Basaveshwara
Basaveshwara, also known as Basavanna, was a 12th-century CE Indian statesman, philosopher, poet, social reformer and Lingayat saint in the Shiva-focussed bhakti movement, and a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya/Kalachuri dynasty.
Basavanna—The Light of the World
One of the religions in India which stands apart and yet, co-exists harmoniously with other religions is the religion of the Lingayaths, founded and propagated by the 12th century poet, saint and reformer, Basavanna. Lingayaths now constitute a majoritarian community in the state of Karnataka. However, majoritarian pride or braggadociousness does not characterise the community as its culture, heritage and religious philosophy is moulded by the preaching of Basavanna. He led such a religious and reformist movement in India in the 12th century that it exploded newer, radical ideas to reform and transform Indian societies which were mired in deep-rooted discriminatory practices and traditions based on casteism, class elitism and gender prejudices
Basavanna was primarily a rebel and revolutionary who opposed dogmatic and conservative Brahminical beliefs of his times. Any dominant claim to spiritual and social leadership by any particular faith or religious order was put under sever interrogation by him. He proclaimed the significance of devotion to God and love amongst fellowbeings and made this dual concept (devotion and love) the sole basis of the edifice of a socio-religious philosophy. His teachings were addressed to all men and women alike. They were not restricted to a particular class or group. Social and religious equality was the very breath of Basavanna’s philosophy. He broke the monopoly of knowledge enshrined in Sanskrit and carried the steam of his thoughts to the doors of the ordinary men and women by speaking to them in their language. Vachana literature (prose poetic compositions of the 12th century) through which he propagated an egalitarian society is unique and it is in simple Kannada language. This literature contains his philosophy of society, religion, ethics and the ideals he stood for. Through this simple but profound literature, he inculcated in the common people a great sense of self-respect, courage, freedom, and brotherhood. He preached kindness to all living creatures and held that no religion would be worth the name without it.
A vachana by him substantiates this,
ದಯವಿಲ್ಲದ ಧರ್ಮವದೇವುದಯ್ಯ,
ದಯವೇ ಬೇಕು ಸರ್ವಪ್ರಾಣಿಗಳೆಲ್ಲರಲ್ಲಿ!
ದಯವೇ ಧರ್ಮದ ಮೂಲವಯ್ಯ.
ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಯ್ಯನಂತಲ್ಲದೊಲ್ಲ ಕಂಡಯ್ಯ.
What sort of religion can it be Without compassion?
Compassion needs must be, Towards all living things;
Compassion is the root Of all religious faith;
Lord Kudala Sanga does not care
For what is not like this
Basavanna’s teachings had an unfailing mass appeal and conversion took place on a large scale. Common people belonging to different faiths, castes and traditions joined the social movement of Basavanna. He was able to give to the common people a new outlook on life, which was denied to them by the conservative sections of society. Even today, the Lingayath religion is open to all kinds of people. There are many who are slowly but steadily attracted to Basavanna’s philosophy and religion.
Egalitarianism and a war against Casteism, the Crux of Basavanna’s Teachings
One of the social evils of India is casteism and the practices associated with it. Caste is a stigma which has retarded the minds of millions of Indians. Basavanna’s efforts to establish egalitarian and democratic society assume a significant place in India as he spoke against casteist practices and social inequality. His ideals disseminated a just and equal society. Many western and eastern scholars are pleasantly surprised to see similarities between the best ethical values of their religions and Basavanna’s ideas. As a well-known scholar J.M. Hondius states pithily, “the religious and social revolution Basava brought about can be compared with the religious and social reform Protestantism brought into Christianity much later”. This statement explicitly declares the universal qualities of Basavanna’s ideas.
Basavann heralded a new wave of spiritual upliftment of not only his followers but also of the people belonging to different classes and faiths. The priestly class and the princely class of his days kept the people under subjugation through casteism, fear, superstition and institutional jamboree, especially the culture of temple. Basavanna struck an axe on this culture of priesthood and temple, the fundamental cause of social and religious evils in India. One of his vachanas, translated by A.K. Ramanunam from Kannada, succinctly summarises his criticism of temple culture and advocacy of selfvalidation with humility,
ಉಳ್ಳವರು ಶಿವಾಲಯ ಮಾಡುವರು ನಾನೇನು ಮಾಡಲಿ ಬಡವನಯ್ಯಾ
ಎನ್ನ ಕಾಲೇ ಕಂಬ, ದೇಹವೇ ದೇಗುಲ, ಶಿರವೇ ಹೊನ್ನ ಕಳಸವಯ್ಯಾ
ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಾ ಕೇಳಯ್ಯಾ, ಸ್ಥಾವರಕ್ಕಳಿವುಂಟು ಜಂಗಮಕ್ಕಳಿವಿಲ್ಲ,
The rich will make temples for Siva, What shall I, a poor man, do?
My legs are pillars, the body the shrine,
the head a cupola of gold.
Listen, O Lord Kudala Sangama
Things standing shall fall,
But the moving ever shall stay.
