The Mystic Utterances of
Basav├й┼Ыwara : Translation with Interpretation
by Basavaraj Naikar, Authorspress, New Delhi, 2022, pp. 714, ₹ 1495, USD 40.
In The Mystic Utterances of
Basav├й┼Ыwara: 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 Basav├й┼Ыwara 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 K┼лdala-Sa┼Дgama." (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 g├╡tra? Why not say that
You belong to the gotra of M─Бdara
Chennayya and of D├╡hara
Kakkayya?
O Lord of K┼лdala-Sa┼Дgama! (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
