Basavanna
Basavanna was born in
Bagewadi, a town in Hungund taluk in Bagalkot district (former Bijapur
district) of Karnataka. Bagewadi is 20 kilometer away from Hungund. Some historians
opine that Basavanna was born in Ingaleshwar, the parents’ place of Madalambe.
Madaras and Madalambe were parents of
Basavanna. Madaras was town president of Bagewadi. He belonged to Kamme Brahmin
community. Kamme Brahmins are also called Aradhyas and Smartha Brahmins. They
are half Brahmins and half Veerashaivas. It is definite that Basavanna was born
in Veerashaiva Brahmin family. Veerashaiva Brahmins are worshippers of Personal
Linga (Istalinga) but they do not wear Linga on their person but keep their
Linga in the pooja room. Madaras and Madalambe were of Veerashaiva-Brahmin
community.
Lakkanna Dandesh said, Basavanna was born
at mid-night on Monday, Kartik Shudda Purnime of Hindu year ‘Shiddarthiama
Samvatsara’. This Hindu year coincides 1131 A.D. Researchers have concluded
that Basavanna was born during 1131 in Bagevadi/Ingaleshwar. Every year, ‘Bssava
Jayanti’ is celebrated on Vaishaka Shudda Tritiya, Rohini Nakshatra.
Nagamma was the daughter of Madaras and
Madalambe. After her birth, Madalambe did not bear children for long period.
She worshipped Nandikeshwara and bore Basavanna. Nagamma was elder to Basavanna
by 12 years.
Madalambe was a chaste woman. Madarasa
observed rite of single wife. He was a religious and kind person engaged in
charity and was a philanthropist. He was very popular in the society. When
Basavanna was born to the couple, the new-born baby was still without any
movement. The baby did not cry even. The parents were surprised and were
worrying. In this situation, godly saint Jatavedamuni (Eeshanya Guru)
accidentally happened to visit Madaras’s house. He welcomed the Guru with
devotion. The Guru sat by the side of the baby, looked sharply at the baby and
smiled. He breathed with satisfaction saying okay. He wiped the face of the
child with a cloth dipped in warm water, applied bhasma on the forehead, tied
rudrakshi and Linga around the neck. Further, the Guru pronounced Panchakshari
hymn in the ears of the baby and called, “Come on Basava, come on.” Hearing the
call, the baby was awakened, moved sidewise, opened the eyes and smiled at the
Guru and the parents.
The parents jumped with joy seeing their
child activated, the mother lifted the child to her lap and breast-fed. They
placed the child at the feet of the Guru and uttered, “We dedicate the child to
your grace.” The child was named ‘Basava’ as pronounced by Guru.
The boy Basavanna grew in the company of
his elder sister Nagamma all the time. Nagamma was not only sister of Basvanna,
but she was the catalyst of his revolutionary ideas and moulded him for the mission
in his life. It would be proper to call her as his first guru. That was a dark
age for women; Nagamma could not advance herself with her thoughts. She
prompted her brother who was like a ball of fire to implement her aim.
In those days it was the custom that the
girls should be married at the age of 14-16 years. Accordingly, Nagamma was
married with Shivadev (Shivaswamy), younger brother of Madalambe. She moved to
her husband’s place Ingaleshwar, when Basavanna was 4 years boy. He started to
whither with the separation of his beloved sister.
As per the religious tradition, Madaras
performed Uupanayan of Basavanna at his age of 8 years. Upanayana was held
against the wish of Basavanna. He could not tolerate it and cut threw the
Janiwara put on his body during upanayana. With Linga in his neck blessed by
the Guru at the time of his birth he ran away from Bagewadi. He joined Gurukula
at Kudala Sangama..He did not like to stay with the people floating in the
stagnant water of blind beliefs and immoral customs and had migrated to
Sangama.
Eeshanya Guru was the head of Sangamesh
Monastery at Kudala Sangama. He was the head of free education centre there. He
liked to reform the society including religious heads. He was a highly learned
personality engaged in rendering free education, free food and free medicine.
without distinguishing between people of his own or outsider, of his religion
or other religion. Basavanna spent about ten years in the splendid company of
the Guru and turned to be a matured man. He was capable of rescuing the old
Hindu religion from the peril of all superstitions.
Madaras and Madalambe visited Kudala
Sangama to meet their son Basavanna and to persuade him to return to Bagewadi.
But they failed in their efforts. Basavanna comforted his parents and advised
them to return to Bagewadi. Disappointed parents entrusted the responsibility
of taking care of Basavanna to their daughter Nagamma before their return. To
fulfill the desire of the parents, Nagamma shifted to Kudala Sangama with her
husband Shivaswamy and her child Channabasava.
