Basava

Born 1134 CE Basavana Bagewadi in Bijapur district, Karnataka, India Died 1196 CE Kudalasangama, Karnataka, India Philosophy Vachana Sahitya Literary works Vachanaas

Quotation Work is Worship Mystic, Saint, Philosopher, Statesman, Founder of Lingayatism a religious sect in Karnataka

Basavanna is called Vishwaguru due to the fact that he is the first ever to know the practicality of transcending to Godliness and demonstrated the technique of becoming God through around 800 Sharanas (disciples). Basavanna is Vishwaguru due to the fact that only he universalised the concept of path of becoming God through four levels of divinity that exists in one's own body- Unmanifest Chaitanya(Guru), Manifest ChaitanyaShakti(Linga), Consciousness of the manifest chaitanya-shakti in Prana( Jangama), and the Individual consciousness(Jeevatma/Mind). Basavanna taught Sharanas the technique of transcending mind with ones own prana through a process of Ishtalinga , Pranalinga and Bhavalinga sadhana and confirmed the world that anybody in the world , irrespective of caste, creed, merit, nationality, etc., can transcend and become God by being in union with Prana. So far only he is the only person on record to demonstrate the feasible path of transcedence to a very common man. His followers in 12th century became Sharanas just by following his technique of being with prana and evolving through. One can witness his ability to

understand spirituality as it is , and practice the specifics to the extent that about 800 sharanas wrote their experiences which converged into what is detailed by ancient texts - Vedas, Upanishads, Darshanas, Geetha, Puranas in terms of the devata conscious elemenets in the Body itself. Having understood the spirituality and its apt application,Basavanna is just more than what anybody and everybody understands as. He was the founder of Lingayatism. But this theory, however, fails to explain why A man who struggled to remove the caste system and how can he found another CASTE, RELIGION or DHARMA. The study of Chalukya inscriptions indicates that rather than founding a new sect he in fact revived an existing one. He is popularly called as Vishwa Guru(Teacher of the World) and Bhakti-Bhandari(Champion of Devotion). His teachings and preachings which are universal, go beyond all boundaries of belief systems. He was a great humanitarian and preached a new way of life wherein the divine experience being the center of life regardless of gender, belief, tradition, religion, caste or social status. The key aspect of his preaching is monotheistic concept of God. A true visionary with ideas ahead of his time; he envisioned a society that flourished enriching one and all. He was a great mystic of his time and originated a literary revolution through his literary creation called Vachana Sahitya. He was a mystic by temperament, an idealist by choice, a statesman by profession: as he was the Prime Minister of the Southern Kalachuri Empire in South India, a man of letters by taste, a humanist by sympathy, and a social reformer by conviction. Many great yogis and mystics of his time joined his movement enriching it with the essence of divine experience in the form of Vachanas. Basava spread social awareness through his poetry known as Vachanaas. These are rational and progressive social thoughts coupled with established perception of God in Hindu society. "Brahminical thought" interpret the Vachanaas as essence of Vedic knowledge while attempting to explain the social revolution, Basava was able to bring in. But this theory, however, fails to explain why other well known religious leaders like Shankaracharya and Madhaacharya, who were very well acquainted with Vedic knowledge did not address the issues, that Basava did in later part of the history in 12th century. Basava, like Gautama Buddha, did not preach people the intricate aspects of spirituality; but, he taught people how to live happily in a rational social order later came to be known as Sharana movement.

Basava fought against the inhuman practice of caste system, which discriminated people based on their birth, and certain rituals in Hinduism. He spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas. These are rational and progressive social thoughts coupled with established perception of God in Hindu society.

