Erotic Spirituality of Women in Hinduism: a Study on Akkamahādevi
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International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 02 February 2017 Erotic Spirituality of Women in Hinduism: A Study on Akkamahādevi Pranay Bin Introduction A feeling of respect, love and devotion are itinerant, and never putting down roots.1 In common phenomenon in religious life, which several important ways, Vīraśaiva stood and comes out from the heart of devotee that has continue to stand over and against their larger taken a shape of devotional movement. As a social context of Brahminical Hinduism as a full fledge devotional movement, it worked its sharply defined and sectarian protest way through India starting in the far south in movement. the sixth century CE, spreading through the middle and the western region around the The Vīraśaivas are worshiper of Śiva. The twelfth century, and flourishing in the north Sanskrit term Vīra means “heroic” or by the seventeenth century. Hindu women “militant” that cause one to think the strength voices emerge in full force in this movement. of their devotional encounter. The sectarian Some bhaktas were passionate lover of God mark is made with ash in the centre of the with attributes. Akkamahādevi, a twelfth- forehead, with or without the horizontal lines century Kanada saint who worshipped Śiva in of the Śiva devotee. Another term for the Śiva his in iconic form, where she alludes on her devotee is ‘Linguist (a)’ which means relational spirituality and accentuates what is “bearers of linga’, the insignia of Śiva. The more significant than Śiva. Akkamahādevi name is derived from the habitual wearing of vacanas are generally considered to be the a small stone Śivalinga. Those who receive a most poetic amongst Vīraśaivas. What is most linga from the family priest at an initiation characteristic of her vacanas is her desperate ceremony, usually on the day it is born. The searching for Siva, simultaneously what she linga is tied to the child’s cradle to symbolize expresses her love toward her beloved the divine origin of the soul in the body; later Channamalikarjuna, and her spirituality is it is strung on a thread and worn at the neck or highly erotic, which have been delved into on the arm, remove from its container only for 2 Vacana of Akkamahādevi. the twice-daily worship. While the term Vīraśaiva and Lingayat are often used Brief Sketch of Viraśaivism interchangeably, there is a tendency for the former to describe the philosophical or The Liṅgāyata (“people of the Linga”) or Vīraśaiva (“Siva’s heroes”) are a South Indian group common in Karnataka. 1 Wendy Doniger, The Hindus An Alternative History Viraśaiva also called Charaṇas (New Delhi: Speaking Tiger Publishing Pvt. Ltd., (“wanderers”). Because they prided 2015), 469. themselves on being moving temples, 2 Julia laelie, “Understanding Basva: History, hagiography and Modern Kanada Drama,” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 61/ 2 (1998): 229. Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJSS/ P a g e | 29 International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 02 February 2017 historical context while the latter denotes the years before.”6 Eva-Maria Glasbrenner views modern social group.3 that Basva was Śaivite mystic who revived an already existing religion and transformed into Origin of Vīraśaiva or Lingayata is difficult a new, powerful, morally and socially to trace the date but scholars like Dr. S. C. engaged spiritual movement.7 Ben-Herut sees Nandimath traced its religious origin to the that claims regarding the historical origins of 4 Śaiva sect before 12th century. Bhandarkar Vīraśaivism are traditionally divided between opines that “When it originated, it is difficult two factions. The first harks back to an to say. But it was clearly in a militant orthodox, Sanskritic, pan-Indian, and 5 condition in the time of Basava. It must Brahminical antiquity, while the second therefore, have originated about a hundred points to the local, Kanada speaking movement that was led by the local leader named Basava during the 12th century in North Karnataka.8 Yet Vīraśaivism or 3 laelie, Understanding Basva . , 229. Lingayatism was given totally a newer radical 4 S. C. Nandimath, A Handbook of Veerasaivism form by Basava and his other socio-religious (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1979), 1. economic revolutionaries known as the 5 Basava was born in a Brahmin family, whose were the devotees of Ś́́́iva. He was reared up in a Vacanakāras (composers of verses) and Brahminical teachings and practices he had different saraṇas in the 12th century and their number perception toward it rather than traditional way. He resisted against wearing the sacred thread, even it is was two hundred and ten including thirty five said that he rejected the Upanayana ceremony and women from different castes and profession preferred personal relationship with God. to compose vacanas at