Basavanna spent ten years with his Guru in
Kudala Sangama. He was a youth of 18 years age. He had completed study of
Vedas, Puranas, Shastras etc. He had thorough knowledge of Sanskrit and Kannada
languages. He was disgusted to see ill-culture in the name of God and felt pity
for the illiterate innocent non-Brahmins being deceived in the name of God.
Brahmins though literate were committing the same sins like ill-literate non-Brahmins
by offering goat as sacrificial animal. Basavanna decided to reform the society to bring an end
to such violence. Superstitions should be eliminated. Division of the society
on the base of castes is injustice. He had several such ideas in his mind. To achieve
his goal he had decided to remain bachelor.
Ingaleshwara was parents’ place of
Madalambe. She had three brothers, Siddaras, Baladev and Shivadev. Last brother
Shivadev had married her daughter Nagamma. Another brother Baladev was minister
in the court of Bijjala in Mangalawad. Baladev had a daughter, Gamgambike. Gangambike
had lost her mother and was brought up as an affectionate daughter of Baladev.
She had studied Sanskit, Kannada, Music, Sward-fighting, and Archery. She had
reached marriageable age. Baladev was in search of suitable groom. He had heard
the praise of Basavanna from the people who attended the fare at Kudala
Sangama.
Neelambike, poster sister of king Bijjala
was intimate friend of Gnngambike, They used to be together all the time. They
played together, ate together and were together almost all the time. They
desired to be together throught whole life, but how it is possible. It is
possible if they married a single person. Neelambike was also of marriageable
age. Gangambike had openly expressed her desire to her father when he began the
search for the groom.
With a proposal to marry both Gangambike
and Neelambike to Basavanna, minister Baladev visited Kudala Sangama to meet
Eeshanya Guru. Guru welcomed the minister and heard the proposal from him. Guru
thought for a while silently. He knew the decision of Basavanna to remain
bachelor dedicating himself to the service of society. Guru felt it would be
easy for Basavanna to achieve his ambition with political support. He called
him and suggested to marry both Gangambike and Neelambike. Basavanna was not a
man to hurt Guru and bowed his head to the suggestion of the Guru. Baladev felt
very happy with the success of his mission. He humbly touched the feet of Guru,
had Prasad in the monastery and returned to Mangalawad. Polygamy was a common
practice in those days.
Marriage of Basavanna with Gangambike,
daughter of the minister and Neelambike, sister of the king was celebrated
magnificently. With the blessings of Guru, Basavanna shifted from Kudala
Sangama to Mangalawad. He stayed in the house of his father-in-law; Baladev. Basavanna
who believed in hard work was not comfortable to spend idle time luxuriously in
the minister’s house. He secured a job of Karanik (clerk) in the court of
Bijjala and settled separately with his wives, His sister Nagamma had also
shifted from Kudala Sangama to Mangalwad.
Bijjala was ruling in Manglawad as
subordinate of Chalukya king of Kalyana. Basavanna was staying with his family
in Mangalawad working as karanik in the court of Bijjala. He had started his
program of social reform slowly in Mangalawad. Chalukya king Tailapa in Kalyana
was a very weak king. Bijjala, being an ambitious person took advantage of
weakness of Tailapa and gained administrative powers of Chalukya kingdom in
1154. After the death of Tailapa, he declared himself as the emperor of
Chalukya kingdom. Basavanna shifted to Kalyana in 1155 to continue to work as
karanik in the court of Bijjala.
A copper plate was traced in the palace of Bijjala
Basavanna was now brother-in-law of the
king and Mahamantri. He was an important person in Kalyana deriving respect
from every one and every where. His program had already started in Mangalwad.
He continued it in Kalyana vigorously. Basavanna was youth of 24 years. His attractive
personality, his nature of selfless service, his attitude of receiving everone
with respect were arrtacting the mass towards him like magnet attracts iron.
Basavanna was born in the Veerashaiva Brahmin family. He was adorned with
Istalinga by the Guru on his birth. He gave the covering touch of Veerashaiva
Religion to his aim of creating a self-complete, all-round decorative community.
The sanatan (ancient) Hindu religion is
based on Karma Doctrine and sanctions Varnashram System i.e. caste system
dividing the society into four groups, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra. Brahmins
ware considered high born and Shudras as low born. It corrupts human springs.It
does not speak with one voice to all human beings. Basavanna overruled caste
system. His Bhakti Doctrine denounces the notion of high born and low born; all
are equal enjoying equal religious rights.
