Vachana Sahitya, a rhythmic form of writing of Bhakti poets in Kannada, emerged in the 11^th century and reached its zenith in the 12^th century. Comprising prose-like compositions known as Vachanas, this literary tradition conveys profound philosophical and spiritual messages. Rooted in the Sharana tradition centered around Kalyana or Kalyani in modern-day northern Karnataka, it gave rise to devoted saints including influential figures like Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, and Akka Mahadevi. 

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Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole, in its third episode Kayakave Kailasa, elucidates the poetry of the vachanakaras. Radio Azim Premji University presents a selection of ten vachanas by Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu, Ayadakki Marayya, Basavanna, Devara Dasimayya, Kalavve, Madara Chennaiah, Maritande, and Sule Sankavva. They are rendered by singer M. D. Pallavi, with musician Bruce Lee Mani accompanying on guitar. These spontaneous performances were improvised and recorded in an informal set-up as a soundtrack to the episode.

Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
Poems selected by Amit Basole
Additional Credits: Akshay Ramuhalli, Arjun Jayadev, Bijoy Venugopal, Kripa Gowrishankar, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi and Velu Shankar
Produced for Radio Azim Premji University 

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Sthula Sukshma

After erecting three pillars
The gross, the subtle, and the causal bodies
After beating the buffaloes’ rough hide
After removing the flesh
With the staff of the manifest and the hidden
After tanning the hide with the fire of dualism
After pouring the caustic juice of quintessence
Into the hide-pouch of awareness
The blemishes of soul thus destroyed
I have come to take the sandals to his feet.

Take care,
Not of the ground below,
But of the path your feet and sandals take.
Do not be enslaved
By the hand-awl, blade, or peg
But realise

Ramarama, your own true self, the joy of joys! 

Poet: Madara Chennaiah
Translator: H.S. Shivaprakash
Source: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Madara Chennaiah, a renowned vachana poet from the 11^th century, earned recognition during the era of the Western Chalukyas in southern India. Despite working as a cobbler and being affiliated with the Madiga caste, he left a legacy through his vachanas, which he signed under the pseudonym ​‘Nijaatmaraama Raamana,’ though only ten have endured over time. His poetry delved into the injustice of feeling superior due to one’s caste, advocating for equality by highlighting that everyone shares the same origins and physical composition. Chennaiah asserted that an individual’s value stems from their ethical conduct rather than their caste, dividing people into two categories based on their actions: those who perform good deeds and those who engage in wrongdoing. Additionally, his poems addressed a significant theological debate regarding the duality or unity of existence. His powerful and meaningful vachanas emerged from the fusion of metaphors drawn from his cobbler trade, interwoven with profound theological concepts.

Ullavaru Shivalaya Maduvaru

The rich
will make temples for Siva.
What shall I,
a poor man,
do?

My legs are pillars,
the body the shrine
the head a cupola
of gold.

Listen, O Kudalsangamadeva,
things standing shall fall,
but the moving ever shall stay.

Poet: Basavanna
Translator: A. K. Ramanujan
Source: Speaking of Siva, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Basava, also known as Basaveshwara and Basavanna, played a pivotal role in Vachana Sahitya during the Kalyani Chalukya and Kalachuri dynasties in 12^th century Karnataka. Despite his Brahmin caste background, he vehemently opposed gender and social discrimination, superstitions, and rituals. Basava introduced the Ishtalinga necklace for all, promoting devotion to Shiva regardless of birth. As finance minister under King Bijjala II, he utilized the state treasury for social and religious reform. He established Anubhava Mantapa, a ​‘parliament’ for individuals from diverse backgrounds to engage in spiritual and existential discussions, emphasizing his philosophy centered on valuing the living human experience over static structures like temples. Basava’s sharana philosophy emphasizes the body as a temple (Kayakave Kailasa) and as an instrument for honoring the divine.

Yenna Kayavige

Make of my body the beam of a lute
of my head the sounding gourd
of my nerves the strings
of my fingers the plucking rods

Clutch me close
and play your thirty-two songs

KuDalasangamadeva!

Poet: Basavanna
Translator: A. K. Ramanujan
Source: Speaking of Siva, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Acha Shiva Aikyange

To the utterly at-one with Siva
there’s no dawn,
no new moon,
no noonday,
nor equinoxes,
nor sunsets,
nor full moons;
his front yard
is the true Banaras,

O Ramanatha.

