| Sages,Rushis & Saints |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
BASAVESHWARA |
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| Basavanna’s
Vachanas – Nectar You have read at the very beginning of this book, the vachana - 'Do not steal, Do not kill,' etc. It is simple, beautiful and full of meaning. Great men express great thoughts in simple words. 'Do not be angry' is one of the command- ments of the vachana mentioned above. Anger is not good. In another vachana Basavanna says: Why should one be angry with those who are angry with one? What does one gain? What do those others lose? Physical anger weakens one's nobility Mental anger weakens one's Wisdom. The fire bums not the neighboring houses Until it has burnt the very house where it was lighted 0 Lord Kudalasangama. Why return anger for anger? It does no good to anyone, either to the angry man, or to his opponent. It affects one's dignity and dims one's judgment. A raging fire first burns the very house where it is kindled and then it burns the adjoining houses; anger is like such a fire. Our anger first harms us and then harms others. The analogy of fire in this vachana effectively brings home to our minds the evils of anger. You have read also the episode of the cows stolen by the thieves. In that context Bassavanna says in a vachana: Pray don't say those thieves have taken the cows, Please be so good; pray don't raise a hue and cry, Please be so good; Pray don't even talk of it, Please be so good; it is God Sangama who drinks milk there, as it is He who drinks it here; God Kudalasangama is one and the same. Within us and within the thieves it is the same God who accepts the milk. The conviction that the same God is present in all human beings finds moving expression in this vachana. We should have such faith and conviction in the worship we offer and in all our actions. Worship without this faith is like a figure in a picture; work without this faith is like the frame of a picture. Driving home a lesson by means of homely simile and example is a unique feature of Basavanna's vachanas. Some have a notion that building temples or arranging grand celebrations is being very religious. But Basavanna says: People who have money build temples What can /, a poor man, do? My legs are pillars My body itself is the temple My head is the golden tower Please listen 0, Kudalasangama The static has an end But the dynamic has none. The rich can build temples. What can 1, a poor man, do? But I build a different kind of temple. My body itself is the shrine, with legs as pillars and head as the golden tower. The temple that is built is stationary. My body moves. It is with me wherever I go. That is why it does not perish. What is made of matter perishes. The soul, the spiritual, is everlasting. That this body itself should be made a holy shrine is a message of immense value. We should be able to see God in this temple of our body. Basavanna never attached importance to outward form of worship, rituals and religious observances. About the worship and charities offered just for the sake of pleasing world Basavanna says: Some were doomed for deeds done unwillingly Some were doomed for charities given without sincerity. If God's grace is to be obtained, we should be true and sincere in action and in giving. Referring to half-hearted devotees he says: Going into a temple, one pretends to be offering salutation; But thinks only of his sandals and not of God. How true! We leave our sandles outside the temple. So even while praying inside the temple we are worded about the safety of our sandles. This is a common experience. Basavanna's vachanas are rich in experience. Generally everyone
wishes to be praised. But Basavanna regarded 'praise' as 'the golden stake'. The stake is
a sharp weapon. Even if it is made of gold it can still pierce and wound the
body.Basavanna did not want to be praised. He prayed to God, "Lord, if you are good
to me please come in the way of anyone praising me." This is his real greatness. |
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