all the devotees felt gratified and blessed. Those who had arranged

that special worship had the pride of having achieved some thing in the presence of

such a huge crowd of devotees. At that time a strange thing happened. Basavanna as

usual, as son as he came there, removing all the paraphernalia of earlier worship , that is,

all the gorgeous things with which Lord Sangamanatha was decorated, worshipped Him

with bare flowers and leaves. The Brahmins, who had officiated the Mahapuja naturally

got wild, surrounding the small boy Basavanna, were about to belabour him. Although

Jatavda Sage advised them not to be rash, they would not listen to him. They were simply

mad with rage. The situation went out of control. Then an aerial voice issuing right from

the head of Shivalinga said: “Basava is a great person. I am pleased with his worship.”

Although whatever happened then seemed a miracle, one could easily understand this

much that the simple way of worship adopted by Basavanna who had followed the

words of the enlightened persons, was more dear to Lord Shiva than the gorgeous

ostentatious worship of the proud people. From that day onwards the people’s attitude

towards Basavanna changed. He rose very high in their estimation.

Though Basavanna’s thirst for knowledge was complementary to his spiritual

pursuit, still some dissatisfaction lurked in his mind. In order to find satisfactory solutions

to his doubts and soul searching questions, his thirst for knowledge increased by leaps

and bounds. The Shastras, he thought, should not become the ultimate proofs. What he

had felt at one stage of his pursuit of excellence, that is, that nothing but one’s experience

alone should be the ultimate proof, was confirmed through his discourses with the mystics

of very high order. That he should never become a Shastra-bound dead thing, instead, in

the school of life, life-experience alone should become the sacred texts, and that what

is ascertained by him as right in the light of experience, he should try to put into

practice.—became his doctrine. Basavanna did not want to become an ideal Vedanti, nor

a over smart rationalist. He had by then come to know the history of mankind. Born a

Brahmin, he was fully aware of the kind of environment in which he grew up. Being

born a high caste Brahmin, he knew what great honour his high status in society brought

34

him. He has now realized that his very high birth has become an impediment to his

spiritual and social progress. The ritualism of his people, orthodox blind beliefs, and

meaningless practices have created the stuffy atmosphere which is suffocating. Naturally

his mind is agitated. He is brooding over what path he should tread in future. It is at this

stage of his life when his was in a turmoil that he was awakened to a revolutionary

thought. It heralded a new dawn in Basavanna’s life, and he saw the rosy morning light.

Basavanna , who saw how the four-fold caste system had caused the society to break into

numerous splinters, realized for the first time that unless all human hearts were held

together by some common bond and a new bond of human relationship was forged, the

redemption of mankind was not possible. The thought that unless the China wall of the

caste system was pulled down, the splintered mankind could not be put together flashed

on his mind. He also got it ascertained the truth of the fact that the class and caste system

played an important role in controlling the economic resources. He thought that if the

human minds which had been disintegrated into innumerable parts by polytheism could

once again be integrated by adopting Monism. Then many problems would find solutions

for themselves.

At Sanagama, Basavanna’s studies reached a particular stage. He read Shrutis,

Smrutis, Puranas, Shivagamas, the scriptures of Jainism and Buddhism and the relevant

commentaries with sincerity. Along with the reading of these sacred texts the deep

discourses on those texts also continued. Moreover, the enlightened pilgrims who visited

the holy place being liberal-minded, it was possible for him to enter into free discussion

with them. His moving about with the knowledge thirsty scholars and great mystics,

besides widening the horizon of his knowledge, lent the light of clarity to his thoughts.

The same superiority complex that Basavanna had seen in the Brahmins of

Bagewadi Agrahara, he saw in the Brahmins of Sangama Agrahara too. They would

freely mix with the people of other Varnas like Kshatriya and Vaishya, whereas they

would not even look at the Shudras, let alone hold talks with them and touch them. They

believed that the Shudras were born to look after their cows and to work on their farms

and that they were not entitled to knowledge of any sort. Basavnna ‘s mind turns towards

his parents, relatives and other Brahmins who knew that the blood flowing in all human

veins is the same, that the land on which they move and which they cultivate is the same,

the water all persons drink is the same, the sun , who is the giver of light , warmth and life

to all creatures is one and the same, the air which all creatures inhale and exhale is the

same, and yet they laboured under the illusion that were superior. Basavanna noticed

35

among the Brahmins of both the Agraharas – of Baggwadi and Sangama the same

common notion of purity and impurity – that if the shadow of the Shudras fell on them,

they would be defiled; that the Shudras should announce their entering any Agrahara by

way of alerting the Brahmins shouting at the top of their voice: “Sanmbli, Samboli”; that

they should not touch any thing once touched by the Shudras; that if they were to use it,

they should get it purified through proper methods. This particular thing aroused

Basavanna’s curiosity. The Brahmins of Agraharas, who regard fire as God, perform

Yajna and Yaga in order to propitiate Fire God by making offerings of milk, ghee, etc.

but if their house is set on fire , they raise a hue and cry, and to extinguish that fire, they

pour over it all sorts of dirty water, including the water from dirty ditch and water from

the closet., in addition to throwing dirty mud over it. What these people regard as God do

not treat as God, when it burns their houses. Showing scant respect, they offer to

extinguish it at all costs. On seeing such apparent discrepancies in their behaviour,

Basavanna would simply laugh at their hypocrisy.

While studying Vedas, Agamas and Puranas, the question that often vexed

Bsavana was—are gods beyond the law of nature, that is, the law of birth, growth and

death. Indra is born to Amritamati and Somashambhu, Brahma, to Jeshtadevi and

Satyrashi, and Vishnu, to Vasudeva and Devaki. They are born of women and in their

wombs. If gods were omnipotent, why did they seek resort in Lord Shiva, while the

deadly poison, that is, Halahal, issued at the time of churning the sea of milk, was

enveloping the universe? If you say Vishnu is great, there is no end to the afflictions he

suffered in his ten-fold incarnation. If you say Brahma is great, Lord Shiva nipped one of

his heads. If Brahma is the creator, why did not his head sprout again? If Vishnu is the

protector of all creatures, why did he not protect his own son? If there is no other god

than Keshava, why did Vedvyasa, who worshipped Keshava suffer humiliation? When

there was no satisfactory answer to these mind-boggling questions, his mind was

naturally agitated.

What surprised Bsavanna was the firm faith of common people in God and their

worshipping innumerable gods out of sheer ignorance. Some people invoking God

describe circles on copper plates, and fix them to the ceilings of their houses. “Should

gods play the watch dogs in their houses?” asks Basavanna in his contemplative mood.

There are hundreds of mean gods, like Gadiga, Dimbuga, Marayya, Birayya,

Kecharagavila, Antara Bentara, Kalayya, Dhulayya, Malayya, and others. They are

lodged in deserted and ruined places—they are seen on the crest of a rock, road side, in

36

banks and wells, on trees, especially on big banyan trees, in the heart of a village, and at

crossroads. They are a nuisance to people They trouble milch cows and buffaloes, small

children, pregnant women, women in child bed, small girls and matured girls, Lest these

mean gods should trouble them., their children , cows , buffaloes and other cattle, they

vow to offer them varieties of dishes. Basavanna could not help pitying these ignorant

people. He reflects on the ways and means of eradicating their superstitions. Basavanna

is taken aback at the way these ignorant people worship mean gods made of lac, iron,

mud, wood, stone etc. with deep devotion. Pot, pan, winnowing fan, stone, comb, bow

thread, cheese—these articles of everyday use are gods for them. This land is littered with

countless gods. Their number is so large that they occupy every inch of land, leaving no

room for us to lay our feet. There are gods that melt at the slightest touch of fire. There

are gods that are made of gold and silver which can be pledged or sold in times of

financial crisis. There are also gods that can be buried either in the front yard or in the

back yard of your houses, if there is any threat from them. Thus gods became a common

commodity to be used in our practical life. Basavanna keenly noticed how god

degenerated into an ordinary commodity to be bought and sold, melted and destroyed and

disposed of at our convenience. In the name of god, men undertake milk-vow, cream-

vow, butter- vow, horse gram vow. Thus, whatever food items we daily eat were thought

to be dear to gods. Basavana also thought over how to weed out the wrong practices of

people’s taking pleasure in bathing gods in milk and ghee, pasting butter all over dolls of

worship, making garlands of eatables like chakkule and gargi in order to please their

gods.

Basavanna saw the ostentatious piety of the egoistic people who, having donated

fertile lands to temples, milch cows and perennial lamp to temples prided themselves

upon their donations. Basavanna saw people wear badges of honor and hoist flags of

prestige under which they gifted away things, saying that they always gave gifts in

charity; he saw persons distribute food in order to demonstrate their compassion for all

creatures, and saying to himself, ” The piety of the person who worships for glory’s sake

is like using sun-shade at night,” laughed in his mind. “When the giver is Lord Sanga and

the receiver is Lord Sanga Himself, will not the mouths of those who call themselves

givers be filled with round worms?”-- reflects Basavanna.

Also when Basavanna sees people’s faith in the village Mari, he gives serious

thought to it. Believing that Goddess Mari protects them, the ignorant people sacrifice

sheep, goat and other animals and birds in order to please Her. But does the sheep protect

37

people by dying a miserable death? “ Goddess Mari is for eating food and wearing

clothes. Is She for killing and protecting people?” While Yama the God of Death was

snatching away the life Her son Jokumara who was too young, where had She gone? How

can such a mother as could not save her own son offer protection to the people of this

world? Thus Basavanna remains absorbed in deep contemplation and rational thinking.

The deeper and longer Basabanna thinks over these matters, the stronger and

clearer does his thoughts become and his decisions more firm. The divine presence of

Lord Sangamanatha has brought about this change in him. Like an anxious mother, who

fears whether a serpent bites her son or fire burns him, and who wards off all hazards,

staying always at his back, Lord Sangmanatha guarded Basavanna jealously against all

evils. His study, his discourses with mystics, his deep contemplation in solitude – all

contributed to his extraordinary mental development. In place of narrow religious ideas,

humanitarian, compassionate altruistic thoughts sprouted in his mind.

When Basavanna tries to give a definite shape and direction to the line of his

thoughts he experiences a kind of mental agony. Since all branches of knowledge were in

Sanskrit, they did not reach common people. Basavanna felt that it was a great loss to

them. The divine stream of knowledge should make whatever comes within its fold

hallowed, and it should flow perennially, growing wider , deeper, purer and clearer. But

it has stopped flowing. It has become a stagnant pool. It should become a torch, and

reaching down to the common men who have been deprived of the benefit of literacy, it

should dispel their solid ignorance. Word, that is, letter, literature and language should

be free from impurity. It should be made available to each and every person. What use if

Sanskrit, which is the divine tongue, is confined to, and reserved for, the few high born

only? The example of the folk literature, which is in the language of the common man

and reaches the common man, is there before Basavanna. Did not the Buddha express his

thoughts in Pali, the language of the common people then? How about using the Vachana

form just as Sharana Jedara Dasimayya of Mudanur had done? How about expressing his

heart’s yearnings, sufferings and concerns for the common humans in the language of the

common humans, that is, spoken Kannada, with Lord Kudala Sangmanatha as witness? If

we want to wash the impurity of the hearts of the common humans, can we not employ

this medium effectively? How would it work, if instead of writing in pure verse or pure

prose, if we combine the melody of poetry with the clarity and explosive quality of prose?

No sooner did this thought occur to his mind than the long standing heart’s yearning

found expression in the form of a Vachana:

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“When the words of the Pioneers

Are like a stream of milk,

With jaggery for its ooze

And sugar for its silt,

My reason is as one

That digs a well apart,

To drink a brackish water, Lord

Kudala Sangama!” (V.B.,V.290).

From that moment onwards, Basavanna started the perennial process of giving

expression to every day mystic experience , of giving a clear shape to his thoughts

through articulation, and of crystallizing the dazzling ideas into speech form. On noticing

the attempt of Basavanna to communicate his thoughts and experience, not only did

Ishanya Guru applaud his effort but also advised him to explain the various stages of his

heart’s evolution .Ishanya Guru suggested to Basavanna to impose classical discipline on

his free flowing thoughts. But Basavanna did not like it. Instead of conforming his

thoughts to a fixed frame, he wanted his soul to sing like a free bird as it list., naturally

and freely as and when thoughts came to it. He wanted to be a singing bird, as free as

birds and beasts in the woods.

It was at Kudala Sangama that Basavanna’s life received some shape, coming as it

did under the strict discipline of that academic place. When he wakes up in the early

auspicious hours, the eyes covered with dim light become slowly clear as the cool breeze

passing over the holy waters of the Krishna and the Malaprabha confluence gently kiss

his eye-lids. The lilting melody of the swift flowing rivers, the music of the trees, the

dance of the branches in the enchanting breeze, the salubrious greenery all around –all

together created an aura of divine presence. At the monastery, Ishanya Guru is absorbed

in his studies and meditation, and all the students are engaged in routine Yogic exercises

like Yama, Niyama, Pranyama, etc. The sight of all these was pleasing to the eyes. First,

approaching Sangamanatha Linga, he would see Him till his eyes felt tired. Then he

would finish all his morning duties, and going round the nearby garden, he would pluck

the fragrant buds of flowers even before bees and breeze and sun rays could touch them.

Then after that, he would go to the holy confluence and bathe to his heart’s content and

fetch two pots of water nicely balancing them on his shoulders. Then he would sit down

to worship Lord Sangamanatha, reciting Rudrasukta, and place fragrant flowers of all

39

variety on the Linga’s head. He would gaze on the Linga till the image of Lord

Sangamanatha suffused his eyes. Not satisfied even with that, he would once again adorn

the Linga with flowers and leaves, and again gaze on the Linga till the Linga merged in

his eyes. Then the tears of joy would trickle down from his eyes. He would implore:

“Making me an insignificant parrot

in the Vindhya mount,

Let me repeat ”Oh Shiva, Shiva!”

Putting me into a prison of devotion,

Look after me,

O Lord Kudala Sangama!” (B.V., V.58)

“Thine are my weal and woe;

My loss and gain are thine!

Thine too my honour and shame:

O Lord Kudala Sangama,

How can the creeper feel the weight

Of its fruit? “ (V.B., V.60)

“ If it’s Thy will, O Lord,

A log may sprout!

If it’s Thy will O Lord,

A barren cow gives milk!

If it’s Thy will, O Lord,

Poison is turned to nectar!

If it’s Thy will, O Lord,

All things obey one’s call,

O Kudala Sangama Lord !” ( V.B.,V.66)

Thus he would praise the greatness and glory of Lord Sangamanatha’s grace

abounding.

“Should we look for Meru’s virtue in a crow?

Should we look for the quality of the alchemic stone in iron?

Should we look for the virtue of a saint in a common man?

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Should we look for the fragrance of sandal wood in common trees?

Should you, all virtuous Linga

O Lord Kudala Sangama,

Look for sin in me? ( V.B., V.67)

Basavanna would pray again and again:

“O Lord, it’s you who spread this green

Sense-pasture before my eyes!

What does a beast know?

It is drawn

To all that is green and grass.

Rid me of sense, feed me, Lord

With holiness till I have my fill!

Serve me true wisdom for my drink!

Look after me, O Lord,

Kudala Sangama!” (V.B, V51)

“I live like a chameleon changing colour”, he earnestly appeals to Lord

Sangamanatha, saying:

“Like nine hounds loosed upon a hare,

My body’s passions cry: Let me!

My mind’s passions cry: Let me!...

Oh, will my mind reach thee, O Lord

Kudala Sangama, before

My sense’s dog has caught it?” (V.B., V.36)

and sheds tears of repentance. “ Desire, temptation, falsehood, passion, guile,

wickedness, ire, meanness—Pray Lord, weed out all these from my tongue, as they are

not allowing me to come to you. Therefore, purging me of all these vices, make my five

senses devotees, O Lord Kudala Sangama!” So saying, Basavanna begs of Lord’s mercy,

spreading the fringe of his coat.

Ishanya Guru was observing Basavanna’s progress on the path of spiritual pursuit

very closely. As Basavanna’s studies were complete, Iashanya Guru thought that his

41

learning should be assimilated into his life-blood. For that it was not enough if his speech

turned into Vachana It should, like gold, undergo the fire ordeal of life-experience; it

should not lose its shine, when it is put into fire There should be perfect agreement

between thought and word, between heart and mind as also between knowledge and

experience. Mystic experience should become spiritual food. What if, pleased with the

joy of words, you enter into a dialogue? What if you talk of Monism, without actually

reaching that state in life? In order to kindle this sense of monism in him, he tests every

word putting it into the fire of discourse. His mature mind is engaged in scrutinizing his

book-knowledge. If Linga worship has enabled him to control his fickle mind, the

uttering of the six letter spell “Om Namah Shivaya!” has purged his heart of all the

impurity. His contemplation in solitude has got solution to most of his doubts and has put

an end to mental conflicts All powerful Lord Shiva whom Basavanna worshipped in the

form of Linga has illumined his body and mind with the of light of His grace. Basvanna

sees the dazzling divine form of Universal Soul in all things—animate and inanimate,

and fills his inner eyes of consciousness with the myriad cosmic form pervading the

whole universe; and experiences with a sense of gratification the bliss born of the divine

presence within himself. Also knowing that the mind is the root cause and the seed-bed of

all activities of the senses, Basavanna has made sufficient progress in concentrating his

mind on Lord Sangamanatha. While one’s spiritual pursuit is going on within oneself, the

conflicts of the outer world too come to one’s realization every day. The conduct of the

worldly people, superstition, practices, mode of thinking—if these do not change; if they

do not come out of this complex worldly web, nothing can be done to change the course

of their life in order to better their lot Gradually this belief grows firm roots in his mind.

A secret resolution to dedicate his life for the redemption of mankind assumes a clear

form in his mind. His anxiety to see and experience the existence of God in this world

increases from day to day. The Universal Soul being witness, his decision to dedicate

himself to the activities leading to the good of all in the world becomes firm. That

decision, as it reverberates in his ears, produces a pleasant effect on his mind. He comes

to know that this decision is made at the instance of the Universal Soul. It prompts him

and urges him on to muster courage as well as to accumulate power—physical,

intellectual and spiritual. He thinks that his unflinching faith in Lord Sangamanatha will

come to his aid in realizing his dream of total revolution. He has realized the naked truth

that he has to work his way out, staying in the midst of the people whose religious

feelings have got into a rut. His resolution to muster all the like-minded persons who treat

42

all persons equally, without discriminating them on the basis of status, race, caste, class,

gender, and birth, and to bring them to a common platform, becomes firm and firm with

the passage of time.

As Basavanna grew up both physically and intellectually, at the this stage of his

spiritual evolution, the persons who were most dear and near were Akkanagamma,

Ishanya Guru Right from his childhood days, Basavanna shared the moments of joys and

sorrows as well as mental agony with none but his sister with whom he could be free.

Ishanya Guruhad recognized in Basavanna the characteristic features of a future

great man and, not only that, all the signs of his becoming universally great It is for that

reason that he had taken Basavanna under his tutelage, and had been treating him with

loving care. He created the environment required for his intellectual as well as spiritual

evolution. While teaching him the basic doctrines of various religions, he explained to

him in great detail the antiquity and universality of Shaivism. He had greater inclination

towards Pashupata sect. He explained to him the principle of cause and effect, Yoga,

Vidhi, and tragic end etc. which are the main grounds of Pawshupata sect. The principles

of Pashupata Yoga aroused great curiosity in Basavanna. Yama means practicing non-

violence, celibacy, truth, non-acquisition, etc. Not getting angry, service of Guru,

keeping oneself clean, dieting, eternal vigilance, etc., come under Niyamas. Here celibacy

does not mean just abstaining from contact with woman; exercising control over all sorts

of habits too comes under celibacy. Truth means calling spade a spade. But according to

Pashupata sect, it means telling only that which means the good of all and does good to

the entire mankind, and that is the Supreme Truth. If the speaking of what one actually

sees and hears and knows causes harm to mankind, one should suppress it. The

Pashupatas think that even if a certain thing is not true, and yet if does good to others, it is

greater than the actual truth. Such items as ash-bath, ash-bed, which come under

Pashupatas’ Vidhi, seemed to Basavanna signs of purity of Self. A Pashpata monk should

eat such raw things as roots and fruits and also what is got by begging. That he should

dwell either in forest or in a graveyard looked like a paradox to Basavanna. Such of their

acts as laughing (hasin), singing (gita), dancing (kunita), producing ‘hu’ sound (

hudukkara), saluation ( namaskara), and telling of beeds (japa)—all these being

contrary to the normal conduct of social human beings, likewise aroused curiosity in him.

Their pretending sleeping though not sleeping actually, (kranthana), shaking the whole

body or parts of it ( spandana), walking awkwardly as if one’s legs are hurt (mandana),

casting amorous looks at a woman, though not actually seeing her (shringara),

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practicing what is supposed to be repulsive (aviktarana), talking irrelevant and absurd

things ( avitadbhashana)—on seeing a Pashupata monk behave absurdly, people would

laugh at him and treat him derisively. Enduring of the censor, disregard, ill-treatment,

etc., of the people would enable him to redeem himself by inculcating in him virtues, like

courage, firmness, and tolerance. All this simply surprised Basvanna. Not only that,

Basavanna was taken aback at their supreme control over their mental activities.

Basavanna also gave a serious thought to the then prevalent Kalamukha branch of

Shaivism. He did not like the Kalamukhas’ way of life, because they had continued the

practices of the Vedic religion like Yajna, Yaga, and Karmakanda. Being interested in

the temple culture, they had supported the four-fold Varna system. They were living in

their own narrow circle of egoistic scholars and were adored and patronized by kings and

royal families. However, staying in the midst of society, they had become popular by

their welfare activities such as building temples, establishing educational institutions,

opening hospitals for humans and animals, and charity houses, despite their supporting

the Varna system. This, indeed, surprised Basavanna and further whetted his curiosity.

Basavanna noticed that in the social set-up of that time the activities connected

with the temple culture had grown deep roots. Also he had minutely observed the fact that

the Varna system was bound up with these activities and that in the social set-up, it had

followed the policy of divide and rule. The main sources of income for the temples were

the gifts given by the devotees in the form of fertile land, milch cow, gifts and

endowments given for perennial lamp. All these were the gifts given by the rich people to

get their sins washed. In the absence of the priests, the persons in charge of tilling land,

tending cows, lighting lamps were the Shudras. For serving in the matters of enjoyment,

that is, singing and dancing etc., there were Devadasis.( Hand-maids of God); the persons

who played all kinds of musical instruments, like double headed drum, kettle drum, flute,

pipe, etc., were also Shudras. Only the priestly class was entitled to enter the inner shrine

and worship the deity, touching the idol with their hands. The Shudras had no entry into

the temple. However, Devadais, who were a cut higher than the menial servants, were

permitted to enter the temple, and enjoyed greater facilities than their male counterparts.

Even in treating the Shudras, there was discrimination. This particular thing did not

escape Basavanna’s notice. On seeing such a glaring discrimination, it seems, a Vachana

took shape in Basavanna’s mind:

“One hates to see the face

44

And hear the words

Of those who say

They keep ten roods of land,

A wasting dairy fare,

An ever-burning lamp.

Say, who has given a destiny

To creatures born of egg,

Of sweat, of womb and seed?

Him who repeats

This is come through me,

This is gone through me”—

As if breaking a cake to serve his lord—

Lord Kudala Sangma must sure

Cast dust in his mouth

As he stamps his foot!” ( V.B.,V.225)

The tradition of landlords’ enjoying the fruit of the hard labour of the farm

servants paved the way for the life of luxury for the landlords without working in their

fields. Basavanna clearly saw the divide and rule policy embedded in the master-servant

system. Basavanna realized that unless that was abolished, the uplift of the down-trodden

could not be achieved. Basavanna thought of a social remedy for this economic

imbalance. What flashed on his mind at that moment was the concept of Kayaka. In stead

of leading a life drudgery as slaves of somebody, a person can lead a life of dignity and

freedom, choosing an independent profession and earning his bread at the sweat of his

brow and sharing the fruit of his labour with all the members of his family. Soon this

doctrine of Kayaka took a clear shape in his mind. Accordingly, every one should work

and live, live a contented life within one’s limits, let others too share a bit of one’s

honest earning—this idea of an ideal family life germinated in his mind. This seemed to

Basavanna a viable alternative to the landlord system, which had caused economic

inequality in society. Since temple culture had been a part our culture and social system,

as an alternative to the Varna Saystem, which had grown deep roots in society, Basavanna

evolved the concept of Bhakta-Bhavi. too. .As a result of long and deep reflection and

contemplation, these concepts took definite shapes in his mind.

