basavaNNanavara vachana vachanadalli nAmAmRuta 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 ! Notes: All the five senses and the three karaNas are offered to the Lord and everywhere the kUDala sangama dEva is ruling - showering bliss to the devotee. So what would the devotee do now ? basavaNNa beautifully puts it, "As a bee I am enjoying the lotus of Your Feet, my God !" These are the people who need not have to wait for an after death mukti, but are liberated right here in this world. ----basavaNNanavara vachana nIrige naidile SRuMgAra samudrake tereye SRuMgAra naarige guNave SRuMgAra gaganake chaMdrama SRuMgAra namma kUDala saMgana sharaNara nosalige vibhUtiye SRuMgAra 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 refugees (devotees) of the Lord of kUDala sangama, the holy ash is the charm. Notes: 1. Imagine the loss in the beauty of the pond, if it doesn't have a flower ! How monotonous and boring would be the large ocean without the roaring waves ! How would the family be if the lady who administers it is characterless ? Compare the resplendent sky with a full moon with the one without it. So beautiful is the holy ash for the face of the devotees. It adds to the shine of the face and it adds to the shine of the mind.

2. Holy Ash is a symbol very closely associated as well as important with shivalinga. While the followers of the vedic rites hail it as Agneya snAna, the saints of all philosophies of shaivism wear it in all reverence as the symbol of Lord shiva. It is not just another mark. It stands for the cleansing of ourselves in the journey towards the Perfect Being called shiva. The rituals are said to be giving their full fruit only when performed wearing Holy Ash. Naturally it gets the term as used by basavaNNa in this vachana "vibhUti"- the Exceptional wealth. Some of the information about Holy Ash could be found at http://shaivam.org/shpash.htm 3. nosalige - for the forehead. ----basavaNNanavara vachana jnAnada baladiMda ajnAnada kEDu, nODayya jyOtiya baladiMda tamaMtada kEDu, nODayya satyada baladiMda asatyada kEDu, nODayya paruShada baladiMda avalOhada kEDu, nODayya kUDala saMgana sharaNara anubhAvadiMda enna bhavada kEDu, nODayya. Meaning: By the power of knowledge, is the destruction of ignorance, You see. By the power of light, is the destruction of darkness, You see. By the power of truth, is the destruction of falsehood, You see. By the power of paruSha stone, is the destruction of iron, You see. By the experience of the refugees of Lord of kUDala sangama, is the destruction of my birth cycle, You see. Notes: 1. There are lots of misdeeds happening in the world, from petty crimes around the corner to across the world under various banners. What is the solution for this ? Should we take a weapon and fight ? How many ill-doers can the weapon eliminate ? At one point even the clarity who is miscreant may be lost or there would be new set of miscreant coming up ! Looks like an endless battle ?! basavaNNa gives beautiful solution. When the room is dark, there is no point in fighting with the darkness with all the vigor. One would only get exhausted. Just light the lamp. You need not even ask the darkness to leave ! That is the solution. Sew the good deeds. Propagate the good knowledge sincerely. The poisonous seeds may not find enough place to grow ! As there were not seeds of goodness already in place the poisonous one grew. As much is the spread of goodness so much less would be the growth of negatives making the world around us a better place to live. 2. The experience of the devotees is the prime thing to thank for our spiritual well being. If the seers of ancient times kept their knowledge to themselves, where would all these advancements come from ? The reason to venerate our great saints - like basavaNNa. 3. paruSha is a stone when touches the iron, the iron

object becomes golden. Used in alchemy. -----------------basavaNNanavara vachana ivanArava ivanArava ivanAravaneMdu eNisadirayya. iva nammava iva nammava, iva nammavaneMdu eNisayya. kUDala saMgamadEvA nimma maneya maganeMdu eNisayya. Meaning: Don't make (me) think, "Whose is this man ? Whose is this man ? Whose is this man ?" Make (me) think, "This is our man. This is our man. This is our man." Oh the Deity of kUDala saMgama, make (me) think that "I am a son of Your house." Notes 1. Our Lord stands as the Supreme Flame that transcedes all boundaries. For that God without anybody second to It, who are related and who are not ? People of which color, race, caste, gender, language, region are Its liked ones and which are not ? The One God for this total universe does not push away any section of people as hatable. If there had been two Gods may be there could be the preferred ones by each one. There is only One and that is the One of Bliss for everybody. Whoever is the devotee of our beloved God, they are all of our own. No discrimination of the devotees in anyway. We are all the sons of that Great House ! 2. c.f. bAMdhavA shiva bhaktAScha svadEsho bhuvanatrayam - shaMkara bhagavatpAda ----------basavaNNanavara vachana bhakti eMtahadayya bhakti eMtahadayya bhakti eMtahadayya bhakti eMtahadayya kUDalasaMgamadEva, ? dAsayya mADidaMtahadayya. ? siriyALa mADidaMtahadayya. ? namma ballALa mADidaMtahadayya. ? nI bANana bAgila kAdaMtahadayya ! It is like the deed of dAsayya. It is like the deed of siriyALa. It is like the deed of our ballALa. it is like You waiting at the door-step of

Meaning: What is the nature of devotion ? What is the nature of devotion ? What is the nature of devotion ? What is the nature of devotion ? Oh the Divine of kUDala sangama, bANa !