Poems written by Basava

The rich will make temples for Shiva. What shall I, a poor man, do? My legs are pillars, The body the shrine, The head a cupola of gold. Listen, O lord Kudal Sangama deva (lord of joining place) Things standing shall fall, But the moving ever shall stay The power of knowledge destroys ignorance; The power of light dissipates darkness; The power of truth is foe of all untruth; The sharana's experience of god is the sole cure of worldliness; - Lord Kudala Sangamadeva Don't rob, Don't kill, Never ever lie Don't get angry, Don't think negative about others Don't self describe, Don't tease others This is the way of self respect, this is the way to get respected by the world. This is the way of impressing my lord Kudala sangama deva. The words spoken (by me) are full of ambrosia of (Your Holy) Name ! The eyes are enriched with the vision of Your Form ! The mind is full of Your thoughts ! The ears are filled with Your Glory ! Oh Lord of kudala sangama, in Your Feet lotus, I am there as a bee ! For the water (pond) water-lily is the charm; For the ocean tides are the charm; For the woman character is the charm; For the sky moon is the charm; For foreheads of the refugees (devotees) of the Lord of kudala sangama, the holy ash is the charm. By the power of knowledge, is the destruction of ignorance, You see. By the power of light, is the destruction of darkness, You see. By the power of truth, is the destruction of falsehood, You see. By the power of parusha stone, is the destruction of iron, You see. By the experience of the refugees of Lord of kudala sangama, is the destruction of my birth cycle, You see.

Don't make (me) think, "Who is this man ? Who is this man ? Who is this man ?" Make (me) think, "This is our man. This is our man. This is our man." Oh the Deity of kudala sangama, make (me) think that "I am a son of Your house." (The ownership of) my ill-being and well-being is Yours. (The ownership of) my decay and growth is Yours. (The ownership of) my dignity and disrespect is also Yours. For the creeper is the fruit a load ? Oh Lord of kudala sangama The vessel used for eating is not a different bronze and the mirror is not made of different bronze. Material is the same; Nature is the same; When polished it shines as the mirror. If realizes (s/he) is a sharana; If forgotten then (ordinary) human being. (So) worship without forgetting the One in kudala sangama To wipe off hundreds of crores of sins, isn't one uttarance of the name of shiva enough ? isn't one uttarance of the name of hara enough ? Oh the Divine of kudalasangama, when You have put Your bull (cow) symbol (on me) ! Not digressing here and there, make me a lame person, my Father ! Not letting sight around and away, make me blind, my Father ! Not letting hear something else, make me deaf, my Father ! Other than Your refugee's feet, keep not getting dragged into anything else, Oh the Divine of kudalasangama !! Spanning across the world, spanning across the sky, spanning even beyond is Your pervading Form! End of pathala is Your Feet! End of the Universe is Your Crown! Oh Intelligible, Imperceptible, Incomparable, Immeasureable Symbol of God (Linga)! Oh the Divine at kudala Sangama! You have become so simple in my palm! Can the elephants say goad is inferior (small)? Shouldn't. Can the mountains say crow-bar is inferior? Shouldn't. Can the darkness say light is small? Shouldn't Can the forgetfulness say the mind with Your memory is small? Shouldn't, oh Lord of Kudalasangama. Those who have build Shiva temples. What can I do, a poor fellow? My leg is the pillar, body is the sanctum, head is the golden tower! Oh Lord of Kudalasangama!

There is end to the installed, but no end to the mobile (temple)! When the sharana (one who has surrendered to God) goes to sleep, it is chanting, you see! When the sharana gets up and baths, it is shivaratri, you see! However sharana moves is purifying, you see! Whatever sharana states is shivatattva, you see! The very body of the sharana of the Lord Kudalasangama is the Kailasa, you see!! Why should we get angry with those who got angry with us? What do we get out of it? What do they lose? Anger of the body is detrimental to our larger body. Anger of the mind is detrimental to the wisdom. The fire that caught inside the house, unless burns that house will not burn the neighbour's house. Oh Lord Kudalasangamadeva!! Oh Lord! When You are Formless, I carried You as a vehicle called wisdom; Oh Lord! When You are dancing, I carried You as a vehicle called fervor; Oh Lord! When You take form, I carried You as a vehicle called bull; Oh Lord! When You came to destroy my births as Jangama, I carried You as a vehicle called devotee. Oh Kudalasangamadeva!