From: Krshna78 <paratpara11@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Subject: [shivayoga] Let us all Receive our blessings from MahaTapasvi Guru and Branko
To: Shivayoga@yahoogroups.com
Basava (also known as Basaveshwara (Kannada:ಬಸವೇಶ್ವರ) or Basavanna
(ಬಸವಣ್ಣ) 1134–1196) was a philosopher and a radical social reformer.
He for the first time, in the Hindu society, created an awareness on
discriminatory and exploitative nature of the prevailing social order
called as caste system. Hindu society was divided broadly in to four
categories Known as varnas viz; Brahmin, Vysya, Kshatriya and Sudra.
The sudras were subdivided in to touchables and untouchables; the
untouchables were treated in most inhuman way known to Humanity. He
fought against this practice of caste system and some rituals in the
Hindu society. He was single handedly responsible for putting in
place, a more egalitarian social order called Veerashaiva Dharma or
Lingayatha Dharma. He is also called as "Vishwa-guru". His teachings
and preachings go beyond all boundaries and are universal and
eternal. He was a great humanitarian. Basava advocated a new way of
life wherein the divine experience was the center of life giving
equal opportunity to all aspirants regardless of the gender, caste,
and social status. The cornerstone of his movement was the firm
belief in a universal God. Basava has a proponent of monotheistic
concept of God.
A true visionary with ideas ahead of his time, he envisioned a
society that flourished enriching one and all. In addition to being a
great mystic, Basava was the Prime Minister of the Southern Kalachuri
Empire in South India and originated a literary revolution by
introducing Vachana Sahitya. Basava is said to have been a mystic by
temperament, an idealist by choice, a statesman by profession, a man
of letters by taste, a humanist by sympathy, and a social reformer by
conviction. Many great yogis and mystics of the time joined his
movement enriching it with the essence of divine experience in the
form of Vachanas (Lit. sayings - rational hymns in Kannada) that gave
a rational view to Human living.
Basava's path later gave birth to a new religion (or "Sampradaya")
called Lingavanta Dharma or Lingayata. Other synonyms for lingayata
are: Basava Dharma, Sharana Dharma, Vachana Dharma.
Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 The Great Religious Development
3 Philosophy
4 Basavanna's Vachanas
5 Views on Basaveshwara today
6 Honours
7 References
8 See also
9 External links
[edit] Early life
It is believed that Basavanna was born into a Brahmin family residing
in a small town of Basavana Bagewadi in Bijapur district of northern
Karnataka,India in 1134 AD. Basava, said to have grown up in an
orthodox Hindu religious household.
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 Madhwacharya, 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 veerashaiva or Lingayatha
Dharma. Tragically and Unfortunately, the lingayatha or veerashaiva
dharma has turned out be another exploiting caste in Casteist Hindu
society, washing away the efforts of Basava. Basavanna has been
reduced to another deity though his revolutionary life was dedictaed
to abolish the caste system.
[edit] The Great Religious Development
He left Bagewadi and spent the next 12 years studying Sangameshwara,
at the then-Shaivite stronghold of Kudala Sangama. There, he
conversed with scholars and developed his spiritual and religious
views in association with his societal understanding. His views
included believing there is only one true, perfect God; additionally,
he created people who perform social services like removal of
untouchabilty, superstitiousness, confusions, temple culture, and
priesthoodness. He believed people who were in search of a false god
needed to be shown the right way. He preached equality among
humankind and condemned all barriers of caste, creed and sex,
fighting against the caste system. He is also known as Krantikari
(revolutionary) Basavanna for his revolution in the social system of
the 12th century.
Basava Statue in Bangalore
Kudala Sangama in Bagalkot district, where Basavanna's samadhi is
locatedBasava started his career as an accountant at Mangalaveda in
the court of Kalachuri king Bijjala, a feudatory of the Kalyani
Chalukya. When Bijjala acquired the power at Basavakalyana, by
overpowering Tailapa IV(the garandson of Vikaramaditya VI, the great
Chalukya king), Basavanna also went to Kalyana. With his honesty,
hardwork and visionary mission, Basava rose to the position of Prime
Minister in the court of king Bijjala, who ruled from 1157—1196 at
Kalyana (presently renamed as Basavakalyana). There, he established
the Anubhava Mantapa, a spiritual parliament to openly discuss
Lingayatism, which attracted many saints from throughout India. He
believed in the principle Kaayakave Kailasa one step ahead of
Ravindranath Tagore's 'work is worship'. It was at this time that the
Vachanas, simple and easy-to-understand poetic writings which
contained essential teachings, were written. Below is one of the
thousands of Vachanas that were produced:
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
Basava created much controversy by actively ignoring the societal
rules associated with the caste system, which he wished to abolish.
By allowing untouchables to have lunch at his residence and praising
the historic marriage of a Brahmin woman and an untouchable man,
Basava caused orthodox members of King Bijjala's court to go to the
King with such stories, some true and some false. Bijjala, afraid of
a possible uprising in orthodox society, ordered the newly married
couple to be harshly punished. Before punishing the couple Bijjala
asked Basava to agree with caste system; but Basava strongly opposed
caste system and said, both Haralayya and Madhuvaras were lingayats
and the rules of caste system of Vaidika Dharma are not applicable to
them. With Vaidik influence, Bijjala did not agree Basavanna's ideas;
and asked Basavanna to be silent and accept the punishment to couple
or leave Kalyana. The "Being punished" Danda-gonda Basavanna left
Kalyana with heavy heart and marched towards Kudala Sangama. He left
Kalyana in 1195 A.D. for Kudala Sangama and en route to Kudala
sangama, he preached the people about the humanity, morality,
honesty, simplicity, and the dignity of labour, equality among all
human beings, human rights etc. Being a perfect yogi he released the
bonds of the body and soul and took nirvana (Lingaikya) in the year
1196 in response to the call from Almighty.
