kalyana kranti

Kalyana Kranti

 

Origin 0f Hinduism

About five thousand years ago, Aryans migrated to India, probably from central Asia. The visitors felt, India is a comfortable place to live permanently. For some years, they had to fight with the natives of India, Dravids. In the fight, Aryans had upper hand, they occupied North India. Dravids gradually slipped to South India. Centuries of years passed, enmity between Aryans and Dravids subsided and friendship developed. Gradually, friendship turned into relationship. Dravidian boys married Aryan girls and Aryan boys married Dravidian girls. Over centuries of years, cross-breeding resulted in the birth of a new race. Aryans had entered this country crossing Indus (Sindu) river. The people living across the river were called Sindus.  In the course of time, the name Sindhu became Hindu. The new race born is being called Hindus. Aryans had brought their religion with them which became the religion of Hindus i.e. ‘Hinduism’.

Hinduism has been a great faith among all religions in the world. It has had many a magnificent achievements to its credit. Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads etc were included. Two great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharat were composed. Devanagari i.e. Sanskrit had been the language of the religion.

Drawbacks of Hinduism

Hinduism is based on the doctrine of Karma, caste system had been its bone of contention. The caste system divides man from man. A religion should always satisfy personality of the common man responding to his demands, conscience and heart. In Hinduism, religion was the right of only a few people. Common man did not understand Sanskrit and consequently he did not understand the basics of the religion though he was hungry for it. He had to draw his own consolation to the best of his knowledge, leaving many incomprehensible aspects to the reasoning of Pundits and sophisticated speculations to the philosophers. The religion did not speak to the common man, having no answers to his vital questions like his destiny, proper end of his life Hereafter and his salvation. Many people had no life except to serve a few people to earn two square meals for the day and nothing beyond that.

Stagnant Water Stinks

Hinduism was sensitive enough to suffer criticism. For about 2000 years there was torpor without any challenge. The religion remained obdurate to change and reform. The substance of faith began to recede from daily life and blind rituals began to proliferate to fill the gap. The appeal of common man was unheard though he was thirsting for spiritual support. The response from Hinduism was totally negative and for a host of questions, it had no answers. The situation was like ‘hungry sheep look up but not fed.’  2000 years is too long a period and Hinduism was like stagnant water. Without inflow of fresh water, the stagnant water always stinks. The religion was cumbrous with unreal and meaningless rituals and formularies. It did not speak with one voice to all alike.

Heresies of Hinduism

After a lull of long period, Hinduism suddenly became active with movements of dissent, protest and revolt against orthodoxy. Mahaveera and Goutham Budda were spearheads of such movements. The rumble of protest gathered movement. Jainism, Buddhism and later Sikhism arose as heresies of Hinduism. They seriously questioned the validity of Hinduism. They offered a new way of hope for salvation for all alike. Naturally, their appeal became irresistible. In 12^th century, one such disturbed soul by name ‘Basava’ arose in Karnataka.

Basava

Basava was born to a shaivait Brahmin couple in Bagevadi, a town in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Proper documents are not available about the date of his birth, but it has been accepted based on circumstantial evidences, ‘Basava was born during 1131.’ Basava spent his childhood in the company of his elder sister Nagamma. He joined Gurukula at the age of eight years and spent ten years in the splendid company of Guru. Sister Nagamma and his Guru were the catalysts of the revolutionary ideas of Basava, who was like a ball of fire. Basava was moulded into a matured man capable of rescuing Hindu religion from the peril of superstitions. Basava was endowed with prodigious intelligence, on account of which he rose from the level of Karanik (clerk) to the level of Mahapradhani (prime minister) in the court of king Bijjal in Kalyan. Being an important man in Kalyan, Basava started implementing his revolutionary program of social reform.

