Veera Shaiva Philosophy
Veera Shaivism is one of the most dynamic of modern-day Shaivite schools. It was
made popular by the remarkable South Indian brahmin Shri Basavanna (1105-1167).
Adherents trace the roots of their faith back to the rishis of ancient times.
Veera, "heroic," Shaivites are also known as Lingayats, "bearers of the Linga."
All members are to constantly wear a Linga encased in a pendant around the neck.
Of this practice, Thavathiru Shantalinga Ramasamy of Coimbatore recently said,
"I can say that Veera Shaiva worship is the best form of worship because
Sivalinga is worn on our body and it unites the soul with the Omnipresence. We
are always in touch with Lord Siva, without even a few seconds break." Followers
are also called Lingavantas and Sivasharanas.
Like the sixteenth-century Protestant revolt against Catholic authority, the
Lingayat movement championed the cause of the down-trodden, rebelling against a
powerful brahminical system which promoted social inequality through a caste
system that branded a whole class of people (harijans) as polluted. Going
against the way of the times, the Lingayats rejected, Vedic authority, caste
hierarchy, the system of four ashramas, a multiplicity of Gods, ritualistic (and
self-aggrandizing) priestcraft, animal sacrifice, karmic bondage, the existence
of inner worlds, duality of God and soul, temple worship and the traditions of
ritual purity-pollution.
Veera Shaiva tradition states that Basavanna was a reflective and defiant youth
who rejected much of the Shaivism practiced in his day, tore off his sacred
thread, yajnopavita, at age 16 and fled to Sangama, Karnataka. He received
shelter and encouragement from Ishanya Guru, a Shaivite brahmin of the
prevailing Kalamukha sect, and studied under him at his monastery-temple complex
for twelve years. There he developed a profound devotion to Siva as Lord
Kudalasangama, "Lord of the meeting rivers." At age 28, Basavanna arrived at the
insight that the brotherhood of man rests on the doctrine of a personalized,
individual Godhood in the form of Ishtalinga ("chosen, or personal Linga"). This
spiritual realization gave rise to the central Veera Shaiva belief that the
human body is to be revered as a moving temple of the Lord, to be kept in a
perpetual state of purity and sublimity.
Near the completion of his studies at Sangama, Basavanna had a vivid dream in
which the Lord Kudalasangama touched his body gently, saying, "Basavanna, my
son, the time has come at last for your departure from this place. There is
Bijjala in Mangalavede. Carry on your work of building a just society from
there." Having received these inner orders, he journeyed to Mangalavede and
sought service in the court of Bijjala. He rose to become chief officer of the
royal treasury, minister to this maharaja in his troubled Shaivite country at
odds with Buddhism and Jainism. This position led to the swift spreading of
Basavanna's revolutionary message of a new, visionary religious society.
Basavanna wedded two wives, taking on the householder dharma, strengthening his
teaching that all followers-not only renunciates-can live a holy life. He gave
discourses each evening, denouncing caste hierarchy, magical practices,
astrology, temple building and more, urging growing crowds of listeners to think
rationally and worship Siva as the God within themselves. Here Basavanna lived
and preached for twenty years, developing a large Shaivite religious movement.
The function of gathering for discourse became known as Sivanubhava Mandapa,
"hall of Siva experience."
At age 48 he moved with King Bijjala to Kalyana, where, joined by Allama Prabhu,
his fame continued to grow for the next fourteen years. Devotees of every walk
of life flocked from all over India to join with him. Through the years,
opposition to his egalitarian community grew strong among more conventional
citizens. Tensions came to a head in 1167 when a brahmin and shudra, both
Lingayats, married. Outraged citizens appealed to King Bijjala, who took
ruthless action and executed them both. The unstable political situation further
disintegrated, and the King was shortly thereafter murdered by political
opponents or possibly by Lingayat radicals. Riots erupted and the Lingayats were
scattered far and wide. Basavanna, feeling his mission in the capital had come
to an end, left for Sangama, and shortly thereafter died, at the age of 62.
Leaders and followers transferred the institutional resources created in the
urban Kalyana to the rural villages of Karnataka.
In spite of persecution, successful spiritual leadership left a legacy of
sainthood, including many women saints. If Basavanna was the faith's
intellectual and social architect, Allama Prabhu was its austerely mystical
powerhouse. The doctrines of these two founders are contained in their Vachanas,
or prose lyrics. Veera Shaiva spiritual authority derives from the life and
writings of these two knowers of Siva and of numerous other Sivasharanas, "those
surrendered to God." Roughly 450 writers of these scriptures have been
identified. The Vachanas, "what is said," scorn the Vedas, mock ritual, and
reject the legends of Gods and Goddesses. The authors of these verses saw formal
religions as the "establishment," static institutions that promise man security
and predictability, whereas they knew that religion must be dynamic,
spontaneous, freed of bargains extracted in exchange for salvation. These
scriptures reject "doing good" so one may go to heaven. Allama wrote, "Feed the
poor, tell the truth, make water places for the thirsty and build tanks for a
town. You may go to heaven after death, but you'll be nowhere near the truth of
our Lord. And the man who knows our Lord, he gets no results." The Vachanas are
incandescent poetry, full of humor, ridicule and the white heat of
Truth-seeking, bristling with monotheism, commanding devotees to enter the
awesome realm of personal spirituality.