45

Basavanna thought about the Souras, Ganaptyas, Nilapatas, etc., who were some

what popular in the social set-up of his own time. The concept of Virashaivism , which is

nothing but a revised form of the ancient Shaivism flashed on his mind, only when he

started reflecting on all the religions in India. The advent of a new religion was a matter

of great challenge to him. The challenge that was before him was to found a new religion

by defying the age-old four-fold caste system. The concept of ‘human religion’ shone

bright before his mind’s eye. He resolved to borrow such good points as would contribute

to the all-round development of this unique religion from all the current Indian religions

He thought of building a new society that would be free from such concepts as of Varna

, caste, class, high and low. The concept of Bhavi-Bhakta as against the Varna system, the

concept of the Ishtalinga as against the Sthavaralinga, the concept of Kayaka as against

the class system—thus every thing was systematically planned in his mind. He had his

own remedies for the hurdles that would hinder spiritual progress or uplift of one’s Self.

No good, if people are drowned in this mortal world. The thought of the Self’s upward

journey by freeing oneself from the world of illusions while enjoying the pleasures of the

physical world is taking a vivid shape. When he thinks of the doctrine of ‘tragic end’

propounded by the Pasupatas, a new idea flashes on his mind. For the Pashupatas, ‘tragic

end’ means isolation. Isolation does not mean uniting with Pashupati. If a devotee of

Pashpati offers himself to Pashupati, there is no re-birth for him. He attains eternal

deliverance. Under such a circumstance, the concept of the integral union of Anga with

Linga originates. Also he has now realized the dire need to develop the comprehensive

concepts of Shatsthala, Ashtavrana and Panchachara, Shivayoga, etc., as the fundamentals

of Virashaivism.

If Kudala Sangma shaped Basavanna’s personality, the presence of Lord

Sangamanatha inspired him to prepare a future plan of action. The task of engaging the

prospective socio-religious reformer in the welfare activities was the need of the hour. It

happened automatically. In this regard, the role played by Iashanya Guru is very

important. After Basavanna’s academic accomplishments had been completed, after he

had studied and mastered all arts and sciences , there was no further need of his staying

at Kudala Sangama. His presence was required more at Mangalawede than at Kudala

Sangama. The wider field of activity that was at Mangalawede offered Basavanna an

open invitation. His inner self was directing and urging him to go to Mangalwede. But

because of the unique bond the devotee Basavanna had with Lord Sangamanatha, he did

not want to leave Him so soon. He could not free himself from that sacred bondage. Then

46

Ishanya Guru awakened him convincing him that the work of redeeming mankind by

guiding the fellow human beings, by showing compassion to the poor and oppressed as

well as by serving them was more dear to God than mere worship.

One night when Basavanna was asleep reflecting on the words of Ishanya Guru,

he heard some one say twice or thrice in his dream :” Go to Mangalawede”. When he

slept on ignoring the divine order, Lord Sangamanatha Himself appeared before him in

the form of Ishanya Gurand and said: “O Basavanna, your heart’s desire will be fulfilled

at Mangalwede of Bijjala. I’ll be ever with you, just at your back, guiding you in all

matters and guarding you against all evils. All your dreams will come true. I’ll stand by

you, and make the whole world acclaim you; trust me.” Rolling as he was between two

states—waking and dreaming—he could sleep no longer .that night.

When the sun rose, painting the sky with sanguine colour, Basavann’s eyes

looked lusterless for want of sleep. He felt as if all his enthusiasm ebbed away. Caught

between the dream state and reality as he was, he was still under the stupor of sleep, and

his mind refused to attend to the morning nature calls even. So heavy were his eyelids and

so heavy his mind. In the same state he went to Lord Sangmanatha’s temple, and sat

before Him, gazing on Him and saying , “ What is this sport of yours, O Lord? Should I

take my leave of you?” “ A cup of milk in the left hand,/A cane in the right--/ O my

Father, who will beat me/Until I drank the milk?” You who are fondly anxious as to what

will happen to your son, in whose presence I forget all my afflictions, You who are the

abode of my dreams, how can I bear the thought of leaving you? You, in whose service, I

have got my life’s fulfillment, how can I cease serving you? You, who are my life’s goal,

and guide, how can I survive , being weaned away from you? I worship you daily with

my own hands. How can I let this rare opportunity slip through my fingers? How can I

forgo the pleasure of seeing you till my eyes get tired ; the pleasure of worshipping you

till my heart is tired; the pleasure of singing your praise till my tongue is tired; the

pleasure of dancing before you till my legs get tired ? When I am not satisfied with my

decorating you with varieties of fragrant flower, I remove al the decoration, and decorate

you once again and shed tears of joy. How can I forget those rare blissful moments when

my throat gets choked with emotion and I scarcely utter a word? How can I stop calling

you full-throatedly:” O Sangayya ! O Sangamanatha! How can I survive, if I give up the

task of fetching water for your bath? Should you be so unkind as to direct me to go to

Mangalawede? O my Lord! O my kith and kin! O my Father! Does it become you to treat

me so unkindly?” Thus Basavanna , wailing and weeping, performing the worship with

47

half a mind, without taking Prasada, went to his room and lay down wearily, covering his

face .

As he was slowly slipping into sleep, the form and the formless became dim. The

cold breeze blowing over the troubled body had a pleasant effect on the body. The reel of

the familiar scenes unrolled itself before his mind’s eye. When he determined not to part

company with Lord Sangmanatha, he heard a sweet and soft whisper saying: “No my

son, no. Surely your decision is detrimental to your dream of welfare activities. You have

to dedicate yourself to those welfare activities. Your learning, your experience, your

reflections and dreams – all are to be translated into reality on a universal scale. The

world expects much more from you. You go to Mangalawede. Your worry is how to part

from me .Isn’t it? I will be always with you. I will stand by you and be your guiding spirit

in your decisions. Your joys and sorrows are mine. I am ever present in your resolution.

Be bold and come to a firm decision.” On hearing these soothing words, Basavanna felt

as though some power entered his heart.

The day dawned as God’s grace would dawn. When he woke up, he felt some

power had entered his nerves. A sense of satisfaction filled his mind. Never did he

experience such a tranquillity in his life. When he, thinking of sharing that moment of

exquisite bliss with Lord Sangamanatha looked on the Linga, the bright hallow of the

Linga filled his eyes almost blinding him to the sense objects .His eyes were bedewed

with tears: “O Lord Sangmanatha everything is your sport. O Father, Thy compassionate

bidding is my good fortune. Let it be as Thou wilt.” As he said this to himself, his heart

leaped with joy as a result of the strange bond that existed between God and devotee.

Then he slowly bent his steps towards Ishanya Guru’s abode. To Ishanya Guru’s

question: “What decision have you taken?”, Basavanna’s countenance beaming with

tranquillity was the obvious answer.

By then Bijjala of the Kalachuri dynasty had risen like a luminous star in the

political sky of Karnataka. He started his political career as Mahamandaleshwara , that is,

as the head of a district in1130 A.D.. Although he was a feudal lord, subordinate to the

Chalukyas of Kalyana, because of his individual capacity and power combined with his

blood relationship with the Chalukya family, he had grown into a powerful person.

Mangalawede, which is now in the Mharashtra State, was his head quarters. It was a

proper place for the development of a brilliant youth like Basavanna. Bijjala was an astute

politician. He was often called by the Chalukya King who was staying at Kalyana, the

capital of the Chalukya kingdom. So he had to make frequent visits to Kalyana. The

48

ambitious Bijjala was very diplomatic in his dealings. By making use of an opportunity

that had offered itself to him, he had crowned himself king. It is under that circumstance

that Bijjala seems to have shifted his headquarters from Mangalawede to Kalyana. An

abrupt rebellion in the Chalukya kingdom seems to have forced King Tailapa III to flee

Kalyana and to seek shelter elsewhere. Bijjala usurped the throne under some guile. The

ambitious and farsighted Bijjala reigned supreme as the emperor of the Kalachuri

kingdom from 1162 A.D. to 1167 A.D Before he rebelled against the Chalukya King,

Mangalawede was Bijjala’s administrative block.

Soon Basavanna’s fame spread far and wide. When the news of Basavanna’s

arrival at Mangalawede spread in Mangalawede hectic preparations to accord a

ceremonial welcome started. Minister Baladeva himself went to receive Basavanna who

happened to be his nephew, that is, he happened to be his sister’s son. Baladeva had

decided to give his daughter Gangambike in marriage to Basavanna. A sort of festive

environment prevailed in Mangalawede, since wedding preparations were also going on

at the same time.

Baladeva’s relatives from distant places came to attend the wedding. Meeting

Basavanna on the outskirts of the town, Baladeva embraced him with affection, and took

him in a palanquin to Soddala’s house, where arrangements for Basavanna’s stay were

made. Basavanna was lodged in Soddala’s house till the wedding was over. It was a royal

wedding performed on a grand scale.

Impressed by Basavanna’s speech and conduct, worldly experience and wisdom,

Soddla Bacharasa thought of providing for Basavanna some job in his own office, which

for Basavanna was a sacred work.

Basavanna was appointed supervisor of accounts in the finance section. He was

punctual, careful and correct in his duty. One day a strange thing happened, when he was

engaged in his work. Basavanna was observing minutely what others were doing.. He

soon noticed some grave error in account keeping. By pointing out the error, he stopped

the loss that would otherwise have caused a great damage to the exchequer. All the junior

accountants were amazed at the brilliance of Basavanna., and, at the same time, they

realized and admitted their omission. Soddala was immensely pleased with Basavanna’s

performance. So he took him to Bijjala and recommended him for the post of Chief

Supervisor of accounts in the Finance Department. Soddala presented a detailed account

of what Basavanna did to improve the section during the brief period he had been

working there. Bijjala also was impressed by Baasavanna’s extraordinary caliber. Bijjala

49

thought that his reputation also would increase, if he appointed Basavanna Chief

Supervisor of accounts. Soon Basavanna increased the treasury income through his able

administration by thousand fold. Bijjala was much pleased with Basavanna’s

management. So he immediately elevated Basavanna’s position to that of a minister by

appointing him one of the ministers in his court. Basavanna’s official designation was

Dandanayaka.

Basavanna’s promotion to that high position was a sheer accident. People thought

that it must be Lord Shiva’s grace, a pre-ordained thing. For Basavanna, it was Lord

Kudala Sanga’s grace. He felt that his present promotion was a prelude to what he was

going to achieve in future. Bijjala was much impressed by Basavanna’s modesty,

equanimity of mind in taking decisions, his attitude of accepting every thing, “come fire

(fire ordeals), come riches” with equal disinterest and detachment, sense of justice,

honesty and uprightness, progressive thinking, etc. He realized the inevitability and

indispensability of Basavanna’s services to the kingdom for the smooth running of the

administrative machinery. So he thought of cementing the bond of their friendship with

an additional binding factor, that is, blood relationship. Shrewd as Bijjala was, he

strengthened their bondage further by giving his cousin sister Nilambike, whom he loved

as his own sister, in marriage to Basavanna.

50

III ON THE ROAD TO TOTAL REVOLUTION

From Mangalawede to Kalyana :

Basvanna leaving Kudala Sangama went to Mangalawede where Bijjala was a

feudal lord in the Chalukya kingdom, and soon after settling down at Mangalawede, he

was elevated to the high post of a minister in the court of Bijjala. During his stay at

Mangalawade his marriage first with his maternal uncle Baladev’s daughter

Gangambike, and then with Bijjala’s cousin sister Nilambike takes place. At

Mangalawede, Basvanna had already started his activities of awakening the feelings of

religious piety and social equality among the common people in and around

Mangalawede. His brother-in-law Shivadevayya( Akkanagamma’s husband and

Chennabasavanna’s father) extended his full support to his socio-religious activities. His

nephew Chennabasavanna was engaged in his studies. Ambigara Choudayya was

mustering the depressed class people with a view to engaging them in Basavanna’s work

of redeeming the depressed and backward class people. While Basavanna’s socio-

religious activities were going on in full swing, the Chalukya emperor Tailapa III, having

mounted an uncalled for attack on the Pola of Kakati in the north, had lost the battle. Not

only that, he was taken prisoner too. Bijjala had advised him not to be rash in the case of

Pola, but he did not heed his words of advice. Having lost the battle, Tailapa felt

ashamed; and crest-fallen as he was, he would not return to Kalyana , nor could he show

his down-cast and faded face to his people. So he had gone on a pilgrimage along with his

retainers. Under such a circumstance, Bijjala had to wield the reigns of the kingdom and

look after its administration in the interest of the people. At the behest of Bijjala

Basavanna agreed to become the Chief Treasurer (Bhandari) at Kalyana.. Bijjala made

Rayamurari, one of his sons, the head of Mangalawede state. .In a way, Basavanna was

glad to go to Kalyana. Ambigara Choudayya and the Keta of Bagewadi, who had received

the Linga diksha accompanied him to Kalyana. For Basavann’s stay arrangements were

made in a palatial building near Tripurantaka Tank which, being serene and quiet, pleased

Basavanna immensely. Thus Basavanna assumed the office of the Dandanayaka of the

Chalukya kingdom.

A Strange Copper Inscription and Tracing of an Enormous Hoard of Treasure:

51

One day a copper inscription was found in the palace library. Its script was

strange and difficult to decipher. None of the learned scholars in the court could decipher

it. Bijjala was slightly vexed over it. He did not know what to do and whom to approach

to get the inscription decoded. Then it occurred to him that Basavanna might do it, as he

had learnt epigraphy at Kudala Sangama under the guidance of Jataveda sage. So he soon

sent for Basavanna. As rightly guessed by Bijjala, Basavanna had no difficulty in

decoding the inscription, which contained the secret of a hoarded treasure. Basavanna

suggested that the place beneath Bijjala’s throne be unearthed and, which was

immediately done. To the greatest wonder of all present there, there were found big boxes

containing fabulous wealth in the form of gold coins, pearls, rubies, diamond-studded

golden ornaments. That was what the predecessors of the Chalukya Emperor had left

behind for the welfare of the people. Bijjala’s joy knew no bounds. The over-joyed Bijjala

embraced Basavanna and said that all that wealth belonged to Basavanna and that he

could make use of it as he pleased.. To that Basavanna politely said: “This is the wealth

of the kingdom bequeathed by the Chalukya emperors to their successors for the welfare

of their people. So it should be used for the welfare of the people only.” Then Bijjala

gladly entrusted the entire treasury to Basavanna, saying:” O Basavanna, you’re the Chief

Minister and the welfare of the people is your responsibility.” Those were the days of

dictatorship. Nothing could be done against the will of the king to bring about equality in

society. A severe punishment awaited anything spoken against the king. Therefore,

Basvanna chose religion for his purpose of bringing equality among people. Religion had

gone into a rut; it needed some rejuvenating treatment. He had a blue print of his total

revolution already prepared while he was at Mangalawede. For that revolution nothing

but religion was to be the foundation.

Religious Reformation:

In those days religion and gods were the abode of superstition. It was therefore

necessary to give some treatment to the hearts of the people by administering a proper

dose of rationality in their religious practice. He knew that it was easier said than done.

So Basavanna’s mind was slightly worried on that account:

” Why must it be, O Lord,

The bonds of life should turn

A noose around my life?

52

May be, in a bygone birth

I lost sight of Ling.

May be, in my past grandeur

I Lost sight of Jangama…

For, if I knew,

Would the Lord Kudala Sangma

Permit me to bear

The burden of this life?” (V.B., V. 7)

Out of the friction of thoughts within the agitated mind came a flash of

determination, which is expressed as follows:

“Because I did not know

To worship Guru, Linga and Jangama,

In a former birth,

You brought me back and put me

In several births.

Who is it who showed me

The Linga path?

Who is it who showed

The Jangama path?

Who is it who showed me

The Prasada and Padodaka?

I have known that

The spirit that showed all these

Is but Thyself.

Henceforth, O Kudala Sangma Lord,

I have no fear! “ (V.B., V.832)

This reflection gave the right direction to his concept of God. His concept of God

was based on rationality. This is the concept of God evolved by Basavanna:

“ Thy wideness is the wideness of the world,

Thy wideness is the wideness of the firmament,

53

Ay, wider still.

Thy feet go deeper than the under world

Ay, deeper still.

Thy crown is higher than Brama’s egg,

Ay, higher still.

Thou Linga, who art imperceptible,

Past understanding and beyond compare,

Didst shrink to the dimension of a speck

When coming to my palm,

O Kudakla Sangma Lord! (V.B., V.743)

His concept of God is unique. He is not the idols worshipped in a temple. He not

only pervades the whole universe, but also goes beyond the universe; He is the all

including formless Universal Soul. His other names are Void, Supreme Shiva, or Linga.

As the dictum: “Linga embodies the whole world” goes, all the animate and inanimate

merge in Linga. It is in the name of Truth- Consciousness- Bliss. The cosmic which

issues out of Linga embodies Linga’s spirit. This spirit is active in a special way in the

human body, which takes form from the same spirit. Basavanna understood that the same

dynamic Universal Spirit in the form of the Ishtalinga with the cover of a special

mixture made of the soot of ghee, the ash of cow dung, camphor, oil, etc., called Kanthi

was on his palm .It should be worshipped regularly and worn always on one’s body.

Worshipping the Ishtalinga is as good as worshipping the Universal Soul, and the

Ishtalinga is a symbol of consciousness within oneself. Its black Kanthi cover helps one

concentrate one’s mind. Gazing on It is as good as worshipping It. It is nothing but

Drishti Yoga, Linga Yoga, Animisha Yoga., Shiva Yoga, etc. It is an easy way to unite

with the Super Soul by awakening the inner divinity. No mediator in the form of a priest

is needed for that purpose. The experience of Linga worshipping is unique; it is to be

done and enjoyed by one’s own self like eating one’s food and sleeping with one’s wife.

“Should not eat one’s food oneself?

To sate your hunger or sate your lust

Is never done by deputy!

One ought to do it, do it with heart,

One ought to do it, do it oneself.

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If body acts without the heart,

It does not please at all

Lord Kudala Sangama. (V.B.,V.182)

You need not go to a temple for worshipping Linga. It asks for no pompous

worship Water for bath, sacred ashes for clothes, and fragrant flowers for ornament are

more than enough. Linga worship involves no expenses. So it is an easy way for al men

and women to pursue spiritual excellence. For the poor it is proved to be a wish-fulfilling

cow, a wish-fulfilling tree. If we awaken the divinity hidden within us, our body itself

becomes a temple. So Basavanna said:

“Those who have money build

Temples to Shiva: what can I build?

A poor man, Lord, am I!

My body is the shrine,

Its pillars are my legs,

The golden pinnacle, my head.

Hear me, Kudala Sangama Lord,

There is destruction for what stands,

But not for that which moves.” (V.B., V.820)

The heart which is the centre of life-breath, as bBasavanna conceived, was

Pranalinga; the light of the intellect radiating through a pore in the centre of the head

(Brahmarandra) became Bahavalinga. Thus the whole body became a throne for the

Super Soul. In order to awaken the hidden spirit, the Ishtalinga came to be worn on the

body. Basavanna conceived divinity as such. Strange to tell, the present astronomy

upholds this concept of Linga!

The Ishtalinga as a symbol of equality:

According to Basavanna, the Ishtalinga was not just a means of spiritual pursuit. It

was a symbol of equality too. All those who wore the Ishtalinga were deemed equal. This

was Basavanna’s principle. All human beings are born of the same divinity. That divinity

is hidden in each and every person. If that divinity is awakened through perseverance,

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every person will be a divine being. It is the divinity, which dwells within all creatures,

that makes all human beings equals.

Ambigara Choudayaa, after having come to Kalyana, had started explaining to

those with whom he came into contact the importance of the Ishtqlinga and Basavanna’s

novel progressive ideas. He was also telling them what Basavanna had already done at

Mangalawede in the direction of awakening the common people about religion and social

equality as also about the Linga initiation. Most of the people who came into contact with

Ambigara Choudayya received the Ishtalinga from him and started worshipping and

wearing It. Within a short period of time a large body of the Linga-wearers came into

existence. As they came from lower classes, they were used to drinking wine and eating

meat. No sooner did they become Linga-wearers than they gave up those bad habits and

stopped sacrificing birds, beasts, etc., for propitiating mean deities As soon as they

underwent the Linga-diksha rite, they got a new life., that is, they were re-born. By

realizing the divinity dwelling within themselves through Linga worship, they became

Shivasharanas.

Dasoha at the Great House ( Mahamane.) of Basavanna:

Collecting all such re-born persons, Basavanna started satsanga, that is, divine

discourse at which matters relating to religion, philosophy and mysticism were discussed

threadbare. They also discussed, sometimes, worldly matters. They all belonged to

different professions. Regarded as equals, they were all being seated in one row and

served consecrated food without any discrimination.

Divinization of Professions: Concept of Kayaka-Dasoha:

Basavanna showed to all the newly Linga-initiated persons how to deify their

different professions. If the work done by them was meant to earn their livelihood only,

that is, to feed themselves and the members of their families, that became just a

profession. The same wok, if done with the purity of heart as worship, dedicating its fruit

to God and godlike community ( Jangama), became Kayka. Whatever one earned through

Kayaka was not the property of just one person or of one’s family; in fact, it was the

property of the whole community. It was to be spent for the common good of the

community as a whole. The Guru, who gave the Ishtalinga to a person, was deemed God

Himself, an incarnation of Hara. The one, who, having reached the highest peak of

spiritual excellence, guides others on the path of spiritual pursuit, is a Jangama. Both

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Guru and Jangama have their legitimate shares in whatever Shivasharanas earn through

their Kayakas. They should be satisfied through Dasoha. Dasoha means offering one’s

earning to Guru, Linga and Jangama with a sense of humility. It should be done without

pride and consciousness. It may be serving food, giving money or imparting knowledge.

The money to be spent for Dasoha should be hard earned with purity of heart. The money

earned through wrong ways will not do for Dasoha; it can not serve the cause of Daosha:

“The sinner’s wealth serves not a worthy cause—

Only to expiate his sins!

A dog’s milk serves only a dog,

Not for a five-fold bath.

Mark, Sir! The wealth you render any one

But our Kudala Sanga’s Shranas,

Is given in vain.” (V.B., V.223)

Kayaka is compulsory for one and all, for it is compulsory to satisfy both the Guru

who gives the Ishtalinga and the Jangama who guides devotees on the path of spiritual

pursuit through Dasoha. Kayaka, being a sort of compulsory labour, helps improve the

financial position of the individual, society and nation at large. Since the money earned

through Kayaka is to be spent on Dasoha for Guru, Linga and Jangama, the question of its

accumulation does not arise at all. Thus in the principles of Kayaka and Dasoha both

earning and distribution are interwoven. So they look like the two faces of a single coin. It

must be stated that this community of Shivasharanas is a community based on

spiritualism. In Russia, Marx’s communism which did not have the backing of

spiritualism met with defeat. But Basasavanna’s community, which is based on the

strong foundation of Kayaka and Dasoha, still exists. Whatever is dynamic is nothing but

Jangma. Therefore, society, nation, etc., come under this all inclusive dynamic term

Jangama. All creatures also come under the gamut of Jangama. Hence Jangama Dasoha

means selfless service to all creatures. Not only did Basavanna set afloat the concept of

Dasoha in its wider sense, but also put that meaningful concept into practice. According

to him, the money earned on a day, that is, say today, should be spent today only. For

tomorrow’s needs tomorrow’s earnings will suffice. Thus the policy of non-accumulation

is embedded in the formula of Kayak-Dasoha. Whatever be the Kayaka, its earning serves

the righteous cause, if it is spent on Dasoha:

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“That I may worship Guru, I practice husbandry;

That I perform my rites

To Linga, I follow trade;

That I may slave for Jangama,

I am another’s drudge.

Whatever the work I may do,

I know that you

Have given me my reward;

No other occupation do I have –

But for the wages that you give…

A curse upon me if I fail

To give you what is yours,

O Kudala Sangma Lord! ‘ ( V.B., V.708)

If such a principle, that is distributing one’s earning among others—which even

birds and beasts observe, is not practiced by man who is supposed to be a paragon of

God’s all creations, will it not affect his superiority?

“Does not a crow, on seeing a crumb,

Call to its flock?

Does not a hen, on finding a morsel,

Call, clacking, to her brood?