Notes 1. The great devotion does not hold back anything. Whatever be the thing and however dearer it is, for a truly devoted anything is incomparable to the devotion towards our Lord. dAsayya, siriyALa and sindhu ballALa were at once ready to give away ther dearest and noblest things in devotion be it their only child

or the wife herself ! The extremes of devotion. They do not look for anything in return. Just the devotion itself brings them enough bliss. They do not need a mukti in an afterlife, but they attain it right here as exclaimed by vedas ! They stand as the stars to look up for bhakti. 2. But what is the power of devotion ? This devotion is so great that it brought the Supreme, Who commands the whole universe and Who is the Almighty, to stand at the entrance of the palace of the asura bANa blessing him !! This is the reward of bhakti !! 3. Detailed story of siriyALa could be read at http://www.shaivam.org/nachirut.html , that of sindhu ballALa at http://www.shaivam.org/naiyarpa.html . Lord shiva standing at the doorsteps of bANAsura at http://www.shaivam.org/ad_banasura.htm ----------------------basavaNNanavara vachana enna vAma kShEma nimmadayya enna hAni vRuddhi nimmadayya enna mAna apamAnavU nimmadayya baLLige kAyi dimmitte, kUDala saMgama dEvA Meaning: (The ownership of) my ill-being and well-being is Yours. (The ownership of) my decay and growth is Yours. (The ownership of) my dignity and disrespect is also Yours. For the creeper is the fruit a load ? Oh Lord of kUDala sangama Notes 1. When the state is unconditional and complete surrender to God, what is our ownership. Whatever it comes - be it good or bad - in the eyes of the world, everything is owned by God. What the devotee enjoys is the never decaying bliss in the relationship with the God Who cannot grow any further ! 2. The saints who have completely offered themselves to God and remain in that state, any crime committed against them is that committed against God. They do not care, but God does for them. The same way the support offered to them is an offering to God. This is very explicit in the guru - jangama bhakti. 3. c.f. "Haven't You taken my soul, body and all belongings to be Yours the same day You took me as Your devotee ? Can there be a hurdle for me today ?" - thiruvAcakam. ---------------basavaNNanavara vachana uMba baTTalu bEre kaMchalla nODuva darpaNa bEre kaMchalla bAMda oMde bhAjana oMde beLLage kannaDiyenisinittayyA. aridaDe sharaNa maredaDe mAnava mareyade pUjisu kUDalasaMgana.

Meaning: The vessel used for eating is not a different bronze and the mirror is not made of different bronze. Material is the same; Nature is the same; When polished it shines as the mirror. If realizes (s/he) is a sharaNa; If forgotten then (ordinary) human being. (So) worship without forgetting the One in kUDalasangama Notes: 1. Bronze was used in earlier times as mirror. When shaped and polished well, it reflects the objects. 2. Whenever there is a spiritual leader emerging lots of propaganda made stating so and so is an avatAr of some divine or associated things. (This is done more so by the followers than the spiritual people themselves ) Why ? Can't there be a good reverence to that person on his/her own merit ? Or is it that by claiming they are avatArs the rest are simply washing away their hands in the spiritual duty, that it is to be done only by avatars and not by the normals like them. But isn't there an ingenuity in them as compared to the rest of the world ? Definitely there could be. But it is out of the austerity they made to seek God in whatever little proportions in the earlier births that got them this gift. Originally all were the same material. But the ones who shaped and polished themselves by seeking the God the Ultimate Truth shine Its glory through them, the rest just continue to be the old bronze accumulating dirt. sharaNas got secured at the Feet of God and the rest who didn't seek are just the same mortals. There is no question of what one is today, but it is the effort one makes in worshiping God today that would determine the future course. (It is not intended to mean that none of the great devotees are avatArs. But just to say that avatAr concept should not be misused and every one can reach the glorious state if there is effort and the blessing of God.) -------------------basavaNNanavara vachana pAtaka shatakOTiyanorasalu sAlade oMdu shivana nAma ? sAlade oMdu harana nAma ? kUDalasaMgamadEvA nimma uMDigeya pashuva mADideyAgi. Meaning: To wipe off hundreds of crores of sins, isn't one uttarance of the name of shiva enough ? isn't one uttarance of the name of hara enough ? Oh the Divine of kUDalasangama, when You have put Your bull (cow) symbol (on me) ! Notes: 1. Through the numerous births one accumulated the