Basava Vachanas

The corpus of Basava’s teachings is embodied in simple verse-form known as Vachamas. ‘Kudala Sangama’ is the ‘ankitanama’ of Basava Vachanas. Till now more than 1400 Basava Vachanas have been traced. Vachanas can be read as prose as well as can be sung melodiously. Basava wished that his teachings should reach the lettered as well as unlettered, he composed Vachanas in common man’s language, Kannada.

Basava Vachanas have home-some quality, are simple, direct with metaphors, analogeies and parables drawn from folk saying usually from realistic sources. They teach wholesome truth:

   ‘The frog caught in the jaws of a snake and doomed to die

    flickering its tongue out to catch a fly……………………’

    ‘cattle caught in mire kicking their legs for release but only

     to sink deeper still……………………………………………’

    

      ‘Lord Mahadeva Shetty opening his store with truth for ware

      ……………………………………………………………………’

      ‘Like the lamb led to the sacrificial fire blithely nibbles the

       green leaves adorning the alter, unmindful of it doom awaiting

       …………………………………………………………………’

       ‘tank bund sucking the water in the tank, fence devouring

       the harvest or mother’s breast turning into a drain of poison

       or wife stealing in her own house……………………………’

 Vachamas 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 the hearer with reality.

Anubhva Mantapa

Basava organized Anubhava Mantapa (Spiritual Academy). Allama Prabhu, a great scholar, saintly-guru was the president of it. Like Basava, many of his followers composed Vachanas with their ankitanama. All Vachanas were supposed to have been first inaugurated before Anubhava Mantapa, discussed and received imprimatur before propagation.

Anubhava Mantapa was a new democratic experiment.

Bhakti Marga

Basava’s philosophical and ethical teachings are based on doctrine of Bhakti Marga as against Karma Marga of Hinduism. Bhakti means Devotion or Devotional Discipline which is a manifold phenomenon. The word Bhakti can be translated as devotion which is rich with meaning: faith, love, loving surrender, devotional attachment etc. Shiva is of course the supreme object of Bhakti. South India has long tradition of Shiva Bhakti. It can be traced back to very early times. Shaivism was at its zenith during Chola kings in 7^thand 8^th centuries. Bhakti is associated with Pooja which means adoration, reverence, worship etc.

Basava preached zealous devotion to Shiva and strict adherence to Linga as symbol of discipleship. Devine grace is often mediated through Guru or Jangama in place of Shiva. Basava denounced penance or atrocious ordeals to body to obtain Grace of Shiva.

Hinduism is based on the doctrine of karma marga. The caste system i.e. varnabedha had been its bone of contention. The society was divided in four parts, Brahmin, Ksatria, Vaishya and Shudra. Brahmins were supposed to be high-born and Shudras low-born. Shudras had no right to education. They were staying in a separate colony away from high-born. They were not allowed to move freely in Brahmin colony. They were deprived from religious right. Shudras were treated as slaves and servants of Brahmins. Treatment to them was totally inhuman.

Bhakti doctrine of Basava overrules caste system with a concept of universal society. He denounces the notion of high-born and low-born.

        ‘Low-birth as world would deem is not the same in the

          Lord’s esteem………………………………………………’

    

       ‘………he who holds all human-beings in wellbeing belongs to

          a sacred caste…………………………………………………..’

        

Host of Basava followers included people from all sections of the society:

              Madivala Machayya…………….washerman (dhobi)

              Ambigara Choudayya…………..boatsman (besta)

              Madara Channayya…………….untouchable (harijana)

              Haralayya……………………….cobbler (charmgara)

              Dohara Kakkayya………………untouchable (holeya)

              Molige Marayya…………………woodsellar

              Ayadakki Lakkamma…………...grains picker

              Nuli Chandayya…………………spinner

              Madhuvarasa…………………...brahmin

There was no division of followers on the basis of high-born and low-born, rich and poor, lucrative occupation and mean occupation, male and female etc. All were equal and enjoyed equal religious rights. Discipleship was symbolized by Atmaling worn in their neck. All participated in the sessions of Anubhava Mantapa. All had common meals sitting in a row in Mahamane.

