Lingayatism
Encyclopedia
Lingayatism, also known as Veerashaivism, is a distinct Shaivite
denomination in India
. It makes several departures from mainstream Hinduism and propounds monotheism
through worship centered on Lord Shiva. It also rejects the authority of the Vedas and the caste system. The adherents of this faith are known as Lingayats ' onMouseout='HidePop("69545")' href="/topics/Telugu_language">Telugu
: లింగాయత,Marathi
: लिंगायत). The term is derived from Lingavantha in Kannada, meaning 'one who wears Linga on their body'.
It is said that Basava, though born a brahmin
, rebelled against the rigid practices of the caste system then prevalent in Hinduism, and eventually began expounding his own philosophy with a casteless society at its core. Soon, his philosophy began attracting large numbers of people. Saints like Allama Prabhu
, Akka Mahadevi
and Channabasavanna
also played pivotal roles in the spreading of the message and the true meaning of Lingayatism.
Basava lived and taught in the northern part of what is now Karnataka
. This movement found its roots during the brief rule of the southern Kalachuri
dynasty in those parts of the state. Like Martin Luther who came about three hundred years after him, Basavanna preached that the devotion of people to God was a direct relationship and did not need the intervention of the priestly class. Temple building is generally not practised among Lingayats.
Ishta-Linga is worn on body. Any human being on earth can wear Ishta-Linga initiated by a Guru of Lingayat religion. Lingayatism does not make any partiality of humankind based on caste, creed, gender, language, country, or skin color. Everybody is equal in the eyes of God.
Lingayaths worshipped Lord Shiva.The main Festival for Lingayaths is Shivarathiri.
world where Linga is the supreme God and the Self and God are one and the same. Early Lingayats placed importance on the Vachana sahitya
, which was promulgated by Lord Basaveshwara.
Central to Lingayat theology are five codes of conduct (called Panchāchāras), eight "shields" (Ashtāvarana), and the concept of six levels of attainment that the devotee can achieve (known as Shatsthala
).
The Panchacharas describe the five modes of conduct to be followed by the believer. The Panchachara
s include:
s include:
, or the concept of six phases/states/paths, is pivotal to the Lingayat philosophy. Shatsthala is a conflation of Shat and Sthala, which means 'six phases/states/levels' through which a soul advances in its ultimate quest of realisation of the Supreme. The Shatsthala comprises the Bhakta Sthala, Maheshwara Sthala, Prasadi Sthala, Pranalingi Sthala, Sharana Sthala and the Aikya Sthala. The Aikya Sthala is the culmination where the soul leaves the physical body and merges with the Supreme.
While the origins of the Shatsthala may be traced to the Agamas, particularly the Parameshwaratantra, with the evolution of Veerashaivism the evolution of the concept of shatsthala was also unavoidable. While Basava understood shatsthala as a process with various stages to be attained in succession, Channabasavanna
, Basava's nephew, differed radically from his uncle and held that a soul can reach its salvation in any stage.
(devotion), mahesha (selfless service), prasada (earnestly seeking Siva's grace), pranalinga (experience of all as Siva), sharana
(egoless refuge in Siva) and aikya
(oneness with Siva). Each phase brings the seeker closer, until soul and God are fused in a final state of perpetual Siva consciousness, as rivers merging in the ocean.
s from all over Karnataka and other parts of India were participants. This institution was also the fountainhead of the Vachana (spoken word) literature which was used as the vector to propagate Veerashaiva religious and philosophical thought. Other giants of Veerashaiva theosophy like Akka Mahadevi, Channabasavanna and Basavanna himself were participants in the Anubhava Mantapa
.after the revolution of Kalyana, sharanas are went to Ulavi and established II Anubhavamantapa.
Thus, for the Lingayats it is an amorphous representation of God. Lingayat thus means the wearer of this Linga as Ishta Linga. Here the word Ishta is a Sanskrit
term meaning 'adored' or 'desired'. Unlike Advaitins however, Lingayats do not treat the Ishtalinga as merely a representation of God to aid in realising God but worship the Ishtalinga itself as God. Lingayats eat only vegetarian food and should not consume meat of any kind including fish. Drinking of liquor is strictly prohibited.
Unlike brahmin beliefs in Hinduism, which permit only males to participate in the Upanayana
or Deeksha ceremonies, both Lingayat men and women participate in these ceremonies in the presence of a satguru
. This practice was begun by Basavanna himself, who refused to undergo Upanayana, because it discriminated against women.
Kaayaka means the exertion of the Kaaya (body) for the liberation of the soul imprisoned therein. Kailaasa means "abode of Shiva" – heavenly.