loads of sins and virtues in accordance with the will and actions. One undergoes the fruits of the deeds as an effect. But when one has surrendered to God and accepts anything and everything only as the prasAda from the God, the person is detached from the endless circle of karma. So for those who have got to get the seal on them that they are completely surrendered slaves of God, how can the sins affect them ? The chanting of the name of the Lord shiva paves way for the person to reach that blissful state. "Sins are piled up like the logs upto the sky ! Still if a fire is put in it, they become nothing ! The sins that are committed in the world are chopped of the chant, 'namaHshivAya'. - dEvAram" ---------------------basavaNNanavara vachana attalitta hOgadaMte heLavana mADayyA taMde, sutti suLidu nODadaMte aMdakana mADayyA taMde, mattoMda kELadaMte kivuDana mADayyA taMde, nimma sharaNara pAdavallade anya viShayakkeLasadaMte irisu, kUDalasaMgamadEvA. Meaning: Not digressing here and there, make me a lame person, my Father ! Not letting sight around and away, make me blind, my Father ! Not letting hear something else, make me deaf, my Father ! Other than Your refugee's feet, keep not getting dragged into anything else, Oh the Divine of kUDalasangama !! Notes: 1. The one who would be an achiever would be the one with focus - on the right target. Having got to know the Glorious Lord shiva, one needs to keep the mind fixed in God to continue to enjoy the Bliss the Lord showers. Digressing in focus would make one find at a much displaced location from the path towards the target. 2. c.f. a. imAhum rudrAya tavase kapardine kshayadvIrAya prabharAmahe matim - shrI rudram b. Let my breasts not join with the shoulders of anyone other than your devtee. Let my hand do no work but for You, In the night and day let my eyes not see anything else, If you give this boon, who cares where the sun rises ! - thiruvAcakam ------------CP zAig Z yAi Uz Kg PAq ssAi Uz g PAq

v gd v wz Uz wgAvP PAq CAvgAU DveAz ewzAi PAq Egg zs tAUaz ez vjz D t zAz ZPd PAqAi akka mahAdeviyavara vachana pRuthviya gelida ELEshvararna nAnu kaMDe bhavabhrameya gelida brahmEshvarana nAnu kaMDe satva raja tama trividhava gelida tripurAMtakana kaMDe aMtaraMga AtmaGYAnadiMda jyOtisiddhayyana nAnu kaMDe ivarellara madhyamasthAna prANaliMgaveMdu suGYAnadalli tOrida A basavaNNana prasAdadiMda chennamallikArjunana kaMDenayya Meaning: I saw the ElEshvara who won the world. I saw the brahmEshvara who won the perplexity of birth. I saw the tripurAntaka who three types - satva, raja & tamas. I saw the jyOtisiddhayya by the spiritual wisdom of the internal senses. The center of all of them is the prANalinga Thus indicated basavaNNa by his good wisdom. By his favor I saw chennamallikArjuna. Notes: 1. One who wants to progress should seek the company of those who have the zeal to progress. The company of such people can enhance the advancement. The company of the disoriented or misoriented can only spoil. So the sharaNas seek and praise the company of other sharaNas. -----------CP zAig Z yAi Uz Kg PAq ssAi Uz g PAq v gd v wz Uz wgAvP PAq CAvgAU DveAz ewzAi PAq Egg zs tAUaz ez vjz D t zAz ZPd PAqAi akka mahAdeviyavara vachana pRuthviya gelida ELEshvararna nAnu kaMDe bhavabhrameya gelida brahmEshvarana nAnu kaMDe satva raja tama trividava gelida tripurAMtakana kaMDe aMtaraMga AtmaGYAnadiMda jyOtisiddhayyana nAnu kaMDe ivarellara madhyamasthAna prANaliMgaveMdu suGYAnadalli tOrida A basavaNNana prasAdadiMda chennamallikArjunana kaMDenayya Meaning: I saw the ElEshvara who won the world.

