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Introduction:
Vachana sahitya (Kannada: ವಚನ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ) is a form of writing in Kannada (see also Kannada poetry) that evolved in the 12th Century C.E. as a part of the Veerashaiva 'movement'. Vachanas literally means "(that which is) said". These are readily intelligible prose texts.
Madara Chennaiah, an 11th-century cobbler-saint who lived in the reign of Western Chalukyas, is first poet of this tradition and was considered by later poets, such as Basavanna (1160), who was also the prime minister of southern Kalachuri King Bijjala II, as his literary father.
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Vachanas and Lingayatism
This form of writing, in the 20th century, has come to be closely linked with what is called the social revolution of that period in Karnataka led by the vachana writers, such as Basaveshvara, Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu and Siddheshwar [1].This fact has been attributed to the popularity of the movement. More than 200 Vacahana writers (Vachanakaras) have been recorded, more than 30 of who were women.[2][3]Style
Vachanas are brief paragraphs, and they end with one or the other local names under which Shiva is invoked or offered Pooja. In style, they are epigrammatical, parallelistic and allusive. They dwell on the vanity of riches, the valuelessness of mere rites or book learning, the uncertainty of life and the spiritual privileges of Shiva Bhakta (worshiper of lord Shiva).[4] The Vachanas call men to give up the desire for worldly wealth and ease, to live lives of sobriety and detachment from the world and to turn to Siva for refuge.[4]Authors of a particular Vachana can be identified by the style of invocation of God (Basveshvara invokes "Kudala Sangama Deva", while Allama Prabhu invokes "Guheshwara", Akkamadevi invokes "Channa Mallikarjuna", Siddhrama (Siddheshwar) of Solapur invokes "Kapilasidda Mallikarjuna") in the vachana. The existing readings of the vachanas are mostly set by the European understanding of the Indian traditions.
About 20,000 vachanas have been published. The government of Karnataka has published Samagra Vachana Samputa in 15 volumes. Karnataka University Dharwad has published collections of individual vachana poets.
Devara (Jedara) Dasimaiah is called the 'Adya Vachanakara' (The First Vachanakara).
Example
Some of the vachanas by Basava..."Vachanadalli nAmAmR^ita tumbi
nayanadalli nimma mUruti tumbi
manadalli nimma nenahu tumbi
kiviyalli nimma kIruti tumbi
kUDala saMgama devA
nimma charaNakamaladoLagAnu tumbi "
Meaning: The words spoken (by me) are full of ambrosia of (Your Holy) Name ! The eyes are enriched with the vision of Your Form ! The mind is full of Your thoughts ! The ears are filled with Your Glory ! Oh Lord of kUDala saMgama, in Your Feet lotus, I am there as a bee !
neerige naiDile sR^i~Ngaara
samuDrake tereye sR^i~Ngaara
naarige guNave sR^i~Ngaara
gaganake chandrama sR^i~Ngaara
namma kUDala sangana sharaNara
nosalige vibhUtiye sR^i~Ngaara
Meaning: For the water (pond) water-lily is the charm; For the ocean tides are the charm; For the woman character is the charm; For the sky moon is the charm; For foreheads of the devotees of the Lord of kUDala sangama, the holy ash is the charm
Ganaka Vachana Software:
Ganaka Vachana Samputa - a unique software on the Vachana Literature of 12th century A D in Karnataka (the Kannada speaking State in the Southern part of India). The great socio-religious leader of thetimes was Basavanna who fought against social inequalities, caste system and advocated religiousfreedom. The present version consists of his sayings called Vachanas and also of his contemporaries namely,Akkamahadevi, Allamaprabhu, Siddharama and Channabasavanna (fifty Vachanas each) in the original Kannadascript with roman transliteration and search capabilities. English translation is made available for the Vachanasof Basavanna and Akkamahadevi only. The software is carefully developed for the use of general readers and also for scholars by no other personthan a religious head namely, Dr Shivamurthy Swamiji of Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Brihanmath, Sirigere.
Click here to download Ganaka Vachana Samputa
Web Links for Vachana Sahitya:
1. http://www.vicharamantapa.net/
2. www.vachana.com