There is a vachana complementary to this which talks about keeping the Kaaya (body) pure:
As one theory goes, the Indian subcontinent is divided into North and South by the Vindhya mountain ranges. While the North has the Himalayan rivers flowing year-round and boasts the river Ganges, the South has the river Kaveri, which originates at Talakaveri
and dries up in the summer. Hence the North is referred as Punya Bhoomi, whose residents believe that taking a dip in the Ganges with Bhakthi will wash off all your sins. But the South is referred as Karma Bhoomi, whose residents believe that their Karma
which will decide their fate. The Kaayaka Tatva of Basavanna also bases itself on the Karma Siddhantha (Philosophy of Karma).
A famous vachana says: Soham yennade Daasoham yendenisayya – which means "be selfless [Daasa Aham] rather than selfish [Naanu or Aham]".
s like Allama Prabhu, Akka Mahadevi, Siddarama and Basava were at the forefront of this development during the 12th century. Some of the best vachanas are the padas or the devaranamas of the dasas. The dasas were a group of religious singers of the Madhva faith who wandered around the kingdom singing about social injustice and true worship. Siddarama (Siddarameswar) of Solapur (Sonnalagi) is considered to be one of the five prophets of the Lingayat (Veerashaivism) religion and a Kannada poet who was a part Basavanna's Veerashaiva revolution during the 12th century. Siddharama claims to have written 68,000 vachanas, out of which 1379 remain in existence. His philosophy was one of service to mankind, the path of Karmayoga. He shared the worldview of other vachana poets in his rejection of blind conventions and caste and sex discrimination and emphasis on realization through personal experience. He borrowed metaphors from diverse spheres of everyday life. Apart from vachanas, he wrote several devotional works in tripadi
. Sarvagna was a later lingayat vachana poet of the 17th century who wrote thousands of succinct vachanas in tripadi style.
The entire corpus of these works was in Kannada. As with the Dasa Sahitya
of the later Haridasa
s, the Vachanas were also primarily targeted at the common person and sought to demystify God, as large sections of society had been deprived of access to the texts. The Jangamas played a central role in the propagation of the Vachanas.
mainly in North karnataka and Central karnataka with sizeable population native to south karnataka. They are Karnataka's largest community with 21% of the state population. Sizeable populations are also found in parts of Maharashtra
and Andhra Pradesh
bordering Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
, Kerala
and Gujarat also has Lingayat population. In north India more prominently they are called Kashmiri Shaivites or Veerashaiva. In Karnataka, the Lingayat population is quite large and widespread.
The Lingayat diaspora can be found in countries around the world, particularly the United States
, Britain
and Australia
.
Basava established Anubhava Mantapa to establish spiritual social and economic democracy. People from all walks of life embraced Basava's thoughts and became Lingayats. In the same way, Veerashaivas also embraced Lingayatism and became Lingayats, Veerashaiva lingayats.
While the Indian society had converted workmanship into castes, Basava reversed the castes into workmanship again. The Society differentiated people based on birth while Basava offered equal status to all. As a result, large numbers of different caste people took Linga-Deeksha and became Lingayats.
s, has been very active in the field of social work, particularly in the field of education and medicine. Thousands of schools are run by the Lingayat Mathas where education, sometimes free and with boarding facilities, is provided to students of all sections of society irrespective of religion or caste. In addition, various Lingayat organizations run numerous schools, colleges and hospitals across the length and breadth of Karnataka. Some of these institutions also have branches in other states of India. Some of the notable Lingayat-run institutions include the JSS group of institutions, KLE Society
, Siddaganga Education Society, Vishweshwar Sahakari ( Cooperative ) Bank, Pune.
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
denomination in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It makes several departures from mainstream Hinduism and propounds monotheism
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
through worship centered on Lord Shiva. It also rejects the authority of the Vedas and the caste system. The adherents of this faith are known as Lingayats ' onMouseout='HidePop("69545")' href="/topics/Telugu_language">Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
: లింగాయత,Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
: लिंगायत). The term is derived from Lingavantha in Kannada, meaning 'one who wears Linga on their body'.
Early history
Basavanna also known as Mahatma Basaveshwara was a social reformer and a great humanitarian who was mainly responsible for establishing this religion in 12th Century. He was the first prophet and founder of the Lingayat Religion. after sakshakthar of god he discovered the system of wearing of Ishta-Linga upon one's body. Basaveshwara lived in the 12th century (1134 – 1196 CE). When he was young, he travelled from his native Bagevadi to Kalyan in India between 1157–1167 CE during the rule of King Bijjala.Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
, rebelled against the rigid practices of the caste system then prevalent in Hinduism, and eventually began expounding his own philosophy with a casteless society at its core. Soon, his philosophy began attracting large numbers of people. Saints like Allama Prabhu
Allama Prabhu
Allama Prabhu is a mystic-saint and Vachana poet of the Kannada language in the 12th century. Prabhu is the patron saint , the undisputed spiritual authority, and an integral part of the Lingayata movement that decisively shaped society in medieval Karnataka and...
, Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi was a prominent figure of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas in Kannada, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that...
and Channabasavanna
Channabasavanna
Channabasavanna was Basava's nephew and one of the foremost Shivasharanas of the 12th century. He, along with Basava, Allama Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi, played a pivotal role in the propagation of the Veerashaiva faith...
also played pivotal roles in the spreading of the message and the true meaning of Lingayatism.
Basava lived and taught in the northern part of what is now Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. This movement found its roots during the brief rule of the southern Kalachuri
Kalachuri
Kalachuri Empire is this the name used by two kingdoms who had a succession of dynasties from the 10th-12th centuries, one ruling over areas in Central India and were called Chedi or Haihaya and the other southern Kalachuri who ruled over parts of Karnataka...
dynasty in those parts of the state. Like Martin Luther who came about three hundred years after him, Basavanna preached that the devotion of people to God was a direct relationship and did not need the intervention of the priestly class. Temple building is generally not practised among Lingayats.
Worshiping God
The Lingayaths worship Ishta-Linga.Ishta-Linga is worn on body. Any human being on earth can wear Ishta-Linga initiated by a Guru of Lingayat religion. Lingayatism does not make any partiality of humankind based on caste, creed, gender, language, country, or skin color. Everybody is equal in the eyes of God.
Lingayaths worshipped Lord Shiva.The main Festival for Lingayaths is Shivarathiri.
Lingayat theology
The early followers and adherents believed in a monotheisticMonotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
world where Linga is the supreme God and the Self and God are one and the same. Early Lingayats placed importance on the Vachana sahitya
Vachana sahitya
Vachana sahitya is a form of writing in Kannada that evolved in the 12th Century C.E. as a part of the Veerashaiva 'movement'. Vachanas literally means " said"...
, which was promulgated by Lord Basaveshwara.
Central to Lingayat theology are five codes of conduct (called Panchāchāras), eight "shields" (Ashtāvarana), and the concept of six levels of attainment that the devotee can achieve (known as Shatsthala
Shatsthala
The concept of Shatsthala or six Phases/States/Paths is pivotal to the Lingayat philosophy. Shatsthala is a conflation of Shat and Sthala which means 'six phases/states/levels' through which a soul advances in its ultimate quest of realisation of the Supreme...
).
Panchacharas
Panchachara
In Lingayat theology the Panchacharas denote the five codes of conduct to be followed by the devotee. The Panchacharas include* Shivachara* Lingachara* Sadachara* Brithyachara* Ganachara...
s include:
- Lingāchāra – Daily worship of the individual Ishtalinga, It includes daily thrice, twice or at least once in day.
- Sadāchāra – Attention to vocation and duty, and following 7 rules explained by Guru Basavanna kaLa beDa (Do not steal), kola beDa (Do not kill,hurt), husiya nuDiyalu beDa (Do not speak lie), thanna baNNisabeDa (Do not praise your self), idira haLiyalu beDa (Do not scold anyone), muniya beDa (do not get angry on anyone), anyarige asahya paDabeDa(Don't hate poor people).
- Sivāchāra – acknowledging will do all the (Mangala maya) good activities .
- Bhrityāchāra – Humanity towards all creatures
- Ganāchāra – Defense of the community and its tenets
Ashtavarana
The Ashtavaranas, the eightfold armour that shields the devotee from extraneous distraction and worldly attachments.The AshtavaranaAshtavarana
In Lingayat theology, the Ashtavaranas refer to the eight virtues that act as shields or coverings protecting the devotee from extraneous distractions and influences of Maya. Ashta means 'eight' and Avarana means 'covering'...
s include:
- GuruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
– obedience towards Guru, - Linga – wearing a Ishta-Linga,
- Jangama – worship of Shiva ascetics as an incarnation of the Lord himself,
- Pādodaka(Karunodhaka) – sipping the water from bathing the Linga,
- Prasāda(Karuna Prasada) – sacred offering,
- VibhutiVibhutiVibhuti is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism.-Sacred ash:Vibhuti is the sacred ash used in religious worship in Hinduism. The main ingredient of Vibuthi is a special kind of wood, but several other substances, such as milk and ghee, prescribed in scriptures are also added...
– smearing holy ash on oneself, - RudrākshaRudrakshaRudraksha Rudraksha Rudraksha (also Rudraksh; Sanskrit: ("Rudra's tears") is a large evergreen broad-leaved tree whose seed is traditionally used for prayer beads in Hinduism. The seed is borne by several species of Elaeocarpus, with E. ganitrus being the principal species used in the making of a...