If, being a bhakta, a man lacks loyalty

To his own faith

He is worse than hen or crow,

O Kudala Sangama Lord!” ( V.B., V.437)

Equality through Kayaka:

Another important aspect of Kayak-Dasoha is that there is no room for such

feelings as high and low. All Kayaks are regarded as equal. Be it the office of Chief

Minister, that Basavanna held or be it the profession of making slippers that Haralayya

practiced, both were deemed equal in status. In Basavanna’s eyes the tanner Kakkayya (

Dohara Kakkayya), the ferryman Choudayya ( Ambigara Choudayya), the wahserman

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Machayya ( Madivala Machayya), who washed Shivasharanas’ clothes, the kinnari player

Bommayya ( Kinnari Bommayya), the cowherd Ramanna (Turagayi Ramanna), Ministers

Sakalesha Madarasa and Madhuvarasa were all equal and they enjoyed equal status in

society.

Irrespective of the Kayakas pursued by the persons who embraced the Sharana

religion, inter-dining and inter-caste marriages were permitted among them. All those

who wore Linga were equal. None was to ask about other’s profession. Socially and

religiously all were of one order and one status. None higher, none lower:

“When devotees come to me

With God on them, if I ask

What is their profession,

May Thy curse and Thy Pioneers’ curse

Be upon me and my head, my head!

O Kudala Sangama Lord,

May Thy Queen’s curse blast me

If I should seek to know

What sect they be!” (V.B., V.452)

Basavanna practiced what he preached in the above Vachana, and taught by

demonstration. Being drawn towards him by the magnetic impact of his charismatic

personality, most persons underwent the Linga iniktiation rite. The Dasoha, which was

conducted for devotees of different professions, grew in scale. Although Basavanna alone

could bear the brunt of that Dasoha, the Sharanas did not allow themselves to become a

burden to Basavanna. They too contributed their share to the common pool of provisions

and other things out of the money earned through their respective Kayakas. The number

of the Shivasharanas went on increasing day by day; and Kayaka and Dasoha became the

talk of the town.

Allegation of Misappropriation of the Royal Treasury:

Basavanna’s popularity was impala table for many jealous persons. Manchanna,

one of the ministers in the court of Bijjala was one among them. The serpent of envy that

lay coiled in the heart of Manchanna found a chance to straighten and spread its body

and raise its hood and hiss at Basavanna. The orthodox Brahmins, too, added fuel to the

fire of envy in him, for they thought Basavanna was doing a great wrong to their ancient

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religion by collecting persons of all castes at his house and dining with them. Also they

could not tolerate the popularity of the newly founded Sharana religion. They feared that,

if this new religion were allowed to grow, it would one day make their old orthodox

religion disappear altogether. So they hatched a plan to nip the new religion in the bud

itself. They lodged a complaint with King Bijjala against Basavanna that he has been

spending huge money out of the royal treasury for Dasoha. On hearing their complaint

Basavanna said:

“When a stream of milk flows past

The village, why should I pursue

A cow reluctant to give milk?

Why should I lose all shame and decency?

So long as Lord Kudala Sangama

Is within me, why should I care

For Bijjala’s hoard?” (V.B., V.754)

While the money earned through the pursuit of Kayaka by each and every

Sharana was flowing into the Mahamne in a large quantity , and was more than

enough for Dasoha, the Sharanas had no need to ask for the royal support., nor did they

have greed for more money. Other’s money was a deadly poison for them. The Sharanas

categorically refused other’s wealth and evolved the following formula which is one of

the fundamentals of Sharana religion:

“The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

‘I will not have another’s wealth’;

The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

‘I will not have another’s wife’;

The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

‘I will not have another god’;

The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

‘Linga and Jangama are one’;

The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

‘Prasada is the Truth’;

Lord Kudala Sangma disdains

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Such men as have no constancy. “ (V.B., V.676)

Bijjala did have firm faith in Basavanna’s honesty. Bijjala listened to the

allegation made by Manchanna very patiently, and without showing any sign of

disturbance, sent immediately for Basavanna. When Bijjala asked Basavanna about the

alleged misappropriation of the Royal Treasury, Basavanna, too, without losing his

tranquillity, requested His Highness to conduct an enquiry into the matter.

As per the King’s order, hundreds of chosen clerks together counted the gold

coins in the treasury. They found that not a single coin was missing. Bijjala knew it. This

incident gave Bijjala another opportunity to make his faith in Basavanna still more firm.

Then offering to make some donation for Dasoha, Bijjala said: “ I would like to make a

gift of some gold coins for the Dasoha which the Sharanas are conducting . Please do not

refuse it, Basavanna.” But Basavanna politely declined the offer, saying: “Your Highness,

only the money earned by means of Kayaka is suitable for Dasoha and nothing else.”

Bijjala was immensely pleased with Basavanna’s honesty and humility. He

thought that his kingdom was safe in Basavanna’s hands. As Basavanna got through this

acid test, Manchanna and others started blazing with added envy. They lay in wait for

another such opportunity. Since Basavanna was truthful, none could question his loyalty

and integrity.. They knew that they would never succeed, if they tried to prove him

corrupt and dishonest. So they decided to pick hole in Basavanna’s religious reformation.

They resolved to point out the adverse effect of Basavanna’s religious reformation on the

age-old orthodox religion.

Basavanna dined at Shivanagamayya’s house:

As the activities connected with Kayaka and Dasoha were being carried out as per

the plan, suddenly the thought of visiting the untouchables’ colony and giving them Linga

initiation, which was one of his childhood dreams, occurred to Basavanna. He was moved

with pity at the sight the heart-rending sight state of most untouchables. Basavanna,

frequently visiting their cottages, enquired after their welfare and got to know their

afflictions. The colony people were glad and sad at once at the visit of the Chief Minister

to their colony. In fact, they were more worried and fear-stricken. They feared that some

calamity awaited them, for it was a forbidden visit, that is, it was against the tradition for

a high-born person to visit the colony of untouchables. If the news of Basavanna’s visit to

their colony reached the orthodox Brahmins, the untouchables feared, they would not

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keep quiet, and that they would insist on punishing them. Their only consolation was that

they were blessed with an opportunity to see Basavanna , who was an embodiment of

compassion, with their own eyes. Did not Basavanna preach compassion as the basis of

all religions?

“What sort of religion can it be

Without compassion?

Compassion needs must be

Towards all living things.

Compassion is the root

Of all religious faiths.

Lord Kudala Sanga does not care

For what is not like this. ( V.B., , V.247)

Basavanna’s visit to the untouchables’ colony brought about total transformation

in them. They gave up eating meat and drinking wine; they tried to keep themselves

clean. Basavanna gave the Linga initiation only to those who had undergone total

transformation inwardly and outwardly; made them Sharanas by giving them spiritual

treatment. Some showed fast progress in their spiritual pursuit. Shivanagamayya was one

among those who were deeply devoted Sharanas. Basavanna was much impressed by

Shivanagamayya’s knowledge of Vedas and Agamas and mystic experience. One day

Basavanna paid a surprise visit to Shivanagqmayya’s cottage and expressed his desire to

dine with him at that poor man’s cottage. Shivanagammayya could not believe his ears,

when he heard Basavanna’s express desire to dine with him. A high-born person’s dining

at an untouchable’s cottage! It was a great sin, according to the orthodox belief. So

Shivanagamayya was a little hesitant to entertain Basavanna’s desire. Basavanna felt that

there was nothing wrong with his thought and desire. Once a person becomes a

Shivasharana by undergoing the Linga initiation, his bond with his former caste ceases;

and he is free from the restraints of the four-fold Varna system:

“Whosever he be,

The son of a maid-servant, or

The son of a prostitute,

Once he undergoes the Shiva diksha,

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It is proper to regard him

As Lord Shiva Himself,

To worship him, and to take

Padodaka and Prasada. Instead,

If any treat him with indifference

He will be condemned to hell

Meant for those who commit

The five-fold heinous sins,

O Lord Kudala Sangama! (B.V.,V.1215)

Shivanagamayya was pleased with Basavanna’s convincing argument. Both dined

together to the greatest shock of the orthodox people.

This news spread in Kalyana like wild fire. The orthodox Brahmins were enraged

at Basavanna’s conduct. At the instigation of Manchanna, they once again went to Bijjala

and alleged that Basavanna had desecrated their time-honoured religion by dining at the

place of an untouchable. They urged King Bijjala to punish Basavanna for his apparent

misconduct.

Bijjala was shocked at that news. He never thought that Basavanna would go to

that extent. This conduct of Basavanna did not augur well. Soon both Basavanna and

Shivanagamayya were sent for, and asked whether the allegation was true.

Shivanagamayya pleaded guilty and admitted that it was his fault and begged the king to

punish him. Then Basavanna, intervening, said that Shivanagamayya was not an

untouchable. Basavanna’s contention was that, as he had undergone the Linga intiation,

he ceased to be an untouchable, that he was free from the taint of inter-dining, and that

their dining together had the Shastras’ warrant too, because

“What signifies what caste they be?

He who has Shiva Linga is well-born.

Will you, once classes have been mixed,

Look for their class in Sharanas?

The class that is born of Shiva—that is faith;

Give up your bygone caste:

For Uma is your mother, Rudra your father, Sir.

Ishwara is your only clan.

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Since this is so, whatever they give

At theirs, I take, give them my child,

For I believe in your Sharanas,

O Kudala Sangama Lord!” (V.B., V.717)

When Basavanna pleaded thus guiltless, Manchanna blazed with anger:”O, what

are you saying? Is this untouchable superior to a holy Brahmin? Does milk flow through

his veins?” cracked Manchanna his whip-like tongue. Bijjala liked Manchanna’s cross-

questioning. When Basavanna was to give a reply to Manchanna’s question, Basavanna is

said to have demonstrated the feat by piercing Shivanagamayy’s finger–tip with his

sword, and milk trickled from his finger-tip. The Puranas endorse this miracle, It is said

that this miracle made Bijjala accept Shivanagamayya’s greatness. He was convinced

that a person becomes great not by his caste but by his conduct. Although the

Shivanagamayya episode is described in the Puranas as a miracle, it suffices to make us

grasp the implied meaning that it opened Bijjala’s eyes to the veracity of the principle of

equality practiced by Basavanna.

Based on this very principle of equality Basavanna intensified his revolution to

eradicate untouchability. All human beings are the children of one and the same God.

None is great; none small. The feeling of high and low is not connate with birth; it

depends upon one’s conduct, quality and intrinsic worth. Untouchability with its Varna

labels is not a caste. If a person, who claims superiority of caste, inflicts injury on others,

he too becomes a Mdiga; if he eats meat, he too becomes a Holeya. If a Pariah who

dwells on the outskirts of a village, leads the life of purity and divinity, he is high-born.

Whosoever he be, if he wishes well of all living beings, he is high-born:

“The man who slays is a Pariah,

The man who eats the carrion is a low caste person,

Where is the caste here—where ?

Our Kudala Sanga’s Sharana,

Who loves all living things,

He is the well-born one!” (V.B., V.590) Not only did Basavanna give this ideal

universal message 850 years back , but also tried through implication of this principle to

abolish untouchability which had been a blight on India.

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Being captivated by these ideal views of Basavanna, people from all the four

Varnas of Hinduism got the Linga initiation, and all of them enjoyed equal status and

dignity in society.

“Lord, O Lord! Heed my prayer:

TheBrahmin at one end,

At other the low-born man—

All devotees of Shiva I deem one.

The priest at one end,

The sweeper at another—

All world lings I deem one.

It’s this my heart believes…

Should in this talk of mine be doubt

As large as a sesamum tip,

Lord Kudala Sangama

Will, sure, chop off my nose

Until the teeth show off!” ( V.B., V.710)

After the Shivanagamayya’s incident, the Sharanas from the untouchables colony

started participating in the proceedings of divine discourse at Basavanna’s Maha Mane

without hesitation. The number of the Sharanas partaking Prasada at the Dasoha increased

by thousands. Before the Dasaoha of food would start, there used to be held the mystic

discourses which were part of the Jnana Dasoha The discourses which were started on a

small scale among a small group of Saharanas gradually grew into an institution called

Anubhava Mantapa. To assume the full-fledged form of an institution, it waited twelve

years for the arrival of Allama Prabhu.

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IV THE ARRIVAL OF LORD PRABHU

The news of Basavanna’s progressive ideas, their implementation in the fields of

religion and society had somehow reached Allamaprabhu, one the greatest Indian

mystics of that time. After having conquered Manmath, the God of Lust, who had cast

his net of lust over him through Mayadevi, the daughter of King Mamakara of Banavasi,

Allamaprabhu had pursued the studies of Yoga and mastered Hathayoga, Mantrayoga

and Layayoga. But Lingayoga, Drishtiyoga and Shivayoga were new to him. To learn

these things from Basavanna, he bent his steps towards Kalyana. On the way, he came

across a cave in which he saw a sage called Animisha, sitting in padmasaana, absorbed in

Shivayoga. Animisha‘s eyes, wink less as they were, were fixed on the Linga on his

palm. There was no lamp in the cave but the cave was fully illuminated. The sage who

had been sitting there absorbed in Shivayoga for ages was reduced to a mere skeleton. He

was not in a position to speak. Allamaprabhu desired to get the Linga initiation at the

hands of Animishayogi. But Animisha could not do that, as he was fully engrossed min

Shivayoga. Then Allamaprabhu made bold to take Animisha’s Linga No sooner did

Allamaprabhu take the Linga from Animisha’s palm than the body of Animisha crashed

to the ground, and became one with Linga. The moment Animisha’s Linga came to

Allamaprabhu’s hand, the latter felt as though some lightning passed through his body,

and the secret of Shivayoga dawned on him.

Naturally, a question arises here. And that is—Who gave Linga to Animishs?

Animisha was not his true name. We are given to understand that he was

Hammeera,, or Manuraja, a king of the Chalukya dynasty. Because he sat ever gazing on

the Linga on his palm without winking even a split second, he came to called Animisha,

which means one who does not wink his eyes. It may not be wrong to presume that by

blessing Allmaprabhu with the Ishtalinga , Animisha derected the course of

Allamaprabhu’s course of pursuit from Hathayoga to Shivayoga. But In Shunya

Sampadane, Nandi, coming from Kilasa, gives Linga to Animisha. Because Basavanna is

an incarnation of Nandi, it amounts to saying that Basavanna himself gave Linga to

Allamaprabhu. Basavanna gave Linga to Chennabasavanna too. Therefore

Chennabasavanna tells Allmaprabhu that both of them belong to one and the same Guru

tradition, that is, of Basavanna:

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“Basavanna it is that gave the Linga to Animisha;

And since that Linga came to you

You are a child, behold,

Of Basavanna’s traditional mode.

Since through a zeal

That would take me by storm

I have received the Linga

Chennasangama by name,

I am a child, behold,

Of Basavanna’s traditional mode.

And thus, since both of us

Have had the self-same pedigree,

The grace of Basavanna’s Great House

Is, lo! the same for both of us,

In Kudala Chennasanga, O Prabhu!” ( S.S II, ch.V. V.61)

Likewise , there is a possibility of another wild guess. That is, Nandi descending

from Kailas gave Linga to Animisha. Though it is a legend, it might have actually

happened then. The following Vachana of Basavanna supports this view:

“Animisha took the Linga from my palm.

You took that Linga from Animisha’s palm.

Your palm itself became the Supreme abode.

If you deride Linga, how did you get it?

O Prabhu, how can I get the Linga on your palm,

The light that is caught between the giver and the receiver,

O Kudala Sangam Lord?”

This Vachan addressed to Lord Prabhu is worth noting.

The Siddharama of Sonnalige, a great Yogi who, strictly practicing the principle

of having faith in the static Linga and showing compassion to all living things, was

engaged in digging tanks and wells and building temples. He was a worshipper of the

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Linga called Kapila Siddha, a static Linga, and he had taken upon himself the

responsibility of a big family called ‘world’, and for that purpose he was arranging mass

marriages. He was caught, and almost lost, in such worldly affairs. He was too proud of

his achievement. Pride does not suit a Yogi. So Lord Prabhu goes to Sonnalapur. In order

to explain to him the true form of reality by pricking his blown up ego. When Lord

Prabhu derides him by calling him an uncouth mason, the enraged Siddharama tries to

burn him by opening his fore-head eye. But when his fire does not burn Lord Prabhu,

Siddharma realizes his mistake and becomes very humble. Unless the consciousness of

having done something does not leave a person, he cannot become a perfect human being.

It is sheer stupidity to build another temple, when one’s own body itself is a holy temple.

Lord Prabhu tells Siddharama to learn these two secrets from Basavanna. According to

Basavanna:

“If but the thought of doing well

Flashes into the mind,

God’s laughter haunts me like bell

Down the wind!

The surest way

Is not to say:

The Godhead never heeds

The vaunted deeds.

It’s only when I find

No trace within my mind—

No conscious thought

Of what I have wrought,

Then only shall He hear

And grace my prayer!” (V.B.,V.2340

Not only this. Giving up worship of the static Linga, he has found out a new

pathway to perfection through the worship of the Ishtalinga which helps one awaken the

inner spirit. When Lord Prabhu says, “ Let us go to Basavanna and get to know this from

him”, Siddharama agrees.

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While they were strolling in the streets of Kalyana, the spiritual glory of the town

catches their attention. It looks like Kailas, the abode of Lord Shiva . Lord Prabhu

exclaims as follows:

“In this Kalyana, this platter of clay,

Filled with devotion’s oil,

The moment Basavanna’s light

Had touched religious wick

The splendour of Shiva flashes and glows,

And in that shine

Innumerable devotees…

Can it be a lie

That a spot where Shiva’s votary dwells

Is indeed Avimukti, a holy place?

Is it a lie

That the land where Shiva’s votary dwells

Is sanctified?

Look, Siddharamayya, this is

The glory of Sangana Basavanna

Abiding in Guheshwaralinga. (S.S.II,Ch.iv, V.33)

Thus Lord Prabhu, describing the glory of Kalyana, Basavanna’s achievenments

and telling him how high he held Basavanna as a worthy person, opened Siddharama’s

inner eyes. On seeing the glory of Kalyana, which was the doing of Basavanna’s tireless

working along with his Sharanas, Siddharama submits himself to the greatness of

Basavanna Thus observing the splendour of Basavanna’s spiritual glory spread

everywhere, both bend their steps towards the Mahamane in order to meet Basavanna. At

the Mahamane, Hadapada Appanna, who was standing at the gate of the Great House

and who was more than Basavanna’s personal secretary, recognized both from a great

distance, as he had already heard about their fame, and going inside communicated the

news of the arrival of both to Basvanna who was engaged in Linga worship and who had

already known through the Ishtalinga on his palm of their arrival. Basavanna makes no

discrimination between Guru, Linga and Jangama. To him they are but three aspects of

one and the same principle:

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“The eternal immaculate effulgent light

Became Guru by giving instruction,

Linga by being seated on the palm,

By abandoning worldly temptation,

And by being served became Jangama.

Thus Guru, Linga and Jangama are one,

And there is no difference among them.

By offering the three to the three,

If one can make them one,

He is the person whose body is blessed,

O Kudala Sngama Lord!”

This was Basavanna’s stand. Basavanna who was rapt in ecstasy of the Ishtalinga

worship, declined to go to welcome the Jangamas waiting outside, leaving his Linga

worship half-done and told Hadapada Appanna to go and bring them with him:

“On the hand of the body, the Karasthala,

In the hold of the breath, the Jangamasthala.

When Shivbalinga is worshipped with a sense

That they are not different,

Then lo! The Paramanandasthala!

The body is Bhakta, Jangama the breath!

Which shall I say is greater,

Which less?

When Kudala Sanga’s Sharanas come,

There is no room for ceremony!

Bid them be gracious and come in,

Appanna.” ( S.S. II, ch., V.2 )

Then Hadapada Appanna went back carrying Basavanna’s meaasage to Lord

Prabhu. On hearing Basavanna’s message through Appannna and coming to know of his

reluctance to leave Linga-worship half-done, Lord Prabhu decided to show to Basavanna

the true worth and form of Jangama. In the meanwhile, Appanna communicated to

Basavanna Lord Prasbhu’s getting angry with him. Still Basavanna remained firm in his

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belief that there was no need to go to welcome Lord Prabhu, leaving his Linga-worship

half-done. Then the enraged Lord Prabhu derided Basavanna as follows:

“Why should Jangama become one with you

Who, knowing that Jangama is in Linga,

Linga in Jangama, forgot the very Jangama?

When a Jangama comes to a Bhakta’s house

At the time Linga-worship,

If he, forgetting Linga-worship,

Gets and goes to greet the Janagama

And serves him, he is a true Bhakta.

While that Jangama is standing outside,

If he is engaged in Linga-worship,

What sort of a Bjhakta is he ?

He who holding the Linga in his hand,

While the Jangama is standing before him,

Worships Linga along with others

Is a traitor to Bhrityachara.

The Jangama, who goes to his house

Is an ignorant person.

I do not like those whose behaviour

Towards our Guheshwara is full of egoism,

Look you, Basavanna! ( S.S. II, Ch.v., V.39 )

When Lord Prabhu told Hadapada Appanna point blank—

“ The league of fellowship

Of others—half-hearted bhaktas

Fails to please Guheshwaralinga “,

Appanna communicated the same to Basavanna. At this stage Chennabasavanna

intervening told Basavanna what he was doing was totally wrong. “When Lord Prabhu

and Lord Sddharamayya have arrived and are waiting at the door, it is not proper for you

to be so casual and heedless as to send a messenger“ Soon Basavanna came to his senses

and realized his mistake and repented for it. Basavanna begged of Lord Prabhu to forgive

him for the error committed out of pride. Although Lord Prabhu knew well that Guru,

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Linga and Jangama are one, and that it was not right to make any distinction among

them, it was Lord Prabhu’s calculated move meant to demonstrate Basavanna’s faith in

the three-fold principle to Siddharamayya. So Lord Prabhu’s anger was all a pretence.

On seeing the Shiva-filled religious atmosphere at the Great House, Lord

Prqabhu’s faith in Basavanna’s belief in Guru, Linga and Jangam became still more firm.

There was festive atmosphere every where in the Great House .Hectic preparations for

that day’s Dasoha were going on. For that Basavanna’s sister Akkanagamma, whom

every one regarded as mother, Basavanna’s two wives—Gangambike and Nilambike had

girded up their loins . Akkanagamma’s husband Shivaswamy and son Chennabasavanna

were looking after the arrangements for the mystic discourses which were being

conducted in the same Great House. The number of the Sahranas partaking of the

Prasada served there had already crossed one crore. As Chennabasavanna says in one of

his Vachanas—‘ In that spacious and artistic palace ,there is a holy house meant for

Linga-worship, with a capacity to accommodate one lakh and ninety-six thousand

persons.” Dasoha conducted on such a grand scale was nothing short of a miracle. On

seeing the huge crowd gathered in Basavanna’s courtyard, Lord Prabhu spoke words of

praise as he showed it to Sddharmayya:

“The Maker sent

A Shivasharana to this mortal world

That the Great House

Might not be ruined .

That Sharana descending

To the holy city of Kalyana,

Transformed it into a Kailas.

Rallying in the Rudraganas and Pramathaganas,

He called them numberless by name;

Exhibiting the character of Bhakti

Through scriptures, parables and miracles,

And holding aloft the banner of Shivachara

For all the world to know,

He fashioned Himself into a leader

Between earth and Heaven.

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At sight of Shivagamas thronging

His House,

My heart swelling and swelling

The whole of me rocked with joy!

What shall I say

How great’s the humility

Of Sanganabasavanna, Guheshwara’s Sahrana,

O Siddharamayya!” (S.S. II, ch. iv. V.41)

Thus when Lord Prabhu and Siddharamayya intended to enter the holy place of

worship , while they were going round the Great House observing its divine atmosphere,

Chennabasavanna stopped them at the door, and said, “O Siddharamayya, you are a

Bhavi. Since you do not wear the Linga, you can not enter the holy room.” Lord Prabhu

had anticipated this But Siddharamayya had not expected that he would detained at the

door. So he was taken aback. Siddharamayya was not an ordinary yogi, but his

Shviayoga did not have the touch of perfection which only the Ishtalinga could give. Still

brushing aside Chennabasavanna’s objection, Siddharamayya asked::

“Why need another Linga,

When body is the seat breath the linga?

Is there any void that can be attained through the Ishtalinga.

If you say you have seen the form holding the formless in hand,

How can you realize Kapilasiddha Mallikarjuna,

Tell me, O Prabhu!”

Then Lord Prabhu asked Chennabasavanna to answer Siddharama’s question., to

which Chennabasavanna replied as follows:

“Even a kite flying in the sky

Must have a leading string;

Even a hero must exert himself.

Can a cart move without the ground?

Can one attain detachment unless

United with

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Kudal Chennasanga?” ( S.S. III, Ch.x, V.12)

And also added further:

“What if you know

That union with a wife

Is a great joy,

Unless you marry her

Before society?

You say your eye can see;

But could you see dark

Without a lamp?

