All about saints

padmaiyangar · Aug 2, 2007

The life and teaching and philosphy of saint basavanna

Basavanna was a profound thinker, a great social reformer, a great saint and a religious teacher.Basavanna is regarded as the originator of Lingayatism

Shree Basaveshwara was born in a brahmin family, to Madarasa and Madalambe in 1131 AD in Bagewadi. Madarasa was the chief of Bagewadi, which is now known as Basavanna Bagewadi in Bijapur district, Karnataka, India.From his childhood,

Basavanna was a brilliant child & was always showing his objections to many customs, rituals, discriminations in day to day affairs , was much pained by many drawbacks in Hindu Vedic Systems ,brought reformation in untouchability system where the lower caste people were treated as animals.He fought for equal right for Female , brought reforms in many rigid rituals & customs to be followed by the widows and in animal scarifies in the name of satisfaction of gods. He reformed The rigid caste system treating the person by birth as superior or inferior. He preached that blind rituals were meaning less.

Basavanna preached that Athma in the body is the god and purification of body & mind is necessary to please god.
Truth is god and good habits are swarga(heaven) & bad habits are Naraka.(hell).

The Brahmin class was opposing the learning of Vedha by other caste people and all temples, maths were in their strong hold . Exploitation of innocent lower caste people in the name of god & religious ceremonies rituals pained Basavanna very much & in his boyhood he opposed "Upanayana Samskara" which was not permitted to females.

At the age of 16 years Basava broke away from the brahmanical religious traditions. He then proceeded to Kudala Sangama,, he put himself into study and devotion to Sangameshwara the presiding deity of Sangama. He spent 12 years which was the most significant period of his life at Sangama.

He also started preaching that God is only one & he is "Shiva", who has no shape but dwells in every one. The symbol of "Linga" a semi round object was made compulsory to be worn in the neck after "Shiva Diksha" and this was equally applicable to both Males & Females.
All such persons who believed that God only one and he is Shiva were given "Diksha" and wore that Symbol Linga. They were called as Veerasaivas or Lingayat.

The most popular vachanas of Basavanna

Kalabeda, Kolabeda, Husiya Nudiyali Beda, Anayarige Asahya Padabeda. Thanna Banipa beda, Idira
Haliyalu Beda, Ide Antharanga Suddhi, Ide Bahiranga Suddhi, Kudala Sangamadeva.

(Here if you want to live in a rightful path, don't steal, don't kill, don't tell lies, don't praise yourself & condemn others. This is inner purification as well as outer purification of soul and body )

Manjureddy · Aug 2, 2007

Re: Basavanna- the great social reformer saint

Hi Padma !

Thanks for introducing Basavanna to IL.
Ever since I joined the community i had been wondering why kannada literature and veerashaiva hymns were not getting much exposure here. Infact, i was planning to put in something after/if i found time to brush up my vachanas.
Good that you took the initiative !

Do dish up some more vachanas. ( I find AK Ramanujan's translations very useful)

Then we can go on to Akkamahadevi, Allamaprabhu etc.
:2thumbsup:
manjula

(PS: DId you manage to lay hands on " anudeva horaganavanu ?" before they made a bonfire of the copies ? Just curious !)

Nischel · Aug 4, 2007

Re: Basavanna- the great social reformer saint

PADMA MADAM;
The thread of the above title is very nice. similarly plz try to introduce
noted spiritualists of earstwhile period one by one with their life history and
any noted works of their own.
Madam do u know the ragavendraswami's life history and works? IF NOT
plz try to gather it and post it at ur convinient time at an early date n oblize.
Namasthe
Sd.nischel

Anandchitra · Aug 9, 2007

Re: Basavanna- the great social reformer saint

Dear Padma
THanks for writing. I enjoyed reading and hope to find some more material on the internet. Hope you will write some more too.
regards
chitra

padmaiyangar · Aug 16, 2007

life and philosphy of sree sree Ragavendra swamijee

Raghavendra Swami

“Poojyaya Raghavendraya Sathya Dharma Ratha Yacha

Bajatham Kalpavrukshaya Namatham Kamadenuve”