– wearing a string of rudraksha (holy beads) and - MantraMantraA mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
– reciting the mantra "Namah Shivaya" and not "Om Namah Shivaya" or "Om Namah Shivaya Namaha", Since Namah Shivaaya Is A Panchaakshari Mantra(5 Letters) Where as Om Namah Shivaaya is a Shatakshari Mantra(6 Letters). Hence Namah Shivaaya is the mantra recited.
Shatsthala
ShatsthalaShatsthala
The concept of Shatsthala or six Phases/States/Paths is pivotal to the Lingayat philosophy. Shatsthala is a conflation of Shat and Sthala which means 'six phases/states/levels' through which a soul advances in its ultimate quest of realisation of the Supreme...
, or the concept of six phases/states/paths, is pivotal to the Lingayat philosophy. Shatsthala is a conflation of Shat and Sthala, which means 'six phases/states/levels' through which a soul advances in its ultimate quest of realisation of the Supreme. The Shatsthala comprises the Bhakta Sthala, Maheshwara Sthala, Prasadi Sthala, Pranalingi Sthala, Sharana Sthala and the Aikya Sthala. The Aikya Sthala is the culmination where the soul leaves the physical body and merges with the Supreme.
While the origins of the Shatsthala may be traced to the Agamas, particularly the Parameshwaratantra, with the evolution of Veerashaivism the evolution of the concept of shatsthala was also unavoidable. While Basava understood shatsthala as a process with various stages to be attained in succession, Channabasavanna
Channabasavanna
Channabasavanna was Basava's nephew and one of the foremost Shivasharanas of the 12th century. He, along with Basava, Allama Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi, played a pivotal role in the propagation of the Veerashaiva faith...
, Basava's nephew, differed radically from his uncle and held that a soul can reach its salvation in any stage.
Concept of Shoonya
True union and identity of Shiva (Linga) and soul (anga) is life's goal, described as shoonya, void or nothingness, which is not an empty void. One merges with Siva by shatsthala, a progressive six-stage path of devotion and surrender: bhaktiBhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
(devotion), mahesha (selfless service), prasada (earnestly seeking Siva's grace), pranalinga (experience of all as Siva), sharana
Sharana
Sharana meaning to surrender denotes egoless surrender and refuge in god,the lord Shiva,the Deity of Lingayatism and Hinduism.In actual sense the word sharana refers to a person who is a follower of saint Basava....
(egoless refuge in Siva) and aikya
AIKYA
AIKYA is a non-profit organization in India dedicated to improving the quality of life of children with special needs.AIKYA firmly believes that "every child deserves an opportunity to have access to an educational environment to reach his/her maximum potential."...
(oneness with Siva). Each phase brings the seeker closer, until soul and God are fused in a final state of perpetual Siva consciousness, as rivers merging in the ocean.
Anubhava Mantapa
The Anubhava Mantapa was an academy of mystics, saints and philosophers of the Lingayata faith in 12th century Kalyana. It was the fountainhead of all religious and philosophical thought pertaining to the Lingayata. It was presided over by the mystic Allama Prabhu and numerous sharanaSharana
Sharana meaning to surrender denotes egoless surrender and refuge in god,the lord Shiva,the Deity of Lingayatism and Hinduism.In actual sense the word sharana refers to a person who is a follower of saint Basava....
s from all over Karnataka and other parts of India were participants. This institution was also the fountainhead of the Vachana (spoken word) literature which was used as the vector to propagate Veerashaiva religious and philosophical thought. Other giants of Veerashaiva theosophy like Akka Mahadevi, Channabasavanna and Basavanna himself were participants in the Anubhava Mantapa
Anubhava Mantapa
Anubhava Mantapa was an academy of mystics, saints and philosophers of the Lingayat faith in the 12th century. It was the fountainhead of all religious and philosophical thought pertaining to the Lingayat. It was presided over by the mystic Allama Prabhu and numerous Sharanas from all over...
.after the revolution of Kalyana, sharanas are went to Ulavi and established II Anubhavamantapa.
Scriptures
- VachanasVachana sahityaVachana sahitya is a form of writing in Kannada that evolved in the 12th Century C.E. as a part of the Veerashaiva 'movement'. Vachanas literally means " said"...
- Mantra GopyaMantra GopyaMantra Gopya is a work by Veerashaiva saint and mystic Allama Prabhu. It forms an important part of Veerashaiva scriptures....
- Shoonya SampadaneShunyasampadaneShunyasampadane is an edited work that compiles the vachanas and dialogues of various Veerashaiva saints. it forms an important part of the holy works of Veerashaivism...