[edit] Philosophy
Tha aikya linga of Basava at KudalasangamaBasava said that the roots
of social life are embedded not in the cream of the society but in
the scum of the society. It is his witty saying that the cow does not
give milk to him who sits on its back, but it gives milk to him who
squats at its feet. With his wide sympathy, he admitted high and low
alike into his fold. The Anubhava Mantapa established by Basava laid
down the foundation of social democracy. Basava believed that man
becomes great not by his birth but by his worth to the society. This
means faith in the dignity of man and the belief that a common man is
as good a part of society as a man of status.
He proclaimed that all members of the state are labourers: some may
be intellectual labourers and others may be manual labourers. He
placed practice before precept and his own life was of rigid
rectitude. Basava brought home to his countrymen the lesson of self-
purification. He tried to raise the moral level of the public life in
the country, and he insisted that the same rules of conduct applied
to the administrators as to the individual members of the society. He
also taught the dignity of manual labour by insisting on work as
worship. Every kind of manual labour, which was looked down upon by
people of high caste, should be looked upon with love and reverence,
he argued. Thus arts and crafts flourished, and a new foundation was
laid down in the history of the economics of the land.
Basava formed people's committees representing various vocations such
as agriculture, horticulture, tailoring, weaving, dyeing, and
carpentry. All vocations were regarded as of equal value and the
members belonged to all sorts of vocations. Thus Jedara Dasimayya was
a weaver, Shankar Dasimayya a tailor, Madival Machayya a washerman,
Myadar Ketayya a basket-maker, Kinnari Bommayya a goldsmith,
Vakkalmuddayya a farmer, Hadap Appanna a barber, Jedar Madanna a
soldier, Ganada Kannappa an oilman, Dohar Kakkayya a tanner, Mydar
Channayya a cobbler, and Ambigara Chowdayya a ferryman. There were
women followers such as Satyakka, Ramavve, and Somavve with their
respective vocations. The curious thing was that all these and many
more have sung the Vachanas (sayings) regarding their vocations in a
very suggestive imagery.
[edit] Basavanna's Vachanas
ullavaru shivalaya maaduvaru naanena maadali badavanayya,
enna kaale kamba dehave degula shirave honna kalashavayya
Koodala Sangama Deva kelayya sthavarakkalivuntu jangamakalivilla
transliterated as:
The rich would put up shrines; What could I, a poor man, do? My limbs
are pillars, the body the shrine,the head a cupola of gold; Listen, O
lord of the confluent streams; material constructs would perish;
while the evolving would persist.
The Lord of meeting rivers - his insignia of all his vachanas -
Kudalasangamadeva in Kannada.
[edit] Views on Basaveshwara today
The Times of India in its issue dated May 17, 1918 paid a glowing
tribute to Basava:
"It was the distinctive feature of his mission that while illustrious
religious and social reformers in India before him had each laid his
emphasis on one or other items of religion and social reform, either
subordinating more or less other items to it or ignoring them
altogether, Basava sketched and boldly tried to work out a large and
comprehensive programme of social reform with the elevation and
independence of womanhood as its guiding point. Neither social
conferences which are usually held in these days in several parts of
India, nor Indian social reformers, can improve upon that programme
as to the essentials. The present day social reformer in India is but
speaking the language and seeking to enforce the mind of Basava."
The movement initiated by Basava through Anubhava Mantapa became the
basis of a sect of love and faith. It gave rise to a system of ethics
and education at once simple and exalted. It sought to inspire ideals
of social and religious freedom, such as no previous faith of India
had done. In the medieval age which was characterized by inter-
communal jealousy, it helped to shed a ray of light and faith on the
homes and hearts of people. But the spirit soon disappeared after the
intermarriage that Basava facilitated came to an abrupt end when the
couple were punished for the same by the King. The dream of the
classless society was shaken and Basava soon realised the meek
picture and left for Kudala Sangama and a year later died. Many
believe that it was through self-annihilation, because of the agony
caused by the failure.
The movement gave a literature of considerable value in the
vernacular language of the country, the literature which attained the
dignity of a classical tongue. Its aim was the elimination of the
barriers of caste and to remove untouchability, raising the
untouchable to the equal of the high born. The sanctity of family
relations and the improvement in the status of womanhood were striven
for while at the same time the importance of rites and rituals, of
fasts and pilgrimages was reduced. It encouraged learning and
contemplation of God by means of love and faith. The excesses of
polytheism were deplored and the idea of monotheism was encouraged.
The movement tended, in many ways, to raise the nation generally to a
higher level of capacity both in thought and action. However, the
sect failed to bring about a completely classless society.
[edit] Honours
In honour of Basava, President of India Abdul Kalam inaugurated
Basaveshwar's statue on April 28, 2003 in the Parliament of India in
New Delhi.
Basaveshwara is the first Kannadiga in whose honour a commemorative
coin has been minted in recognition of his social reforms.The Prime
Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh was in Bangalore, the capital of
Karnataka to release the coins.
Basava's social reforms are the subject of the play Taledanda by
Girish Karnad. [1]
[edit] References
Prophets of Veershaivism by His Holiness Mahatapasvi Shri Kumarswami.
^ Taledanda translated in Hindi by Ram Gopal Bajaj and performed by
E.Alkaji (NSD rep) and Arvind Gaur (Asmita theatre group,1995)
[edit] See also
Bhakti movement
Kalachuri kingdom
Akka Mahadevi
Allama Prabhu
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