Raghavendra Swami (1595-1671), one of the influential saint in Hinduism lived in the 16 th century He advocated Vaishnavism ( worship of Vishnu as the supreme God) and the Dvaita philosophy, advocated by Madhavacharya He is considered by his devotees to be a reincarnation of Prahlada the devotee who was saved by Vishnu, in his avatar as narasimha Sri Raghavendra Swami is said to have performed many miracles during his lifetime and is believed to continue to bless his devotees to this day.He was an ardent devotee of Sri Moola Rama and Sri Panchamukha Anjaneya (the five-faced form of Hanuman - Pancha meaning five, mukha meaning faces). He performed penance at a place called Panchamukhi, where He received darshan of Hanuman in the form of Sri Panchamukha Anjaneya.There is also a huge statue of Sri Panchamukha Hanuman atTiruvallur, near Chennai.. The Raghavedra Mutt in Mantralaya is visited by thousands of devotees every year. Raghavendra Swami attained samadhi at Brindavan (sacred tomb) which is located at Mantralaya.
.Early life
Sri Thimmanna Bhatta was the grandson of Krishnabhatta, a Veena Scholar,who had taught the Veena to KingKrishnadevaraya. Initially, this couple had two children named Gururaja and Venkatamba.By the grace of Lord Venkateswara, a third child was born in 1595 A.D.at Bhuvanagiri in Tamil Nadu to Sri Thimanna Bhatta and Smt. Gopikamba.They named Him Venkatanatha(Some also say he was called as Venkanna bhatta and Venkatacharya).Venkatanatha proved to be a very brilliant scholar at a very young age.Venkatanatha's brother Sri Gururaja Bhatta took care of His upbringing after their father's demise. The initial portion of His education was completed under His brother-in-law Lakshminarasimhacharya's guidance in Madurai.After His return from Madurai,Venkatanatha married Smt.Saraswathi.After His marriage,Venkatanatha went to Kumbakonam.There he studied the Dwaita vedantha and other grammar and literary works under His guru, Sri Sudheendra Theertha.He was very well versed in bhashyas and debated with various scholars and defeated them.He was also a skilled musician,and played the veena beautifully, which He had learnt from His father in His childhood.He used to teach children Sanskrit and the ancient Vedic texts. He never demanded any money for His services and He had to endure a life of poverty. Many a times, He, His wife and child had to forego food many times in a week. But this never deterred the faith He had in the Lord.Venkatanatha was in the habit of chanting stotras and mantras always in His mind. Once while He was touring Kumbakonam, Venkatanatha was invited to attend a function, with His wife and son. The hosts did not treat Him well and wanted Him to earn His food by working.So they asked Him to make some sandalwood paste, using a grinding slab.The paste was given to all the guests, who smeared it on their bodies.Immediately,the guests complained of a burning sensation all over the body where they had rubbed the paste.Surprised by this,the hosts questioned Venkatanatha,who replied that He was chanting the Agni Suktam while grinding the sandalwood, which had resulted in the cool sandalwood create a burning sensation.Such was the power of the mantra when chanted by Venkatanatha!To relieve the guests of their agony, Venkatanatha then recited the Varuna Mantra.His guru, Sri Sudheendra Theertha was looking for a successor to his math. Sri Sudheendra Theertha had a dream where he saw the Lord indicate that Venkatanatha was the right person to succeed him as the pontiff of the math. So Sri Sudheendra Theertha communicated his desire to Venkatanatha.Venkatanatha,was devastated by the request of the guru as he could not take up this responsibility for He had a young wife and a son to care for.But by divine intervention and after being blessed by the Goddess of Learning herself,Venkatanatha changed His mind.The sanyasa ordination was to take place on the second day of the bright half of Phalguna Masa in 1621 at Tanjore. On the day Venkatanatha was to ascend the peetha, Saraswathi was required to stay home. However, at the last minute she was seized by a desire to see her husband's face for the last time.She ran towards the matha throwing caution to the winds.Unfortunately in the desire to see her husband, she did not see an old and unused well on the way, and fell into it. She died immediately.Since her death was an untimely one, she became a ghost. Even as a ghost, her only desire was to see her husband and so she went to the matha. By the time she arrived, the function was over Venkatanatha had become a Sanyasi under the Name of Sri Raghavendra Theertha .Sri Raghavendra sensed his wife's presence immediately.He sprinkled some holy water from His Kamandalu on her, granting her moksha or liberation from the cycle of births and deaths. This was her reward for a lifetime of dedicated and selfless service to Sri Raghavendra.(Sri Raghavendra Theertha is also known as Guru Raya and Rayaru lovingly by his devotees).
, Sri Guru Rayaru was proceeding to Adoni. Venkanna a cow-herd boy prostrated before Him and seeked his blessings, upon which Rayaru blessed and advised him to pray to Him at the time of any difficulties. After a few days, the Nawab of Adoni, who was passing by, stopped and asked Venkanna to read a message as he was not, educated himself. The illiterate boy feigned ignorance, which infuriated the Nawab. Venkanna earnestly prayed to Sri Guru Rayaru to save him. Surprisingly, the illiterate cow-herd could read the entire text which contained very good news, due to which the king made him the Diwan of Adoni. The nawab decided to test the Guru's powers and brought a plate of meat covered with a cloth and offered it to Rayaru. Rayaru sprinkled some water on the plate and when the cloth was removed, the meat had turned into fresh fruit! The nawab fell at the Guru's feet begging for pardon, and he requested the Swami to ask for any favour or gift. Guru Rayaru asked for the Manchala village, which has come to be known as Manthralayam. It is at this holy place that Bhakta Prahlada performed a great yaga.
. Deserving people have got back their lost vision, hearing and many have been cured of various terminal illnesses also by just chanting "OM SHRI RAGHAVENDRA” with devotion and by pleasing Guru Raghavendra. Devotees pray to Sri Raghavendra by chanting the famous shloka "... Poojyaya Raghavendraya Sathya Dharma Ratha Yacha Bajatham Kalpavrukshaya Namatham Kamadenuve. ".