Poet: Devara Dasimayya
Translator: A. K. Ramanujan
Source: Speaking of Siva, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Devara Dasimayya, also known as Jedara Dasimayya, was a prominent figure in Vachana literature, hailing from the village of Mudanuru in Karnataka. He worked as a weaver and lived during the rule of the Kalyani Chalukyan ruler Jayasimha II. Basaveshwara, among the most prominent of the Veerashaiva poets, praised Dasimayya and his wife Duggale in several of his vachanas. Composed approximately 100 to 150 years before Basaveshwara, Dasimayya’s 176 vachanas are noteworthy for expressing profound philosophical ideas in a concise form. Dasimayya’s vachanas touch upon themes of conjugal discipline, gender equality, and the significance of charity. Dedicated to Ramanatha (Shiva), these vachanas have earned him admiration from the Devanga community, a widespread group of weavers in southern India who consider him an avatara purusha, an incarnation of the divine.

Adi Adharavilladandu

When neither Source nor Substance was,
When neither I nor mine,
When neither Form nor Formless was,
When neither Void was nor non-Void,
Nor that which moves or moves not,
Then was Guhesvara’s votary born

Poet: Allama Prabhu
Translator: S.C. Nandimath, Armando Menzes, and R.C. Hiremath
Source: Sunya Sampadane Volume 1, Karnataka University, Dharwad
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Allama Prabhu, a revered poet and the patron saint of the Sharana movement in medieval Karnataka, was born in the 12^th century in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. He played a pivotal role in reshaping both society and Kannada literature. Recognized as part of the ​“Trinity of Lingayatism” alongside Basavanna and Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu channeled poetry to critique rituals, challenge social norms, and promote moral values, particularly emphasizing devotional worship of Shiva. Details of his early life are a mix of historical accounts and legendary tales. Allama Prabhu, known for his mystic and cryptic style, composed over 1,300 hymns, spreading his transformative message through spontaneous vernacular songs and Sandhya Bhasha, a coded language rooted in Vedic and Upanishadic traditions. His ankita, or the signature he used for himself in verses, was Guhesvara, and his poetic expression staunchly opposed symbolism, occult powers, temple worship, and ritualistic practices.

Savillada Kedillada

To him with no death,
No decay
No form

To the Beautiful One
I have given myself, O Mother

To him with no place
No end
No space
No signs

To the Beautiful One
I have given myself, O Mother

To him with no clan
No country,
To the peerless
Handsome One

I have given myself, O Mother

For this reason
Channamallikarjuna, the Handsome One
Is the man for me.

These wasting, dying men —
Take them away
Throw them into the oven!

Poet: Akka Mahadevi
Translator: H.S. Shivaprakash
Source: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Born in Udutadi near Shivamogga around 1130, Akka Mahadevi, the prominent female Vachanakara, left an indelible mark on Kannada literature with her 430 Vachana poems, alongside two short writings, Mantrogopya and Yogangatrividh. While she composed fewer poems compared to other saints of the movement, her contributions are highly regarded. Acknowledging Shiva, whom she addressed as ​‘Chenna Mallikarjuna,’ as her husband in the ​‘madhura bhava’ or ​‘madhurya’ form of devotion, Akka Mahadevi asserted her identity as a woman only in name, dedicating her mind, body, and soul entirely to Shiva. Her pursuit of enlightenment is documented in simple yet intellectually rigorous poems. Her verses delve into the renunciation of mortal love in favor of an enduring love for God, and she imparts insights into the demanding methods of the path to enlightenment, advocating for practices such as overcoming the ​‘I,’ conquering desires, and mastering the senses.

Kattaleyalli

If I am a thief at night
That would be a shame
To the master who gave me the picklock

If I enter houses
When people are forgetful
That would be a shame
To my expertise.

I wake up the forgetful,
Show them their riches
Then bring out my own riches, O Father
Lord of Mara, the love god

Foe of Mara

Poet: Maritande
Translator: H.S. Shivaprakash
Source: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Maritande, a professional burglar known for targeting the houses of the affluent, sustained his livelihood by pilfering and spending the loot until he was apprehended by Bijjala’s security guards. Around 1160 AD, during the time of Basavanna, the transformative figure in Maritande’s life, Basavanna advocated for leniency on his behalf. This plea led to a change in Maritande’s life as he transitioned from a burglar to a devoted Sharana. Influenced by this attitudinal shift, Maritande began writing vachanas, with only a few properly attributed to him. Notably, his vachanas drew on the imagery of his former profession, freely incorporating elements of burglary into his poetic expression.

