Saint Basavanna / Basaveshwar Jayanti

Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya , 1188-1224 Vikram Samvat ; 1131-1167 AD

During the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya dynasty of 12^th century, a Statesman, philosopher, poet, saint Basavanna took birth in Karnataka who advanced the Shiva-focused Bhakti movement, and social reforms in the form of Lingayat tradition

Basava Jayanti is a Hindu festival which is majorly celebrated by Lingayat sect of Hindu dharma in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra to honour the birthday of Lord Basavanna. It is a state holiday in all these states. Lord Basavanna was the founder of Lingayat sect and his birthday is pondered as the commencement of a new age, which is called Basavanna era or Basaveshwar era. As per the Hindu calendar, the birthday of Lord Basaveshwar usually falls on the Vaisakha Shukla Paksha Tritiya of Hindu Panchang. The date of Basava Jayanti keeps changing in Gregorian calendar year to year.

Key Points

• Whatever legend may say about Basava the fact is pretty clear that he was the first Indian free thinker. He might be called the Luther of India the acknowledge leadership of the priests was in full swing when Basava came upon the scene and there was a movement on foot to replace caste and priestly authority with intelligence and free thinking Basava a Shaivaite Brahmin, was in the camp of liberals. He mounted the rostrum for the abolition of caste and ceremonies and preached that all men by birth equal that one sex was important as another. That child marriage was wrong and widows should be permitted to re marry he promised the Lingayat’s the freedom of individual action. All wherever of divine Linga, where to occupy a common level. They were to eat together and intermarry.

-Arthor Miles (Land of Lingama, London 1933 P-iii)

• “We hold the Magna Carta in high esteeem and use it to quote on democratic principles. Much before Magna Carta and 700 years before Abhraham Lincoln propagated the same issues Basavana had mooted it,”

-Narendra Modi, The Prime Minister of India while unveiling the statue of Saint Basaveshwar in London

• Wherever there is any discussion on democracy and Constitution; examples of Western countries are quoted. But very few know that Basavaveshwara advocated democratic values and prepared the ground for gender equality and empowerment of women in the 12th century…… He created a model Parliament ‘Anubhava Mantap’ that had equal proportion of men and women, people from all socio- economic backgrounds and encouraged people to debate and discuss various issues.

-Narendra Modi, The Prime Minister of India

• “Basava’s aim was not to oppose or propose any religious or philosophical system; but to show people the existing social and religious evils and, if possible, to remove these evils from society”.

– “Rev. N. C. Sargent

• It has not been possible for me to practice all precepts of Basaveshwara which he taught 800 years ago and which he also practiced. Eradication of untouchability and dignity of labour were among his core precepts. One does not find even shades of casteism in him. Had he lived during our times, he would have been a saint worthy of worship”.

-Mahatma Gandhi on Basavanna at the Belgaum session of the Indian National Congress,1924

• Among the galaxy of eminent savant-saints of India. Lord Basaveshwara can legitimately claim a pride of place by virtue of his distinguish services in the field of Kannada literature and humanitarian activity. His saintly philosophical through embodied in the illustrious ‘Basava Vachanas’ has enriched Kannada poetry. The 12th century celebrations of lord Basaveshwara will, therefore, be hailed on a nationwide scale.

– Zakir Husain (former President of India)

• Basavanna was a great saint and social reformer and we should try not merely to express our appreciation of his valuable teaching but to put them into practice in our daily life”.

– S. Radha Krishnan (former President of India)

• Lord Basaveshwara is one of the great saints who heralded social change in mediaeval India. He stressed devotion and intellect. He expounded his profound ideas in the common speech, charged with power and beauty. He stressed the quality of man in the eyes of his maker”.

– Indira Gandhi (former Prime Minister)

• It is no exaggeration to say that message of Basava is like a reservoir into which all previous thoughts flowed in and from which all later thoughts flowed out. Kind like Buddha, simple like Mahaveera, gentle like Jesus, Bold like Mohammad. Basava strikes us as almost as a wonder of creation. But what attracts us almost to him are those teachings of his in which he anticipated the greatest of modern thinkers Karl marks & Mahatma Gandhi.

– K.S. Srikanthan

• 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 reformer, 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 pointing. Neither social conferences which are usually held in these days in several parts of India, nor Indian social reformers, an improve upon that programme as to essentials. The present day’s social reformer in India is but speaking the language and seeking to enforce the mind of Basava.

Totally Basavanna stands out as one of the most outstanding personalities in the religious history of India. His life and teachings have been source of inspiration to millions of people in south India for the last 800 plus years and influenced and moulded their lives.