To see with sun-light’s aid and claim

You’ve seen yourself, has

Passed into a proverb in the world.

Is there a soul from body apart?

Is there a Shiva from Shaakti apart?

Therefore, when you possess

The triple body—gross,

Subtle and causal—should you spurn

The contact with these three—

Ishta, Prana and Bhavalinga—

Will the innumerable ancients

Approve?

Therefore, one hates to see

The faces of those who lack

The bond with Ishtalinga

In Lord Kudala Chennasanga, O Prabhu!” ( S.S. III, Ch.x, V.17)

So long as one possesses the triple body—gross, subtle and causal—one needs

must have the triple Linga—Ishta, Prana and Bhava. Therefore, the Ishtalinga is a must

for the gross body. Chennabasavanna makes it clear to Siddharmayya that even if he has

scaled the highest peak of Shivayoga, he needs the Ishtalinga. Then Siddharamayya

agrees to have the grace of the Ishtalinga initiation at the hands of Chennabasavanna.

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After receiving the Ishtalinga from Chennabsavanna, Siddharama expresses his

indebtedness to the former:

“It is through thee I knew

The Pure,

O Chennabasavanna!

It is through thee I knew

The Perfect,

O Chennabasavanna!

It is through thee I knew

The Absolute,

O Chennabasavanna!

O Kapilasiddha Mallikarjuna Lord,

When Chennabasavanna as my Guru arrived

O Sir, he tore to shreds

My wheel of births!” (S.S.III, Ch.x,V.54)

Lord Prabhu expresses his happiness over Siddharamayya’s realizing his error and

becoming a true Sharana by shedding his earlier pride of having done so much for the

world.

Thus one day when Lord Prabu, Basavanna , Chennabasavann and Siddharama

were about to enter the Dasoha wing of the Great House, Marulasahankara, who had for

twelve years remained hidden absorbed in the rapture of Shivaoga in the Pit of Gifts,

that is, the Pit of Prasada, came out to see Lord Prabhu and the throng of Sharanas. On

seeing Marulashankara emerge with his dazzling halo around him, like a blazing Linga ,

Lord Prabhu said to Basavanna that he saw a wonder of wonders in his own courtyard.

Then Basavanna eagerly asks Lord Prabhu about .the miracle. Lord Prabhu tells

Basavanna all bout Marulashankara who had been staying in the Pit of Prasada for the

past twelve years and who by enjoying the gracious gifts of Shivasharnas had become a

perfect Sharana, and felt sorry for Basavanna for not being able to recognize the ruby

lying upon the road. So he says to Basavanna:

“Could you not recognize

The Linga who abides

Beside your courtyard gate?

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O Sanganabasavanna,

In Guheshwaralinga behold,

The way Marulashankaralinga

The disembodied god companion,

The Undivided Brahma,

Has his abode

In the pit where all giftsd are heaped.” ( S.S. II, ch. vi, V.8)

“ O Sangana Basavanna,

Behold the height

Of Marulashankara!” (S.S. II, ch. vi, V9)

Basavanna was overwhelmed with regret when he came to know that he could not

recognize the majesty of a divine person, spiritual pearl, who had attained consubstantial

union, and who lay such a long time in his own courtyard. So he said:

“Lord I am lost!

For when your Sharana came

Into my courtyard to save me

I proved so unobservant and remiss!

There is no limit to my loss, O Lord!

O Kudala Sangam Lord,

Even as one

Observing a thousand austerities

Founders upon adultery,

Such is my piety!” ( S.S. II, ch. vi, V.16)

Thus when Basavanna expressed his regret , Marulashankara said he could see

Lord Prabhu, the eternal immaculate light through Basavanna’s grace. Chennabasavanna

and Siddharama also express their joy, praise of Maraulashankara , for they felt purified

at the sight such great unassuming Sharana. Marulashankara too at the sight of Lord

Prabhu and other great Sharanas like Siddharama got a feeling of fulfillment, and on the

spot, attained the Unitive State.

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At the Great House of Basavanna , Dasoha was going on for one lakh ninety-six

thousand Jangamas every day. We learn from Bilhana’s Vignaneshwara book that the

population of Kalyana was about sixty lakhs: “ O Basava, the service done to

/ One lakh ninety-six thousand Jangamas ceased/ With these Jangamas ceasing

./Today I saw the majesty of the unsupported thing/ O Sangayya, when Basava’s form

merged in me.”

Basavanna’s Miracles:

When Dasoha was going on every day at the Great House of Basavanna without

any let or hindrance, some persons disguised as Sharanas were partaking of Prasada

Once Basavanna notices two such disguised fake Jangamas. When Basavanna asks them

to take out their Linga from the caskets and tells them to perform Linga worship, they get

scared and sit bewildered. They fear that if they open their caskets, their deceit will be

detected. But Basavanna insists on their opening their caskets. Lo, when they open their

caskets, instead of brinjals which they had put into them, they find shining Lingas ! They

find their brinjals turned into bright Lingas . Basavanna forgives them and further

instructs them to mend themselves. Whether the miracle of turning brinjals into Lingas

took place or not, one may not be sure. But it is true that under the influence of

Basavanna’s magnetic personality, such cheats as these fake Jangamas must have

undergone change of heart and conduct, and continued to wear Linga on their bodies

That Basavanna performed many such miracles is borne out by his Vachanas also.

Once some people other than Lingayatas complain to Bijjala that Basavanna does not

give them Prasada. When Bijjala brings this complaint to Basavanna’s notice, Basavanna

says, “Your Highness, Prasada should be got with firm faith and piety in Guru, Linga and

Jangama. To those who have faith in Guru, Linga and Jangama, even if poison is given as

Prasada, it turns into nectar. If there is no faith, even the nectar served as Prasada turns

into poison. If these people have such faith, let them take this poison.” So saying

Basavanna served the poisoned food to the Jangamas which they relished as much as

they would have done nectar. The people of other faith, appreciating Basavanna’s faith

and loyalty towards Guru, Linga, Jangama, Padodaka-Prasadaa, become his staunch

followers. Then what Basavanna said about the power of Prasada, and about the power of

faith in Prasada is worth noting:

“The suspicious persons die

Even if they touch a rope lying on n ant-hill

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Those who are free from suspicion

Will not die even if a serpent bites them.

O Lord Kudala Sangama,

Prasada becomes poison to a suspicious person,

A deadly poison!”

On another occasion, Basavanna brings a dead person back to life. Thus he claims

in one of his Vachanas to have performed eighty-eight miracles in all:

“My piety, exhibiting

Eighty-eight miracles, is like the guise

Of a pattering mountebank!

Although my mind is not in my body caught,

Although my body is not caught in my mind,

My body has in Allma been caught,

My mind in Chennabasavanna!

In which way shall I love Thee, Lord

Kudala Sangama!”

Thus Basavanna not giving much importance to miracles, has exhibited his faith

in true piety.*

_____________________________________

Mention is made of the miracles performed by all saints of all countries

in their biographies. The question whether we should believe miracles or not naturally

arises. According to Madama H.V.Blovsky, who pssesses scientific attitude and who is a

leader of the Movement of Mysticism, miracle are a part of natural phenomena, which

guided by the law of nature. She says that because we are ignorant of those laws, miracles

look like transcendental happenings. Should a person, who lived 2000 years back, come

alive now, the functions of television look like miracles to him. But to us, who know the

secret of science, they cease to be miracles. This applies to miracles too. When we come

to know their secret, they may seem natural happenings. The books of Yoga describe the

attainment of the eight-fold perfection, including Anima. We can not ignore their

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veracity. Shaaranas have said that those Sharanas who attain perfection in Shivayoga can

achieve the impossible. To put it in the words of Basavanna only,

“He who can give form to void

Is a Sharana;

He who can turn that form to void

Is Linga-experient.

If he can’t give a form to void

How’s he a Sharana?

If he can’t turn that form to void,

How’s he a Linga-experient?

If these two can be made in one,

Can there, O Kudala Sanga Lord,

Be room in Thee? “ ( V.B., V.922)

Thus Basavanna describes Sharanas’ amazing power of making the impossible

possible. When science holds that this world is fashioned out of void, isn’t the creation of

this world a miracle in itself? While dismissing miracles as baseless we had better bear

these words in mind.

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V THE FOUNDING OF THE ANUBHAVA MANTAPA

The mystic discourses, which were being held informally in one wing of the Great

House before the arrival of Lord Prabhu at Kalyana, after his arrival received a unique

form. Since these discourses comprised debates and discussions pertaining to mystic

experience, it came to be called Anubhava Mantapa, a forum for mystic discourse. The

Great House of Dasoha itself turns into the Anubhava Mantapa. With Lord Prabhu as its

President, its formal foundation takes place. Some held that Anubhava Mantapa was an

imaginary organization. But for its actual existence, there are proofs plenty in the

Vachanas. For its historicity, the following Vachana of Nilaambike , Basavanna’s wife,

provides a solid support:

“Our Basavayya became an embodiment of mystic experience

By founding the Anubhava Mantapa

With the help of blessed Chennabasavanna the Prasadi.

Basavanna made seven hundred and seventy holy men

Embodiments of mystic experience,

By gaining knowledge and practicing conduct,

By taking Aikya Prasada as part of mystic experience,

Our Basavayya, who was all mantra,

Broke the mantra.

With the Bhaktisthala being undone

Bhava becoming Nirbhava

And himself merging in the Void,

Our Basavayya himself became Linga

In Sangayya.”

Thus this Vachana describes how Basavanna, by founding the Anubhava

Mantapa with the help of Chennabasavanna, revealing the value of mystic experience,

making seven hundred seventy immortal holy men embodiments of mystic experience,

turning Kalyana into Kailas, finally scaling the highest peak of spiritualism, himself

became Linga. Not only does this Vachana declare the existence of the Anubhava

Mantapa but also places before us a vivid picture of its achievements.

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Anubhava Mantapa was a spiritual university. It was an open university. Also it

was the first Parliament of Religion of its kind in the whole world. It was open to people

of all castes, classes, religions and regions and of all ages There was no discrimination of

caste or creed. Shedding the feeling of high and low of Kayaka, every body could

participate in the proceedings of the Anubhava Mantapa. To explain its structure in

modern technical terminology, Lord Prabhu was its Chancellor, Basavanna its Vice

Chanxcellor. Chennabasavanna its Registrar. All sorts of subjects, worldly as well as

metaphysical, and any thing pertaining to life, were taken up for discussion there. The

names of most of the Sharnas pursuing different professions could be listed as follows:

Chief Minister Basqvanna, Tailor Shankaradasimayya, ( Simpigara Shankara

Dasimayya),Cobbler Haralayy ( Samagara Harlaya), Betel leaf/ Barber Appanna

(Hadapada Appanna), Cobbler Kakkayya (Dohara Kakkayya), Lingamma the wife of

Hadapada Appanna, Ministers Sakalesha Madarasa and Madhuvarasa, Washerman

Machayya ( Madivala Machayya), Urilinga Peddi, Cowherd Ramanna ( Turugahi

Ramanna), Miller Kannappa ( Ganada Kannappa), Robber Maritande ( Kannada

Maritande), Goldsmith Bommanna ( Akkasaliga Bommanna), Tax Collector Bankanna

(Sunkada Bankanna), Village guard Kamideva ( Talawara Kamideva), Town Announcer

Maritande ( Kugina Maritande), Kola Shantaya, Tailor Maritande (Suji Kayakada

Basavayya), Sanganna The Doctor of Medicine (Vaidya Sanganna), Librarian Shantarasa

(Vachan Bhandari Shantarasa), Rope-maker Chandayya (Nuliya Chandayya), Ferryman

Choudayya (Ambigara Choudayya),Marayya the Faggot Seller (Molige Marayya),

Marayya the Rice-Gleaner (Aydakki Marayya), Mahadevi the wife of Molige Marayya,

Akkanagamma, Gangambike, Nilambike, Ghattivalayya, Sangayya the Hunter (Bedara

Sangayya), Chikkayya the Goldsmith Kundanagara Chikkayya), Spinner Remmavve

(Kadira Kayakada Remmavve), Sweeper Satyakka (Ksagudsuva Satyakka), Akkamma,

Toddy Marayya (Hendada Marayya), Jodhara Rmanna, Carpenter Basavayya (Bachi-

Kayakada Basavayya),Mono Actor Choudayya (Bahurupi Choudaya), Kinnari

Bommayya, Farmer Muddayya(Vakkaliga Muddyya), Paddy Pounder Somavve

(Kottanada Somavve), and Prostitute Sankavve (Sule Sankavve)—thus there were more

than three hundred thirty Sharanas who did take active part in the daily discourses.

Akkamahadevi, Lord Prabhu and Chennabsavanna did no do any hard labour. The nature

of their Kayak was different; theirs was intellectual Kayaka. Their avowed Kayaka was

enlightening the mass with their knowledge and conduct. Akkanagamma, Gangambike

and Nilambike were assisting in the preparations for Dasoha. That was their Kayaka.

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The Integral Bond among Guru, Linga and Jangama

All discourses at the Anubhava Mantapa were mostly centered round the

principles of Guru, Linga and Jangama, Padodaka and Prasada and Kayaka-Dasoha,

which formed the hard core the Sharana religion. If Kayaka brought them self dignity,

Dassoha perfection. As the very name Aydakki suggests, Aydakki Marayya did the

Kayaka of gleaning rice grains. He would every morning go to the courtyards of

Shivasharanas and pick up rice grains thrown as a waste. With that gleaned rice he, along

with his wife Lakkamma, did Jangama Dasoha. One day the discourse at the Anubhava

Mantapa was on the importance of Kayaka, that is, Kayaka is Kailas. It was concluded

that the stature of the Absolute should be understood through Kayaka, and for that one

should snap the bond of obligation of Guru, Linga and Jangama:

One who’s engaged in work,

Must even forget the Guru’s sight;

The Linga-worship he must forget;

Even if the Jangama stand in front,

The obligation must be snapped.

Since such work is as good as Heaven,

Amareshwaralinga Himself must do it. ( S.S. IV, ch., xii, V.1)

When such a view was expressed by Aydakki Marayya, Lord Prabhu said that it

would be wrong to ignore any one of them., for they are interdependent. You cannot

choose one and reject another. Instead, through any one, the remaining three should be

realized. Aydakki Marayya, who had been listening to the divine discourse with rapt

attention knew not how much time had passed that morning , and had almost forgotten his

own Kayaka of that day. Then there arrived his wife Lakkamma to remind him of his

Kayaka. She said that it was high time he stopped discussing Kayaka and attended to his

own Kayaka.. As it was very late, Marayya went in a hurry to glean rice from the waste

bins of Shivasharanas. He found by chance a heap of rice in the court yard of Basavanna.

He was glad to find so much rice heaped in one place. So he collected all that and

returned home with actually double the usual quantity. Then Lakkamma said taunting her

husband:

“The greed is good for kings:

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What a Shiva devotee , my lord,

To do with so much rice?

Anger is good for messengers of Death:

What business has an unborn one with it?

Should you have greed for so much rice?

God does not care for it:

Why, it’s hateful to

Marayyapriya Amareshwaralinga,

O Marayya!” ( S.S. IV, ch. xii, V.14)

Thus Lakkamma explained to her husband the true nature and stature of Kayaka.

Then immediately Maraya went back to Basavanna’s courtyard and dropped there the

excess rice he had taken. Inviting that day innumerable pious persons, including

Basavanna, Chennabasavanna, Lord Prbhu, the poor couple served their humble gruel

with deep devotion to all and felt gratified. It was proved by the example of Aydakki

Marayya and Lakkamma that one should earn through Kayaka just as much as is required

for a day’s Dasoha, nothing less, and nothing more. Thus it was concluded that nothing

should be stored out of greed for tomorrow’s need.

Another episode that explains the importance of faith in one’s kayaka is that of

Nuliya Chandayya. His Kayaka was rope-making out of grass. One day, when he was

engaged in cutting grass grown on the bank of a stream, his Ishtalinga slips into the

stream. Then Chandayya least bothered to look for the fallen Linga, since he thought, if

he did Jangama dasoha out of that day’s earning , it would be as good as doing Linga

worship and dasoha , for Jangama is supposed to be the mouth of Linga., he started home

with the bundle of hay on his head. The Linga, too, assuming human form followed

Chandayya, begging him to take Him back.: “ O Chandayya, I am coming ; please do not

go leaving me behind.” When Chandayya heard this , he said, ”If you first go and then

come back, I don’t want you” When the Linga implored and insisted on his taking Him

back, Chandayya said, “If you come just like that, I won’t take you. There is on the way

Madivala Machayya washing clothes. If you give his surety that you will serve your

master, you may come, or else I will not have you.” When both approach Machayya, he

tells Chandayya not to abandon Linga, for one should do Jangama dasoha with Linga on

one’s body, to which Chandayya does not agree. But when Macahayya stands surety for

the Linga, he takes him back on one condition that He should obey his orders, whatever

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they be. Chandayya entrusts the job of selling ropes to his Linga.- servant. One day

Chandayya sends the Linga to market to sell a tether, instructing Him: “ Take this tether

to market ; sell it and come back with the price.” Basavanna who comes to know through

his Linga at the time of Linga worship what has happened between Chandayya and his

Lingayya, goes to market and buys the tether from the Linga-servant paying one thousand

gold coins for it. The Linga-servant returning home hands over one thousand gold coins

to his master at which the latter gets angry and shouts at Him:

“One’s mind must not be ruffled.

Whatever income comes

From disinterested work.

There must be harmony

Between the wages you have asked

And your habitual wage.

If you grasp money, coveting

Gold in your greed,

Waiving the wages of your vow, why Sir,

The service you have done will come to nought.

Do not walk into the noose

Of the greed you have put on

That I should get

The grace of Jangama, is very life

To Chaandeshwaralinga. ( S.S.IV, ch. xiv .V.14)

Chandayya complains that the Linga has failed in His duty:” You have brought

out of greed more price than the usual. It will not suit Dasoha. Whatever is earned with

greed is unworthy of offer. Even if it is wild leaf, earned through Kayaka, it is fit for

offering. I do not need your services. You may go wherever you please”, says Chandayya

curtly. Then to resolve the problem, Madivala Machayya takes them to the Anibhava

Mantapa where a heated discussion on the inevitability of wearing Linga takes place. First

Chandayya makes his submission to Lord Prabhu:

Though you be Guru, only through work

You save yourself while still alive.

Though you be Linga, only through work

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You can efface the stony sign;

Though you be Jangama, only through work

You can pluck off the bonds

Your garb imposes upon you.

Though you be Guru, you must serve Jangama;

Though you be Linga, you must serve Jangama;

Even though you be Jangama himself

Still you must serve Jangama.

Hark you, Prabhu, that is the mind

Of Chandeshwaralinga!” (S.S. IV, xiv, V.30)

Thus Chandayya makes his submission, upholding the importance of Kayak-

Dasoha and the supreme importance of Jangama When Jangama Dasoha serves all

purposes, then why need Linga? asks Chandayya. Then Chennabasavanna explains the

subtle points pertaining to the inter-dependence of Guru, Linga and Jangama:

“What if I know

That Jangama is the Supreme?

Is Linga not the body of Jangama?

And is not Jangama

The conscious energy of Linga?

Is the enjoyment possible

For disembodied life, for soul-less flesh?

Can you have trees without a soil?

Can you have fruit without a tree?

Is there a flavour without fruit?

This is the order of enlightenment:

The body is the soil, Linga the tree,

The fruit is Jangama, Prasada its taste.

Therefore, in Lord Kudala Chennasanga

The Linga with form

Is body of Jangama, O Prabhu!” ( S.S. IV, ch., xiv., V.47)

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When Chennabasavanna explains the integral bond of Guru, Linga and Jangama,

Lord Prabhu gives his final verdict on the issue, asking Chandayya first to note what

Chennabasavanna has said,

“Good deeds are Linga, and

Their proper understanding is Jangama;

Anga is Linga; its energy

Is Jangama; service of Jangama

Is Linga; he who accepts it, Jangama.

Do you live, O Chandayya,

By the grace of Chennabasavanna,

Who has reported this

Just as Madivala does his work, so that

Guheshwara’s Sharanas are satisfied. ( S.S.,IV, ch.xiv, V.48)

Endorsing Chennabasavanna’s views on the issue, Lord Prabhu tells Chandayya to

take back his Linga and wear It .Then Chandayya agrees to take back his Linga.

When Lord Prabhu goes to Basavanna’s house , Basavanna who is engaged in

Linga-worship, holds that Linga is greater than Jangama. Here Chandayya’s argument is

contrary to Basavanna’s, that is, Jangama –Dasoha and Kayaka are greater than Linga.

Finally the outcome of the discourse is that they are but different aspects of one and the

same Absolute. This is the quintessence of the Sharana religion. Thus at the Anubhava

Mantapa, and wherever the Sharanas met, lively and useful discourses of very high order

on matters worldly and metaphysical were taking place regularly.

Increase in the Revenue of the Kingdom:

If, on one hand, Basavanna , as a spiritual practitioner was trying to redeem the

lives of the people by mending their manners and morals through the Anubhva Mantapa,

on the other hand, as Chief Minister he had evolved several multipurpose projects in

order to improve the standard of living of the common people. The rich and the merchant

class had been cheating the royal Treasurer by indulging in black-marketing. Not only did

Basavanna stop them cheating but also made them pay more by levying proper taxes. He

put a stop to the corruption that was rampant in the kingdom and in which the lower order

clerks were in league with the feudal lords. When Basavanna took over as Chief Minister,

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the Kingdom’s expenditure was more than its income. On one side, there was unlimited

corruption, and, on the other, misuse of kingship In the Royal Army , one lakh fifty

thousand soldiers were recruited on the permanent basis, besides 12000 horses, 12000

chariots, and 700 elephants. One million rupees was the general annual administrative

expenditure, besides the defense budget. Basavanna made drastic cut in expenditure by

avoiding all unnecessary expenditures. By adopting strict measures, he was able to

control corruption to a considerable extent. He engaged the able bodied youths in doing

some Kayaka. Out of this income, he planned to look after the physically handicapped

and the weak. He saw to it that the feudal lords paid half of their revenue to the emperor’s

treasury. He introduced a novel scheme under which people were made to volunteer to

work under emergency circumstances expecting neither wages nor rewards. He levied

irrigation tax. Luxury items did not escape commercial tax. He also introduced custom

duty on the goods imported and exported, just as is the practice today, in addition to land

tax and agriculture produce tax. Thus by levying thirty types of new taxes, Basavanna

improved the financial position of the kingdom with the result that the kingdom became

one of the affluent states in the country. The kingdom lacked in nothing. In fact, there was

God’s plenty in the kingdom. The people led a happy and contented life.

Eradication of Superstitions:

The priestly class was exploiting the poor common people by creating imaginary

worlds like heaven and hell. Basavanna eradicated superstitious beliefs by enhancing their

reasoning power and making them look at men and matters from the rationalistic point of

view; which was possible because of the increase in literacy in the kingdom. The role of

the Anubhava Mantapa in spreading literacy among people was splendid indeed. As a

result of the learned discourses that were being held at the Anubhava Mantapa, the

Vachanas came to be composed , transmitted first orally and then through writing . In

this new venture Basavanna became the Alpha of the Plough. Others followed suit. There

is no dividing line between Heaven, the world of gods and Earth, the dwelling of mortals.

He saw human life as a whole. According to him heaven and hell are nowhere but within

ourselves:

“Behold! Between the world

Of mortals and of gods

There is no difference!

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To speak the truth is world of gods;

To speak untruth, mortal world.

Good works is heaven ,

Bad works is Hell—

And you can witness it,

O Lord Kudala Sangama! ( V.B., V.239)

Spiritual and worldly affairs are complementary to each other. They are as it were

the two faces of the same coin. If we pursue one ignoring the other, our life becomes

incomplete. Man must be fit to live in both the spheres. Then only life’s circle becomes

complete and meaningful.

“This mortal world is but the Maker’s mint;

Those who earn merit here, earn also there;

O Kudala Sangama Lord! ( V.B.,V.155)

In this Vachana, ‘here’ means this mortal world, ‘there’ means the spiritual world

or heaven.. Thus they exist together To harmonize the two, it is possible through Kayaka-

Dasoha. only.

The common practice to fix an auspicious day for a wedding was by consulting an

astrologer who would find out by calculating the agreement of day, thithi, star, gana etc.

If the horoscopes did not agree, even if bride, bridegroom and their parents agreed, their

marriage could not take place. As a result of this wrong practice, many girls had to give

up all hopes of marriage. This is a blind belief. By increasing the number of such blind

beliefs, the priestly class used to exploit the ignorant people. Basavanna condemned such

practices:

“Whenever our own say so

Deem that to be

The auspicious time;

Think the compatible signs are there,

And that union is predestinate,

That favourable are the moon and stars.