- Karana HasugeKarana HasugeKarana Hasuge by Channabasavanna is one of the most important works of the Veerashaiva faith. Channabasavanna was a contemporary of Basavanna, the founder of Veerashaiva faith....
- Shaivaite AgamasĀgama (Hinduism)Agama means, in the Hindu context, "a traditional doctrine, or system which commands faith".In Hinduism, the Agamas are a collection of Sanskrit scriptures which are revered and followed by millions of Hindus.-Significance:...
Ishtalinga
The Lingayats make it a point to wear the Ishtalinga at all times. The Istalinga is made up of light gray slate stone coated with fine durable thick black paste of cow dung ashes mixed with some suitable oil to withstand wear and tear. Sometime it is made up of ashes mixed with clarified butter. The coating is called Kanti (covering). Though the Ishtalinga is sometimes likened to be a miniature or an image of the Sthavaralinga, it is not so. The Ishtalinga, on the contrary, is considered to be Lord Shiva himself and its worship is described as Ahangrahopasana.Thus, for the Lingayats it is an amorphous representation of God. Lingayat thus means the wearer of this Linga as Ishta Linga. Here the word Ishta is a Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
term meaning 'adored' or 'desired'. Unlike Advaitins however, Lingayats do not treat the Ishtalinga as merely a representation of God to aid in realising God but worship the Ishtalinga itself as God. Lingayats eat only vegetarian food and should not consume meat of any kind including fish. Drinking of liquor is strictly prohibited.
Lingadharane
Lingadharane is the ceremony of initiation among Lingayats. Though lingadharane can be performed at any age, it is usually performed when a foetus in the womb is 7–8 months old. The family Guru performs pooja and provides the instalinga to the mother, who then ties it to her own instalinga until birth. At birth the mother secures the new instalinga to her child. Upon attaining the age of 8–11 years, the child receives Diksha from the family Guru to know the proper procedure to perform pooja of instalinga. From birth to death, the child wears the Linga at all times and it is worshipped as a personal Istalinga. The Linga is wrapped in a cloth housed in a small silver and wooden box. It is to be worn on the chest, over the seat of the indwelling deity within the heart. Some people wear it on the chest or around the body using a thread.Unlike brahmin beliefs in Hinduism, which permit only males to participate in the Upanayana
Upanayana
Upanayana is the initiation ritual by which initiates are invested with a sacred thread, to symbolize the transference of spiritual knowledge .- Significance of the sacred thread :...
or Deeksha ceremonies, both Lingayat men and women participate in these ceremonies in the presence of a satguru
Satguru
Satguru does not merely mean true guru. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on...
. This practice was begun by Basavanna himself, who refused to undergo Upanayana, because it discriminated against women.
Kaayakave Kailaasa
This is originally a Sanskrit phrase, Vrutti Chaitanya Roopini Karanika, preached by Jagadguru Renukacharya.Kaayaka means the exertion of the Kaaya (body) for the liberation of the soul imprisoned therein. Kailaasa means "abode of Shiva" – heavenly.
- Kaayakave Kailaasa literally means, Kaayaka or the body which exerts itself for nishkaama Karma – KarmaKarmaKarma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
without any expectation is nothing but Kailaasa – the abode of Shiva – heavenly.
There is a vachana complementary to this which talks about keeping the Kaaya (body) pure:
- Yenna kaale kamba dehave degula shirave honna kaLashavayya sthaavarakkaLivuntu jangamakkaLivilla – meaning, 'My legs are the pillars, my body the temple, and my head the golden spire. That which is immobile is transient. That which is mobile is not.'
As one theory goes, the Indian subcontinent is divided into North and South by the Vindhya mountain ranges. While the North has the Himalayan rivers flowing year-round and boasts the river Ganges, the South has the river Kaveri, which originates at Talakaveri
Talakaveri
Talacauvery , is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the Cauvery River. It is located in the Brahmagiri hill near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka, 1,276 m. above sea level...
and dries up in the summer. Hence the North is referred as Punya Bhoomi, whose residents believe that taking a dip in the Ganges with Bhakthi will wash off all your sins. But the South is referred as Karma Bhoomi, whose residents believe that their Karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
which will decide their fate. The Kaayaka Tatva of Basavanna also bases itself on the Karma Siddhantha (Philosophy of Karma).
Daasoha
Among the many injunctions prescribed for the devout Lingayat, Daasoha is a very important one. Basava created this as a protest against the feudalistic ideologies present at that time. He shunned the sharp hierarchical divisions that existed and sought to remove all distinctions between the hierarchially superior master class and the subordinate, servile class. Even though he himself served as a minister under the king, Bijjala, he pointed out that he worked only as a daasohi or one who serves. Daasoha to him meant working hard for one's livelihood and for the maintenance of society. In Basava's view, a daasohi should consider himself, but a servant of society. Therefore, daasoha in principle assumed that what belongs to God must return to Him and what came from society should be given back by way of selfless service. Basava exhorted all wearers of Ishta linga to practice daasoha without reservation.A famous vachana says: Soham yennade Daasoham yendenisayya – which means "be selfless [Daasa Aham] rather than selfish [Naanu or Aham]".
