In recent news, the Prime Minister of India paid respects to Jagadguru Basaveshwara on the occasion of Basava Jayanthi. The Prime Minister’s tribute holds significance as he had inaugurated a statue dedicated to Basaveshwara in November 2015, located along the Thames river bank at Lambeth, London.
Early Life and Birth
Jagadguru Basaveshwara was born in Karnataka in 1131 CE. Renowned as an Indian philosopher, statesman, and social reformer during the 12th century, Basaveshwara was highly revered for his influential role as a Lingayat saint within the Shiva-focussed Bhakti movement, particularly during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya/Kalachuri dynasty.
The Lingayats constitute a significant Hindu sect that venerates Shiva as the sole deity, with a significant following in southern India. Basaveshwara was also commonly referred to as Bhakti Bhandari, translating to the treasurer of devotion, or alternatively as Basaveswara (Lord Basava).
Impactful Contributions
Basaveshwara made considerable strides to promote social awareness through his poetic craft, famously known as Vachanaas. Several fundamental Lingayat works credit Basaveshwara for their inception, including notable Vachana such as the Shat-sthala-vachana, Kala-jnana-vachana, Mantra-gopya, Ghatna Chakra-vachana, and Raja-yoga-vachana.
Much like Gautama Buddha, Basaveshwara shed light on the pathway to achieving happiness within a rational social order, ultimately giving birth to the Sharana movement. The movement drew followers from all castes and expanded the corpus of literature, namely the vachanas. These scriptures unveiled the spiritual realm of the Veerashaiva saints.
Basaveshwara fervently battled against the oppressive practices of caste discrimination, advocating for social equality regardless of an individual’s birth status. The establishment of the Anubhava Mantapa by Basava stands as testament to the fundamental principles of social democracy. Basaveshwara’s teachings emphasised the importance of conduct over birth in determining an individual’s greatness. He further championed the dignity of manual labor, encouraging work as a form of worship.
Death and Legacy
Basaveshwara departed the mortal world in 1167 CE, but his teachings continue to resonate with followers today. His teachings laid the groundwork for the Bhakti movement, which arguably originated in the Tamil region during the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The Bhakti movement reached widespread acclaim through the heartfelt writings of Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva), both Vaishnavite and Shaivite poets. They deemed religion as a profound means of forging a loving bond with the divine, rather than merely a cold formal worship.
The Bhakti movement’s inception in South India during the 9th century under Shankaracharya expanded throughout India, establishing itself as a potent spiritual influence by the 16th century. This influence was especially palpable following the significant contributions made by Kabir, Nanak, and Shri Chaitanya.