This vachana criticises the haves and opens up the potentiality of the have-nots. It gives importance to ‘true devotion’ without ritualistic acrobatics. Numerous vachanas of Basavanna are insistent on establishing equal society for which individuals and their potentiality are suffice to realise unity with God without resorting to excessive ritualistic practices. Even today, the believers of Basavanna do not encourage temple culture and dogmatic rituals associated with it. They give importance to personalised devotion as preached by Basavanna.
“Work is Worship”:
The Ethos of Kayaka (work)
Basavanna did not believe in the reformation of society only through abstract religious or spiritual ideals. Unlike many philosophers, saints or preachers of the world who renounced mundane life and devoted it exclusively to mere preaching, Basavanna’s preaching moves beyond itself and advocates an honest and dedicated vocation, labour, work, duty or any employment as a means of self-realization. Unlike other religious faiths of India/world, he did not discard the worldly affairs and did not embrace abstract world of heaven or God. He sublimates the ethics of work to such a level that a person can realise oneness with God without priest or inflated rituals. ‘Work is worship’ is what Basavanna believed and propagated. Work with honesty and selflessness itself is godliness according to Basavanna. Any work, in this sense, is neither low nor high. He preached against hierarchisation of profession or labour. His fellow-contemporaries (Shiva Sharanas) and his followers belonged to all kinds of professions and communities. He promoted unity and equality of all classes and castes through the philosophy of work/labour. Some of the Shiva Sharanas who associated with Basavanna belonged different professions like Ambigara Chowdayya, Molige Marayya, Madara Chennayya, Hadapada Appanna, etc.
Reclaiming Womanhood:
Gender Equality
One of the manifold contributions of Basavanna is directed at rejuvenating the woman’s individuality and her rights in a tradition-ridden society. The ideal society envisaged by him in the 12th century was a significant step towards the emancipation of women. That was a time when women were treated as slaves and chattels. It was Basavanna who redeemed women from the traditional fetters and gave them an honourable existence. He founded Anubhava Mantapa, the forum for religious discussion and experience, with the intention of encouraging and debating religious, social and spiritual matters. The Mantapa had a good number of women as its members as well as men belonging to all kinds of castes and classes. Women were regarded as in no way inferior to men in spiritual matters. Akkamahadevi, Sule Sankavva, Neelambike, Gangambike, Aydakki Lakkamma, etc. are a few names to mention who participated in the debates.
Jagajyothi, the light of the World
The relevance of Basavanna and his thoughts for the contemporary world, which has been witnessing endless crisis socially and religiously, is paramount. Common men and women in India and the world look perplexed and frustrated at the turn of unfortunate events around. They show symptoms of gathering anger and indignation. At such crucial juncture and in the times of darkness, Basavanna holds light unto the world. He can guide us to ameliorate the problems and resolve the troubles plaguing us. It is high time that we start re-visiting the life and preaching of Basavanna to seek guidance, inspiration and light from his philosophy.
Vachanas
೧
ಅಂಕ ಕಂಡಾ, ಕೋಲಾಸೆ ಮತ್ತೇಕಯ್ಯಾ?
ಲೆಂಕ ಕಂಡಾ, ಪ್ರಾಣದಾಸೆ ಮತ್ತೇಕಯ್ಯಾ?
ಭಕ್ತ ಕಂಡಾ, ತನು ಮನ ಧನದಾಸೆ ಮತ್ತೇಕಯ್ಯಾ?
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಅಂಕೆಗೆ ಝಂಕೆಗೆ ಶಂಕಿತನಾದಡೆ
ಎನ್ನ ಲೆಂಕತನಕ್ಕೆ ಹಾನಿ,
ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಾ.
೨
ಅಂಕವೋಡಿದಡೆ ತೆತ್ತಿಗಂಗೆ ಭಂಗವಯ್ಯಾ,
ಕಾದಿ ಗೆಲಿಸಯ್ಯಾ ಎನ್ನನು.
ಕಾದಿ ಗೆಲಿಸಯ್ಯಾ ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಯ್ಯಾ,
ಎನ್ನ ತನು ಮನ ಧನದಲ್ಲಿ ವಂಚನೆಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ.
೩
ಅಂಗದ ಮೇಲಣ ಲಿಂಗ ಹಿಂಗಿ ಬಂದ ಸುಖವನಾರಿಗರ್ಪಿಸುವೆ?
ಹಿಂಗಲಾಗದು, ಭಕ್ತಿಪಥಕ್ಕೆ ಸಲ್ಲದಾಗಿ;
ಹಿಂಗಲಾಗದು, ಶರಣಪಥಕ್ಕೆ ಸಲ್ಲದಾಗಿ,
ಕೂಡಲ ಸಂಗಮದೇವರ ಹಿಂಗಿ ನುಂಗಿದುಗುಳು ಕಿಲ್ಪಿಷ,
೪
ಅಂಗದ ಮೇಲೆ ಲಿಂಗಸಾಹಿತ್ಯವಾದ ಬಳಿಕ
ಸ್ಥಾವರದೈವಕ್ಕೆರಗಲಾಗದು.