– A tribute to Basava by The Times of India ,May 17, 1918

• Basava’s great task as a religious preacher and a social reformer, he brought, as an inalienable ancestral heritage, a great spiritual tradition of sacrificial devotion and dedicated service. He was a great standard-bearer of the honour of his society and the soldier of her ancient religion, and a tireless champion of the suffering and downtrodden. He had no prejudice of caste, colour, creed or race. He was one of God’s chosen to pilot the overburdened ship of a troubled society across the stormy sea of those times, to the safe shore of peace and happiness.

-Prof V. V. Sangamad In the book Basaveshwara is founder of Lingayath Religion the author collected the statement

• Even at the height of his egalitarian innovation, Basava never called himself a ‘non-Hindu’ (because such terminology was not yet in use), and he remained faithful to Hindu religious practices, starting with the worship of Shiva. He did promote intermarriage for one or two generations, i.e. a caste equality which was more than merely spiritual. Very soon, his sect simply became one more high and proud Hindu caste, which it has remained till today. Its egalitarianism lasted but a brief moment. This may be sufficient to serve as a selling proposition in the modern religion market, at least among people who go by historical anecdote rather than living social practice. On the other hand, a non-cynical approach of this heritage would be, to say that the hour for the awakening of a long-dormant ideal of casteless Shaivism has struck.

-Elst, Koenraad (2002). Who is a Hindu?: Hindu revivalist views of Animism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other offshoots of Hinduism.

Biography

Basavanna was born on third day of Vaishakha month (Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya) of the Anandanama (Samvatsara) in Rohini (Nakshatra) star of 1188 Vikram Samvat corresponding to 1134 A.D of Gregorian calendar in a Kannada Brahmin family devoted to Hindu deity Shiva. He was named Basava, a Kannada form of the Sanskrit word Vrishabha in honor of Nandi bull (carrier of Shiva) and the local Shaivism tradition. A few historians say that he was born in Ingaleshwar. His father’s name was Madaras and mother’s name was Madalambe. His birth place is believed Bagewadi, which is 20 km away from Hunugund, Karnataka. He spent his childhood in Kudalasangama and married Gangambike. His wife Gangambike was the daughter of Bijjala’s prime minister. Bijjala was the Kalachuri king. Basavanna began working as an accountant. Later on, he was invited by Bijjala to become the chief minister.

A true humanist, Basaveshwara stood for the upliftment of the downtrodden and fought the evils that had crept after decline of the Vedic tradition. Basavanna turned out to be a great poet, social reformer and philosopher. He preached that there is only one Supreme Being and that is Shiva; and that all animate and inanimate are equal before the Supreme Being. Through poetry, he started spreading social wakefulness. Gender or social prejudice was rejected and Ishtalinga necklace was introduced by him. Being the chief minister of Bijjal’s kingdom, Basavanna commenced Anubhava Mantapa, which later became the common center for all classes of people to discuss spiritual issues of life openly. The literacy works of Basaveshwar consist Vachana Sahitya in Kannada Language. He is also known as Bhaktibhandari (literally, the treasurer of devotion), Basavanna or Basaveswara.

A full account of Basava’s life and ideas are narrated in a 13th-century sacred Telugu text, the Basava Purana by Palkuriki Somanatha.

As chief minister of the kingdom, Basavanna used the state treasury to initiate social reforms and religious movement focused on reviving Shaivism, recognizing and empowering ascetics who were called Jangamas. One of the innovative institutions he launched in the 12th century, was the Anubhava Mantapa, a public assembly and gathering, which attracted men and women across various walks of life, from distant lands to openly discuss spiritual, economic and social issues of life. He composed poetry in local language, and spread his message to the masses. His teachings and verses such as Káyakavé Kailása (Work is the path to Kailash (bliss, heaven), or Work is Worship) became very popular.

Basava, composed several devotional works which are revered in the Lingayat community. These include various Vachana such as the Shat-sthala-vachana (discourses of the six stages of salvation), Kala-jnana-vachana (forecasts of the future), Mantra-gopya, Ghatachakra-vachana and Raja-yoga-vachana.

Basaveshwar’s Philosophy

Born and brought up in a family with a tradition of Shaivism, Basav developed and inspired a new devotional movement named Virashaivas, or “ardent, heroic worshippers of Shiva”. Basava, taught doctrines and practices of surprising unorthodoxy: he opposed all forms of image worship and accepted only the lingam of Shiva as a sacred symbol. Virashaivism rejected the dogmatic traditions, and all caste distinctions. It also consciously rejected several religious and social conventions, such as the ban against the remarriage of widows, and practiced burial rather than cremation of the dead.

Basava’s poem, speak of strong sense of gender equality and community bond, willing to wage war for the right cause, yet being a fellow “devotees’ bride” at the time of his or her need. Basavanna’s teachings were in terms of vachanas which were imparted to be understood by common man. The philosophy and teachings of Basaveshwara had universal appeal and eternal value and it attracted millions of people. The equality of sexes and social justice, which was unheard in many parts of the world in 12th century, was introduced at the grassroots level of the Kannada society by Basava.

