The Incisive and Enlightening Poetry of Saint-Poet Basavéśwara

Book Review: Kanwar Dinesh Singh

 

The Mystic Utterances of Basavéśwara : Translation with Interpretation by Basavaraj Naikar, Authorspress, New Delhi, 2022, pp. 714, ₹ 1495, USD 40.

 

 

 

In The Mystic Utterances of Basavéśwara: Translation with Interpretation, Basavaraj Naikar, a well-known bilingual poet, critic, and translator in Kannada and English, and currently professor and chairman in the department of English at Karnatak University, Dharwad (India), has laboriously translated 641 of the greatest and most representative vacanass (prose poems) of Basavéśwara from the approximately 1400 existent in Kannada into English, making these unique poems available to global readers. In addition, Naikar has critically evaluated these poems for the benefit of scholars worldwide interested in comparative literature, poetry, religion, philosophy, and mysticism. He has undoubtedly opened the door for further comparative research with other world mystics. These translations will undoubtedly aid the worldwide readers in distinguishing the mystic's universal and typical religious imagery, poetic approach, and distinctive language.

Kanwar Dinesh Singh

 Basavanna was a 12th-century philosopher, poet, saint, and social reformer in Karnataka, India. He used his poetry, known as vacanas, to raise awareness about social issues such as gender inequality, superstitions, and rituals. Basavanna condemned the caste system and founded institutions that encouraged open debates on spiritual and everyday life matters. He presided over the Sarana Movement, which aimed to recruit people from all walks of life and advocated for equality. However, his ideas were considered radical for their time.

 

Basaveswara, also known as Bhakti Bhandari or Basavanna, was born in Karnataka in 1131 CE. He is credited with several key Lingayat works. He founded the Anubhava Mantapa, a hall for spiritual experience that welcomed individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Basavanna campaigned against the caste system's discriminatory practices based on birth. Basaveswara was known for his speeches criticizing various social practices such as caste hierarchy, astrology, and temple construction. He urged people to cultivate rational thought and worship Lord Siva within themselves. At the age of 28, he realized the importance of a personalized form of Godhood, known as istalinga, which forms the basis of the brotherhood of man. This led to the core doctrine of Virasaiva, that the human body is a temple of God and should be kept pure and sublime.

 

The Sarana movement, led by Basavanna, produced a corpus of literature called vacanas that explored the spiritual realm of the Virasaiva saints. However, the movement's advocacy for equality was considered radical for its time. Basaveswara's social reforms were recognized when he became the first Kannadiga to be honoured with a commemorative coin. He passed away in 1167 CE, leaving a lasting impact on society through his poetry and commitment to social justice.

 

Basavanna and Allamaprabhu's doctrines are contained in their vacanas, or prose poems. In Sanskrit, the vacanas mean ‘utterances’ or ‘what is said’. These vacanas censure God and Goddess tales, the Vedas, and religious practices. The vacanakaras, or authors of vacanas, regarded religion in its formal shape—as an established, static institution that promises human beings security and predictability—despite knowing that religion should be spontaneous, dynamic, and free of bargains extracted in exchange for salvation. These vacanas, which are fundamental to the lives of Lingayats, are loaded with humour, ridicule, truth-seeking, and monotheism and invite followers to enter the realm of personal spirituality.

 

          In an elaborate introduction to the book, Professor Basavaraj Naikar discusses the development and significance of vacanas poetry, a form of Kannada rhythmic writing that originated in the 11th century and thrived in the 12th century as part of the Sarana movement. He also deliberates on the religious, political, and social contexts of the vacanas, besides their literary features.

 

The vacanas are characterized by their brief, epigrammatical style and often conclude with names by which Siva is called or Pooja/Worship is offered. They reflect on the vanity of wealth, the futility of ceremonies and book learning, and the spiritual privileges of being a Siva Bhakta. The vacanas encourage individuals to abandon worldly desires, lead lives of sobriety and detachment, and find refuge in Lord Siva. The style of invocation used in the vacanas helps identify the author and their unique perspective.

 

Basavaraj Naikar's translation preserves the original text's beauty, emotion, or spirit. The translated piece has poetic characteristics and attributes. As a result, these translated vacanas have interesting poetic renderings. Without a doubt, translating poetry is a challenging task because it is difficult to find appropriate terminology equivalent to the words of one language in another. But Naikar has done this arduous endeavour with extraordinary passion, faith, devotion, and a singular attention to vacana minutiae. For instance, in the first verse, the translator has chosen appropriate and incredibly powerful words to explain the philosophical argument regarding the nature of God and soul and their interdependence, as well as the exact translation of the poem, appropriately capturing the many images from nature:

 

"Immanent in the human body

Is the Parabrahma,

Like fire hidden in the ocean,

Like the flavor of juice inside the plant,

Like fragrance resident in a flower,

And like the sweet company of a bride,

O Lord of Kūdala-Sańgama." (p. 43)

 

Similarly, in the sixth verse, the translator-commentator has translated the vacanas into English and elucidated its semantics with amazing efficiency and clarity by articulating the original verse's devices of speech such as metaphor and paradox:

 

 

"The elephant is huge.

