The Vachanas, a
corpus of Kannada wise sayings by saints and mystics of the 12th and 13th
century is a treasure grove of Kannada literature. The forerunner of this
literary movement was Basaveshwara, a revolutionary saint, social reformer and
revival of the Veerashaiva
religion. Several centuries later another saint and
moralist made valuable contribution in the composition of Vachanas. This was
Sarvagna. A lot of similarities can be found in the lives, thoughts and works
of these two gems of Karnataka.
Both of them hailed from North Karnataka, while Basaveshwara
was born to Madiraja and Madambe at Bagewadi in Bijapur district, Sarvagna was
born to Basavarasa and Mali at Ambalur near Hirekerur in Dharwar district.
While the birth date of Basaveshwara is around the year 1131 A.D., that of
Sarvagna is around 16th century A.D. Basaveshwara was born due to the grace of
Lord Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva to whom his mother had prayed for
blessing her a son. Similarly Sarvagna was born after Mali ate the prasada of
Lord Vishwanatha of Kashi. Both Basaveshwara and Sarvagna displayed signs of
greatness even during their childhood days. They were bold, free from social
and religious prejudices and superstition which prevailed in the society during
their times. Both left their houses in pursuit of their goals. Basaveshwara
went to Kudalasangama and later began to work under the Kalachuri ruler Bijjala
II at Kalyan. At Kalyan Basaveshwara began his work or reviving the Veerashaiva
religion and establishing an egalitarian society. Sarvagna on the other hand
spent his whole life as a wanderer, not staying in one place for long. His
mission was to morally uplift the masses and raise voice against hypocrisy,
superstitions, discrimination and exploitation prevailing in the society.
Both Basaveshwara and Sarvagna wrote Vachanas, wise sayings,
expressed through spoken words. The theme of these Vachanas covered on varied
topics with elements of wit, satire and mild censure. Though moralistic in
nature some of these Vachanas were also revolutionary in thought. These
Vachanas full of practical wisdom percolated in the minds of the common people
for their simple words and easy comprehensibility. Though several centuries
have passed after the demise of Basaveshwara and Sarvagna, their Vachanas are
still alive in the minds of the people. The number of Vachanas composed by
Basaveshwara is around 1400 with more being discovered by scholars. Sarvagna
wrote about 2100 Vachanas called tripadis (triplets) of which only a thousand
are said to be genuine and authentic composition of Sarvagna and the rest being
later interpolations. A German missionary Rev Father Wirth published for the
first time Sarvagna’s Vachanas in 1862 and later Rev Uttangi Channappa by
painstaking efforts collected the Vachanas of Sarvagna from various places and
published them in 1924. While the ankithanama of the Vachanas composed by
Basaveshwara is Kudalasangama, for the Vachanas composed by Sarvagna, it is his
own name. (An ankitha is a mark which the author weaves into the text of his
composition to suggest his authorship.)
While Basaveshwara revived the Veerashiva religion, Sarvagna
was initiated into that religion. In fact many of Sarvagna’s Vachanas reveal
the influence of Basaveshwara and other sharanas of the 12th century. For
instance in one of his Vachanas, Basaveshwara says that no occupation was
superior or inferior to another and it was honesty and sincerity which decided
the merit of the means of livelihood. On the same theme Sarvagna says that one
should not be idle and work hard with honesty and efficiency for fortune will
smile upon those who are industrious. Similarly with regards to discrimination
made on the basis on caste, Basaveshwara says that he who eats a dead animal is
not to be branded as an untouchable but the one who eats an animal by killing
it as sacrifice at yagas. In his Vachana Sarvagna says –how can the eater of
carcass be called the lowliest while the greater outcaste is he who lives by
cutting everyday the throat of the living.
Basaveshwara was married and for a living worked as a
treasurer and later as prime minister of Bijjala II the Kalachuri ruler of
Kalyan. Sarvagna on the other hand eked out his living by begging. Basaveshwara
carried out his mission at Kalyan along with other shivasharanas while Sarvagna
led a nomadic life and carried out his mission all alone.
Both Basaveshwara and Sarvagna not only enriched the Kannada
literature but also played an important role in fighting superstitions,
exploitation and discrimination taking place in the name of religion. They
exhorted people to lead a highly moral and ethical life with simplicity and
love for all living beings.
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