Basava was product of a time when the rulers of alien faith i.e. Islam had taken deeper roots  in northern India and the  royal patronage from the temples and Brahmanic colleges had be almost withdrawn .It encouraged the spread of new, more popular forms of Hinduism in which people to accepted the powerful teachings of the poets.

Basava emphasized constant personal spiritual development as the path to profound enlightenment. He championed the use of vernacular language, Kannada, in all spiritual discussions so that translation and interpretation by the elite is unnecessary, and everyone can understand the spiritual ideas. His philosophy revolves around treating one’s own body and soul as a temple; instead of making a temple, he suggests being the temple. His trinity consisted of guru (teacher), linga (personal symbol of Shiva) and jangama (constantly moving and learning).

He established, in 12th-century, Anubhava Mantapa, a hall for gathering and discussion of spiritual ideas by any member of the society from both genders, where ardent devotees of Shiva shared their achievements and spiritual poems in the local language. He questioned rituals, dualism, and externalization of god, and stated that the true God is “one with himself, self-born”.

While he rejected rituals, simultaneously he encouraged icons and symbols such as the wearing of Istalinga (necklace with personal linga, symbol of Shiva), of Rudraksha seeds or beads on parts of one body, and apply Vibhuti (sacred ash on forehead) as a constant reminder of one’s devotion and principles of faith.Another aid to faith, he encouraged was the six-syllable mantra, Shivaya Namah, or the shadhakshara mantra which is Om Namah Shivaya.

On Worshiping God:

Kannada Version:

ಉಳ್ಳವರು ಶಿವಾಲಯ ಮಾಡುವರು ನಾನೇನು ಮಾಡಲಿ ಬಡವನಯ್ಯಾ

ಎನ್ನ ಕಾಲೇ ಕಂಬ, ದೇಹವೇ ದೇಗುಲ, ಶಿರವೇ ಹೊನ್ನ ಕಳಸವಯ್ಯಾ

ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಾ ಕೇಳಯ್ಯಾ, ಸ್ಥಾವರಕ್ಕಳಿವುಂಟು ಜಂಗಮಕ್ಕಳಿವಿಲ್ಲ ,

English Transliteration:

uLLavaru shiválaya máduvaru nánénu mádali badavanayyá

enna kále kambha dehavé degula shiravé honna kaLashavayyá

Kúdala Sangama Devá keLayya sthavarakkaLivunTu jangamakaLivilla

The Translation in English:

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 of the meeting rivers,

things standing shall fall,

but the moving ever shall stay.

On Ethics and Personality:

Kannada Version:

ಕಳಬೇಡ, ಕೊಲಬೇಡ, ಹುಸಿಯ ನುಡಿಯಲು ಬೇಡ

ಮುನಿಯ ಬೇಡ, ಅನ್ಯರಿಗೆ ಅಸಹ್ಯ ಪಡ ಬೇಡ

ತನ್ನ ಬಣ್ಣಿಸ ಬೇಡ, ಇದಿರ ಹಳಿಯಲು ಬೇಡ

ಇದೇ ಅಂತರಂಗ ಶುಧಿ, ಇದೇ ಬಹಿರಂಗ ಶುಧಿ

ಇದೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮ ದೆವರನೊಲಿಸುವ ಪರಿ

English Transliteration:

Kaḷabēḍa, kolabēḍa, husiya nuḍiyalu bēḍa

muniya bēḍa, an’yarige asahya paḍa bēḍa

tanna baṇṇisa bēḍa, idira haḷiyalu bēḍa

idē antaraṅga śudhi, idē bahiraṅga śudhi

idē nam’ma kūḍalasaṅgama devaranolisuva pari

Explanation:

Do not steal, do not kill, do not lie

Do not be angry, do not be scornful of others

Do not glorify yourself, do not insult others

These are the means to inward purity, these are the means to outward purity

These are the means to please Kudalasangamadeva

Palkuriki Somanatha in his Baasava Purana depicts a very interesting debate between Basava and his father. This debate illustrates that both are agreed, Hindu Sruti and Smriti to be sources of valid knowledge, but they disagree on the path to liberated, righteous life. Basava’s father favors the tradition of rituals, while Basava favors the path of direct, personal devotion (bhakti)

He places God in an’s soul, and he also places God in man’s hand.He stated that divine linga is the true God. The guru [teacher] of the creed is an embodiment of kindness and compassion. The six-syllabled mantra the supreme mantra, is its mantra. The dress – locks of hair, ashes and rudrashaka beads – place a man beyond the cycle of birth and death

Basava’s Lingayat theology is an extension of nondualism, wherein the individual Atman (soul) is the body of God, and that there is no difference between Shiva and Atman (self, soul), Shiva is one’s Atman, one’s Atman is Shiva.