But can you say, ‘The trident is small?’

No, you cannot say so.

 

The mountain is very big.

But can you say, ‘The lightning bolt is small?’

No, you cannot say so.

 

The darkness is vast.

But can you say, ‘The lamp is small?’

No, you cannot say so." (p. 49)

 

 

Naikar's accurate interpretation allows access to the soul of the poems' spiritual mystery and aids in grasping the seriousness of their meaning. Basaveswara wrote a popular vacana in verse number 442, which is frequently sung by Karnataka musicians. In this poem, the poet has produced a broad and profound image or vision of Lord Siva. According to tradition, Siva embraces the entire universe and extends beyond it. The translator's literary rendition accurately preserves the poet's imagery and intended meaning:

 

"Lord, Your presence spans the

Entire universe, the sky, and beyond.

Your holy feet stretch far below

The nether world... (p. 503)

 

Basaveswara says that Siva is unquestionably infinite and unequalled, but he is tamed by the devotee's immense and exclusive love. This sentiment is well expressed by the poet: "Beyond the reach of intellect and senses./ . . .You came / And settled down on my little palm!" (Ibid.)

 

Basaveswara founded the Lingayat tradition within Saivism (Virasaivism). His followers, known as Saranas, disseminated Virasaivism. They are known as Vira (heroic) Saivaites as well as Lingayats, which means ‘bearers of Siva Linga.’ The Saivites always wear a pendant with an encapsulated linga around their neck. These individuals are also known as Sivasaranas and Lingavantas. Virsaivism is an independent egalitarian movement that draws influence from the larger and more ancient frameworks of South Indian Bhakti traditions.

 

This Virasaivam revolution was as much social as it was spiritual, and it intended to eliminate the prevailing attitudes of social inequality along gender and caste lines, in addition to the brahminical rituals that dominated Hindu modes of devotion at the time. Similar to the Protestant revolution against Catholic authority in the 16th century, the Lingayat movement challenged the system of four asramas, Vedic authority, caste hierarchy, ritualistic priesthood, plurality of gods, animal sacrifice, temple worship, and so on.

 

Basava encourages persons of lesser castes, or gotras, in poem 443, telling them that there is no need to hide their gotra or bow their heads in shame about it. He cites saranas such as Chennayya and Kakkayya, who belonged to the same gotra of low-caste people. In devotion to God, he implies that there is no discrimination based on the devotee's caste or clan:

 

“Gentlemen, why do you remain silent?

Why do you lower your head and

Scratch the earth with your toes,

When somebody asks you about

Your gõtra? Why not say that

You belong to the gotra of Mādara

Chennayya and of Dõhara Kakkayya?

O Lord of Kūdala-Sańgama!  (p. 504)

 

Despite the large number of vacanas available, there was no central repository for all of them until efforts were made to revive vacana literature. Professor Naikar’s selection and translation of Basaveswara’s vacanas is, indeed, a valuable addition to the literature on this important genre. The Karnataka government and Karnatak University, Dharwad, have published collections of vacanas to make them accessible to readers.

 

Overall, Professor Basavaraj Naikar has done a wonderful job of translating the revolutionary saint-poet Basaveswara's insightful and enlightening poems into English. This collection of selected sayings from Basaveswara not only guides the way to spiritual awakening but also provides vital viewpoints on social harmony. This collection is ideal for both institutional and personal libraries.

 

 

 

Kanwar Dinesh Singh

 

Kanwar Dinesh Singh is an eminent poet, storyteller, critic and translator based in Shimla, where he works as Associate Professor of English at a Government College affiliated to Himachal Pradesh University. He is the winner of the prestigious Himachal Pradesh State Sahitya Akademi Award 2002 and the Unicorn Best Author Award 2023 for poetry. He has penned several volumes of poetry, haiku and microfiction, as well as books in literary criticism and translation. His poems, reviews, interviews and essays have appeared in reputed newspapers, magazines and anthologies in India and abroad. His recently published poetry books include The Frosted Glass, Epistles: Poems of Love & Longing, and Thoroughfare: A Book of Ghazals.  Email: kanwardineshsingh@gmail.com

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Setu, August 2024