Before entering Brundavana in 1671, Sri Raghavendra began reciting the pranava mantra and slipped into deep samadhi.At one stage the japamala in His hand became still. His disciples who understood this sign started arranging the slabs around Him. They arranged the slabs up to His head and then, as per His earlier instructions, they placed a copper box containing 1200 Lakshminarayana saligramas that had been specially brought from Gandaki river. Then they placed the covering slab over it and filled it with earth. They poured twelve thousand varahas (abhisheka) over the brindavan that they had built.

vmur · Aug 17, 2007

Re: Basavanna- the great social reformer saint

Here is a link to Vira Shaivam and Vachana Sahitya.

Virashaivam Home Page

Regards
Vidya

revathy45 · Sep 19, 2007

I am sure many of you have heard Sri Ramesh Bhai Oza ji on sanskar TV or else where.I am very fond of his Baghvath Kathas and listen to them whenever possible.Today Is Sri Bhaiji's birthday& I wish all of us join in wishing Bhaiji a long & healthy life and seek his Blessings.
JAiI GURU
Love,
Revathy.

pammor · Nov 6, 2007

The life of this great unique personality, a picture of serenity, is a great source of inspiration and a symbol of great strength and enlightenment in today's international world. She is indeed infinite within and without; her very being bearing the mark of magnetism, saintliness, mysticism and radiance born of Yogic discipline. Her natural dignity, motherly nature and broad minded reveal the highest spiritual quality. Her teaching is the eloquent speech born of insight. She is a highly evolved spiritual soul and a figure of international renown.