ತನ್ನ ಪುರುಷನ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಅನ್ಯಪುರುಷನ ಸಂಗ ಸಲ್ಲುವುದೇ?
ಕರಸ್ಥಲದ ದೇವನಿದ್ದಂತೆ
ಧರೆಯ ಮೇಲಣ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠೆಗೆರಗಿದಡೆ
ನರಕದಲ್ಲಿಕ್ಕುವ ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವ.
೫
ಅಂಗಯ್ಯ ಒಳಗಣ ಲಿಂಗವ ನೋಡುತ್ತ,
ಕಂಗಳು ಕಡೆಗೋಡಿವರಿಯುತ್ತ ಸುರಿಯುತ್ತೆ ಎಂದಿಪ್ಪೆನೋ?
ನೋಟವೆ ಪ್ರಾಣವಾಗಿ ಎಂದಿಪ್ಪೆನೊ?
ಕೂಟವೇ ಪ್ರಾಣವಾಗಿ ಎಂದಿಪ್ಪೆನೊ?
ಎನ್ನ ಅಂಗವಿಕಾರದ ಸಂಗವಳಿದು,
ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಯ್ಯಾ, ಲಿಂಗ ಲಿಂಗವೆನುತ್ತ.
೬
ಅಂಜಿದಡೆ ಮಾಣದು,
ಅಳುಕಿದಡೆ ಮಾಣದು,
ವಜ್ರಪಂಜರದೊಳಗಿದ್ದಡೆ ಮಾಣದು,
ತಪ್ಪದುವೋ ಲಲಾಟಲಿಖಿತ.
ಕಕ್ಕುಲತೆಗೆ ಬಂದಡೆ ಆಗದು ನೋಡಾ.
ಧೃತಿಗೆಟ್ಟು, ಮನ ಧಾತುಗೆಟ್ಟಡೆ ಅಪ್ಪುದು ತಪ್ಪದು,
ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಾ.
೭
ಅಂದಣವನೇರಿದ ಸೊಣಗನಂತೆ
ಕಂಡಡೆ ಬಿಡದು ತನ್ನ ಮುನ್ನಿನ ಸ್ವಭಾವವನು.
ಸುಡು, ಸುಡು, ಮನವಿದು ವಿಷಯಕ್ಕೆ ಹರಿವುದು,
ಮೃಡ ನಿಮ್ಮನನುದಿನ ನೆನೆಯಲೀಯದು.
ಎನ್ನೊಡೆಯ ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಾ
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಚರಣವ ನೆನೆವಂತೆ ಕರುಣಿಸು,
ಸೆರಗೊಡ್ಡಿ ಬೇಡುವೆ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ಧರ್ಮ.
೮
ಅಂದು ಇಂದು ಮತ್ತೊಂದೆನಬೇಡ,
ದಿನವಿಂದೇ ‘ಶಿವ ಶರಣೆಂಬವಂಗೆ,
ದಿನವಿಂದೇ ‘ಹರ ಶರಣೆಂಬವಂಗೆ,
ದಿನವಿಂದೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗನ ಮಾಣದೆ ನೆನೆವಂಗೆ.
1
Look,
being brave
why then crave for an arrow?
Being a vassal
why then hanker after life?
Being a bhakta
why then desire life, mind and wealth?
If I turn a doubter
when you restrain or chide me
it ruins my being your vassal Koodalasangamadeva.
2
A warrior’s flight
is master’s downfall.
Let me fight and make me win.
As there is no fraud in my body mind and wealth
make me win, Koodalasangamadevayya.
3
Who would I offer the pleasure without the linga?
It could not be,
as it is not proper for the bhakti path as it is not proper for the sharana path to be without linga.
The spit that is swallowed
without Koodalasangamadeva
is poisonous rust.
4
When the linga becomes a property on your body it is impossible to bow
to an installed god.
Would intercourse with another abandoning one’s own man
be propriety ?
Even as the god is your on palm
if you bow to one installed on the earth
Koodalasangamadeva will dump you in hell.
5
Looking at the linga within eyes brimful and tears flowing when would I be like this?
Sight becoming my life breath
union becoming my life breath
when would I be like this
erasing all my bodily passions and uttering
linga, linga Koodalasangayya?
6
Fearing would not rid it,
anxiety would not rid it,
lodging inside a diamond cage would not rid it, destiny’s writ would never swerve.
Look
being sentimental, losing fortitude,
losing mind’s strength, wouldn’t do.
That which must happen can never be missed Koodalasangamadeva.
7
Like the dog
that sits on the palanquin
can not rid itself of prior nature is this mind.
Shun it
shun this mind
it runs after passions
never lets me think of you lord, everyday.
My lord Koodalasangamadeva,
I beg you, with my hands folded
be compassionate so that I think of your feet.
8
Do not say
then or today or some other time.
Today is the day
for him that say I surrender to Shiva,
Today is the day
for him that say I surrender to Hara.
Today is the day
for him that thinks our Koodalasanga
without break.
