Mahatma Basaveshwara and his thoughts
Mahatma Basaveshwara or Basavanna – a great personality whose teachings and thoughts, practiced and preached, have been a source of great experiment from times. Basavanna was the Chief Minister to King Bijjala, who ruled from 1157 to 1167 over Kalyana in today’s Karnataka.
Basavanna believed that the caste system was one of the many reasons behind the disparities and differences in Hindu society. He advocated for the eradication of the caste system and promoted the idea of social equality. He also emphasized the importance of treating all human beings with respect, regardless of their caste, occupation, or gender.
In addition to his efforts to eradicate the caste system, Basavanna also promoted the concept of “Kayaka” or “work” to promote social equality. He believed that all forms of work were valuable and important and that people should be judged based on their actions, not their social status or occupation.
Basavanna and his vachana’s
Vachana was a literary form that originated during the Bhakti movement in Karnataka, and Basavanna and other social reformers took them up to criticize the society, which attached more importance to human values and engagement than a conservative society. The Vachanas were written in a simple and accessible language that everyone should understand, and they drew from the day-to-day experiences of common people.
Basavanna’s Vachanas, in particular, were unique in that they dissented from the majoritarian views of the time, including the Hindu view of the relationship between God and devotee and the demolition of the caste system. He emphasized the concept of devotion as a medium of breaking barriers of caste and other social divisions. He promoted the idea that love and compassion for all living beings were the hallmarks of actual devotion.
The relevance of Basavanna’s Vachanas in contemporary society lies in their emphasis on devotion and reformation. The values of love, compassion, and social equality that he espoused continue to be relevant today, and his teachings inspire those seeking to promote social justice and equality.
Basavanna and Anubhava Mantapa
Basavanna was a proponent of non-violent methods of persuasion and believed in the power of spiritual and philosophical discourse to bring about social change. He was convinced that true change could only come from within, through the transformation of the individual’s consciousness and values.
To achieve his goal of establishing a society based on social equality, Basavanna founded the “Anubhava Mantapa” in Kalyana. This was a gathering place for people of different castes, genders, and occupations to come together and discuss their spiritual experiences and philosophical ideas. The Anubhava Mantapa was a revolutionary concept in a society that was deeply divided by caste and class, and it provided a platform for people to come together and explore new ideas.
Basavanna believed that it was through these spiritual and philosophical discussions that people could gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others, and that this would ultimately lead to the transformation of society. His approach was peaceful and non-violent, and he believed that change could be achieved through persuasion and dialogue, rather than force or coercion.
The Anubhava Mantapa, still exists as a symbol of Basavanna’s commitment to social equality and spiritual transformation. His teachings , till today continue to inspire the people around the world.
– Prajvalant Kavathekar (Prajvalant.k@gmail.com)
Reference –
– https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/article/view/582/145
– https://basavadivinecenter.org/
– https://ijels.com/upload_document/issue_files/5IJELS-10520216-Transformation.pdf