Kalyan (a place in the Consequently he reached to Kudalasangama, a sacred place where two rivers meet. He found guru northern part of karnataka) to popularise their and learned the scripture and had many year of new concepts of socio-religious and economic spiritual experience. Lingayat community remembers equality for all irrespective of their castes, him as Bhakti Bhandari (treasure of devotion) 9 Basavanna. Basava was a Śaiva Brahman at the culture and sex. On account of these views it court of King Bijjala, the king of Kalyana. He was a is conceivable that there is no point, which social and religious reformer. He expressed his devotion in poetry and founded a new community. Basava was vehemently against the caste system and 6 Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Virasaivism, ritualistic religion. He began a community at Kalyana Saivism and Minor Religious Systems (New Delhi: which emphasized egalitarianism, including caste- Asian Educational Services, 1995), 190. free marriage, and developed an ethos of what Victor 7 Eva-Maria Glasbrener, “Cakra System and Tantric turner has called communitas or ‘communion’. Ritual in Viraśaivism,” The Journal of Hindu Studies Basavanna preached that the devotion of people to 10/22 (27 June, 2015): 180. God was a direct relationship and did not need the 8 Gil Ben-Herut, “Figuring the South Indian Siva intervention of the priestly class. Temple building is bhakti Movement: The Broad Narrative Gaze of generally not practised among Lingayats. His Early Kanada Hagiographic Literature,” Journal of egalitarian philosophy and reform movement Hindu Studies 10/25 (2015): 274. attracted large numbers of people. Saints like Allama 9 S. H. Patil, “Impact of Modernization and Prabhu, Akka Mahadevi and Channabasavanna also Democratization on a Dominant Community: A Case played pivotal roles in the growth of the Lingayat Study of Lingayat Community in Karnataka,” The tradition. Gavin Flood, An introduction to Hinduism Indian Journal of Political Science LXVIII/4 (Cambridge: University Press, 1996), 172. (October-December, 2007): 665. Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJSS/ P a g e | 30 International Journal for Social Studies ISSN: 2455-3220 Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 03 Issue 02 February 2017 state that the founder of Vīraśaivism is Basava vacanas, which can be termed as madhura11, rather he is developer and made remarkable or instead of madhura, theologians’ talk of contribution to the Vīraśaivism along with the mood of śṛṅgāra, or romantic love that is other contemporaries. However, it seems sometimes erotic. This mood is seen in the there are historical connections the Kanada vacana of Akkamahādevi that is highly Śaiva bhakti tradition with the earlier form of demonstrated. Śaivism.10 Moreover, during the time of Basava, vīraśaivism reached its zenith and Life of Akkamahādevi became more organized along with its objectives to achieve it. It was the time Akkamahādevi was born in the early half of Akkamahādevi, who was the youngest saint the 12th century at Udatadi village, (present district of Sivamogga) in Karnataka.12 Her of Vīraśaivism. father Nirmalshetti, and mother, Sumati, were Both male and female poets construct several ardent followers of Siva. It is said that models of relationships between the Akkamahādevi displayed her religious subordinate devotee and the powerful deity. proclivities even as a little girl. There is a In devotion the deity is sought not only as a popular legend that Rudrakanika, by the order husband, but also as an errant lover (who is of Paraśiva, took birth on the earth as a scolded, berated, and teased, and not just human being, who was Akkamahādevi.13 As treated with formal respect), and other times she grew older, her piety and devotion to her is referred to as the father and as the mother. God, Chenna Mallikarjuna, grew stronger. Sometimes, a male poet identifies himself as Even when she had reached the age of sixteen the mother of the incarnate deity and sings she was not married, a practice rare in those poems about the mischievous child. In the days. The reason for not marrying could be case of Akkamahādevi, Siva is the lover and “she considered herself betrothed to her Lord innermost soul, her relationship excludes and refused human loves”14 others, and the very unique nature of the divine-human relationship is such that no However, Akkamahādevi could not avoid models of an earthly relationship completely marriage too long. According to legend, when describe it or exhausts it. And it has been King Kausika was returning from the hunt, he vividly expressed by Akkamahādevi in her saw her standing near her house, watching the 11 Madhura, which denotes the sweet love that a woman feels toward her beloved. 12 Andrew Schelling, ed., The Oxford Anthology of 10 The earlier form of Śaivism we can see in South Bhakti Literature (New Delhi: Oxford University India in the Tamil speaking area, and they are known Press, 2011), 42.