These poems, written in the Kannada language, are central in the religious life
of Lingayats. Here are some samples. Ganachara wrote, "They say I have been
born, but I have no birth, Lord! They say I have died, but I have no death, O
Lord!" Basavanna exclaimed, "Lord, the brahmin priest does not act as he speaks.
How is that? He goes one way, while the official code goes the other!" Allama
Prabhu said, "Then, when there was neither beginning nor nonbeginning, when
there was no conceit or arrogance, when there was neither peace nor
peacelessness, when there was neither nothingness nor nonnothingness, when
everything remained uncreated and raw, you, Guheshvara, were alone, all by
yourself, present yet absent."
Ironically, in the centuries following these days of reform, Veera Shaivism
gradually reabsorbed much of what Basavanna had rejected. Thus emerged temple
worship, certain traditions of ritual purity, giving gifts to gurus, and the
stratification of society, headed up by two large hierarchical orders of
jangamas-resulting in the institutionalization of the crucial guru-disciple
relationship, which by Veera Shaiva precept should be very personal. Efforts
were made to derive Veera Shaiva theology from traditional Hindu scriptures such
as Agamas and Sutras-a need rejected by the early sharanas. To this day, by
rejecting the Vedas, Lingayats continue to put themselves outside the fold of
mainstream Hinduism, but in their acceptance of certain Shaiva Agamas, align
themselves with the other Shaiva sects. Veera Shaivites generally regard their
faith as a distinct and independent religion.
The original ideals, however, remain embedded in Lingayat scripture, which is of
three types: 1) the Vachanas, 2) historical narratives and biographies in verse
and 3) specialized works on doctrine and theology. Among the most central texts
are Basavanna's Vachanas, Allama Prabhu's Mantra Gopya, Chennabasavanna's Karana
Hasuge, and the collected work called Shunya Sampadane.
The monistic-theistic doctrine of Veera Shaivism is called Shakti
Vishishtadvaita-a version of qualified nondualism which accepts both difference
and nondifference between soul and God, like rays are to the sun. In brief, Siva
and the cosmic force, or existence, are one ("Siva are you; you shall return to
Siva"). Yet, Siva is beyond His creation, which is real, not illusory. God is
both efficient and material cause. The soul in its liberated state attains
undifferentiated union with Siva. The Veera Shaiva saint Renukacharya said,
"Like water placed in water, fire in fire, the soul that becomes mingled in the
Supreme Brahman is not seen as distinct."
True union and identity of Siva (Linga) and soul (anga) is life's goal,
described as shunya, or nothingness, which is not an empty void. One merges with
Siva by shatsthala, a progressive six-stage path of devotion and surrender:
bhakti (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.
Veera Shaivism's means of attainment depends on the panchachara (five codes of
conduct) and ashtavarana (eight shields) to protect the body as the abode of the
Lord. The five codes are Lingachara (daily worship of the Sivalinga), sadachara
(attention to vocation and duty), Sivachara (acknowledging Siva as the one God
and equality among members), bhrityachara (humility towards all creatures) and
ganachara (defense of the community and its tenets).
The eight shields are guru, Linga, jangama (wandering monk), paduka (water from
bathing the Linga or guru's feet), prasada (sacred offering), vibhuti (holy
ash), rudraksha (holy beads) and mantra (Namah Sivaya). One enters the Veera
Shaiva religion through formal initiation called Linga Diksha, a rite for both
boys and girls which replaces the sacred thread ceremony and enjoins the devotee
to worship the personal Sivalinga daily. Lingayats place great emphasis on this
life, on equality of all members (regardless of caste, education, sex, etc.), on
intense social involvement and service to the community. Their faith stresses
free will, affirms a purposeful world and avows a pure monotheism.
Today Veera Shaivism is a vibrant faith, particularly strong in its religious
homeland of Karnataka, South-Central India. Roughly 75 million people live here,
of which perhaps 25% are members of the Veera Shaiva religion. There is hardly a
village in the state without a jangama and a matha (monastery). On the occasion
of birth in a Lingayat family, the child is entered into the faith that same day
by a visiting jangama, who bestows a small Sivalinga encased in a pendant tied
to a thread. This same Linga is to be worn throughout life.
(Taken from wikipedia)