And that

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Today is better than tomorrow:

The purchase that accrues

To Lord Kudala Sanga’s worshipper

Is thine! (V.B., V.83)

Time is an infinite whole It does not have any boundary line nor a dividing line. It

is for our convenience that we have divided this indivisible whole into day, week, month,

year etc. In the eyes of the creator of this universe there is no such day as bad or good, no

such moment as auspicious or inauspicious. Those who ever remember God are not in

need of auspicious time nor do they need wait for an auspicious moment to undertake any

work. No work should be postponed on the grounds of superstitious beliefs:

‘Do not say, this day, another day!

To one who bows to Shiva, today

Must ever be the day!

To one who bows to Hara

Today is ever the day!

To one remembering ceaselessly

Our Kudala Sanga, today

Must ever be the day! (V.B., V.174)

Likewise, without looking for day, week, star, and horoscope, you should

solemnize marriages and give up dependence of priests. Becuase those who always

remember God, and trust Him, need not fear adverse effects of inauspicious stars. The

following Vachana of Basavanna’s carries a very suggestive dig at those who sow the

seeds of superstition among people:

“A snake-charmer with his nose less wife—

--A snake in his hand—

Going to find good omens for

The marriage of their son,

Meets another snake-charmer with his noiseless wife,

And cries, ‘The omens are bad!’

Mark what a clever chap!

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His own wife is noiseless

In his own hand a snake;

Himself with a cut nose!

O Lord Kudala Sangam,

What shall I say of the cur

Who, heedless of his own defect,

Points to another’s fault? (V.B., V.105)

Previous Birth—Present Birth

That to come to this human life soul has passed through eighty-four lakhs of

wombs is a confirmed belief in the Hindu religion and culture. Many other religions in the

world also believe re-birth. According to Karma theory, for our present birth and our

condition in the present life, our own deeds –good or bad—done in previous life are the

causes. We can not but suffer it .It is our Prarabdha Karma; it is the writ largely writ on

our forehead.

It is fore-written by Lord Brahma on our forehead. This is the gist of the Karma

theory. It is nothing but a blind belief. If we believe our past, and carry the burden of the

past deeds, we can not redeem ourselves in this life. Basavanna and his followers

protested against it. To put it in the words of Basavanna:

“Whenever you strike, the stroke is in hand;

Whenever you curse, the curse is in hand;

Let be whatever past life was:

Today’s enjoyment is in hand!

O Kudala Sangama Lord,

The fruit of your worship is in hand.” (V.B., V.170)

There is a saying in Persian. The past is a dream; the future is a fiction. Therefore,

trust the present and do your work. This is as it were a commentary on the above Vacahna

of Basavanna. Is there such a thing as previous birth? There are people who say’ No’, and

there are people who say ‘Yes’ Suppose there is a previous birth. Even then we need not

take the fruit of our previous deeds into account. What we do in this birth is before our

eyes; it is easily accountable along with its reward. We reap the fruit of our deeds done in

this life only. Therefore, let us not bother what we will be in future and what fruit we

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reap of our past deeds. Let us believe that only the present life is true, and do what is

assigned to us as a bounden duty, believing that duty is god. If we are blessed with all

worldly wealth and comforts and pleasures, thinking that they are the fruits of our

previous deeds, let us not indulge in a life of luxury and depart from the righteous path.

Let us not fail in our duty in this life, even if we are afflicted with troubles galore and let

us not labour under the impression that the troubles that beset us now are the fruit of the

sins committed in the past. We should do our duty, trusting that we are going to get the

reward for our deeds today, right now only. The reward of our worshipping God

becomes our shield. This line of thinking infused self-confidence in people and helped

develop their personality. Thus the Sharnas, dispelling the illusion of blind beliefs, lit the

light of rationality in their minds. This put a full stop to their exploitation. Consequently,

the standard of their living also improved. Peace prevailed in their life. Even in this age of

science people are not free from the evils of superstition. Even scientists look for

auspicious moments for doing auspicious things. This is not the case with India only.

Superstition is a cancerous disease from which mankind has been suffering from time

immemorial. What Basavanna did in the direction of eradicating superstition from the

minds of people was indeed a miracle.

Equal Status for Women

The Vedic Religion, condemning woman as a Shudra had kept her away from the

path of spiritual pursuit. She had no status and dignity in society Manu’s dictum:

“Woman does not deserve freedom” became their guiding principle. No doubt, during the

days of Upanishats, Gargi and Maitreyi were as great Brahmajnanis as Yajnavalka and

could cross swords with any spiritual giant., but they were after all a few exceptions

only. Jainism and Buddhism, which came into existence later, although founded on

rationality, did not accord due regard to woman. It was Jedara Dasimayya, who rejecting

the snare of differentiation between man and woman on the ground that the difference, if

at all there is any, is only between the physical traits of man and woman, ushered in a new

era of equality between man and woman:

“If a person has breasts and a braid of hair,

They call that person a woman.

If a person has beard and a moustache,

They call that person a man.

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The soul that lives in them

Is neither female nor male,

My lord Ramanatha!”

(Life, Legacy and Lyrics of DevarDasimayya,V.136)

If we carefully examine this Vachana, we come to know what scientific and

rationalistic attitude Dzsimayya possessed towards woman. Jedara Dasimayya’s

Vachana was discussed at the Anubhava Mantapa, and equal status with man was given

to woman. To woman, just as it was given to man, the Linga initiation was given and

equal rights of spiritual pursuits and equal status and dignity in society were also given.

That woman enjoyed equal rights with men is borne out by their participation in the

deliberations of the Anubhava Mantapa.

Here we may recall the instance of the Aydakki couple. As has already been

noted, when Aydakki Marayya did not grasp the true meaning of Kayaka, it was his wife

Lakkamma that taught him the right lesson of Kayaka. Likewise, Molige Marayya’s wife

Mahadevi and Basavanna’s wife Nilambike did correct their husbands on quite a few

occasions. If women could scale such spiritual heights in those days, the freedom given to

woman in all walks of life under the guidance of Basavanna was the main cause for that

achievement.

In the Indian traditional mode, woman is generally considered an obstacle in the

way of man’s spiritual pursuits by calling her Maya, that is, Illusion, Woman, gold and

land are God’s creations. In God’s creation, their is nothing illusionary. Our excessive

greed for these things is itself an illusion.

“Gold is called Maya, but gold is not Maya.

Land is called Maya, but land is not Maya.

Woman is called Maya, but woman is not Maya.

The desire that is there before our mind

Is itself Maya, look, O Guheshwara! “

Thus we should proceed with our spiritual pursuit without discarding them as

objects of Maya. This kind of attitude towards woman, gold and land is dear to God:

“The devotion of a married couple is pleasing to Shiva.

The devotion of the couple who do not love each other

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Is like a poisoned nectar,

O Ramanatha!” (Jedara Dasimayya, V.879)

said Jedara Dasimayya. But one should regard other’s wife as Mahadevi, God’s

own spouse. One should sublimate the desire for these things instead of suppressing them.

However, they should be accepted as Prasada. Our predecessors, our ancient saints, led a

successful life by going along this pathway to perfection. Those who hankered after

other’s wife met with ruin. Basavanna made his stand very clear:

“Bridling your senses, all you do

Is starting maladies:

For the five senses come and stand

And laugh into your face!

Did Siriyala and Changale

Give up their nights of love

As wedded man and wife?

Did Sindhuballala give up

His amorous pleasures and dalliance?

Before Thee I avow:

Should I but covet another’s wealth or wife,

Let me be banished from Thy feet,

O Kudala Snagama Lord!” (V.B., V.638)

All the enjoyments which we get in this life should be offered to Linga first and

then received as Prasada. This becomes the enjoyment of what the Linga has already

enjoyed, that is, Lingabhogopabhoga. Then our life becomes Prasada-life or consecrated

life. About consecrated life, Basavanna says:

“Renunciation is to say

‘I do not want’; to say ’I want ‘

Is body’s foible.

What matters where a thing may be?

To offer Linga what comes wherever you are

And to enjoy it, that is discipline.

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The consecrated body, come

To gratify Lord Kudala Sangama,

Must not suffer. (V.B., V.774)

Although to say ‘I want ‘is body’s foible, to say, ‘I do not want’ becomes for

some innate quality. To some that sense of renunciation comes as a result of life-

experience. Such persons make renunciation their way of life. Of such rare persons,

Akkamahadevi, Chennabasavanna and Lord Prabhu are a few illustrious examples. If a

woman takes to renunciation, she rejects marriage. Akka’s life was moulded along this

line. She stands out as a shining example of the freedom for woman provided by the

Sharanas under the guidance of Basavanna. When she arrives at the Anubhava Mantapa,

clad in the coat of her own hair, and wedded to Chennamallikarjuna, after rejecting all

worldly husbands, she is put to an acid test. Lord Prabhu puts her several soul searching

questions:

“Why come you hither, pray,

O woman in the lusty bloom of youth?

At the word of woman our Shranas

See red! If you can tell

Your husband’s identity, come sit:

Else, pray, be gone!

If you desire the joy of fellowship

With our Guheshwara’s Sharanas,

Tell who your husband be,

O mother!” (S.S.,IV, ch. xvi, V.10)

“The garment of your hair yet screens your form.

How is it that your shame is shed?” ( S.S.,IV, ch.xvi, V.15)

To these questions Akkmahadevi gives fitting replies:

“Hara for endless time have I

Made penance, so you might

Become my wedded lord! (S.S. IV, ch.xvi, V.15)

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“They wed me to a groom by name

Chennamallikarjuna. (S.S.,IV, ch. xvi, V.12)

Having shed the bodily feeling, I embodied Shiva. Though I possess body, I am

without the bodily feeling. The body without the fang of passions, is like a serpent

without the fang:

:Look you good Sir:

Association with a snake is good

Provided you can draw its fangs

And make it play; just so,

If you completely understand

Your contact with the flesh,

Association with the flesh is good.

The passions of the body are

As if your mother had become

A monster….

Chennamallikarjuna Lord,

Do not say they have a body

Who are loved by you!” (S.S., Iv, ch. xvi, V.25)

How pregnant with meaning the statement –“The passions of the body are

As if your mother had become a monster” –is! If you remove the pangs of passion,

the body monster, turns into a guardian mother, and protects you against all hazards. In

this passionless state, the body itself becomes Kailas, the abode of Lord Shiva, as says

Basavanna:

“Look you, the Sharanas sleep is telling of beads;

It’s Shviaratri when he wakes, and sits;

Wherever he treads is holy ground;

And Shiva doctrine whatever he speaks;

The body of Kudala Sanga’s Sharana

Is the very abode of Shiva!” ( V.B., V.872)

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Akkamahadevi convinces Lord Prabhu that though she possesses body, as she is

free from passions, Maya does not trouble her. At the Anubhava Mantapa a heated

debate continues at length. At last Lord Prabhu and others bow to her perfection, and say

,” Hail, O hail!” to Akkamahadevi. At that moment Chennabasavanna exclaims:

“Pray, are they great ones all

Who count as many years

As the billion cycles of the Unborn?

Or those ascetics about whom

Reeds grow and ant-hills rise?

Or are those dotards with broken backs,

And rattling throats and shaky heads,

With multiplying grey hairs and folds,

With reason tottering, garrulous?

The pre-eminence of one

Who lives inseparably

Has come to Mahadeviyakka

Who, having learnt the mystery,

Uniting with the Absolute,

Forgetting all difference of high and low,

Has been made one

WithLord Kudala Chennasangayya. (S.S. IV, ch.,xvi, V.55)

Thus Akkamahadevi, because of her spiritual pursuit, becomes Akka ( an elder

sister) to all, transcending the limitation of time and place. She is one of the rare gems of

spiritualism in the whole world. It is as a result of the freedom given to women by

Basavanna that such a spiritual gem could appear at Kalyana. Even the common woman

of that time had attained great intellectual heights. They could challenge any man in the

field of spiritualism:

“Having given up the forbidden practices

In respect of the vows of Kayaka , Nema,

Achara, Dasoha, Bhava, Seeme, Yachane,

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Gamana, Linga, Jangama, Padodaka,

Prasada, the dual acts of saying:

‘I won’t know what I forget,’

‘I won’t forget what I know’,

If I do these things

Because the Guru has said it

Or the King has ordered it,

And other devotees and friends approve it,

That itself means my destruction.

If you approve it, and I err thereby,

O Acharave Pranavada Rameshwaralinga!”

( Vachanas of Women Saints, V.389)

Sharans advocate the practice of Kayaka, Dasoha, etc. Akkama, an ordinary

woman makes a categorical statement that whatever Nema or Vrata you want to

undertake, do with the approval of your experience but not under the obligation of Guru,

or King or friends or relatives, and that what you do should please your heart, not others.

This statement of Akkamma upholds the freedom of thought and rationalistic approach

preached by the Buddha to his disciples in the past, and the scientific and rationalistic

attitude of modern times. If we note this, we come to know the force of the wind of

intellectualism coupled with spiritualism that blew in 12th

century Karnatak. Basavanna

redeemed the womankind by creating such an open-air intellectual environment at the

Anubhava Mantapa.

Basavanna the Incarnation of Compassion:

Once some thieves take away all the cows from Basavanna’s cow-shed. When the

theft of cows come to the notice of Basavanna’s servants, they get frightened, and wait

fearing what severe punishment their master would give them. But to their great surprise,

Basavanna’s reaction was contrary to their expectation. Compassionate Basavanna never

thought of his loss at all. He thought that wherever his cows be, the persons who used the

cows’ milk were none else than Lord Sanga. His only worry was the welfare of the calves

whom the thieves had left behind.. So immediately he bad his servants go along with the

calves and let them unite with their mothers:

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“I pray you, do not say

The thieves have taken the cow!

I pray you, do not shout!

I pray you, do not brawl!

Whoever drinks there, is the Lord!

Whoever drinks here, is the Lord!

Lord Kudala Sangama

Is one and the same!” ( V.B., V.829)

Thus Basavanna, who sees divinity in those thieves too consoles his servants.

Surprised at their master’s compassionate response, they hand over the calves to the

thieves. The thieves too undergo a change of heart, and not only do they return the cows

but also join the Sharana fold by undergoing the Linga diksha. Thus Basavanna teaches

the lesson of compassion through his own example.

On another occasion , when one night a thief breaks into Basavann’s house and

tries to snatch the ear-drops of Gangambike, at which Gangambikr wakes up and shouts

’Thief, thief!” Basavanna also wakes up. Instead of trying to catch and punish the thief,

Basavanna scolds Gangambike :

“I trusted her as my life-companion, O Sir!

I trusted her as a good-natured wife, O Sir!

Lest my master’s hand should be hurt,

Take out the ornament, O wretched woman!

If a thief comes to a big thief’s

He can’t be other than

Kudala Sangama Lord. “ (B.V.1108)

To tell Gangambike that the person who comes to his house to steal away

something is actually Lord Kudala Sangama and that lest his hand should be hurt she

should take out the ornament and give it to its owner, it is clear that Basavanna was much

pained on account of some gold being stored in his house. His saying—“If the person

who goes to his house to steal something becomes a thief, the person who has stored

those ornaments in his house, that is, himself, is a greater thief”.—, no doubt, sounds

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strange. But if we understand the values of life he had fostered and practiced, we will be

convinced of the truth of his statement:

“If I say

I want, this day, another day,

A single particle of gold,

A single thread of cloth,

Let Thy curse and the Pioneers’ curse

Be upon me!

But for Thy Sharanas,

There’s nothing that I know,

O Kudala Sangama Lord!” (V.B., V.435)

This is the principle practiced by Basavanna. Whatever is earned today should be

spent today for Dasoha today only. Then how come Gangambike had worn ear-drops.

They must have been bought out of the money saved, indeed. This amounts to violating

the Sharana principle of non-storing. The money spent on the ear-drops should have been

spent for others. So it seemed to Basavanna a big crime. We learn from this incident how

principled Basavanna was. “Don’t steal”—this is Basavanna’s own command. He knew

that theft is a social crime. What does the forgiving of a thief mean? It looks as though his

practice was contrary to his preaching. He should have punished him. But he forgives the

thief, instead of punishing him. While Jesus was being crucified, he said, ”O God, these

people do not know what they are doing , forgive them!” Jesus Christ’s instance of

forgiving his crucifiers corresponds to that of Basavanna’s forgiving the thief. The thief

was taken aback. He was at his wit’s end. The repentant thief fell prostrate to

Basavanna’s feet, and undergoing the Linga initiation rite, became a Shrana. He even

became Basavanna’s intimate and trusted servant. Thus Basavanna, who was compassion

incarnate, by showing compassion to the vicious persons, transformed them into virtuous

persons.

Education and Literary Revolution:

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It was felt necessary to make the common people literate in order to raise their

standard of living. Most people who had become Sharanas came from lower classes. They

were taught the three Rs. through the mathas, that is, Veerashaiva monasteries, in and

around Kalyana. The Sharanas who were thus made literate were able to compose and

write Vachanas by taking part in the deliberations of the Anubhava Mantapa. The

majority of the Vachana writers, that is 330 so far accounted for, were from the low

classes. It is a significant fact that, among them as many as 33 were women. To make the

common people literate so easily in those days devoid of modern teaching facilities was

indeed a miracle. What cannot be achieved today even at the cost of crores of rupees was

achieved in an unbelievable manner.

Education through the Medium of the Mother Tongue:

In the 12th century the system of public instruction was not there at all. The public

did not bother about education. Since they depended for their livelihood upon the

professions followed by their forefathers, they remained mostly illiterate The state of the

depressed classes and the untouchables was miserable beyond imagination. Being

deprived of the association of the letter that would bring about inner transformation, they

led actually the life of a beast.

The kind of education required for the soul-culture was available to the higher

class people through Samskrit.

Veda, Upanishat, The Bhagavdgita and other religious texts were in Samskrit

only. The low class people were deprived of the right to learn to read and write Samskrit.

If any low class person happened to hear Samskrit read out by learned Brahmins, molten

led would be poured into his ears. The Samskrit language , which was regarded as the

language of gods, had become the monopoly of the high-born only. Thus when it was not

possible to make Samskrit a language of the common men, and the upliftment of

common men remained a distant dream, Basavanna gave to Kannada , the language of

common men, the status of Samskrit; thereby elevated the status of Kannada. Thus to

implement what we plead for today, that is, the demand that one’s mother tongue should

be the medium of instruction, Basavanna was the first Basavanna, Lord Prabhu,

Chennabasavanna, Siddharama, Akkamahadevi and many others distilled the essence of

Veda, Agama, and Upanishat into Kannada. By throwing new light on those texts through

their experience, they gave new interpretation to the old values. Brushing aside the old

values that had run into a rut, they accepted only the eternal and universal principles that

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never date. The Vachanas which were created out of mystic experience became precious

spiritual pearls. The low class people who were educated through these Vachanas became

sufficiently literate and cultured. Most of them even got proficiency in composing

Vachanas. Thus the mother tongue of the common automatically became the medium of

instruction. A few Dalita Sharanas ( Sharnas from the untouchable classes) took keen

interest in learning Samskrit and interpreting the progressive ideas contained in Vedas

and Agamas. Urilinga Peddi, a disciple of Urilingadeva, was a Dalita Sharana. He was

one of the greatest Dalitas of Basavanna’s time Being a Samskrit scholar, he is a shining

example of a Dalita Sharana becoming well-versed in the Samskrit language and the

scriptures written in Samskrit.

Vachana literature is a unique literary form. No where in the world is available

such a unique literary form. It is both poetry and prose. At the same time it is neither

poetry nor prose. It is a mixture of both; nay, a harmonious a blend of both. As it is easy

to express any idea freely, through this form even the most mystical thoughts came to be

expressed with ease in these Vachanas.Lord Prabhu’s following Vachana is a testimony

to this:

“The Void being sown in the void,

The Void was reaped.

The Void becoming Void

Merged in the Void, O Sir!

Those who worshipped Thee,

Have already merged in the Void.

Trusting Thee as I did

I merged in the Void, O Guheshwara!”

By using only one word bayalu, meaning Void, Lord Prabhu has explained in an

exquisite and singular manner the forming of the Universal Soul, creation of Nature and

life from It, and their evolution and extinction, and finally, the release of life from the

bondage of birth and death and its return to the Universal Soul. This Vachana contains

the quintessence of all Vedas, Agamas, and Shastras, as also the resume of knowledge

since the appearance of human species on the surface of the earth till today. This very

Vachana can be expanded into a big volume by great scholars. That is why Vachanas are

called Kannada Upanishats. The Kannada language became rich because of the Vachana

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literature. It freed Kannada from the eternal dependence on Samskrit. It marked the

beginning of a new era in Kannada literature. Thus the Vachana literature became a gift

of the Sharanas not only to Kannada literature but to world literature also.

Moral Education:

Moral education is the strong basis for the development of both individual and

society. Without a strong foundation of moral education neither the individual nor the

society can become strong and stable. There is no doubt about it. Basavanna and other

Sharanas practiced high moral values. The seven-fold principle of conduct practiced by

Basavanna transcending the limitations of time and place, have become worthy of

emulation by the people of all races and countries:

“Thou shalt not steal nor kill;

Nor speak a lie;

Be angry with no one,

Nor scorn another man;

Nor glory in thyself,

Nor others hold to blame…

This is your inward purity;

This is your outward purity;

This is the way to win our Lord

Kudala Sangama.” ( V.B., V.235)

All human beings are the children of one God only. We are all kith and kin. The

high and the low status of an individual should not depend upon his profession or birth.

By birth all are equal and all belong to family and one caste:

“Let them not say, O Lord,

‘Whose is he, O whose!’

Let them say rather, ‘He is ours,

He’s ours, he’s ours!’

O Kudala Sangama lord, let me be

A son of Thine own house!” (V.B., V.62)

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This principle of all being one which Basavanna stated emphatically is a life

principle worthy to be practiced by all as long as mankind survives on the surface of the

earth. Just humans are not our kith and kin. All creature are our kith and kin. Therefore,

we should show compassion to all creatures; should wish the good of all creatures. This is

the essence of true religion:

“What sort of religion can it be

Without compassion?

Compassion needs must be

Towards all living things;

Compassion is the root

Of all religious faiths:

Lord Kudala Sanga does not care

For what is not like this.” (V.B., V.247)

We always point our finger to others’ faults, screening, at the same time our own.

This tendency gives rise to adverse circumstances in society. Instead of mending others,

every one should mend himself or herself first. Then the entire society, entire nation, nay,

the whole world improves. This should become a universal principle of human life. Then

bitterness between individuals, fight between nations, friction between religions, ill-

feeling between societies disappear automatically and make this very earth itself a

heaven:

‘Why should you try to mend

The failings of the world?

Assuage your bodies first,

Each one of you!

Assuage your minds, each one!

Lord Kudala Sangama

Does not approve

Those who bemoan

The neighbour’s grief.” ( V.B., V.124)

We behave haughtily and rudely in our every day dealings with others. God abides

in our modesty, gentle nature and soft speech. There is divinity in all things. Man, a

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paragon of God’s creations, is God’s own replica If we greet whom we meet on the way,

we greet God Himself. If we behave gently and utter soft and sweet words, we attain as

much power as getting through telling beads and doing austere penance:

“He is a devotee

Who greets with folded hands

Each devotee he meets;

Your gentle speech is worth

All counting of beads;

Your gentle speech is worth

All penances;

True modesty is worth

Sharana’s grace

Lord Kudala Sanga spurns those

Who’re not like this. ( V.B., V.244)

God will not like those whose speech is not gentle .Therefore, we should tread the

path paved by true devotees. Basavanna told people how they should behave with those

who visit their house. Although this comes under common code of conduct, it is not easy

to observe it. People had forgotten the minimum etiquette and courtesy they were

supposed to show to their guests. Even today most people don’t show due courtesy to

their guests. So Basavanna asks them:

“Does it make you ugly if you say

‘Come right in, how do you do?’

Does your floor cave when you say

‘Do sit down, please?’

Or does your head, or belly, burst

If only you speak to one?

If you have nothing to give, not even a grace,

Lord Kudala Sangama , be sure

Will pull you down and chop your nose!” (V.B., V.241)

Should you not enquire the visitors of their welfare and say, ‘How do you do?’, if

you do not have any thing to give them? Should you talk to them standing , without

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asking them to come in and sit down? Your floor will not cave in, if you ask them to sit

down; your head will not burst nor your belly burst, if you talk to them courteously. If

you treat your guests with minimum propriety, your wealth will not perish. God will not

forgive you, if you do not show a minimum of courtesy to those who call on you. This is

Basavanna’s warning to people.

