http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/philosophy/a-true-sharana-follows-the-ideologies-of-sri-basaveshwara
But Basava has a different way of relating to a temple he says so in one of his vachanas:
People who have money build temples
What can, a poor man, like me do?
My legs are pillars
My body itself is the temple
My head is the golden tower
Please listen O, Kudalasangama (Basava’s Ankitanama, pen name)
The static has an end, but the dynamic has none.
The rich can build temples. What can a poor man like me, 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 of bricks, mud, and sand 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 but my soul is everlasting. That this body itself should be made a holy shrine is a message of immense value. We should be able to see Absolute in this temple of our body. Basava never attached importance to outward form of worship, rituals, and religious observances.
Once it so happened one night Basava was writing some accounts related matters to present it to the King the next day. One of his relative from the far village wanted to talk to him. Basava was in the middle of his work and asked the relative to wait as he would want to finish the work. At that era there were only oil lamps. After some time Basava finished his work and blew off the oil lamp and lit another one next to it. The surprised relative asked the reason. Basava said the lamp which was burning until then was from the kingdom give to him for his official work, and the one which he had lit after finishing the official work was his personal. Now he can talk to the relative with the light emitting from his personal lamp not the official lamp. Such was the ideologies Basava had.
We find bureaucrat using their official vehicle to get vegetables and groceries, and politicians misusing their official residence and offices. Where have the ideologies that were implanted by the great reformers gone???? Why are we the way we are????? Is not a true follower of a philosopher or a reformer the one who accepts and practices his ideologies???? Many of the bureaucrats and politicians are the followers of Jagad Jyothi Basaveshwara but are they the true SHARANAS who act the way Basava would have appreciated???????
There are numerous great reformer saints in this land who have marked their ideologies for the well being of the society on the whole and for the spiritual elevation of the individual in particular. Jagad Jyothi Basaveshwara is one such reformer saint who lived in 12th century in Karnataka, India.
A true visionary with ideas ahead of his time; he envisioned a society that flourished enriching one and all. He was a mystic by nature, an idealist by choice and statesmen by profession. He was the prime minister in the kingdom of the Kalachuri King Bijjala (1156-1167). He could balance his life as a bureaucrat and as a spiritual reformer so well without one interfering with the other. To bring about social justice for the uncared, Basava founded Lingayatism including every one from the high class to the untouchables into the sect and called them all Sharanas (a surrender, exhibiting egoless surrender to Lord Shiva, the Deity of Lingayatism). Hence Basava is popularly called as Vishwa Guru (Teacher of the World) and Bhakti-Bhandari (Champion of Devotion). Basava coined the famous quote “Kayakave Kailasa” Work is Worship. Today (02-05-2014) happens to be His appearance day.
In this age of pomp and show some have a notion that building temples or arranging grand celebrations is being very religious.
A true visionary with ideas ahead of his time; he envisioned a society that flourished enriching one and all. He was a mystic by nature, an idealist by choice and statesmen by profession. He was the prime minister in the kingdom of the Kalachuri King Bijjala (1156-1167). He could balance his life as a bureaucrat and as a spiritual reformer so well without one interfering with the other. To bring about social justice for the uncared, Basava founded Lingayatism including every one from the high class to the untouchables into the sect and called them all Sharanas (a surrender, exhibiting egoless surrender to Lord Shiva, the Deity of Lingayatism). Hence Basava is popularly called as Vishwa Guru (Teacher of the World) and Bhakti-Bhandari (Champion of Devotion). Basava coined the famous quote “Kayakave Kailasa” Work is Worship. Today (02-05-2014) happens to be His appearance day.
In this age of pomp and show some have a notion that building temples or arranging grand celebrations is being very religious.
But Basava has a different way of relating to a temple he says so in one of his vachanas:
People who have money build temples
What can, a poor man, like me do?
My legs are pillars
My body itself is the temple
My head is the golden tower
Please listen O, Kudalasangama (Basava’s Ankitanama, pen name)
The static has an end, but the dynamic has none.
The rich can build temples. What can a poor man like me, 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 of bricks, mud, and sand 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 but my soul is everlasting. That this body itself should be made a holy shrine is a message of immense value. We should be able to see Absolute in this temple of our body. Basava never attached importance to outward form of worship, rituals, and religious observances.
Once it so happened one night Basava was writing some accounts related matters to present it to the King the next day. One of his relative from the far village wanted to talk to him. Basava was in the middle of his work and asked the relative to wait as he would want to finish the work. At that era there were only oil lamps. After some time Basava finished his work and blew off the oil lamp and lit another one next to it. The surprised relative asked the reason. Basava said the lamp which was burning until then was from the kingdom give to him for his official work, and the one which he had lit after finishing the official work was his personal. Now he can talk to the relative with the light emitting from his personal lamp not the official lamp. Such was the ideologies Basava had.
We find bureaucrat using their official vehicle to get vegetables and groceries, and politicians misusing their official residence and offices. Where have the ideologies that were implanted by the great reformers gone???? Why are we the way we are????? Is not a true follower of a philosopher or a reformer the one who accepts and practices his ideologies???? Many of the bureaucrats and politicians are the followers of Jagad Jyothi Basaveshwara but are they the true SHARANAS who act the way Basava would have appreciated???????
if the ruler is so honest the citizens also would follow and that is Ramarajya.!!!! we call it.The rulers should be exemplary of their conduct.!!!!Nice historical details.
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