Sharanas Concepts of Revolution
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Sharanas concepts of Revolution Dr. Pralhad V Chengte Assistant professor of Political Science Government First Grade College , Humanabad. India Abstract: The topic entitled “Sharanas concepts of much stress on meaningless rituals and super fluous Revolution” deals with the life sketch of Sharana’s ceremonials immoral acts like drinking liquor, meaning and definition of the concept of eating flesh and sexual laxity were being practised Revolution; It also traces social Religions and in the name of religion. political conditions before and during Sharana’s “Basava was born about 1131 A.D. in movement. Ingleshwar Bagewadi, in Bijapur district Madarasa and Madalambike were parent of Basava. He was Introduction: born in a devout Brahmin family. As a young boy It should however not be forgotten that Bhakti he was very precocious and given to the religious came to be associated with the Sharana Revolution. musings and questionings. The boy It was a spiritual experience with wider Basaveshwara was eight years old. Preparations ramifications which had firm faith in community for his Upanayana or the Sacred Thread action and movement. “Ceremony were made according to the family Sharana’s teachings and their, relevances to traditions2. Basaveshwara could not agree to the modern times, traces. Sri Shivasharana’s were a ceremony at all. The father and son disagreed on great mystic treasurer of Lord’s love and a social the issue. The boy Basava’s argument was that he reformers, they were visionary rationalist and a has already invested with linga at the time of his socialist they promoted the cause of the birth and the Linga worship and Brahmanical rites down-trodden. They advocated equal rights for like Yajnopavita could not go together. His women in religious and social walks of life they father, seems to have been adamant as he insisted promoted a new literary style in Kannada known as that Basava must undergo the thread ceremony. vachanas which served as powerful medium to When forced, the boy discarded the whole communicate their revolutionary ideas to common ceremony and left home, thus severing all his man. relations with his father and the family. The topic entitled “Sharana’s concept of Basaveshwara left home for Kudala Sangama. Revolution” the study intends to find out the But he appears to have spent some time at the Sharana’s concern for social change and to find out Mahamane (Great house) in Ingleshwara whether humanism has any direct link with concern Bagawadi, where the Bhaktas welcomed his as for social, political and economic change in soon as he left his home for good. society. The Sharanas fought against old beliefs The first soul that gave him the courage of and social evils, never compromising with conviction and moral support, was his sister exploiters. The study falls under the category of Nagalambe it was Kudala Sangama that expert research. The primary data consist of Basaveshwara’s inner self reached realization fully. vachanas which are translated into English from “At Kudala Sangama Basaveshwara used to kannada. The secondary data used here are in the get up early in the morning every day to collect form of published material i.e., books, journals and sacred leaves and flowers unmoved by the wind articles. and untouched by the bees for the worship Sangameshwara”3. LIFE SKETCH OF SHARANA’S: Baladeva who was much impressed by his Basaveshwara fiery, independent nature and his deep piety gave “Whenever religion is in a grave crisis and his daughter. Gangabika in marriage to him. irrational superstition is on the increase, for the Accompanied by his wife and sister he went to redemption of religion and truth. Then do I take Kudala Sangama and received moral and religious birth in the World”1. instruction from a learned ascentic of the place. Lord Shri Krishna has stated in the In due course of time Baladeva died and the Bhagavadgita. Basava was born at a time when office of the Prime minister in Bijjala’s court felt religion was at the lowest ebb. Darkness vacant. Bijjala offered that post to Basava. ignorance, superstitions of every kind reigned After a good deal of hesitation Basava accepted the supreme. The main religion of those days office with the assurance of Bijjala that he would Jainism, Buddhism, Brahminism and Shavism had not interfere with Basava’s Administration. He swered from their righteous path and had laid so was made Prime minister, Chief Lord of the Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1472 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Treasury and Commander – in – chief. Basava those who knew him best did not pretend to married second time. His second wife’s name comprehend the depths of his realization”6. was Nilambika, the adopted sister of Bijjala. Prabhu’s feast ends with the complete Basava had a charismatic personality. With surrender of Basavanna to Prabhu who himself is his official position, charity and deep peity he cast void in human form. Basava realises that our true a hypnotic spell on one and all and made his new love or devotion and not any amount of offering faith very popular. People from every nook and can please him. In turn Prabhu praises Basavanna corner of the country including princes and as true sharana at whose feet all creatures should potentates from far flung provinces came to surrender. Kalyana and joined the new faith and became his “Sharnas indulge in praising Prabhu when desciples. He reorganised the priestly class and they assemble in Anubhava mantapa again. Prabhu conversion to the new faith on a mass scale was stops the praise in and exhorts them that his praise undertaken through them. will not help to realise absolute reality another This alarming number of Basava’s disciples name which is silence. Instead of this meditate on and his staunch fallowers naturally made Bijjala your origin and see your soul in timelessness”7. suspicious. The enemies of Basava who were The path Allama followed was the path of jealous of his eminence fame, power and popularity Shaiva yogi, the path where the yogi, through had grown. They poisoned the ears of Bijjala control of mind and breath sets out to awaken the against him. Matters were brought toe a head Kundalini within the body. And he was its master when the marriage of the daughters of Madhuvayya – all knowledge of the inner pathway seemed open was celebrated with the son of Haralayya an to him as if he were merely recalling wisdom “Untouchable”. learned in past births. Yet Allama knew that “However Madhuvayya and Haralayya had something was missing that his experience, his both been initiated into the new faith and become realization, were not complete. He had not yet staunch devotees of Basava. The orthodox ranted met his Guru and so Allama continued to wander and raved at this ‘unholy alliance’ Bijjala punished and study searching all the time for the one who most cruelly the two devotees by getting them would crown his efforts with experiences. One trampled under the feet of an elephant, Basava was day, walking through a wheat field he met a farmer shocked and deeply pained to see that his true faith named Goggayya. He stopped to speak to him based on peace and non-voilence and founded on about yoga. And when he had finished, the the eternal varieties of life had thus ended and had farmer – who was actually a great yogi in his own unleashed the dark forces of hell, Basava had his right – simply back noned him toward the entrance union with lord Kudala Sangama in the year 1167 to a cave “Go inside” he said Allama slid inside. A.D.4. When his eyes became adjusted to the dim light, he One is struck dumb with awe and wonder at realised he was inside a kind of temple and then he the splendid achievements of Basava within such a became aware of another presence. A yogi sat short span of thirty six years of his life. before him, wide – eyed, un winking. The yogi’s Allama Prabhu: body emanated light and his entire being was Allama Prabhu was born in Belligavi of submerged in meditation upon the Isthalinga, the Shivamogha district. Sugnani and Nirankar were symbol of Shiva which rested on his palm. his parent he born with blessing of god. In the The son of Haralayya and daughter of 12th Century animals were killed in the name of Madhuvayya are in love with each other they god so the Allama Prabhu deadly opposed that and decide to get marry but the Haralayya was a he advised and preached the people to perform cobbler by profession and Madhuvayya was a Yagnya instead of that. minister in the court of kind Bijjala and Brahmin “In the Anubhava Mantapa meetings of previously. The issue was brought to Anubhava religion, debate and discussions were held, at the Mantapa Sharanas approve this marriage. They meeting Alla Prabhu was participating very did not consider it an violation of Varnasharamic actively and his decision was last and final decision system as Sharanas are not bound by it. Prabhu for any controversy”5. though feels that the time is not yet ripe for such a Allama Prabhu was every one’s teacher, but step, yet in principle he approves it. more than that, he was the embodiment of the great “Prabhu, even before this marriage takes place void, the absolute state of divine formless – ness.