Basavanna was a profound thinker, a great social reformer, a great saint and a religious teacher.Basavanna is regarded as the originator of Lingayatism ,however according to some scholars they say that he revived already existing creed. 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.

He was much pained by many drawbacks in Hindu Vedic Systems and brought reformation.
For example:
Due to untouchability system prevailing the lower caste people were treated as animals.
Female were not given equal rights. The widows had to follow many rigid rituals & customs.
The animal scarifies in the name of satisfaction of gods.
The rigid caste system treating the person by birth as superior or inferior.
Following blind rituals  which were meaning less.
The Statue worship and exploitation of innocent people by worship class like pujaris, Matapathis etc.,

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, which is now a village in Hunagund Taluk of Bijapur District and situated at the meeting place ( Sangama or Junction ) of two rivers, the Krishna and its tributary the Malaprabha. Basava found his guru at Sangama and with his guidance, 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 is only one and he is Shiva were given "Diksha" and wore that Symbol Linga. They were called as Veerasaivas or Lingayat.
Basavanna become Prime Minister to King Bijjala  who was a follower of Jainism, but Basavanna married the sister of King Bijjala and since the king was not opposing Basavanna for his activities. All caste people under took Shiva diksha & became Veerasaivas by putting on Vibuthi on their forehead, & other parts of body & wearing Linga in the neck. The Veerasaivism not only brought all class of people under are stray fold irrespective of Caste & its popularity prejudiced the minds of Brahmins & their followers who believed in day old customs & procedures. "Anubava Mantapa" established under the chairmanship of Allama Prabha included Females & it became so popular all the participants were given to voice their opinions it was guiding Veerasaivism to right paths always by performing as a governing council.It included leaders & stalwarts like Channabasavana, Akka Mahadevi & other Sharanas.The Veerasaiva are known as sharanas & Vachanas in the form simple kannada poems were written by all sharanas. Basavannas Vachana became so popular, and more study & recitations made persons to adhere to right paths. The following are most popular vachanas of Basavanna.

1) 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 , what Gandhiji said Truth is god Ahimsa is paramadharma was preached by asavanna is 12th century itself.

2) Yelavo Yendare Narak, Iyya Andare Swarga

3) Yena Gintha Kiriyarilla Shiva shankarigintha Hiriyarilla.

4) Ullavaru Shivalayava  Maduvaru, Nanenu Maduve Bedavanayya Yenna Kale Kamba, Yenna Shiva Gopura, Yenna Hridayave devalayavu.

5) Anacharave Naraka, Sadacharave swarga.

Not only Vachana of Basavanna were popular, but also at the same line Vachana by 64 vachanakars were also popular many Sharana Vachanakars were.

1)Allama Prabhu, 2)Channabasavanna, 3) Akkamahadevi  4)Dohara Kakkayya 5) Ambigara Ma Chaya 6) Devara Dasimaya etc.,

Basavanna also popularised "Dasoha" system where all sharanas used to be feed freely everyday. This Dasoha system even now are followed in many Verasaiva Maths now also the practising of "Soonya Sampudhane" & Shat Sthala was also symbolised the greatness of veerasaivism.These reforms brought by Basavanna was viewed with Jealous by upper caste & their blind followers, since their strong postion in society slowly becoming weaker & their hold over the people became loose.They were waiting for the oportunity to bring bad name to Basavanna they tried many ways & also tried to spoil the relationship of King Bijjala with Basavanna and king Bijjala was even though not heeling to their tactics became some how suspicious. When Basavanna performed marriage of the daughter of Brahmin Maduvarasa, to the son of Haralayya who belonged to untouhable low caste before conversion to Veerasaivas. The upper caste people headed by Kondi Manchanna succeeded in spoiling the good relationship Basavanna had with king Bijjala who in turn warned Basavanna. Pained by the change of attitude of king Bijjala, Basavanna resigned the prime minister post and went to holy place Kudala Sangama for meditation. King Bijjala was taken back by the extreme step taken by Basavanna & he was in deep grief, he asked ever waiting Kondi Manchanna to take over & to establish peace. Kondi Manchanna, who was appraising the movement Veerasaivism, immediately ordered arrests & killing of all suspicious Veerasaiva. Thousands were murdered by the army, in their fight with Sharanas. Kondi Machanna, arrested both maduvarasa & Haralayya and got them killed by Elephants. The Sharanas under leadership of Channabasavanna & other. The sharanas under leadership of Channabasavanna & others fought the army vehamantly & culminated in the  murder King Bijjala under suspicious circumstance. Bsavanna who was a strong preaching of Ahimsa, was very much in grief and ultimately he ended his life in Kudala sangama in 1167 AD.

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His preaching are even now as popular as was as in that period & more than 2 crores of people also adhere to Veerasaivism practise them. All Viraktha Maths apart from Mutts belonging to Pancha Peetas preach Basavanna s principle & Dasoha (feeding all) systems continue to the progress & well fare of humanity.
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