Basveshwara and Vachana Sahitya
Veerashaivism is a form of Shaivism with distinct aspects of its own. It was started in 12th century. The main feature of Shaivism is worship of the God Shiva in the form of Shivalinga as the Supreme Being. But the distinct feature of Veerashaivism is the worship of Ishtalinga, means wearing of Linga at all times upon the body. Ishta is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘desired’. Generally, the word Lingayatism is used synonymous for Veerashaivism. The main proponents of the Veerashaivism include Basaveshwara, Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu, Chennabasaveshwara and Siddharama.
Pre-Basaveshwara Society of Karnataka
The pre-Basaveshwara society in Karnataka was characterised by idol worship of many deities, feuding sects, beliefs in superstitions, evil spirits, and sacrificing of animals for deities. The society was based on caste system and there was exploitation of lower classes by upper classes. The Veerashaivism had rejected the authority of caste system and role of Vedas. It promoted the concept of egalitarian society.
Basaveshwara advocated for equal social and religious right for women. Basaveshwara wanted that his teachings to reach common man, who were earlier unable to understand Vedas written Sanskrit. For this purpose, he started composing his teachings in the form of vachans. Later vachana form was adopted by many Sharanas (or Vachanakaras) to share their sayings. The word ‘Sharana’ means a person who committed or dedicated to Shiva as the supreme godhead. ‘Anubhava Mandapa’ (the Hall of Experience) set up by the Basaveshwara provided the platform for both male and female Sharanas from all sections of the society to share and exchange their perceptions and visions. The vachanas of Basaveshwara included references to earliest vachanakaras. The main three earliest vachanakaras: Madara Channaiah, Dohara Kakkaiah and Jedara Dasimaiah.
Vachana Sahitya
The vachanas were composed and used by the Sharanas to build an egalitarian society. They were composed in simple Kannada language by targeting common man. The beauty of the vachanas was their simplicity yet they carried the profound philosophy and thought provoking ideas of Sharanas. Vachanas conveyed complex concepts in simple form by using day-to-day life experiences, similes, images, symbols and metaphores. In vachanas, Sharanas chronicled their experiences and path towards divinity. Vachanas are used as the means to purify one in word, action, and vision. Vachanas demystified about the God to large sections of the society who were earlier deprived of temple entry and access to texts. The Vachana compositions range from two lines to five pages. The prose-poem form of vachanas lends them for both singing and recitation. Though vachans do not use any rhyme-scheme, their language is marked by internal rhymes. Vachanas did not impose any grammatical or literary restrictions on the authors. There are few theories which suggest the origin of the vachanas to tripadi style – the three line stanza.
The vachana literary movement produced around 300 poets within a short span of less than fifty years. It also produced 33 women poets, most of them from lower sections of the society. Akka Mahadevi, the famous women vachana poet, is still the best women poet in Kannada language. The vachans received the great impetus during the period of Basaveshwara’s stay in Kalyana. He was able to attract countless Sharanas to Kalyana. To distinguish themselves, each Sharana has used a penname that seems be drawn from his/her first divine connection. For example, Basaveshwara has used Kudalasagamadeva as his penname drawing from the place where he first realized his divine mandate. The clashes between conservative upper classes and the rebellious Sharanas ended in most of the Sharanas including Basaveshwara leaving Kalyana. The post-Basaveshwara compositions gave importance to the theological study of the vachanas. The Vachana Sahitya which reached a peak level during 12th century could not restore its glory during the later period.