Anger is the base and breeding place of all sins. It is our worst enemy. It first

punishes us, and later others. The fire in the house first burns our own house, and later our

neighbou’s:

“Why, Sir; be angry with those

Who’re angry with you?

What does it mean to you,

Or what their loss?

To show one’s anger means

A loss of dignity.

To feel it, loss of sense!

The conflagration in your home

Unless it burns your house –

Does not burn your neighbour’s house,

O Kudala Sangama Lord?” ( V.B., V.248)

Therefore, we should conquer our first enemy called anger. By conquering this

enemy most of our problems will automatically get solved.

Vegetarian food is better than non-vegetarian food. Vegetarian food fosters good

qualities in us whereas non-vegetarian food breeds bad qualities. Vegetarian food helps

one live long , that is, it increases one’s life-span. Drinking wine invites health hazards.

The person who takes to drinking wine loses control over his senses, and the unwieldy

senses lead him astray. No religion in the world is in favour of drinking wine. Still people

eat meat and drink wine to sate their palate and to appease their senses. But they do not

know perhaps that the hunger of the senses is insatiable; the more they are fed, the more

hungry they become. Sexual desire is a natural instinct in all creatures; so also in man.

Religion prescribes marriage as a remedy for quenching sexual desire. No doubt, the

immediate purpose of marriage is to enjoy sexual pleasures, but the ultimate purpose of

marriage is to beget children. All religions and scriptures approve of it. No religion

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approves of extramarital relationships. Some violating the ethics of conjugal life, cast

their amorous eyes at other’s wife. It is one of the worst social evils. Basavanna

advocated strict control over one’s passions. Likewise, desire for other’s wealth is also an

equally bad sin. It paves the way for other vices. It increases man’s greed which causes

his own fall. Therefore, Basavanna advised people not to covet other’s wealth or other’s

wife:

“For the indulgence of the flesh

They swallow meat and spirituous drinks.

For the indulgence of the eye

Commit adultery…..

What profits it to wear

Linga and other trappings too?

If those who go astray

From the Linga path

Incur reproach from Jangama’s lips,

They will not escape

Going down the steep perdition’s path,

Lord Kudala Sangama!” (V.B., V.106)

This tendency was rampant in those days. Unless it was curbed, neither peace

nor happiness would have prevailed in that society. Basavanna advised people to curb it

with stubborn will and asked them be stubborn and constant in cultivating virtues. So he

stressed the need to be stubborn in cultivating high ideals. Hence his Vachana preaching

constancy in rejecting vices and practicing virtues:

“The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

I will not have another’s wealth;

The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

I will not have another’s wife.

The Sharana must have the constancy to say,

I will not worship another god;

The Sharna must have the constancy to say,

‘Prasada is Truth’,

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Lord Kudala Sangama disdains

Such men as have no constancy.” ( V.B., V.676)

--o--

.

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VI THE DIVINE DISCOURSE: Making of the Shrana Siddhanta

Basavanna became a harbinger of the total revolution including social, economic,

literary and cultural revolutions based on religion. Whatever values he cherished, he

preached them, and they became popular through practice. These values were first

discussed threadbare at the Anubhava Mantapa and then they were put into the frame-

work of a constitution or a doctrine. Although Basavanna was the chief architect of the

constitution, the role played by Chennabasavanna in giving it a definite shape cannot be

overlooked. This constitution came to be framed under the guidance of Lord Prabhu. It

has three important aspects, and they are: Shatasthala , Ashtavarana and Panchachara.

The Doctrine of the Six-fold Hierarchy:

Shatsthala is both a doctrine and a way of spiritual practice. It suggests a way of

spiritual achievement, that is, God-realization through the knowledge of the

interrelationship between Jiva, World and God. It propounds Monism. The worship of

several mean deities was in vogue then. Condemning the worship of such mean gods, it

was proclaimed that God is one:

“Do not say, swollen with pride,

The gods are two or three:

Mark you, he is but one;

That there be two is just a lie!

The Veda says: There is none but

Lord Kudala Sangama.” (V.B., V.545)

God is one but his names many:

“God is but one, many His names;

The faithful wife knows but one lord;

Should she fall for another man,

He chops her nose and ears!

Should I, O Kudala Sazngama Lord,

Regard them as the sort that eat

The crumbs of several gods?” (V.B., V.613)

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Just as there is only one husband for a faithful wife, there is only one God for a

faithful devotee. Trusting only one God, one should proceed on the path of spiritual

practice. Then what is the form of that Almighty God?

According to Virashaiva doctrine, the Void, which is eternal,without support and

without form, is the Supreme Principle. It is the Ultimate Principle. There is no word

beyond that. It is called Stage or Sthala. That out of which everything emerges and into

which every thing merges is Sthala. It is variously called: Naught, Void, Supreme Shiva,

or Linga. The State of the Unsupported Void or Naught is the Ultimate State. Out of this

evolves Shunyalinga Sthala, Nihkala linga Sthala and Mahalinga Sthala. Creation begins

with this. Lord Allama Prabhu explains the nature and scope of the Shunyalinga:

“When neither space nor Substance was,

When neither I nor mine was,

When neither Form nor Formless was,

When neither Void was nor Non-Void,

Nor that which moves or moves not,

There was Guheshwara’s votary born”. (S. S. I, ch. i, V.3)

Lord Prabhu further explains how Nature is created out of Void:

“The Void being sown in the Void,

The Void was reaped,

The Void becoming Void, merged in the Void, O Sir!

Life was Void, the mind Void,

The mind becoming Void, merged in the Void, O Sir!

Those who worshipped Thee,

Have already merged in the Void,

Trusting Thee as I did,

I merged in the Void, O Guheshwara!” (Allamaprabhudevara Vachana, V.639)

A farmer called Void sowing the seed of Void in the soil of Void, created the

world of animate and inanimate things, and again made all that merge in the same Void.

When Jiva( Self) realizes that every thing is Void, he too merges in the Void.. Likewise,

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Lord Prabhu describes beautifully how he himself merged in the Void. This Vachana

certainly contains the quintessence of Virashaivism.

There is a hidden power called Shakti within the Void or Supreme Shiva (Prara

Shiva) Both are inseparably integrated . They are as inseparable as flower and fragrance,

as the moon and moon light. That Power or Shakti is called Vimarsha Sahakit. When the

desire for creation germinates within Para Shiva, Vimarshashakti emerges from within.

Further, from Vimarshashakti emerges Mayashakti, who starts the work of creating

Nature. To put it in the words of Sharana Chandimarasa:

Mahalinga Himself became for His sport

Swayambhulinga. (Self-born Linga)

From that Swayambhulinga evolved Shiva-Shaktyatmaka;

From that Shiva-Shaktyatmaka evolved Atman;

From Atman evolved sky;

From sky evolved air;

From air evolved fire;

From fire evolved water;

From water evolved earth;

From earth evolved all creatures.

All these are created from Thy memory,

O Shimmalige Chennarama!”

The Swayambhulinga described above is Mahalinga. From Mahalinga evolved

gradually stage by stage Nature. Mahalinga is the Supreme Shiva or Para Shiva. With the

evolution of Shakti from Him, the work of creating Nature begins. What was one in the

beginning became many and countless in the course of time. In the end, all merging in the

Supreme Shiva become one again. Therefore, it is Advaita Siddhanta. Because Para Shiva

is one with Shakti, He is Shakti-Vishishta. Therefore, Virashaivism is called

ShaktiVishitadvaita religion. Because this world is born of the Ultimate Principle which

is true and eternal, this world also is real. The world is real also because the Ultimate

Principle of Reality pervades it. Modern science also holds the same view regarding the

birth of this universe. Therefore, the Shakti-Vishishtadvaita theory of Virashaivism is

most scientific in its approach.

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The Six-fold Hierarchy (Shatsthala Marga) :

As has already been explained , the creation process started with Para Shiva, and

gradually various elements evolved. Finally, all living beings, including human beings

evolved. Para Shiva is the incarnation of ‘existence-consciousness-bliss’. The

consciousness embedded in Him, flowing all through the process of creation, when

comes to abide in man, manifests itself in its wakeful state. To the atom called man shed

from Para Shiva sticks the triple impurity—anva mala(Para Shiva’ Shakti that makes Jiva

aware of his littleness, that is as liitle as an atom), maya mala (Para Shiva’s omniscience

is reduced in Jiva to a little knowledge) and karmika mala (Para Shiva’s infinite creative

power is reduced to a minimal power in Jiva). When these impurities are shed, washed

through spiritual pursuit, Jiva comes to know of its own original form which is Sat-Chit-

Ananda, which is infinite, formless and unsupported, and also possesses infinite

consciousness, infinite power and infinite bliss, and finally unites with the Ultimate

Reality. This spiritual pursuit has six stages—Bhakta Sthala, Mahesha Sthala, Prasadai

Sthala, Pranalingi Sthala, Sharana Sthala and Aikya Sthala. This spiritual path is called

Shatsthala Marga. This path has been explained clearly by Dasohada Sanganna:

“Bhakta’s action, Maheshwara’s resolution,

Prasadi’s faith, Pranalingi’s Yoga,

Sharana’s ecstatic state, Aikya’s non-attachment state—

Offering these six merges in the Ultimate Reality.

That is the sport of Virakta at Ekasthala;

That is uniting with the Ultimate Reality.

Look, the mighty Mahalinga Madhukeshwara

Is beyond Shmbhu and Swayambhu!”

Getting into action means undertaking any work reposing full faith in Guru,

Linga and Jangama and possessing firm devotion towards the Trinity. Linga means

Ishtalinga. It is a symbol of Para Shiva the Ultimate Principle. The same, coming to the

Bhakta’s palm in the form of light, gets worshipped. Spiritual Pursuit begins with the

Ishtalinga initiation to a devotee at the hands of the Guru. “Linga is another name for the

Infinite”, says Lord Prabhu. Such an infinite formless Para Shiva assumes a form and

minimizes His size so as to accommodate Himself on the devotee’s palm.

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God Himself in the form of Guru drawing out the light of intellect abiding in the

Brahmarandra of the devotee distills it into the Ishtalinga, and telling the devotee that it is

a symbol of his own consciousness bids him worship It regularly. Wearing the Ishtalinga

always on his body, the devotee sets out on his spiritual journey. Jangama, who also is an

incarnation of Para Shiva, becomes a spiritual guide. Therefore, Guru, Linga and Jangama

are the three aspects of one and the same Divinity. With firm faith in these three, one

should do Jangama dasoha with the money earned from one’s daily Kayaka, and proceed

on one’s spiritual path.

When the faith in Guru, Linga and Jangama gets firmly rooted in the devotee’s

heart, it becomes Maheshwara Sthala. If he resolutely proceeds further, he attains Prasadi

Sthala. At this stage, the devotee receives every thing, be it joy, be it sorrow, as the grace

of god. Whatever he gets, he first offers it to Linga, and then enjoys it as Prasada. In these

Sthalas, Divinity is prominent; the devotee is Divinity possessed.

At the Pranalingi stage, the devotee experiences the inner light hidden in his heart.

He begins to feel that he is the Supreme Principle (Para Shiva) Himself. Uniting with

Shiva, that is, practicing Shivayoga is the chief characteristic feature of this Sthala. It

consists in worshipping Linga with full concentration and gazing on Linga. It is called

Lingayoga, and Drishtiyoga also .Since the devotee sits gazing on the Linga on his or her

palm without winking, it is also called Animishayoga. As Bhaktiyoga, Karmayoga and

Jnanayoga blend in it harmoniously, it is Integral Yoga or Purna Yoga. It is simple and

easy to practice. It includes six elements – Shivayoga, Shivajnana, Shivabhakti,

Shivapuja, Shivamrita, and Shivadhyana. Here Shiva means Ishtalinga. At this stage, the

non-dualistic feeling arising in the devotee, the devotee feels he is Para Shiva Himself.

The experience a devotee gains at the Pranalingi Sthala becomes the doorway to

the Shrana Sthala. Here the spiritual practitioner is awestruck at the infiniteness of the

Ultimate Principle. Just as there is an integral bond between Shiva and Shakti, the devotee

begins to feel that there is an integral bond between Shiva and himself. The sense Linga

being husband and Shaarana being wife is the main feature of this Sthala. The Sharana

remains bathed in divine bliss. His speech becomes light, his path a pilgrim path and his

body an abode of Shiva.

At the Aikyasthala, Jivatma( the Self) merges in Paramatma (the Super Self or

Universal Soul). Just as water mingles with water, milk with milk, Jivatma mingles with

Pramatma. The Jivatma’s identity vanishes, since it becomes one with Paramatma. This is

the state of consubstantial union of Linga and Anga. Anga is a pure and perfect body

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without any blemish, without any trace of impurity in it, and Linga is Atmalinga, a spark

of Prashiva;inga. Atmalinga regains all its former faculties and powers. The Sharana’s

consciousness envelopes the consciousness of Para Shiva and forgets the temporal world

around it. Though he is in this world, he is not of this world. He is like one who is fed,

and yet hungry; like one who is married, and yet a celibate. He becomes one with the

Void. He possesses infinite consciousness, infinite power, infinite knowledge and infinite

bliss. This is the state of being liberated from the bondage of life, while still living in this

world, that is, ‘Jeevanmukta State. Lord Allma Prabhu sumsup the essence of the Six-

fold Hierarchy in the following Vachana:

With faith one becomes a Bhakta;

With faith becoming firm, one becomes a Maheshwara

With faith becoming all attention, one becomes a Prasadi;

With the mystic experience gained through attentiveness

One becomes a Pranalingai’

With the consciousness of mystic experience

One becomes a Sharana;

Knowing the secret of staying in the will-less state,

Which comes from the consubstantial union with the Ultimate Reality

One attains Aikyasthala, O Guheshwara!”

(Allamaprabhudevara Vachana, V.1527)

Ashtavaranas and Panchcharas:

The pursuit of excellence along the Shatsthala path needs the eight-fold aid

consisting of Guru, Linga, Jangama, Vibhuti, Rudraxi, Mantra, Padodaka and Prasada.

Guru, Linga and Jangama are worthy of worship. Vibhuti, Rudrxi, and Mantra are the

articles required for the worship of Guru, Linga and Jangama. Padaodaka and Prasada are

the fruits of worship. As has already been noted, God Himself in the human form of

Guru, bestows the Ishtalinga on the devotee, and guides him till the end. Linga means the

Ishtalinga which is a symbol of the Ultimate Reality which is infinite, imperceptible, and

beyond compare. Its other names are Laya, Shunya, Para Shiva, Sarva Shunya,

Niralamba, etc. As the saying—“Linga embodies the whole world” goes, all things

animate and inanimate dwell in It. In the end, all things merge in It. It is an incarnation of

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what is supposed to be ’existence-consciousness-bliss’. Surprisingly, this has been

endorsed by modern science also.

Our sun is a star. Nine planets revolve round it. The sun is 9.3crore miles away

from us. The planet Pluto which is the farthest of all the planets is 367 crore miles away

from the sun. Such a star is but a tiny member of our milky way, which from one to the

other is one crore light years distance wide(one light year is approximately 600,000

crores miles distance) In our milky way, there are fifty –five thousand crores of stars.

Such milky ways are one thousand crores. They move from one place to another with

lightning speed. The farthest milky way from us is fifteen hundred crores light years

away. This is what we learn from astronomy. Beyond that it is Shunya, a big Shunya! All

worlds are situated in this Shunya. According to science, it is a dynamic Void, an abode

of enormous power. This itself is :Linga, and it is infinite; it is existence-consciousness-

bliss. Guru bestows on the devotee the Linga which is a symbol of such a vast bright

body. The devotees worship this with a very firm faith. Whatever moves is Jangama.

Jangama is an incarnation of spiritualism. He is a symbol of the whole dynamic Void.

Like Guru, Jangama too is Para Shiva Himself in human form. He is a walking god on

earth, a Virakta. He does not dwell at one fixed place. He keeps on moving from village

to village, from twon to town. His Kayaka is instructing and guiding spiritual

practitioners in their pursuit. He puts them to test, and corrects them, whenever they go

wrong. If Guru is a teacher, Jangama is an examiner. Bhaktas should offer him out of

whatever they earn through their pious, pure and true Kayakas. This becomes Jangama

dasoha. Basavanna and other Sharanas gave importance to Jangama Dasoha. Jangma is

the main support for spiritual pursuit.

“Linga is the source, Jangama is without beginning.

If you serve that Jangama, you get bliss, O Sir!

Jangama is Guru’s Guru, Supreme Guru,

Says Kudal Sangayya’s Vachana.” (B.V., V.1046)

Jangama is not just an individual. He represents an eternal principle which is

without beginning and which is the source for both Linga and Guru. Jangama Dasoha is

service to all living beings. Also it includes service to Guru and Linga.. In fact, Guru and

Linga’s satisfaction lies in Jangama’s satisfaction, and Jangama is very Linga’s mouth..

The term Jangama in its wider sense means society, state, nation etc. Not only that, all

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creatures, as noted already, come within the compass of Jangama. Serving and wishing

the good of all is truly Jangama Dasoha. As has already been said repeatedly, Guru, Linga

and Jangama are different aspects of one and the same principle. Therefore, we should

offer the triple—body, mind (heart) and wealth to the triple—Guru, Linga and Jangama.

Basavanna’s following Vachana says the same thing

Offering your body, you should

Endear yourself to Guru;

Offering your heart, you should

Endear yourself to Linga;

Offering your wealth, you should

Endear yourself to Jangama…

Lord Kudala Sangama loves not

Those who, without these three

Beat hard the kettle drum

And worship a mere sign.” (V.B., V.206)

The water in which the feet of Guru and Jangama are washed becomes holy

Padodaka. Both these being incarnations of spiritual perfection , their spiritual power

abiding in their Brahma randras flows through their nerves to their feet, and it further

flows into Padodaka through their feet. The devotee should get his body and mind

sanctified by sipping this Padodaka. By drinking that Padodaka the devotee’s body and

mind are pervaded with Guru-Jangama’s spiritual power. Likewise, the water in which

the Ishtalinga is bathed becomes Linga-Padodaka. Linga being the treasure of spiritual

power, Its spiritual power is collected in the Linga-Padodaka also. When Guru and

Jangama are actually with us, it becomes easy to obtain their Padodaka. This practice is

called Sahajacharane, that is,routine natural practice. In their absence,invoking Guru and

Jangama principles in the Ishtalinga, if we take the water in which the Ishtalinga is bathed

, it becomes Guru-Linga- Jangama Padodaka. This also is called Sahajacharane. When by

worshipping the feet of Guru or Jangama, their Padodaka is taken, by further bathing the

Ishtalinga in that holy water, it becomes Karanatirtha, that is, the water graced by Guru,

Linga and Jangama. The whole process of obtaining Padodaka is called Padapuja.

Virashaivas first perform the Padapuja of Guru, Linga and Jangama, and sanctify their

houses by sprinkling the holy water through out their houses and sanctify themselves by

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sprinkling the same holy water over their bodies before commencing any of their

auspicious functions.

The food we eat is Padartha. When it is offered to Guru, Linga and Jangama, it

becomes Prasada. Prasada is of three kinds. –that which is offered to the Guru is Shuddha

Prasada, that which is offered to the Linga is Siddha Prasada; and that which is offered to

the Jangama is Prasiddha Prasada. :

They talk of the Prasada: what is it?

The pure Prasada is Linga’s, and

The perfect Prasada is Jangama’s,

And Guru’s is the renowned.

O Kudala Sangama Lord,

Let me know those for whom

These three are one!” (V.B., V.790)

Whatever Padartha it be, to offer it first to Guru, Linga and Jangama and then

eating it is the right practice. By doing so we should make our body also Prasada Kaya.,

that is, a sanctified and blessed body.

Vibhuti represents Para Shiva’s divine light. By wearing this, both body and mind

become pure. Likewise, Rudraxi represents Para Shiva’s divine eye. By wearing this, one

gets divine knowledge. Both these are good for health. The devotee should recite the

sacred six-litter spell—‘Om Namah Shivaya’. The Guru whispers this into the disciple’s

ears at the time of bestowing the Ishtalinga on him. This is the primeval Mantra. It, being

an incarnation of Para Shiva, is more powerful than any other spell. The glory of this

Mantra must be heard from Basavanna only:

“Om Namah Shivaya’—

Short of this spell the Veda stays!

‘Om Namah Shivaya’—

Short of this spell theShastra stays!

‘Om Namah Shivaya’—

Short of the Tarka stays!

Ignorant of Shiva’s essence, the world

Is troubled with thought.

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Since Lord Kudala Sangama upraised

A sweeper, they can make no more

Distinctions between caste and caste!” (V.B., V.81)

In this way a devotee should proceed on his spiritual path, wearing the coat of

mail of the eight-fold discipline.

The Five-fold Discipline ( Panchachara):

Lingachara, Shivachara, Sadachara, Bhrityachara and Ganachara come under

Panchachara. Thses are the codes of conduct, both religious and social. The Chitkale of

the devotee gets itself worshipped in the form of Ishtalinga, Pranalinga and Bhavalinga.

The heart is the Ishtalinga, the Brahmarandra is the Bhavalinga.The Ishtalinga is a symbol

of the Pranalinga Therefore, worshipping these Lingas amounts to worshipping one’s

own divinity abiding in one’s own self. Keeping aside the Ishtalinga bestowed by Guru,

we should not worship the Sthavaralinga or any other gods. Worshipping any other God

than the Ishtalinga amounts to committing a sin as bad as prostitution. Just as to a faithful

wife, there is only one husband, to a true devotee also there is only one God, and his God

is his Ishtalinga. As he has been wedded to the Ishtalinga, he should be loyal to the

Ishtalinga only. This is Lingachara

Those who wear the Ishtalinga are the incarnation of Shiva. Discrimination

between one person and another will not do. The Ishtalinga, thus, becomes a symbol of

equality. They are not to be discriminated against on the basis of caste, gender or

profession. All are members of one family. This is Shivachara.

A devotee should do his Kayaka with purity of heart. As Aydakki Marayya said,

Kayaka done with truthfulness and purity of heart becomes a sort of worship, hence a

doorway to Kailas. He should do Jangama Dasoha with the money earned from Kayaka.

The money earned by no other means than Kayaka will be suitable for Jangama Dasoha.

Jangama’s satisfaction is as good as Linga’s satisfaction. Therefore, Jangama Dasoha

becomes a vital part of the Sharana religion. This is called Sadachara.

Getting a sense of humility on the part of a devotee, that is, feeling that none in

the society is smaller is Bhrityachara. Basavanna became a model to others by practicing

this discipline:

“A lesser man than I

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No, there is none;

Greater than Shiva’s devotees

No, there is none.

Witness Thy feet

Witness my mind::

This is a test for me ,

Lord Kudala Sangama (V.B.,V.334)

Because of this Bhrityabhava, which is humility, the sense of distinction between

one and another disappears, and a feeling of equality and harmony prevails. Defending

one’s own religion against the invasion other religions is Ganachara. One’s religion

should be protected at any cost, even at the cost one’s life, against other religions. Thus

these Panchcharas are not only the religious and social codes of conduct but also the basic

principles of organization of the Sharana community. Thus Shatsthala , Ashtavarana and

Panchacharaa form the three integral parts of Virashaiva constitution. If the Ashtavarana

is the body of Virashaivism, the Paanchachara its breath and the Shatsthala its soul. The

spiritual practitioner himself becomes Para Shiva Himself by attaining the Supreme

spiritual state called Aikya.

Thus the principles conceived by Basavanna through his farsight, came to be

practiced by the Sharanas; and when they were discussed at the Anubhava Mantapa, they

became a doctrine finally.

Religious Rituals (Samskaras):

Various rituals in the Vedic religion had become a means of exploitation of the

common people by the high-born Brahmins. The public groaned under the tyranny of the

priestly class. Basavanna simplified all the religious rites and reduced their number also

by removing most of those that seemed unnecessary. They may be briefly explained as

follows:

Linga Diksha for the womb:

It was laid down that the baby in the womb of a pregnant woman should be given

the Linga Diksha rite(samskara). This should be done in the eighth month of pregnancy.

The pregnant woman should be given a Linga in the name the child in her womb, which

she should wear on her body along with her own already worn on her body. The same

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Linga meant for the child in the womb should be tied to the baby born at the time of

naming it. Also the Guru whispers into the baby’s ears the sacred six-letter spell. The

Linga initiation for the new born baby takes place irrespective of the gender of the baby,

be it male, be it female. In the fifth month of pregnancy a function called Simanta is

arranged, if it happens to be the first pregnancy. At this function, Guru-Jangama and all

the relatives gather to bless the pregnant woman, giving her gifts of saree and blouse

piece and wish her happiness and safe delivery.