She is a spiritual teacher (Guru) whose all-embracing wisdom, love and compassion are beyond human limitations. She looks at the world as one unit, as a revelation of God. She is the embodiment of love and is ready to adapt herself to any circumstance. She transforms the lives of her students and devotees by her silent and unconscious influence. The most dominant trait in her character is her motherly love, a love stronger than one's own. Her commanding presence, her courtly manners and her passion, make her popular. Apart from her spiritual power, the mere human aspects of her life are enough to make her an exemplary Master. Mataji (as she is affectionately called) is doing laudable service for the upliftment of many aspirants looking for spiritual guidance.

This great soul has pledged her life to serve India and humanity to restore the faith of man in God and goodness. Mataji was born (on April 6th 1927) and brought up in the holy city of Benares. She did her M.A in Political Science, and was the founding Principal of a women's college at Bihar. With characteristic determination, effort and dynamism, Mataji played many roles in life, a devoted housewife, an enlightened educationalist and a political reformer. In her youth she was fascinated by higher ideals and heard the voice of the Divine. Born with a keen urge to know the unknown, she devoted herself to the quest for solutions to the great mysteries of life. Evolution does not follow a necessarily chronological or historical pattern, yet in Ma Yoga Shakti's life we find the parallel between worldly accomplishments and spiritual attainments. By living in both spheres of life she has disproved the myth that "this world and the other are irreconcilable," and has most effectively demonstrated that the unity of life runs like a golden thread from material to spiritual.

She founded the Annie Besant Lodge of the Theosophical Society at Chapra in 1956. She has the grace of an invisible great saint who lived a long time ago. With his Divine Grace, her inner personality was elevated to the spiritual realm. The year 1961 brought a great change in her life. She renounced her wordly life and entered the holy order of Sanyasa. Since then Mataji has done signal service to the cause of Yoga and she was designated Shakti Sant Shiromani at the Ujjain Kumbha Mela in 1969. She was further accorded the title of Maha Mandleshwar during the 1974 Kumbha Mela at Haridwar.

Mataji has opened ashrams in India and America, and she has been greatly instrumental in the spread of Yoga throughout the west. Her teachings produce a mass effect on humanity. She is always in a whirlwind of work, and wants yogic knowledge to be spread and known by all, believing firmly that Yoga helps man to face and bear the stress and strain of modern life. There are many techniques in Yoga which, when practised under an expert guide, give positive results for physical, mental and spiritual growth, thereby unfolding unused and latent powers. The secret techniques are essentially revolutionary. Innumerable benefits for the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of man are derived. Yoga is a practical art because as the meaning (adaptation) shows, it makes man master of his soul, mind, body and senses. This is why the ancient Rishis of India evolved this supreme art of adaptation or Yoga.

To be Yogic is to be disciplined, religious and self-transcendental. Mataji has travelled extensively in India and abroad carrying the message of Yoga to peoples everywhere. Her deep knowledge of Yoga, both in its scientific and experimental aspects, her modern outlook, her infinite love and compassion for all who come in contact with her, have earned her the devotion of a huge following of disciples of Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. She believes that, for each individual, spiritual salvation lies in following one or more of these paths according to one's inclination and abilities. It is here that her vast knowledge of Yoga, her experience of human nature and her deep spiritual insight enable her to become a true guide, philosopher and friend to the aspirant in his quest for spirituality.

Thus Ma Yoga Shakti is spreading this enlightening philosophy, irrespective of the barriers of caste, color, religion or nationality, with an aim to forge a greater human universal brotherhood. Educationalist, reformer, philosopher, saint, Guru, Mataji is all of these; but above all she is Mataji-Mother, and she showers her Divine Grace, her compassion, her all-embracing love, on everyone who comes to her.