Burial
Unlike most Hindus who cremate the dead, the Lingayat sect buries its dead. The dead are buried in the Dhyana mudra (meditating position) with their Ishta linga in their left hand.Lingayata literature
The rise of Lingayatism heralded a new chapter in the annals of Kannada literature. Basavanna and other saints communicated their beliefs and ideas in Kannada which was the commoners' language unlike Sanskrit which was understood only by the Brahmins at that time. It saw the birth of the Vachana style of literature with the Lingayat philosophy at its core. The Vachanas were pithy poems of a devotional nature that expounded the ideals of LIngayatism. Saints and SharanaSharana
Sharana meaning to surrender denotes egoless surrender and refuge in god,the lord Shiva,the Deity of Lingayatism and Hinduism.In actual sense the word sharana refers to a person who is a follower of saint Basava....
s like Allama Prabhu, Akka Mahadevi, Siddarama and Basava were at the forefront of this development during the 12th century. Some of the best vachanas are the padas or the devaranamas of the dasas. The dasas were a group of religious singers of the Madhva faith who wandered around the kingdom singing about social injustice and true worship. Siddarama (Siddarameswar) of Solapur (Sonnalagi) is considered to be one of the five prophets of the Lingayat (Veerashaivism) religion and a Kannada poet who was a part Basavanna's Veerashaiva revolution during the 12th century. Siddharama claims to have written 68,000 vachanas, out of which 1379 remain in existence. His philosophy was one of service to mankind, the path of Karmayoga. He shared the worldview of other vachana poets in his rejection of blind conventions and caste and sex discrimination and emphasis on realization through personal experience. He borrowed metaphors from diverse spheres of everyday life. Apart from vachanas, he wrote several devotional works in tripadi
Tripadi
Tripadi is a metre in the Kannada language dating back to c. 700 CE.-Definition:...
. Sarvagna was a later lingayat vachana poet of the 17th century who wrote thousands of succinct vachanas in tripadi style.
The entire corpus of these works was in Kannada. As with the Dasa Sahitya
Dasa Sahitya
Dasa Sahitya is the literature of bhakti movement composed by devotees in honor of Lord Vishnu or one of his Avatars. Dasa is literally servant in Kannada and sahitya is literature. Haridasas were preachers of bhakti to Lord Vishnu or one of his avatars. The bhakti literature of these Haridasas...
of the later Haridasa
Haridasa
The Haridasa devotional movement is considered as one of the turning points in the cultural history of India. Over a span of nearly six centuries, several saints and mystics helped shape the culture, philosophy and art of South India and Karnataka in particular by exerting considerable spiritual...
s, the Vachanas were also primarily targeted at the common person and sought to demystify God, as large sections of society had been deprived of access to the texts. The Jangamas played a central role in the propagation of the Vachanas.
Lingayat demographics
Lingayats today are spread all over the state of KarnatakaKarnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
mainly in North karnataka and Central karnataka with sizeable population native to south karnataka. They are Karnataka's largest community with 21% of the state population. Sizeable populations are also found in parts of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
bordering Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and Gujarat also has Lingayat population. In north India more prominently they are called Kashmiri Shaivites or Veerashaiva. In Karnataka, the Lingayat population is quite large and widespread.
The Lingayat diaspora can be found in countries around the world, particularly the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Lingayata
Basavanna discovered and wore the Ishta linga for the first time. Ishta linga is the miniaturized approximation of formless, nameless, infinite and omnipresent God. All people who believed in Shivasharana movement had to wear the Isthta linga and follow the principles of Veerashaivaism. While Veerashaivaisim is the faith, the one who practices it is called Lingayath.Basava established Anubhava Mantapa to establish spiritual social and economic democracy. People from all walks of life embraced Basava's thoughts and became Lingayats. In the same way, Veerashaivas also embraced Lingayatism and became Lingayats, Veerashaiva lingayats.
While the Indian society had converted workmanship into castes, Basava reversed the castes into workmanship again. The Society differentiated people based on birth while Basava offered equal status to all. As a result, large numbers of different caste people took Linga-Deeksha and became Lingayats.