Uplift of Women

It was the dark-age for women. Almost in every family, jurisdiction of women was restricted to the four walls of the house. Their activity was limited to kitchen and bed-room. Wife was treated as personal slave of her husband. Her duty was to cook food, do household chores and serve all in the house.

In such a dim age, it is astounding that Basava dared to advocate to overrule man-woman divide.

    ‘It is woman, who gives birth to every one,

     It is woman whom the man marries to continue his progeny.

     It is woman that men get as their affectionate daughter,

     …………………………………………………………….’

There were several Sharanis among Basava followers like Akka Mahadevi, Guddapur Danamma, Ayadakki Lakkamma, Nagamma (sister of Basava), Gangambike and Neelambike (wives of Basava) etc etc. There was no gender discrimination in Anubhava Mantapa. Akka Mahadevi expressed:

      ‘With beards and mustaches, call male,

       with breasts and tress, call female,

        but the inside soul of both alike

       ………………………………………’

Kayaka

‘Kayakave Kailas’ (Work is worship) was the crux of Basava teachings. Basava salutes the devotee who follows an occupation, however humble. The spirit of kayaka implies that work should be done well with a sense of dedication and should be done to the glory of Shiva

Truth

          ‘Talking truth leads to heaven, talking lies leads to hell,

            right conduct is heaven, misdemeanor is hell,………..

            …………………………………………………………..’

          ‘………..consort your utterances with your acts and

          and your tongue with your soul………………………….’

Essence of God

Basava was born in a Shaivite family. He spent long period of ten years in the company of Shaiva Guru. He called God as ‘Shiva’. But he passionately held a conviction of ONE GOD.

Some Hindus call God by name Shiva, some other Hindus as Vishnu. Muslims’ God is Allah, Jesus is the God of Christians and so on.Varnbedha of Hinduism divides man from man. It does not speak with one voice to all alike. It corrupts human springs. Basava teaches us universal brotherhood among all people under the conviction of ONE GOD,

Universal God

God Shiva is impersonal and supernatural power. Shiva is as large as universe. His size can not be measured even in terms of light-years.

           

               ‘Stupendous as the universe.

               dimensions disdaining as the sky spread,

               vast as vastness art Thou,

                Firm Thy holy feet fixed in fathomless depths beneath,

                beyond soaring skies Thy sacred crown,

                inaccessible, invisible and unimaginable.

                 ……………………………………………’

                

                  ‘….Take heed and kneel not to strange Gods,

                   ……………………………………………………

                    what manner of men they who crave for crumbs

                    from frippery faiths………………………………’

Shiva exists every where in subtle form.

                  ‘As fulgent fire concealed in water,

                   as sweet savor suffusing the plant,

                    as fragrance freed from the unfolding bud,

                    as love’s promise in the burgeoning maid,

                    Thy essence, my Lord, Kudala Sangama’

God is every where around us:

                      ‘I behold none but Thee,

                        wherever I lift my eyes,

                        Thou art the form of the unbounded universe,

                        Thou its eye, Thou its visage,

                         ………………………………………………….’

Basava said,

                         ‘The Lord’s mint this world whence

                          you issue His impress borne,

                           Shall find Heaven acknowledge His mould.

                           If found wanting here below,

                           likewise above, the reckoning show!’

Mortal existence and life in this world is the preparation for life Hereafter. By successful completion of probation in this world, man would be eligible for eternal fellowship and communion with Shiva. That is salvation and end of life.

Kalyana Kranti (revolution in Kalyana)

Basava’s vision of faith awakened the hearts of millions of the followers to the new conception of God through nobler devotional surrender.  They felt spiritual fulfillment. Basava teachings assumed the magnitude of powerful movement and became irresistible for all those who turned away from old faith. They felt like ‘caged birds let loose into the fresh air’ and turned towards Basava. It was a great revolution. It is recorded as Kalyana Kranti. The movement soon spread over vast area even as far as Kashmir and Nepal.