NB:
H.H.Mataji will be in Chennai from Dec.9th.2007 for 10 days. IL members/Groups if they desire to receive the divine grace by hearing her lectures,welcome to private message me.
I will take a special interest in organaising the event for your members

Shakta Kaur · Nov 25, 2007

Dear All,

These 4 great saints came into my life at a time when I was caught up in deep debris of unhappiness. They lit my life & brought in a hope in my other wise dull life. These saints are 1)Akkalkot Swami Samarth 2) Shri Shirdi Sai Baba 3) Shri Shankar Maharaj 4) Shri Guruji Maharaj. Their websites are Shree Sadguru Shankar Maharaj Pratishthan - Mumbai www.gurujimaharaj.com shri saibabaofshirdi.com | | SHREE SWAMI SAMARTH | |. I literally go everyday to their websites to offer my pranams!

Shakta

sunkan · Dec 26, 2007

Inspiration For A Life Of True Spiritualism

Inspirations for a life of true spiritualism

I was once asked about who was my inspiration to keep writing to my blog. I had no answer then except the name of Lord Shiva that echoed in my head. The thought remained in my mind for a while, about those who I would like to follow blindly as examples of perfection in my life.

Two names struck me at a shot, both of whom were a perfectionist when it came to self expression of their love to the Lord and towards their Guru. A Guru that even I admire and respect deeply within my heart but I am not really sure whether I made it to His list of favorite children. A simple man, who commanded respect as well as kept alive this fantastic faith that is slowly dying its natural death thanks to the “modern” questions we pose to try and understand something quite out of reach through reason and beyond probably even metaphysics. The then Mahaperivar of Kanchipuram was an epitome of divinity and peace, a human nature we have somewhere quite given up to even try and attain.

I have come to admiring two of his favorite children and yes, they have set me an example of at least hoping to make it to His list. To be a favorite child of Kanchi Mahaperivar Chandrashekhar Swamigal mean pure devotion, complete surrender, love and adoration for the Lord and maybe orthodoxy too. I have not made it too well in any of these areas, but the Mahaperivar is always there deep down to guide me when I lose my way. He has been the fire to perform for both His favorite children.

One of His children did it through her music. She is probably the only person who brought soul into Carnatic music and gave it the additional touch of devotion that overpowered technique, for when one listens to her song, there is so much life and humility that you can almost hear the Lord wake up to her notes. And what is music without soul? What is music without devotion? M. S. Subhalakshmi makes the heart melt to the Lord when she dives into her ocean of music and takes our souls with her.

Another of Mahaperivar’s favorite children is a unique man. A person I would call India’s unknown Michaelangelo. I had the opportunity to visit his house and come across his works of perfection. And perfection simply seems to be an understatement. What lay around me was not raw talent or patience of practice of expression. What lay in front of my eyes was just one original picture that made my heart skip a beat, and transform my world to feel miserable and small in front of such a great man. Artist Shilpi as he is known was an illustrator for the Ananda Vighatan(Tamil magazine), who gave up his illustrative career to be blessed by the Mahaperivar of Kanchipuram, Sri Chandrasekhar Swamigal, to begin painting deities within temples across the country. I do not have words to express the beauty he has captured in every deity of the North and South of India.

There is something more that is common to these two people, and that is purity in their minds and detachment to the world and complete surrender to the Lord when they performed. We need to realize that music is found everywhere but that with devotion which can melt your heart and make you emotionally breakdown in front of the Lord are few. The same with visual art, talent is plenty but that which religiously follows one goal and is perseverant to bring the Lord to your home are few to find. And of course that additional something, that makes the heart look within itself, searching furiously for the promised Lord hiding within ourselves. These people are inspirations, to the material world of people that we are missing something far more fundamental in our lives and that is a spiritual high that is rare to find but needs to be patiently worked upon.

Having said this, here is a league of people, who have walked the same earth we have, during our times and are definitely not mythological and have no tales to make us believe they were supernatural. They all lived next door, around us, and lived a life that was once celebrated on Indian soils. I can only hope Mahaperivar blesses me as I seek inspiration from His favorite children, that the very Incarnate of Lord Shiva teaches me as I move on. I am indeed blessed to have set eyes on this divine incarnation of Lord Shiva.

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Sharanam Prabhadye

BY MY FRIEND KAVITHA...BROUGHT TO U BY SUNKAN