Anugraha Diksha or Ayyachara:

This Diksha is given to a child at the age of eight. The child’s bond with the

Linga becomes strong and he or she become pure by being purged of the triple impurity.

Because of this samskara the flesh becomes divinized. This Diksha is given to all

irrespective of gender. For this, a small pandal is erected, and it is decorated with leaves,

flowers and buntings. The Guru, by laying his hand on the disciple’s head draws out the

light of his/her intellect( Chitkale) and gives the Bhavalinga to the causal body, the

Pranalinga to the subtle body and the Ishtalinga to the gross body. The Guru distills the

disciple’s intellectual power (Chitkale) into the Ishtalinga and tells him/her to wear It

always on his/her body and to worship regularly. Then the newly initiated one, offering

fruits and betel leaves to the Guru, falls prostrate to his feet. This marks the beginning of

the disciple’s march on the spiritual path. Chennabasavanna in one of his Vachanas

speaks of 21 types of Diksha :

“Purging the disciple’s body of Anava, Maya and Karmika impurities

The Guru gives seven types of instruction

Like Ajnadiksha, Upamadiksha

Swastikarohana diksha, Kalashabhishekadiksha,

VibhutiPatta, Lingayata and Lingaswayata to the body;

Another seven types of instruction like

Samaya, Nissamsara, Nirvana,

Tatvadiksha, Adhyatma, Anugraha,

Shuddhvidye to the Prana (life-breath);

And yet another seven types of instruction like

Ekagrachitta, Dridhavrata, Panchendriyarpita,

Ahimse, Manolaya, Sadyopnmukti to the heart.

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This type of instruction is Sahajadiksha

In Kudala Chenna Sangayya.”

Marriage Ceremony:

Marriage ceremony is both social and religious in its implication. The Sharanas

have simplified the marriage mode. To put it in the words of Chennabsavanna,

“On the occasion of the marriage of a Linga devotee,

It is proper to invite and feed

All the cohorts of Shiva, and

In their august presence

To perform the marriage.

If you follow the practice of the worldly people

Such as looking for auspicious week, day and month,

You distance yourself from true devotee,

O Lord Kudal Chennasanga!”

Virashaivas should perform marriage without looking for auspicious week , day,

star etc.; without consulting horoscopes and without following the Vedic rituals, in the

presence of the cohorts of Shiva and obtain their blessings. After the wedding procedure

is over, all the cohorts of Shiva and the Sharanas should be fed. This is a brief mode of

Virashaiva nuptials.

Funeral Rite:

The final rite meant for a Virashaiva is funeral rite. The Linga devotees do not

die. A person who has lived the life of a Sharana himself becomes a Linga. Therefore,

the death of the body is not an occasion to mourn. As he has become Linga by serving

Guru, Linga and Jangama, his death is celebrated as a festive occasion .The body of the

Sharana who has united with Linga, will be interred in the earth with due rites. The grave

is called Samadhi. It is believed that the dead is not dead, but is in the meditative state

only. Therefore, resting the body in the puja posture, it is worshipped, and his Ishtalinga

is put into his mouth. Thus a Sharana ends the journey of his mundane life ultimately

uniting with the Linga.

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On that occasion , the officiating Guru recites the final message the dead has for

the living, and bidding him not return to the earth again as he has become Linga, offers

him a handful of flowers and leaves , and others also do the same . The body made of the

five elements becomes one with them. As a mark of this, all the Sharanas gathered pay

their tribute by offering three handfuls of soil.

When it is certain that a person is going to breathe his last, a rite called Vibhuti

Vilaya is performed. It is actually a farewell function in honour of the dying person, in

which Guru, Jangama and all the relatives participate. The Sharana is made to worship the

feet of the Guru, and in the presence of the Guru he is made to worship his Linga. This

brief rite is followed by Dasoha. Shortly after this, as expected the Sharana breathes his

last and unites with Linga. This is an ideal concept of death conceived by Virashaivas;

Moreover, Sharanas do not believe in the impurities attending birth and death.

They declared that there are no impurities whatsoever for Virashaivas. This was discussed

at the Anubhava Mantapa. The considered opinion of the Sharanas regarding impurities

is reflected in one of the Vachanas of Chennabasavanna:

“Do not listen to the words of Anacharis

Who say eating and wearing clothes comes under Shivachara,

And arranging a match for marriage comes under Kulachara.

Arranging a match, regarding

All Shiva devotees, including the high-born Vipra and

The low-born untouchable,

As one is Sadachara, and

All else is Anachara.

If you ask why, the reason is:

It’s like looking for the black in a crystal pot,

It’s like looking for the bitter in sweets;

If he says it’s impurity of menstruation,

And it’s impurity of leavings,

For him there is no Guru, no Linga,

No Jangama and no Tirtha-Prasada.

Unless he sheds these five impurities,

He can not become a Bhakta.

Arranging a match for marriage

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Among these Bhaktas is Sadacharaa,

O Lord Kudal Chennasanga!”

In addition to these rites, ten more rites, including the first night rite, the rite of

removing the hair of a child in the third year, the rite of commencing learning in the fifth

year etc., are in practice. Only the salient ones among them have been explained here.

Thus under the presidential supervision of Lord Prabhu, Basavanna and other

Shranas finalized the draft constitution of Virashaivism, and the important rites to be

followed by Virashaivas.

The Spreading of the Doctrine through Virashaiva Mathas:

The Sharanas who took part in the discourses at the Anubhava Mantapa used to

express their views through Vachanas. After a detailed presentation and a heated

discussion of a Vachana , the Anubhava Mzantpa was to put its seal of approval on it.

Then it would go into the holdings of the Vachana library maintained by

Vachanabhandari Shantarasa. Thus a vast body of Vachana literature dealing with

religious, economic, social, cultural and literary aspects of life came to be composed ,

written and preserved in a systematic manner. The Vachanas containing the essence of

Virashaiva doctrine became a huge compendium of principles of Virashaivism., and

grew so much in quantity and quality that they came to be regarded as holy scriptures.

Indeed, they are virtually Virashaiva sriptures. These Vachanas are at once Shastras,

Siddhantas and literature. It was arranged to reach these excellent and unfailing ideas to

each and every village and town through local religious institutions called Mathas

(Virashaiva monasteries). It was done in a systematic way. Hence it was possible to

spread the Sahranas’ views so fast among the people and to redeem them through them.

While this important work was in progress, Lord Prabhu intended touring round

the country. Although Basavanna, Chennabasavanna and other Sharnas were against this

sudden decision of Lord Prabhu, they could not dissuade him from undertaking a round

the country tour. Lord Prabhu, starting from Kalyana, visited as many as sixty-eight holy

places, including Ponnambalanatha, Rameshwara, Dakshina Samudra, Mahabaleshwara,

Someshwara of Sourashtra, etc. Wherever he went, he met true devotees, righteous ones,

those engaged in the worship of Shivalinga, those who had faith in Shivadhyana and

Shiva Prasada, and those who were rich in non-dualistic( Monistic ) mystic experience,

and held mystic discourses with them, and made them all liberated persons while living

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(Jeenmuktas). Later, he bent his step towards the holy places in the north India. Touring

round the country, he reached Kedara in the Himalyas and visited other one lakh twent-

yfive thousand holy places in the Himalayan region, and finally sat for meditation in one

of the biggest caves there. While he was in deep meditation, he was able to see and

embrace through his Yogic power and in the light of his glorious knowledge,

innumerable Brahma’s Eggs. Thus spending twelve years in meditation, when Lord

Prabhu came out of his meditative state, the thought of returning to Kalyana occurred to

him. By then, Lord Prabhu had scaled the highest peak of perfection in Shivayoga, and

had, thereby, become Para Shiva Himself.

Lord Prabhu’s ascending the Throne of the Void:

Here at Kalyana, Basavanna, having got the Shunya Simhasana made , awaited

the arrival of Lord Prabhu. It was a throne meant only for those who had attained

perfection in Shivayoga. Though Shunyasimhasana is a metaphor for the concept of

Shivayoga and perfection in Shivayoga, , a brain-child of Basavanna, there are proofs that

such a throne was actually constructed. Hadapada Appanna’s following Vachan bears out

this fact:

With mosaic stone of eight-petalled lotus-flower

A bright whit structure was raised

For the Throne of the Absolute,

Of moonstone built,

If you open and look through the western door,

Strange is the view,

A single pillar made

Of the one pointed will; thereto

A light wherein numerous pictures lodge;

In that splendour, upon the crown

Called Brahmarandra, strings

Made from five kinds of pearls

Are let droop, and between corner and corner

Tassels of nine gems are tied.

Over it goes a black cloth

Tying all around festoons of rustling leaves

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And harmonizing the ten airs into one,

Allaying the air of divine joy,

Making the stilled air into a pillow;

Making joy into a square seat for spring;

Making the tones resounding in the nine nerves

Sweet to parrot, cuckoo, bee;

Spreading mango-sprouts soft to the touch

Which is the highest peace,

Making a loop-hole of the northern door,

A flight of steps of early yoga

And a real threshold of the western door,

Built cloisters of the seven vices,

And the five senses,

And cancelled greed and lust of flesh,

Making an upper floor of the upward wheel,

Lighting the lamps of sun and moon,

Setting a golden pinnacle of the Great Light

Over the dome of self-awareness,

My supreme Guru Basavanna built

A throne of the Absolute,

The Void of voids, for ever still

In Lord Basavapriya Kudala Cennasanaga. ( S.S. V, ch.xvii, V.26)

Although the description of the Shunya Simhasana is figurative, with symbolic

overtones, the fact that Basavanna actually got built such a marvelous throne built, and

that Lord Prabhu who ascended it started the Virakta tradition is a historical

fact.Basavanna after having constructed such a rare throne, waited for the arrival of Lord

Prabhu for 12 years.

Lord Prabhu appears in a very grotesque form. None could recognize him. But

Basavanna rightly recognizes the splendour of Lord Prabhu hidden behind the grotesque

form clad in tattered clothes:

“With tousled head and staggering gait,

A bump upon his brow, his wink less gaze

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Upon the image on the palm,

All notion of the outer world was lost;

His eyebrow gashed as if somebody’s hard blow

Had struck him;

Staring eyes

And lacerated ears;

Dripping with oozing, stream of blood,

And spattered with wind-blown dust and rain;

Weals on his back;

His left side bare and bruised;

Scratched over with thorns; his arm pit cleft;

As those that watched beheld him thus,

They were aghast;

An unclad wretch,

His hunches dripping smutty filth

Emaciated with hunger….

A perfect cripple with a cruised hip—

Lo, Chennabasavanna! How soiled

Lord Kudala Sangayya’s outward form,

How strange! Behold a sight

That’s awful to the eyes!” (S.S.V, ch. xvii, V.48)

Basavanna receives Lord Prabhu with immense pleasure, gives him a clean wash,

and washing his feet with holy water, prays him to ascend the throne. Then Lord Prabhu

ascends the throne, while lamps wee being waved amidst shows of joy, as described in

the following Vachan by Hadapada Appanna:

“He turned to the right,

Bending his head, he went with measured gait,

Through the courtyard’s northern door.

Though the western entrance, which itself

Was the white hall

The loose-haired sovereign Guru,

God Kalideva

Mounted the throne of the Absolute

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With the access.” (S.S.V, ch. xviii, V.2)

Basavanna worships Lord Prabhu with sincere devotion coupled with supreme

joy, singing and dancing and swaying to and fro. But the orthodox Jangamas of Kalyana

do not like it. When most of them were worthy of ascending the throne, Basavanna had

done that honour to a Jangama well-versed in black art, think those jealous Jangamas, The

angry Jangamas, beating the gong in the face of both Basavanna and Lord Prabhu, go

away.

After Lord Prabhu’s feet-worship (Pada Puja0 is over, Basvana extends invitation

to all the Jangamas for Dasoha. But the angry Jangamas refuse to attend Dasoha. When

Basavanna reports this to Lord Prabhu, the latter says that if he is fed to his heart’s

content, all creatures in Nature will be satisfied and their hunger will be appeased. Then

commences Lord Prabhu’s feast. Lord Prabhu eats whatever is served as though the Void

swallows void. All the store of provisions in Basavanna’s Great House is exhausted. As

they bring and serve him food carrying it in various kinds of containers, like baskets, big

and small, winnowing fans, pots etc., he takes all in most surprising ways:

“… Where you look,

His mouths are as close together

As seeds you cast for sprouts,

Should you halt for a second, chaff,

Rice-water, broken grain and all

Are in a second gone!

When all the pious brethren bring

Each from his Matha food and serve

In a row

Seeing this marvelous feast,

My Supreme Teacher Sanganabasavanna,

Saying, ‘Make haste,

Exert yourselves in cooking food,

Revels with joy in

Lord Basavapriya Kudal Chennasanga”. (S.S.V, ch. xix, V.8)

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When Basavanna asks Soddala Bacharasa to furnish the account of ready food

and stock of provisions in his store Soddala gives the following details:

“Accountants , come and tell

The reckoning of the various grains in stock.

New millet: khandis sixty lakhs;

Rice: thirty lakhs; wheat: twelve;

Balck gram: two and thirty; thirty , the green;

And fifty, other several grains and beans;

Paddy of the latest harvest season,

Without count or measure…For the use

Of Mahadani Soddala’s feast,

Note down this much of ready articles,

O Sangana Basavanna. “ (S.S. V, ch. xix, V.14)

When articles that come to count were in a moment turned to food, and it was

served up without count, before it could be seen, it was consumed. Then, should you care

to count, it is beyond the power of mind. Lord Prabhui is eating as if the heavens had

gaped a mouth! When Lord Prabhu’s hunger could not be satisfied, Basavanna did not

know what to do further. Then Chennabasavavnna suggests that Basavanna should offer

himself as the main course, and he himself as a side dish. It was wrong on the part of

Basavanna to arrange for Lord Prabhu’s feast with great pride. Nothing offered with pride

could appease Lord Prabhu’s hunger. Then Basavanna acts according to

Chennabasavanna’s suggestion:

“When wealth is spent out, I offer my body;

When body’s spent out, I offer my mind;

When mind is spent out, I offer my will;

When will is spent out, I offer will-lessness;

O Kudala Sangama Lord, since

Chennabasavanna became my trusty kin,

I’ll be united and, all dedicate to Thee,

Be purified.” (S.S.V, ch. xix,V.25)

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Chennabasavanna, too, requests Lord Prabhu to forgive Basavanna and be

gracious enough to accept both of them:

“…….

I serve into Thy plate

Basavanna as main, me the side dish.

Partake of the feast, O Kudala Chenna Sanga!” ( S.S.V, Ch. xix, V.29)

The Guru is the main course, and the disciple the side dish:

“Basavnna is the main dish, the side dish O,

Eat, then, with good cheer, O Prabhu!” (S.S.V, ch. xix, V.33)

Then Lord Prabhu is pleased immensely; and he blesses all the Sharanas present

there. When the angry Jangamas come to know all this, they feel as though their belly is

full. Admitting their fault, they praise Basavanna’s devotion and Lord Prabhu’s glory.

Once again mystic discourses commence under the Chairmanship of Lord Prabhu.

All the Sharanas applaud Basavanna’s great effort in instituting the Anubhava Mantapa.

Lord Prabhu, too, praises Basavanna as follows:

Whichever you look,

Behold a creeper: Basavanna!

You pick it up, and lo! A cluster: the Linga!

Pick it up, and Oh,

The juice of love that brims in it!

Who is there who can make it

Into a myrabolan?

Who is there who can make it shine

Outwardly, and blazon forth?

Because Guru Basavanna made clear

The origin of Linga on my palm, through you,

I’ve known the stature of Guheshwaralinga,

All other worlds on worlds appear

As paltry atoms in my eyes! (S.S.V, ch.,xx, V13)

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Mysterious, indeed, is the relationship between Lord Prabhu and Basavanna. It is

a riddle. If Basavanna does Lord Prabhu the honour of Guru state, Lord Prabhu admits

Basavanna as the master who showed him the Ultimate State of the Linga..

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VII THE GREAT REVOLUTION OF KALYANA

An incident takes place while the mystic discourses at the Anubhava Mantapa are

going on smoothly. All the Sharanas have assimilated the socio-religious principles

framed by Basavanna. They have been practicing them sincerely. Haralayya, a cobbler by

profession, is a great Sharana who has digested thoroughly the Virashaiva doctrine, which

is based on the principle of equality. In the previous stage of his life he was an

untouchable. All the Sharanas of the Anubhava Mantapa respect him as one who has firm

faith in Virashaaivism and is sworn to defend Virashaivism at any cost.

Harayya has been seeing Basavanna every day at the Anubhava Mantapa He

has infinite faith in Basavanna. So he wants to meet him and talk to from close quarters

at the latter’s Great House. When he broaches this topic to his wife Kalyani, she suggests

that he may meet Basavanna on the way to the Great House while going home after the

day’s work at his office is over, instead of trying to meet him when he is busy at the

Anubhava Mantapa. Haralayya accepts her suggestion, and accordingly, he stands by the

regal road side, awaiting the arrival of Basavanna. When he sights Basavanna coming

nearer, he gets ready to greet him , and when Basavanna comes near the spot where he is

standing, he greets him once saying ,” Hail to Basavanna !” Then immediately

recognizing Haralayya, Basavanna reciprocates the greeting in his usual humble way,” O

Sharana Haralayya, Hail, O hail!”, and passes. On being greeted twice in return to his

one greeting, Haralayya feels deeply indebted to Basavanna. He thinks that Basavanna

has made him a miserable sinner by his over modest behavior towards him. So feeling

penitent, he decides in consultation with his wife to repay the debt by presenting

Basavanna a pair of slippers prepared with the leather of both their laps. Haralayya skins

his right lap, and his wife Kalyani skins her left lap, and both together prepare a rare pair

of slippers for Basavanna. When Haralayya goes to the Great House to present the

slippers made of human leather, Basavanna welcomes him with hospitality, and enquires

him of his welfare as if he were his close relative. Then Haralayya placing the shining

slippers before Basavanna, begs of him to accept them. Lo! Basavanna, on seeing the rare

pair of sippers with divine glory, he says, “ Good God, I am not worthy of this gift.. So I

dare not step into them. The Shivasharanas are greater than Lord Shiva . They should be

offered to Shiva only.” With these words Basavanna, placing them on his head, begins to

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dance with joy. Now Haralayya finds himself in a more difficult situation, when

Basavanna , instead of stepping into the slippers , keeps them on his own head. So

Haralayya prays Basavanna to show him a way out of this crisis and save him. Then

Basavanna suggests that they had better be offered to Lord Shiva only and worshipped.

While returning home with the packet of slippers with a heavy heart, Harayya

meets on the way Madhuvaras, one of King Bijjala’s ministers, who, out of curiosity, asks

him to show what he is carrying in his hands. Haralayya narrates in detail what has

happened, which surprises Madhuvarasa to a great extent. He knows that Basavanna is a

great mystic. He has heard all the Sharanas prays him as one next to Shiva in divinity.

More over, he is Bijjala’s Chief Minister. Madhuvarasa is an orthodox Brahmin.

Although he does not accept all the views of Basavanna , in the heart of his hearts he

admires what Basavanna has been propounding.: greatness of Shiva and devotion to Siva.

Also the ideas that are being discussed daily at the Anubhava Mantapa must have greatly

impressed him. He knows that Haralaayya is not an ordinary Sharana. If Basavanna, who

is supposed to be in divinity next to Lord Shiva too has not stepped into them, he thinks

that there must something mysterious about them. Knowledge dawning on him, his

respect for both increases. The more he thinks about the specialty of the unique slippers,

the more endearing and more close do Basavanna and Haralayya become to him. The

word of Basavanna—that the Shivasharanas are greater than Shiva and that the

Shivasharanas are of uncommon nature—come to his mind, and he too wants to join the

fold of Shiavasharanas by undergoing the Linga initiation rite.. When he informs

Basavanna of his decision, with pleasure does Basavanna bestow Linga on him, and

admits him into the Sharana fold forthwith. From then onwards, Madhuvarasa becomes a

devoted follower of Basavanna.

Madhuvaras’s spiritual pursuit in the form of Shivayoga continues with

remarkable speed: he starts composing Vachanas. Now he has become a very close friend

of Haralayya. He feels greatly indebted to Haralayya, as it is through Haraallayya’s grace

that he has become a Shivasharana. Haralayy’s son Shilavanta is a Shivasharana like his

father. Moreover, he is a very good portrait painter. Madhuvarasas’s only daughter

Lavanya, too, becomes a member of the Anubhava Mantapa by undergoing the rite of

Linga initiation . She likes Shilavanta’s art . Also Shilavanta’s gentle nature and righteous

Sharana conduct touch her heart. Shilavanta also is enamoured of Lavanya because of her

charming looks and endearing qualities of her head and heart. Thus friendship turns into

chaste love. Reading the heart desires of the two intimate friends, Madhuvarasa and

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Haralayya think of binding them fast together with the thread of marriage, and of

becoming blood relatives thereby. When Madhuvarasa broaches this subject to

Haralayya, the latter first hesitates a little. But later when Madhuvarasa says that a

Sharana should not look for caste in another Sharana, and that unless castes mix and

intermingle harmoniously there is no future for mankind and no possibility of lasting

peace and joy, he accepts Maduvarasa’s suggestion. Also Madhuvarasa says that the time

to translate the Shrana principle of forging inter-caste bonds has come, and that they

should march ahead with courage. Then they approach Basavanna and apprise him of the

developments between their children, and also their decision to seal their love with the

bond of marriage. On hearing this, Basavanna’s joy knows no bounds, for he had not

thought that his faith in Shivachara would bear fruit so soon. All the Sharanas of the

Anubhava Mantapa also give their approval very happily. But Lord Prabu alone cautions

them no to make haste in this matter. However, he too approves of the match and blesses

them heartily. The marriage of Shilavanta and Lavanya takes place in a simple Sharana

manner..

The Sharanas exult in the success they have got for their principles. But there is

agitation among the orthodox Barahmins, and they raise a hue and cry against the inter-

caste marriage. Foreseeing, through his divine vision, the imminent calamity, resulting

from this historic event, Lord Prabhu, addressing the Sharanas at time of the divine

discourse at the Anubhava Mantapa , says,:” The purpose for which you came to this

earth has been fulfilled, and all of you have attained the Aikya state through your spiritual

pursuits. Now it is high time you

united with the Linga.” He also tells them to leave Kalyana at once and go to

suitable places to unite with the Linga.:

“Our time has lapsed: parting is all

That’s left. Hear me, Basavanna,

The Real is one with the Reality,

In Kalyana, the true Shaaranas

Can be no more; go you, and join

Lord Sanga at Kappadi; go,

Chennabasavanna , attain Reality

At Uluve; and you Madivalayya,

Unite yourself with the Great Light .

132

Soddala Bacharasa, with all the Saints,

Should in space less trance attain the Truth.

Go, penetrate your way into Linga who can.

Proceed to Kailas with your body of flesh,

For me the final peace must be

To enter the plantain grove and there unite

With the Absolute….This is

For all of you Guheswaralinga’s behest.” (S.S.V, ch.xxi, V.1)

Thus Lord Prabhu , foreseeing through his divine vision the turbulent situation

arising out of the inter-caste marriage that binds Madhuvarasa and Haralayya with

kinship, informing all the Sharanas of Guheshwara’s command, sets out towards

Shrisahaila. By this time Akkamahadevi has already gone to Shrihaila to unite with the

Ultimate Reality in the plantain grove.

The wrathful orthodox persons discuss the matter with Manchanna. This event

offers a golden opportunity to Manchanna who had been waiting for an opportunity to

bring Basavanna down from the office of the Chief Minister by making serious

allegations against him. Basavanna’s time also had lapsed. All the anti-Basavanna forces

join together in painting the inter-caste marriage as an unforgivable sin, and accordingly

make an allegation to Bijjala. They succeed in convincing Bijjala that Basavanna had

committed a heinous crime against the Varnashrama Dharma and that it is the duty of the

King to protect it. They urge Bijjala to hold an inquiry into the matter and to punish the

guilty, failing which there will be tumultuous situation, affecting awfully the peace and

order in the kingdom. They also bring home to Bijjala the point that, if those who are

responsible the inter-caste marriage are not suppressed, it amounts to committing

treachery to the subjects.