Till then, area of activity of women was
restricted to kitchen and bed-room. Women were treated as personal slaves in
every family. Even in that dim age, Basavanna advocated for equal social and
religious right for women.
Basavanna eliminated blind beliefs and
superstitions. He disliked exploitation of uneducated low born innocent people
by educated high born Brahmins under the pretext of meaningless religious
rituals.
Basavanna denounced penance or atrocious
ordeals to body to obtain grace of God. Only zealous devotion can lead to the grace
of God.
Basavanna’s concept was, God is impersonal
and supernatural power. God is as large
as universe. His size can not be measured even in terms of light-years.
Different religions call God by different
names. Basavanna passionately held a conviction of ONE GOD. ‘Names many, God is
but ONE’.
Basavanna questioned which religion does
not believe in Kindness. Kindness is the base of all religions, he advocated.
‘Kayakave Kailas’ (Work is Worship) is the
slogan of Basavanna. He salutes the devotee who follows an occupation, however
humble. The spirit of Kayaka implies that the work should be done well with a
sense of dedication and should be done to the glory of Shiva (God).
The following seven Commandments form the
part of code of conduct of the followers of Basavanna:
1…not steal
2…not kill
3…no falsehood foul thy tongue
4…not anger
burn thy brow
5…bear with
one another
6…suffer
all men
7…stand not
high in thy own esteem.
Since hundreds of years, Shudras were
subjected to suppression by Brahmins.They were ill-treated and were serving the
high born, only for two square meals of the day. The message of social reform
aired by Basavanna awakened their hopes. They felt like birds let out of the
case into the free air. They surrounded Basavanna to follow the path showed by
him.
Lakhs of people were visiting Basavanna’s
house every day. His house was called Mshamane (Great House). Free food was served
to the guests everyday. Gangambike, Neelambike and Nagambike were looking after
the management in the Mahamane.
Basavanna wished that his teachings should
reach the lettered and unlettered. The corpus of his teachings is embodied in
simple verse-form known as Vachanas, composed in common man’s language Kannada.
’Kudala Sangama Deva’ is the ankitanama of the vachanas of Basavanna. Vachanas
can be read as prose as well as can be melodiously sung. Neelambike used to
sing Basava vachanas in musical form.
Vachanas have home-some quality, are
simple, direct with metaphors and analogies drawn from folkways and full of
homely wisdom of people usually from the most realistic sources. They are deep
sprung with spiritual insights and charged with mystic overtones. They are
potent and evocative rather than dry matter statements. Vachanas convey a
supernatural experience in the language of everyday visible things. They are
capable of connecting up the minds of hearer with reality.
Basavanna organized ‘Anubhava Mantapa’ (Spiritual Academy
The proceedings in Anubhava Mantapa were
quenching the philosophical thirst of spiritual people. Apart from Allama Prabhu,
there were several great sharanas like Akka Mahadevi, Siddaram (from Solapur),
Madivala Machayya (washerman), Hadapada Appanna (barber), Madar Channayya
(harijana), Samagara Haralayya (cobbler), Nuliya Chandayya (weaver), Dohara
Kakkayy (holeya), Ambigara Choudayya (boatman) etc.
Anubhava Mantapa was a new democratic
experiment, There was no autocracy of anybody there. It is similar to our
parliament in New Delhi today. Only difference is, only political issues are
discussed in the parliament and only religious issues were discussed in
Anubhava Mantapa. It is a matter of pride that democracy was born in twelfth
century only, in Kannada Nadu, first in the world world.
Basavanna’s vision of faith awakened the
hearts of millions of the followers to the new conception of God. They felt
spiritual fulfillment. His teachings assumed the magnitude of powerful movement
and became irresistible for all those who had turned away from old faith. Anna
Dasoha (serving free food) was going on in Mahamane and Gnana Dasoha (serving
of knowledge) was going on in Anubhava Mantapa. Name of Basavanna was the talk
of town in Kalyana.His name had spread far and wide. Popularity of Basavanna
was at its zenith.
For any popular work being done, there
would always be people to criticize it. They criticize for the sake to
criticize. Purohitshahi Brahmins feared that their supremacy in the society
would be lost by the social reform program of Basavanna. They planned a
machination. They made an allegation to king Bijjala that Basavanna is
plundering treasury for anna-dasoha in his Mahamane.