Kalyana Kranti was a multifarious revolution.

Kalyana Kranti was Sahitya Kranti (revolution in literature)

Vedas, Upanishads etc were composed in Sanskrit. It was prerogative of a few people to learn Sanskrit. Common man missed the opportunity to understand them, though they were hungry of knowledge. Essence of them was brought in the local language Kannada in the form of Vachamas for common man to understand.

Vachana literature has been an unique type of literature, a new experiment in that age.

Kalyana Kranti was Dharmika Kranti (revolution in religion)

Caste system has been the mainstream of Hinduism which distinguishes the man from man and corrupts human springs. Basava denounces division of the society on the basis of high-born & low-born, male & female, rich & poor, lucrative occupation-mean occupation etc. In the socialistic society, all are equal and enjoy equal religious rights. Under his conviction of ONE GOD, all his followers were united and a feeling of universal brotherhood developed.

Kalyana Kranti was Samajika Kranti ( social revolution)

Anubhava Mantapa was a congregation of followers from all sects of society including Brahmins to untouchables, males & females etc. All were addressed as Sharanas and Sharanis. The Atmalinga that they were wearing in the neck was the sign of discipleship. Kranti in Kalyan resulted in the unity in the society.

Kalyana Kranti was Arthika Kranti ( economic revolution)

Every follower of Basava should be engaged in an occupation, however humble. ‘Kayakave Kailas (work is worship) was the slogan. There was no room for vagabonds. Kayana Kranti made everybody self dependant and economically sound.

Kalyana Kranti was Naitika Kranti ( moral revolution)

Following seven commandments formed the part of code of conduct of Basava’s followers.

                         1…not steal

                         2…not kill

                         3…no falsehood foul your tongue

                         4…not anger burn your brow

                         5…bear with one another

                         6…suffer all men

                         7…stand not high in your own esteem

Intercaste Marriage

The program of social reform of Basava reached its zenith. He conducted a marriage between a Brahmin girl and a Cobbler boy. The marriage was a normal marriage between the families of Sharana community. Some hypocrites carried a tale to the king alleging Basava was destroying the sanatan (ancient) religion. The king was biased against Basava due to the political reasons. He reprimanded Basava and asked him to stop his activities. Basava refused and adhered to his program and resigned to the post of prime ministership. Enraged king ordered for the deportation of Basava from Kalyana. Basava was not deterred by the arrogant order of the king and quit Kalyana.

Mohandas K Gandhi struggled for Satya (truth), Ahimsha (non-violence), Harijanoddar (uplift of untouchable) and Mahiloddar (uplift of women). He became Mahatma Gandhi and regarded as father of our nation. Dr B R Ambedkar struggled for the cause of Dalit (downtrodden). Both are our national figures. What for they struggled was already preached, practiced and sacrificed by Basava during 12^th century. It is noteworthy that Basava sacrificed his prime ministership and boldly faced the order for his deportation, only because of the intercaste marriage conducted by him.

Basava has not been passed on to legend even after more than eight hundred years. Earthen lamp of Kalyana, filled with Bhakti oil, and Basava culture as wick, Basava Jyothi is shining in the heart of millions of his followers in southern states of India particularly in Karnataka. Basava is regarded as their elder brother and call him BASAVANNA.

In recognition of the impact of Kalyana Kranti, Government of India has installed the statue of Basavanna as its symbol in the premises of the parliament in New Delhi.

   

     Let us remember one of the Vachanas of Basavanna.

    ‘I am wrong if I call,

     Siriyala, a shetty (businessman), or

     Machayya, a madivala (dhobi), or

     Kakkayya, a dohara (holeya), or

     Channayya, a madiga (untouchable).

     I am utterly wrong if I call

      myself a brahmin and Kudala Sangama laugh at me.’

 

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