Kayakadalli

One who’s engaged in work
Must even forget the Guru’s sight ;
The Linga-worship he must forget …
Even if the Jangama stand in front,
The obligation must be snapped.
Since such work is as good as Heaven,
Amaresvaralinga Himself
Must do it.

Poet: Ayadakki Marayya
Translator: S.S. Bhoosnurmath and Armando Menezes
Source: Sunya Sampadane Volume 4, Karnataka University, Dharwad
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Ayadakki Marayya, a contemporary of Basavanna, had the humble responsibility of gathering spilled rice outside Basavanna’s house. Legend holds that Marayya and his wife, Mahadeviyamma, a Dalit couple from Maharashtra, arrived in medieval Karnataka, influenced by Basavanna’s teachings. The stories chronicled in the Sunya Sampadane emphasize the deep spiritual bond between Marayya and Mahadeviyamma, a recurring theme in this tradition. Research has uncovered 809 Vachanas authored by Marayya and 69 Vachanas by Mahadeviyamma. Revered among devotees dedicated to Kayaka (service) and Daasoha (charity), Marayya epitomized the belief that work is akin to heaven. Writing under the signature Amareshwaralinga, his 32 vachanas delve into the philosophy of Kayaka, underscoring the importance of dedicated service in his life’s principles.

Kuri Koli

They say –
All those are high born
Who eat sheep, fowl and tiny fish,
They say –
All those are low born
Who eat the cow that rains on Shiva
Sacred milk sanctified five times.
What the Brahmins had eaten adorned the grass
And a dog licked it up and went away.
What the cobblers had eaten adorned the grass –
Now the Brahmin’s ornament
In other words
Bags are made of cow’s hide
For ghee and for water.
Senseless Brahmins who drink
Ghee and water from such leather bags
Thinking it sacred
They can’t escape utmost perdition.
The master of Urilingapeddi
Doesn’t approve of such men.

Poet: Kalavve
Translator: H. S. Shivaprakash
Source: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Kalavve, among the earliest Dalit women poets in Kannada, firmly stood for the principles of Kayaka Siddhanta, emphasizing selfless work over selfishness and greed in her verses. Her poetic expression strongly condemned practices like animal sacrifice under the guise of pleasing the gods and spoke out against casteism. Vrata, or religious observance, held significant importance in her compositions. Although only 12 of her verses are extant, they encapsulate her staunch stance against societal injustices and her advocacy for selfless devotion through righteous actions.

Voteyya Hididu

In my harlot’s trade
Having taken one man’s money
I daren’t accept a second man’s, sir.
And if I do,
They’ll stand me naked and
kill me, sir.

And if I cohabit
with the polluted,

My hands nose ears
they’ll cut off
with a red hot knife, sir.

Ah, never, no.
Knowing you I will not.
My word on it,

O Nirlajjeshwara

Poet: Sule Sankavva
Translator: Susan Daniel
Source: Women Writing in India, edited by Susie Tharu and K. Lalitha, Oxford University Press
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023

Sule Sankavva, a distinctive figure among the Kannada vachanakaras, represents the sole recorded instance in this tradition of a sex worker who embraces the Bhakti path. She transcends her experiences in her profession, using them to convey transcendental mysticism through the lens of her worldly endeavors. Sule Sankara is recognized by her vachana signature in which she addresses Shiva as ​“Nirlajjesvara”, the Lord Who Is Without Shame. Stressing the significance of loyalty to one’s Kayaka (vocation) and vows, she places their importance on par with other moral principles. Emphasizing honesty as a crucial virtue, Sankavva advocates for the pursuit of one’s Kayaka, irrespective of societal judgments, with an unwavering commitment driven by purity of heart and mind, free from fear and doubt.

Tala Mana

I don’t know anything like time-beats and metre
nor the arithmetic of strings and drums;
I don’t know the count of iamb and dactyl.

KuDalsangamadeva, as nothing will hurt you
I’ll sing as I love.

Poet: Basavanna
Translator: A K Ramanujan
Source: Speaking of Siva, Penguin Classics
Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani
For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole
Radio Azim Premji University, 2023