Bijjala was an ambitious person, an egoistic man. He could not tolerate
the popularity of his minister. He desired, people in his kingdom should praise
only him, nobody else. Basavanna may be his brother-in-law, then what? He was
feeling jealous of his growing popularity. He immediately took action when he
received complaint against Basavanna for misappropriating funds from the
treasury. He ordered to lock and imprint Mahamane. Sharanas did not sag by the
order of the king. They made alternate arrangements, continued Anna Dasoha as
usual. Basavanna declared, “Nanu Bijjalaniganjuvene?” (Am I afraid of Bijjala?)
He continued his work of social reform.
Basavanna celebrated the marriage of
Sheelavanta, son of Samagar Haralayya (cobbler) with Kalavati, daughter of
Madhuvaras (Brahmin). Both Haralayya and Madhuvaras belonged sharana community.
The marriage was quite normal in Sharanas tradition. But it appeared to be an
inter-caste marriage between a Brahmin girl and cobbler boy to Purohit
Brahmins. Their eyes were already red and waiting for suitable opportunity to
finish off Basava movement.. They aimed to push him out from Kalyana, Kalyana
should be cleaned from sharanas and Vachana literature should be destroyed.
They planned a stratagem. A large deligation approached Bijjala carrying tale
against Basavanna:
“Basavanna’s popularity is growing fast
day by day. People may revolt against you to dethrone and he may replace you.
Better, you must take precaution now. Please deprive ministership from
Basavanna and deport him from Kalyana.” Already Bijjala was burning with
jealousy against Basavanna. The tale carried by the Purohits added fuel to the
fire. He called Basavanna to his court, reprimanded him, asked him to resign
from the ministership and to quit from Kalyana forthwith.
Basavanna was not deterred by the arrogant
order of Bijjala. He lost no time to remove the crown of ministership and
placed it before Bijjala. Be thanked him for his co-operation till then, He
left Kalyana straight from the palace of Bijjala, without informing any of his
associates, even his wives. This happened in 1167. Twelve years’ stay of
Basavanna in Kalyana came to an end.
Basavanna had left from Kalyana abruptly.
He was undecided about where to go. He came to Kudala Sangama to call on his
Guru. To his misfortune, his Guru was no more; he had already merged with
Linga. Basavanna was in great distress. The man who was among lakhs of people
till now was lonely now. He had left Kalyana without informing even his wives,
he felt very sorry. He asked Hadapad Appanna to proceed to Kalyana to bring
Gangambike and Neelambike to Kudala Sangama.
The situation in Kalyana was dreadful when
Appanna reached Kalyana. The eyes of Haralayya and Madhuvaras were cut removed
to make them blind and they were tied to the leg of an elephant and dragged
till death. Both were executed in a brutal manner. Sharanas community was
already in great distress by sudden separation of Basavanna. They felt great
trauma when Haralayya and Madhuvaras were executed brutally. They could not
further tolerate when they came to know about the efforts to destroy Vachana
literature. They revolted. Bijjala was murdered. Sharanas were accused of the king’s
murder. Bijjala’s son ordered his military to kill Sharanas. Kalyana was
looking like battle-field.
Sharanas were preparing to vacate Kalyana,
Ghana
Appanna returned to Kudala Sangama alone.
He narrated the situation in Kalyana to Basavanna who was stunned on hearing
the tragic news. He was under great shock to hear the murder of Bijjala who was
his friend apart from being his brother-in-law, atrocities on Sharanas and the
efforts to destroy Vachana literature. He could not tolerate the catastrophe.
There was nobody around him to console. He could not do any thing. Pronouncing
“Saku madai thande lokadatavaninnu” (Oh God, please end my role in this world)
he sat for meditation rejecting food and water at the place of confluence of Krishna and Malaprabh rivers. He never got up again, he
died. Pull of womanhood overtook the pull of philosophy on Neelambike at
Kalyana. She abruptly left for Kudala
Sangama to join her husband. But it was too late. She could get only the
lifeless body of Basavanna sitting in meditation mood.
Some selfish hypocrites were responsible
for the loss of a precious life of Kannada Nadu. If Bijjala had cooperated with
Basavanna in his brave efforts to reform the society, caste system would have
been totally eradicated in Karnataka. Bijjala’s name would have been recorded
in the history with Basavanna if he had dared to advise a few people to mend
their behavior and Karnataka would have been a model state in the whole country without any castes.
Even in today’s society, every day we come
across the hypocrites similar to those in Basavanna’s time. One should be
cautious about them.
Realizing the importance of ‘Kalyana
Kranti’, statue of Basavanna has been erected
in front of parliament in New Delhi
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