Lingayats and social work
The Lingayat community, under the aegis of several MathaMatha
A matha ) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of Hinduism and Jainism. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram.-Advaita Mathas:...
s, has been very active in the field of social work, particularly in the field of education and medicine. Thousands of schools are run by the Lingayat Mathas where education, sometimes free and with boarding facilities, is provided to students of all sections of society irrespective of religion or caste. In addition, various Lingayat organizations run numerous schools, colleges and hospitals across the length and breadth of Karnataka. Some of these institutions also have branches in other states of India. Some of the notable Lingayat-run institutions include the JSS group of institutions, KLE Society
Karnatak Lingayat Education Society
Karnatak Lingayat Education Society was founded in 1916 by seven educated youth with the objective of bringing education to the Kannada speaking region of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency and what is today the North Karnataka region. The founder life members of the KLE Society are:* Shri S.S....
, Siddaganga Education Society, Vishweshwar Sahakari ( Cooperative ) Bank, Pune.
Famous Lingayats
- Hangal Kumara swamiji, founder of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha in 1903
- Shrimanth Lingaraj Sir-Desai of Shirasangi,President for Veerashaiva Mahasabha in 1903,Founder Of K L E institution,Belgavi
- Sree Sree Shivakumara SwamijiSree Sree Shivakumara SwamijiDr. Sree Sree Sree Shivakumara Swamiji is the present head of Sree Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur District, South India and founder of the Sree Siddaganga Education Society. He was initiated into viraktashram order in 1930. Swamiji was born in Veerapura near Magadi Taluk. He studied English in college...
, head of Siddaganga Mutt in South India - Jagadguru Sri Shivaratreeswara Desikendra Mahaswamiji, JSS Mutt and JSS Institutions,Mysore.
- Basappa Danappa JattiBasappa Danappa JattiBasappa Danappa Jatti was born to Kannada Lingayat family at Savalgi, Bijapur district of Karnataka state. Jatti graduated as a lawyer from Sykes Law College, Kolhapur and became a pleader in Jamakhandi...
, President of India (acting) from February 11, 1977 to July 25, 1977; Vice – President of India from 1974 to 1979 and one of the founders of All India Basava Samithi - Pandit Puttaraj GawaiPuttaraj GawaiPandit Puttaraj Gawai is an Indian musician in the Hindustani classical tradition, a scholar who has authored more than 80 books in Kannada, Sanskrit and Hindi, a music teacher and a social servant...
, Pontiff of Vireswara Punyasrama, Gadag, Hindustani and Carnatic musicCarnatic musicCarnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
ian - Shivraj PatilShivraj PatilShivraj Vishwanath Patil is an Indian politician and current state Punjab governor and the Administrator of Union Territory of Chandigarh. Previously he had been the Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha and served the Manmohan Singh cabinet as the Union Minister of Home Affairs...
, former Home Minister, Government of IndiaGovernment of IndiaThe Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India... - S. NijalingappaS. NijalingappaSiddavanahalli Nijalingappa was a senior Congress politician and the Chief Minister of Karnataka between 1956 and 1958 and once again between 1962 and 1968...
, former Chief Minister of Karnataka. He played important roles in the Indian independence movement and the Karnataka Ekikarana movement. - Gudleppa HallikeriGudleppa HallikeriGudleppa Hallikeri was an Indian freedom fighter who is a native of Hosaritti in Haveri district of Karnataka state. He started a residential school Gandhi Grameena Gurukul in Hosaritti....
, Renowned Gandhian and Freedom Fighter. The Iron man of Karnataka. Former Chairman of Legislative Council. - Basavaraj RajguruBasavaraj RajguruPandit Basavraj Rajguru was born at Yaliwal, a village in the north Karnataka district of Dharwad, a great centre of Hindustani classical music. He was a leading Hindustani vocal musician in the Kirana gharana...
, Indian classicalHindustani classical musicHindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
singer - Mallikarjun MansurMallikarjun MansurMallikarjun Bheemarayappa Mansur was an Indian classical singer of the khyal style in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. He received the three national Padma Awards: Padma Shri in 1970, Padma Bhushan in 1976, and Padma Vibhushan in 1992.-Early life:...
, Indian classical singer - G. S. ShivarudrappaG. S. ShivarudrappaDr. G.S. Shivarudrappa is a Kannada poet, writer and researcher who was awarded the title of Rashtrakavi by the Government of Karnataka on November 1, 2006.-Early life:...
, poet and critic, RashtrakaviRashtrakaviRashtrakavi can refer to the titles awarded to the following poets:*Maithili Sharan Gupt*Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'*G. S. Shivarudrappa*Kuvempu*M. Govinda Pai*Kavi Pradeep... - S. R. BommaiS. R. BommaiS.R. Bommai was an Indian Politician who has served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka and as the Human Resource Development Minister in the Cabinet of H.D. Deve Gowda...