Basavanna is credited with uniting diverse spiritual trends prevalent during his times. In words of Jessica Frazier et al. Basava laid the foundations of a movement that united “Vedic with Tantric practice, and Advaitic monism with effusive Bhakti devotionalism.

His teachings are time tested, scientific and proven. Basava-Tatva is never ending inspiration to achieve the welfare of mankind. Truly, a man ahead of his time.

References

AK Ramanujan (1973), Speaking of Śiva, Penguin Classics

Carl Olson (2007), The Many Colors of Hinduism: A Thematic-historical Introduction, Rutgers University Press,

Jan Peter Schouten (1995), Revolution of the Mystics: On the Social Aspects of Vīraśaivism, Motilal Banarsidass,

Jessica Frazier et al (2014), The Bloomsbury Companion to Hindu Studies, Bloomsbury Academic

Velchuri Rao and Gene Roghair (2014), Siva’s Warriors: The Basava Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha, Princeton University Press

Related Article

Relevance of Basavanna in Today’s World

Organiser   19-Apr-2018

 Prashant Vaidyaraj

April 18, marks the birth anniversary of the 12th-century saint, poet-philosopher and great social reformer Bhagwan Basaveshwara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tributes to Bhagwan Basaveshwara

in London on Basavanna Jayanti (April 18, 2018)

Every year ‘Basava Jayanti’ is observed on April 18 to commemorate the birth of one of India’s greatest son’s, philosopher, doyen of Bhakti movement and Dharmic guru Basavanna. However, for those aware of Basavanna’s life and work, each of his vachanas are guiding light in everyday life. Notwithstanding the recent machinations of political forces to identify Lingayats as a separate religion, Basavanna is one of the foremost Hindu Gurus of India who through his vachanas provided philosophical insights into various aspects of life and work.His teachings are above the confines of castes, sects or religions.

Basavanna was one of the guiding lights of Sharana Movement of 12th Century Karnataka. He was also the finance minister of King Bijjala of Kalachuri dynasty who ruled in Kalyana, Karnataka between 1130-1167 CE. Basavanna and other Dharmic gurus (sharanas) of this movement propounded Bhakti towards god as the mainstay while striving for dignity of labour, ending social evils that discriminates people, and extolling the virtues of ancommunion with a personal God.

Basavanna was a true visionary and a realist. He did not deal with Utopian binaries that many of his political usurpers attempt today. He had realized the prevalent social conditions and instead of blaming one group or the other, he strove to unite people under the ‘Anubhava Mantapa’, literally meaning an experience centre. ‘Anubhava Mantapa’ was an academy of saints, Dharmic gurus, philosophers and common people of all castes and creeds and deliberated on issues of faith, society, god, etc on the same platform. The deliberations done here created a vast treasure of Vachana literature.

Vachanas played a major role in the Sharana and Bhakti movement. The Vachana literature of Basavanna and other Sharanas is a treasure trove of teachings for anyone in every walk of life. Basavanna’s vachanas conveyed philosophical teachings in a simple and lucid poetry in vernacular languages. One of his famous vachanas say,

“You shall not steal nor kill,

Nor speak a lie,

Be angry with no one,

Neither scorn another man;

And never glorify thyself and insult others

These are the means to inward purity

These are the means to outward purity!”

The importance of probity in one’s life and its relation to self-realization is the core message of this vachana. Such vachanas have struck a cord with people for centuries and continues to do so even today. His vachanas not only provided rational and esoteric meaning towards life but given its universal nature united people. In a prominent Vachana most relevant today, Basavanna writes,

“Don”t make (me) think, Whose is this man ? Whose is this man ? Whose is this man ?

Make (me) think, This is our man, This is our man, This is our man.

Oh the Deity of kUDala saMgama, make (me) think that “I am a son ofYour house.”,

conveying the message of oneness of all. It is sad that Basavanna who united people from every background is being used today for political purposes to divide people.

Today when the country seems to be in the grip of various forces that aim to divide the society, it is only pertinent that we recall the teachings of Basavanna. His prominent Vachanas listed below should be enough to drive home the point.

Every human being is equal, irrespective of caste and class.

All forms of manual labor are equally important.

It isn’t birth but behavior that determined a true saint.

The path of direct, personal devotion (bhakti) leads to liberated, righteous life

The devotional worship, through personalized direct worship of Shiva, will ensure almighty presence to everyone at all times.

What is static, for instance temple will fall. What is moving or seeking, for example the work, will stay forever.

On this auspicious occasion of ‘Basava Jayanti’, let us all raise the ‘Basavanna’ in us.