So far Bijjala had tolerated the anti-Varnashrama activities of Basavanna. This

event was the worst of anti-Varnashramic activities. Bijjala found himself in a fix for if he

took it lightly and ignored it, he feared that it might even shake his throne. At the same

time, it was not easy to ignore Basavanna’s service to the throne., for it was Basavanna

who was responsible for the glory of the Kalachuri reign. Haunted as he was by the fear

of the orthodox people’s turbulent agitation, he resolved to order an inquiry into the

event of the inter-caste marriage. Bijjala, calling Basavanna , explained to him the

delicacy of the situation and stated emphatically that Haralayya and Madhuvarasa had

133

committed breach of the Caste System, and that they deserved severe punishment.

Attending the court as per the King’s behest, both Haralayya and Madhuvarasa pleaded

innocence, for both of them belonged to the Sharana religion which did not come under

the Caste System, and that they had not committed any crime, as their children’s marriage

was not an inter-caste marriage. Also they said that the Sharana religion did not look for

caste in making a match for marriage. Moreover, it was a marriage arranged with mutual

consent of the boy and the girl. But Bijjala did not accept their view point. At that stage of

the enquiry, Basavanna, intervening, said that whosoever they be, once they underwent

the Linga initiation rite, their earlier castes ceased and they belonged to only caste, that is,

the Shiva caste, and that Haralayya and Madhuvarasa belonged to the Shiva caste, thereby

Basavanna meant that Haralayya ceased to be a cobbler and likewise, Madhuvarasa

ceased to be a Brahmin and therefore both were outside the frame of the orthodox Caste

System. Basavanna strongly argued that it was not at all an inter-caste marriage. But the

rival group held that just because of the Linga initiation, their previous castes did not

abandon them, but, in fact, they accompanied them wherever they went. Bijjala, too, said

to Basavanna in a hoarse voice,”It seems, O Basavana, the gall of Shivabhakti has gone to

your head. That is why you speak so”. Then Basavanna replied, ”Vishwamitra, who was a

Kshatriya by birth, became a Brahmarshi by making severe penance, and most of the

progenitors of the orthodox clans (Gotras) were not Brahmins by birth. They were low-

born persons, but became saints and sages by their conduct and character:

“Vyasa was a fisherman’s son,

Markandeya a Matangi’s;

Mandodari was a frog’s daughter!

Lo, do not look for a person’s caste!

What did you get by caste in the past?

Agastya was a Kabbila actually;

Durvasa, a shoe-maker;

Lo, the sage Koundinya,

As the three worlds know, was a cobbler!.

Says our Kudala Sanga:

“He alone is deemed well-born,

Who is Shiva’s devotee,

Though he be a Svapacha.” (C.E.V., V.29)

134

This argument of Basavanna appealed to Bijjala’s heart but his mind refused it.

His heart told him to be impartial and accept Basavanna’s argument, but his mind, that is,

intellect, urged him to reject it in order to keep his throne. Had Bijjala accepted

Basavanna’s argument, listening to his heart’s counseling , India’s history would have

been different altogether. Unfortunately, he did not listen to his heart’s promptings, and

the result was a historic tragedy. It was because of the conspiracy of the supporters of the

Caste System that such a tragedy took place. Bijjala adjudged Haralayya and

Madhuvarasa as criminals. He got their eyes put out and bad them be tied to the legs of

an elephant and dragged to death. Fearing that the situation would be still worse, if

Basavanna were in Kalyana at the time of giving capital punishment to Haralayya and

Madhuvarasa, the shrewd Bijjala had already sent him out of his kingdom. Anticipating

the imminent calamity, Basavanna said:

“Beauty and wealth and thoughts of kings

Do not endure, O man!

Lo, Kalyana is utterly destroyed!

For a single Jangama’s injury

The reign of the Chalukya king

Lay low and dropped into Thy skull-bowl,

O Kudala Sangama Lord!” (V.B., V.624)

Thus, deeply hurt in the heart, Basavanna had no other go but, leaving Kalyana for

good, to go to Kudala Sangama.

According to Basava Purana, Bijjala does not banish Basavanna. When the

capital punishment for Haralayya and Maduvarasa was announced, Basavanna himself, in

protest against the wrong judgment, lays down the office of the Chief Minister and goes

to Kudala Sangama immediately. He acts according to the dictates of the Ganachara,

which is not to stay where the censure of Shiva and treachery to Shivabhaktas take place.

It seems it is at that time that Basavanna , Basavanna says:

“Whatever tomorrow hath in store

For me, let come today;

And today’s share come at once:

Here is no coward heart!

135

Whatever is born, they say, must die:

It is not within the power

Of Hari or Brahma or the other gods to ‘scape

The writ our Lord Kudala Sangama

Has writ!” (V.B., V.696)

And further adds:

“Not I the man to serve

For wages;

I am not a servant at a time of need:

Not I a servant to take flight,

Hear me, Kudala Sangama Lord,

Death is to me

A solemn festival!” (V.B., V.698)

And also emphatically says:

“One must be, Sir,

Even as a weapon in warrior’s hand:

If he plays pranks with it

Until the bones show out,

One needs must bear it, Sir,

Lord Kudala Sangama loves him

Who in the field,

When, head torn off, his headless trunk

Drops on the ground, cries out!” (V.B., V.763)

Such a brave Basavanna might not have gone away, accepting defeat. As B.

Puttaswamy presents in his novel Kranti Kalyana, Basavanna seems to have been

banished by Bijjala. Some later writers seem to endorse this very view.

Bijjala’s expectation deceives him. After the departure of Basavanna, the capital

punishment given to Haralayya and Madhuvarasa gives rise to a turbulent situation in

Kalyana. The Shivasharanas’ anger bursts. As is ordered by Basavanna in Basava Purana

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”Kidnapping that traitor, glorify the truth”, Jagadeva, Molla and Bomma together

assassinate Bijjala.

But it is difficult to believe that Basavanna, who was compassion incarnate, bad

Jagadeva kill Bijjala. It is only a figment of Purana writers’ imagination. As

B.Puttaswamy depicts in his novel mentioned above, it was due to the conspiracy

hatched by Baijjala’s enemies that he becomes a victim, and the relatives of the last of the

Chalukya emperors, particularly Jagadeva, Molla and Bomma are the main conspirators,

who, having killed Bijjala themselves, put the blame on the innocent Sharanas. Dr H.

Tipperudraswamy too in his novel Kartarana Kammata endorsees the same opinion.

But what no less a scholar than B.G.L. Swamy says is altogether different. He

holds that Bijjala died of the fatal wound received in the battle field. His article entitled–

‘On the death of Kalachuri Bijjala II ‘, appeared in the Basva Journal of June 1988.Its

Kannada version by Dr. H. Chandrashekhar appeared in the October issue of Basava

Patha According to B.G.L Swamy’s findings, Bijjala II, who was reigning supreme in

Kalyana during Basavnna’s time, was an extremely ambitious person. He used to wage

wars against the neighbouring kings in order to extend the boundary of his kingdom. In

his incessant endeavour to expand his empire he would sometimes win, and, at times,

lose wars. But the one he fought against the Rajendra Chola of Venginadu in 1167 at

Lakoti became his last one The great revolution of Kalyana also took place in the same

year. So it is concluded that Bijjala must have breathed his last in the battle field only, or

fatally wounded in the battle, he might have died off the battle field after reaching

Kalyana .and after having handed over the reigns of the kingdom to his son Sovideva. At

the same time and in the same battle, his right-hand man Chaunda too was killed (He is

Bijjala’s son-in-law. He was known as Aliya Bijjala) As a proof for this, the researchers

quote Mantane’s Keyur Behu Charitam in Telugu, Takka Va Kapa Prani and Narala

Charitam poems in Tamila , and the inscriptions of Sorab (AP Ka O, Soraba 277) and

other inscriptions.

Finally, on the basis of these proofs, as Virashaiva Puranas and other popular

writings ascertain, it may be concluded that the difference of opinion between Basavanna

and Bijjala was not, but the political developments of the time were, the cause of the

latter’s assassination.

If we take this as the cause of Baijjala’s assassination, how to establish any

responsible link between the capitala punishment given to Haralayya and Madhuvarasa

and Bijjala’s death?

137

The marriage of Shilavanta and Lavnya must have been solemnized earlier than

Bijjala’s going to war. . No doubt, by then he might have received the allegation of

having arranged the inter-caste marriage made against Basavanna and others concerned.

After having assigned the task of holding an enquiry in the matter and attending to the

necessary things related to the enquiry to his son Sovideva , he might have left for war.

Dr. H.Tipperudraswamy writes with some proof in his Kartarana kammata ( page 734)

that the enquiry task was assigned entirely to Sovideva. It might have been a

coincidence that Bijjala breathed his. last on the battle ground just when the capital

punishment of Elehute was being given to Haralayya nd Madhuvarasa.. Bijjala’s political

enemies and the ant-Sharna group of the orthodox Brahmins might have twisted the fact

out of proportion to their own advantage and put the blame on the Sharanas and held

them responsible for Bijjala’s assassination and subsequent bloodshed in Kalyana. The

fact that Sivideva knew well that the Sharanas were not responsible for his fathre’s death

has been upheld in Kartarana Kammata. Knowing the truth of the event, Sovideva had

instigated the orthodox people and set a small unit of his army under the command of

Madhava Nayaka after the Sharanas who, carrying the bundle of Vachana manuscripts

,had set out under the leadership of Chennabasavanna to Ulave.

138

VIII BASAVANNA’S UNITING WITH THE LINGA

Haralayya and Madhuvarasa, who were given the capital punishment, became

martyrs to the cause of the inter-caste marriage arranged in the age in which still the

Caste System was very much honoured. The news of subseqwuent assassination of

Bijjla and the blame of that being put on the Sharnas reaches Basavanna through

Hadapada Appnna. The undeserved death punishment meted out to Haralayya and

Madhuvarasa on the one hand, and the tragic assassination of Bijjala on the other ,

disturb the peace of Basavanna.’s mind. Despite the differences in the matters of

religious and social reformation between Bijjala and Basavanna , their bond of mutual

love and trust was unique and unbreakable. Not knowing the truth underlyiong

Bijjala’s assassination, Basavanna writhes in pain. More over, he felt proud of Haralayya

and Maduvarasa for having become martyrs to the cause of the Sharana religion, but the

way they were brutally killed agitated his mind. As Lord Prabhu has foretold him, he

thinks that his time has lapsed and decides to invite death , that is , to die of his own will.

Then he remembers Gangambike and Nilambike who stood by him always and strove

hard to translate his ideals into action. Gangambike was brave, and well-versed in, martial

arts. She was brave enough to wield any weapon to fight under any circumstance. But

Nilambike was tender-hearted and soft, and a little introvert too. Thinking that it may not

be possible for her to brave the odds besetting soldiers , he sends Hadapada Appanna to

bring Nilambike to Kudala Sangama., informing her of his decision to unite with Lord

Kudala Sangama. Nilambike is surprised at Basavanna’s behaviour. She asks Hadapada

Appanna: “Why should I go to Kudala Sangama to unite with the Linga.? Is not Lord

Sangma who is in Kudala Sangama where I am?”

“Behold, behold, behold, behold, behold O Linga!

Behold the sport Basavanna makes!

Although he tells me to go there,

Is he not Sangayya here?

Is it a virtue for a great wise soul

To nurse the dual doubt of here and there? (1)

139

Along with all the Bhaktas of the world

The gracious Guru’s hidden in my hand.

If I would harden my resolve and join

Is not this thing my Lord Sangamanatha (2)

Greeting with lifted unreluctant hands

The message of Sangana Basavanna,

I say, ‘This is Sangamanatha Himself and merge

Within the Linga on my palm!: (3) (S.S.V, p.379)

Nilambike sends Appanna back with this message. When Basavanna hears this

message he feels that it was time for him to unite with the Linga. So he says,

“Upon the soil of piety

Sprouted Guru, the seed,

And Linga, the leaf, was born;

Then Thought came for the flower,

And Deed for tender fruit,

And knowledge for the ripened one

And when the fruit of knowledge broke

Loose from the stalk and fell,

Look, Kudala Sangama, wanting it Himself

Gathered it up.” (V.B., V.525)

Thus saying to himself and realizing what fruitful life he has led, gazing upon

the Linga on the palm, following the principle of fire and camphor, as water mingles with

water , milk with milk, indivisibly, Basavanna becomes one with the Universal Soul.

Uniting with the Ultimate Reality by undoing the seam between Kaya and Jiva is

the Shivayoga way. It is a secret of Yoga. Lord Prabhu explains this secret in one of his

Vachanas as follows:

“Unless the sense of flesh is lost,

You cannot lose the sense of self.

Unless the sense of self is shed,

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You cannot wield your piety;

Without control of piety,

Enlightenment will not emerge;

Unless this Light shall raise its head,

The Appearance will not disappear,

Unless appearance disappear,

Illusions veil will not be drawn.

Unless you possess the key

To rip the seam of body and self,

O Siddharmayya,

You will not be able to realize

Guheshwaralinga. (S.S., ch.iii. V.106)

Thus Lord Prabhu says that the Real is possible to attain only if one understands

how the secret of the bond between body and soul is broken. Basavanna knew the secret

of Shivayoga. Following the same order, Basavanna merged in the Universal Soul. A

divine light spreading around Basvanna’s body indicated that he had united himself with

the Linga.

After having sent word to Basavanna through Hadapada Appnna, that she would

unite with the Linga where she was, that is, at Kalyana, her heart, however, longed to

meet Basavanna .Informing the Sharaanas of her desire, she immediately left Kalyana for

Kudala Sangama. That being the month of Shravana during which heavy rains caused all

streams and rivers to flow in full spate, the Krishna river was in full spate. It was not

possible for Nilambike to cross the river and reach Kudala Sangama which was on the

other side of the river. In the mean while, the news of Basavanna’s Lingaikya reached

Nilambike through some Sharana, and that was a bolt from the blue. Then she exclaimed

“O Guru who made me realize

The joy of my desire; you who destroyed

All things unreal, fancy-born,

Where did you hide? O Guru who transformed

Both joy and sorrow to one form,

Where did you hide, O Sangayya’s Guru,

Basava?” (S.S.V, ch. xxi,V.50)

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Soon sitting on the bank of the Krishna river, focusing her vision on the Ishtalinga

Nilambike united with her husband, ripping the seam of her body and self. The place

where she attained Lingaikya is called Rakkasa Tangadagi, where a temple is built over

her Samadhi and her statue is installed. The temple with the statue of Nilambike inside is

still there, and it is one of the holy places in Karnataka.

The news of both Basavanna and Nilambike’s attaining Lingaikya reached

Kalyana. Each of the Sharanas who had come in close contact with Basavanna eulogized

Basavanna in his or her way, and bewailed the loss. Basavanna had lost his parents when

he was still a boy. It was his sister Nagalambike who had looked after him as a mother

would look after her son. At Kudala Sangama, he grew under the loving care of his sister.

Later when he went to Mangalawede and Kalyana, Nagallambike followed him, stood by

him in his spiritual pursuits, and she was his solid support in whatever novel reformative

projects he undertook to redeem common people. Nagalambike ‘s loss was irreparable.

Overwhelmed with sorrow, she gave vent to her sorrow as follows:

“Basavanna when you came down earth,

Devotion’s crop spread everywhere!

Who knows, O brother, how great it is,

The harvest of your piety, on earth,

In heaven and in hell? If you have joined

Linga because the mission you were sent for

By the moon-holder is complete,

Devotion is gone with you!

The innumerable ones are gone with you!

O brother! The Great House of this earth

Is emptied now, Basavanna!

Alas! You have gone, leaving me behind,

O incarnation of five alchemies,

Basavanna! You went away

As Pranalinga to

Basavapriya Lord Chenna Sanga,

Sangana Basavanna!” (S.S.V, ch. xxi, V.62)

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Chennabasvanna was trained in Basavanna’s school only. Still none could equal,

let alone surpass, him in Virashaiva lore. He was born a perfect being . “The babe, born

today, attained manhood today!” exclaimed Basavanna as soon as Chennabasavanna was

born. But Chennabasavanna always regarded Basavanna as his Guru. Chennabasavanna

thought whatever he did , did with Basavanna’s grace. Moreover, Basavanna had looked

after Chennabasavanna as his own son with love and affection. Basavanna’s passing away

caused untold sorrow even to such an enlightened person:

“You showed that Linga is Jangama

And Jangama Linga, O true Guru, Basavanna;

And then you joined the Absolute!

You proved Prasada to be body, and

Body Prasdada in all my limbs, and then

Making me what I am you went ahead,

Basava! Establishing within the heart

That Linga is Prana, and Prana Linga,

And making me like you,

You vanished out of form, Basavanna,

In the Great Linga!

Dissolving my mind in the Great Principle,

You disappeared, O Basavanna,

Made one with the Absolute!

When, feeding with the grace

That was bestowed and left,

And giving her a form, you lodged

Mother Nagayi in your heart,

My mind dissolved and swooned

Within your feet.

O Sangana Basvanna, that you may be

The carrier of the purest light

To Kudala Chenna Sangayya,

You have become the impartite!” (SS. V, ch.xxi, V.64)

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Madivala Machayya, a devoted follower of Basavana beyond compare, praises

Basavanna full-throatedly. Praise howsomuch he may Basvana, there is no satisfaction for

him. He played a heroic role in making Basavanna’s total revolution a grand success by

girding his loins to support Basavanna right from the beginning. He was a gallant

Sharana. Despite his infinite devotion to Basavanna, he would at times put him to test in

order to open his eyes to the reality of situatuations. Basavanna’s passing away caused

him unbearable sorrow. His parting from Basavanna was as good as parting from his

own kith and kin dear to his life. So he bewailed the death of Basavanna as follows:

“You have indeed gone, alas!

Basavanna,

Tearing the garment that you wore!

Doffing the shoes you wore, you went,

Basavanna!

Loosening the braid, you went, Basavanna!

Slipping your bournes and bonds, you went,

Basavanna!

Not touching what you did for Linga, you

Went off, holding in your hand

What you did for Jangama, Basavanna!

You went off wearing the Light, as if

Dissolved to Void, Basavanna!

O Lord Kalideva, show me the path

To follow Basavanna!” (S.S. ch. xxi, V.72)

Thus many Sharanas praised Basavanna’s unique personality and bewailed their

bereavement. This was not mere mourning for the death of an ordinary man, it was the

mourning for the passing away of a great soul. From this we come to know about

Basavanna’s prismatic personality.

Before ripping the seam of his body and soul, Basavanna had a message for the

Saharanas of Kalyana that their conduct should never bring discredit to the Sharana path,

and that it was their bounden duty to protect the precious treasure of Vachana

manuscripts at any cost and under any circumstance.

144

At Kalyana, the orthodox people urged Sovideva to besiege the Anubha Mantapa.

But he Sharanas, getting scent of the attack had already left the Anubhava Mantpa

through the Kalyana gate. Thinking that the thick forest might give them timely shelter ,

they bent their steps towards Ulave. Under the leadership of Madhava Nayaka,

Sovideva’s army chased the Sharanas. All along the way, the Sharnas fought several

pitched battles as well as casual encounters. Gangambike, fighting fiercely at a place

called Mugatakhana Hubballi, which is now in Belgaum district, died a heroic death.

Madivala Machayya also died a heroic death at Godachi which is in Belgaum district. At

Kakkeri which is also in Belgaum district, Dohara Kakkayya became a martyr.

Akkangamma had been guiding and supervising the battle arrangements. When the

Sharanas reached Ulave, Nuliya Chandayya, Kinnari Bommayya and several other

Sharanas were with Chennabasavanna and Akkanagamma. Sovideva’s army rushed

there also and tried to attack them but in vain. Kinnari Baommayya, by stemming the

flow of a small river towards the Great House of Ulave, protected the Saharnaas from the

attack mounted by Sovideva’s army. Once again the Sharaanas resumed their activities of

the Maha Mane ( Great House) such as Kayaka, Dasoha and mystic discourses. But

Chennabasavanna was not his usual self. He became an introvert, and when the Sharanas

were still in need of his guidance, the seam of his body and soul being undone, he united

with the Absolute. His was also like Basavanna’s a case of icchamarana, that is, inviting

death of his own will. Chennabasavanna’s death caused an irreparable loss as well as an

inexpressible pain to Akkanagmma. She expressed her bereavement and sorrow as

follows:

“Sir, I am an orphan,

Alas! Should they take away my crutches?

Sir, do the devotees pull the rope of a young calf?

Do they take him away

Even as I cry, ‘Alas, alas!’

O Basavannapriya Kudala Cahennasangayya” ( V.W.S., V..703)

After the passing away of Chennabasavanna, the Sharanas left with

Akkanagamma were Nuliya Chandayya and Rudraamuni. They thought of going far into

the forest near Tarikere in Chikkamagaluru district in order to protect the Vachana

manuscripts. They built a Matha on the bank of the Enne river, and preserved the

145

Vachana manuscripts there. Had not Akkanagamma not ventured to save the

manuscripts, there would have been no trace of the Sharana movement at all. The entire

credit of preserving the Sharana literature and culture goes to Akkangamma.

Akkanagamma united with the Linga at a village near Chikkajajuru. Thus with the

passing away of Akkanagamma into the Great Void a remarkable epoch in the history of

Kannada literature and Lingayata religion, begun with Basavanna, came to an end.

Although the Sharana epoch ended then the light it lit in the hearts of the countless

common people, mostly low-born ones, is still burning bright and guiding the pilgrims

on the path of spiritual pursuit.

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CONCLUSION

Basavanna’s was a multifaceted personality. He was an epoch-maker, a treasure-

trove of devotion, a great mystic, a founder of a religion, a social reformer, a visionary, a

free thinker, a socialist of a rare type, and a redeemer of the backward and depressed

classes. He gave the common people a mouth to eat Prasada and a tongue to speak out

their feelings. He lifted up the woman kind that had been for ages a victim of multiple

exploitation. He provided for the women status and dignity in society. He started a new

genre in Kannada literature. The full-fledged Vachana form perfected by Basavanna

could express any subtle idea in an easy language and a simple style. It became a

convenient carrier for his revolutionary thoughts. Upholding labour, he spiritualized it.

Through Kayaka –Dasoha , he founded a community of equality on the basis of

spirituality. In order to solve political, economic and social problems, he had a religious

and spiritual key. He awakened the dormant divinity in each and every individual in

order to abolish untouchability and to usher in equality. On the social plane, he sowed the

seed of rationality in the minds of people by weeding out the deep-rooted superstition,

and thereby caused their personalities to develop fully. He re-fashioned Lingayata

religion on the bases of the human values which were lost sight of, and the scientific and

spiritual outlooks which were totally new in those days. Possessing a unique peerless

personality, Basavanna brought about the total revolution embracing all the aspects of

life. Being unique in all respects, Basavanna is second to none. His conduct and thoughts

are relevant even to this day.

---0----

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

KANNADA

1. Samagra Vachana Samputa 1—15, ( Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara, Govt. of

Karntaka, Bangalore)

2. Gulura Siddhaviranar Prabhudervara Shunya Sampadane –Ed. Prof.

S.S.Busnoormath.

3. Kartarana Kammata (a novel): Dr. Tipperudraswamy.

4. Kranti Kalyana ( a novel) : B.Puttaswamayya.

5. Harihrana Basavarajadevara Ragale: Ed. H.Devirappa.

6. Bhimakaviya Basava Purans : Ed. H. Devirappa.

7. Sinigrajana Amala Basavaraja Charita : Ed. H. Devirappa.

ENGLISH

1. Sri Basaveshwara ( A Commemoration Volume, 1967), Govt. of Mysore

(Karnataka)

2. Shunya Sampadane Vols. I—V

Translators Vol. I :Dr. S.C. Nandimath

Prof Armando Menezes

Dr. R.C. Hiremath

Vol. II :Prof. S.S. Bhoosnurmath

Prof. Armando Menezes

Vol. III :Prof. S.S. Bhoosnurmath

Prof. Armando Menezes

Vol. IV :Prof. S.S. Bhooswnurmath

Prof. Armando Manezes

Vol. V : Dr. M. S. Sunkapur

Prof. Armando Menezes

(Prasaranga Karnataka Univversity , Dharwad )

3. The Caste Eradication Vachanas of Shri Basaveshwara : Tr. Dr. C.R.

Yaravintelimath (Shri Basveshwara Peetha, Karnataka University, Dharwad)

148

4. Vacanas of Women Saints : Tr. Dr. C.R. Yaravintelimath ( Basava Samithi,

Bangalore)

5. Vacanas of Basavanna: Tr.s Prof. Armando Menezes and S.M. Angadi ( Annana

Balagas, Sirigere)

6. Heaven of Equality : Tr.s Dr. C.R.Yaravintelimath and Dr. M. M. Kalburgi (Shri

Basaveshwara Peetha, Karnatak University, Dharwad)

7. Life, Legacy and Lyrics of Devara Dasimayya : Tr. C.S. Bennur (Veerashaiva

Samaja of North America)

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