, senior leader Janatha Dal and former Chief minister Karnataka - Veerendra PatilVeerendra PatilVeerandra Patil was Chief Minister of Karnataka state of India twice. The first time was from 1968 - 1971; and the second time was almost 20 years later from 1989 - 1990. He was elected several times from Chincholi assembly constituency of Gulbarga district to Karnataka state legislative assembly...
, former Chief Minister of Karnataka - Jayadevappa Halappa PatelJayadevappa Halappa PatelJayadevappa Halappa Patel was the 15th chief minister of Karnataka. He was born in a Lingayat family on October 1, 1930 in Kariganur, now in Davanagere district, Karnataka. Patel was a Graduate in Law. He married Sarvamangala and had three sons Trishul, Satish and Mahima.- Biography :J.H...
, former Chief Minister of Karnataka - B. S. Yeddyurappa, former Chief Minister of Karnataka
- Smt. Basavarajeshwari, Former Central Minister - Women & Child Welfare, MP & MLA Bellary
- Murugappa Channaveerappa ModiMurugappa Channaveerappa ModiMurugappa Channaveerappa Modi was an Indian ophthalmologist. He was the pioneer of mass eye surgery in India. The Guinness Book of World Records lists Modi as the "most dedicated doctor," for performing the highest number of eye surgeries. He performed as many as 833 cataract operations in one day...
, famous eye surgeon and Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
and Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
award winner and former trustee of All India Basava Samithi - Basavaraj Patil Anwari, former union minister.
- D. M. NanjundappaD. M. NanjundappaDogganal Mahadevappa Nanjundappa was a noted economist from Karnataka and a professor of economics at Karnataka University, Dharwar. He served as the Vice-chancellor of the Bangalore University and the Karnataka University. Professor Nanjundappa was deputy chair of the Karnataka State Planning...
, economist from Karnataka, Vice-chancellor of Bangalore University and Karnataka University - Mate Mahadevi, scholar, mystic, and writer, and the first female jagadguruJagadguruJagadguru , literally meaning the Guru of the world, is a title used in Sanatana Dharma. Traditionally, it has been bestowed upon or used for acharyas belonging to the Vedānta school who have written Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthānatrayī - the Brahma Sutra Jagadguru (Sanskrit जगद्गुरु),...
, or spiritual head of Lingayat community - Jagadish Shettar, Minister Government of KarnatakaGovernment of KarnatakaThe Government of Karnataka is a democratically elected body with the Governor as the constitutional head. The Governor who is appointed for a period of five years appoints the Chief Minister and his council of ministers...
- Gubbi VeerannaGubbi VeerannaGubbi Veeranna was an Indian theatre director, one of the pioneers and most prolific contributors to Kannada theatre. He established the drama company, Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company that played a crucial role in promoting the Kannada theatre. Some of the stalwarts that have emerged out of this...
, famous Kannada theatre director, Artist and movie producer - Muguru Sundaram, dance choreographer in South Indian cinema
- Prabhu Deva, Indian dancer, choreographer, actor and film director
- Kavitha LankeshKavitha LankeshKavitha Lankesh is a renowned filmmaker and director in the Kannada cinema industry.Lankesh is the younger daughter of well known Kannada writer and journalist P. Lankesh. Kavitha holds a Masters in English Literature from the Bangalore University and a diploma in advertising.Kavitha started her...
, filmmaker and director in the Kannada cinema industry - Vinay KoreVinay KoreVinay Kore is the leader of the Jan Surajya Shakti Party of Warananagar, Maharashtra, India.He is the Chairman of the Warana Group of Industries & played role of Minister of Non-Conventional Energy & Horticulture, Govt. of Maharashtra.Tatyasaheb Kore was the first one to bring a sugar factory to...
minister of maharashtra and chairman of shree Warana Cooperative society
Further reading
- Basavanna and other sharanas, Vachana sahityaVachana sahityaVachana sahitya is a form of writing in Kannada that evolved in the 12th Century C.E. as a part of the Veerashaiva 'movement'. Vachanas literally means " said"...
- Lingayata Dharmada Modalaneya Pustaka Kannada, 1982, PM Giriraju.
- Jatigala Huttu Kannada, 1982, PM Giriraju.
- Sadbhakta Charitra Kannada. PM Giriraju.
- Ishwaran, K. 1992. Speaking of Basava: Lingayat religion and culture in South Asia. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press.
- Farquhar, J. N. 1967. An outline of the religious literature of India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
- People of India : Karnataka : Volume XXVI/edited by B.G. Halbar, S.G. Morab, Suresh Patil and Ramji Gupta. New Delhi, Affiliated East-West Press for Anthropological Survey of India, 2003. ISBN 81-85938-98-9
- Thesis: Veerashaivism in Maharashtra: A sociological analysis with special reference to Kolhapur District