I saw the brahmEshvara who won the perplexity of birth. I saw the tripurAntaka who three types - satva, raja & tamas. I saw the jyOtisiddhayya by the spiritual wisdom of the internal senses. The center of all of them is the prANalinga Thus indicated basavaNNa by his good wisdom. By his favor I saw chennamallikArjuna. Notes: 1. One who wants to progress should seek the company of those who have the zeal to progress. The company of such people can enhance the advancement. The company of the disoriented or misoriented can only spoil. So the sharaNas seek and praise the company of other sharaNas ---------------CP zAig Z ZAi Ul PPz vgt dz P z ZgQ zAi irzg. g zAi irzg. PAPt PzgUn gAil ZPdA UAqAU zAi irzg. akka mahAdeviyavara vachana pacceya nelagaTTu kanakada tOraNa vajrada kaMba pavaLada capparavikki maduveya mADidaru. nammavarenna maduveya mADidaru. kaMkaNa kaidAragaTTi sthirasEseyaniTTu cennamallikArjunaneMba gaMDaMgenna maduveya mADidaru. Meaning: Floor of emerald, hangings of gold, pillar of diamond, dais of ruby - on this they performed the wedding. Our people performed my wedding. Binding the thread - kaMkaNa - in hand, showering holy grains (akshata), to the Husband chennamallikArjuna - they performed my wedding ! Notes: 1. Even when the king of the land was at her feet to lead married life with her, mahAdeviyakka never shook off from her principled stand. She gave herself to the Lord chennamallikArjuna the ever lasting Emperor of the whole universe. That relationship was full of bliss than momentary joy. Here is their glorious wedding - in the live words of akka. -----------------CP zAig Z gz VAz g EAz gz VU g ! DVUg ZPd.

akka mahAdeviyavara vachana nALe baruvadu namagiMdE barali iMdu baruvadu namagIgalE barali ! AgIgalennadirU cennamallikArjuna. Meaning: What will come tomorrow, shall come today itself for us. What will come today, shall come now itself for us ! Don't say then - now, oh the good mallikArjuna ! Notes: 1. Oh Lord, do not postpone showering Your grace. If You have decided to bless, why tomorrow, why not now ? I'm longing for Your grace. Please don't put conditions my Lord ! ------------CP zAig Z sAUz sPz P sPAU sAU CwWg gP ! gt w - AU wAiiz P gtAU wAU CwWg gP ! ZPd, AUPAU tUtAizg AU sAU !

akka mahAdeviyavara vachana bhavisaMgavaLidu shivabhaktanAda baLika bhaktaMge bhavisaMga atighOra naraka ! sharaNa sati - liMga patiyAda baLika sharaNaMge satisaMga atighOra naraka ! cennamallikArjuna, liMgaikyaMge prANaguNa aLiyadavara saMgavE bhaMga ! Meaning: After becoming shivabhakta eliminating the association of those stuck to incarnation cycle, for that devotee the association of such people is a very cruel hell ! Refugee (devotee) - the wife, linga (God) - the husband, after having got to that stage, for the refugee the desire of women is very cruel hell ! Oh Nice Lord mallikArjuna, for the one seeking union with linga, the association of those who have not left off the properties of soul (being stuck to mala - ANava, kanma, mAya), is the hurdle ! Notes: 1. One can be excellently good and determined to reach the Ultimate bliss and can be constantly working to get to there. All those marvelous efforts can be ruined if the association of those who cannot leave out their down-pulling desires casts its shadow on that seeker. The spiritually

inclined should be very careful of the company chosen. c.f. I wont be afraid of sharp spear; (fear) Nor would I be afraid of beautiful women; (desire) But I would be very concerned about the association of those who do not have love to my Lord shiva ! - mANikkavAsakar This does not mean that one should not care for those who are lost in the cycle of life. Like the one who rescues the drowning person to the shore the focus should be pull others to the divine path, not to get drowned hugging the drowning one. ------------------v P Az AU j rz qzq Usz nz q ZPdAi ?

akka mahAdeviyavara vachana arivu sAdhyavAyitteMdu guru liMga jaMgamava biDabahudE ? saMdusaMshayavaLidu akhaMDaj~JAnavAyitteMdu paradhana parastrIgaLupabahudE ? "yatra jIvastatra shivaH" eMba abhinnaj~JAnavAyitteMdu shunaku-sUkara-kukkuTa-mArjAlaMgaLa kUDi bhuMjisabahudE ? bhAvadalli tanna nijada neleyanarivuttihudu suj~JAna-satkriyA-sunIti-sumArgadalli vartisuvudu hIMgallade j~JAnavAyitteMdu tanna manakke baMda hAMge mIri nuDidu naDedoDe shvAnagarbhadalli huTTisade biDuvanE cennamallikArjunayyanu ? Meaning: Saying, "I have got wisdom", can the guru-linga-jangama be left off ? Saying, "Got flawless, doubtless, wholesome wisdom" can one touch somebody else's wealth or wife ? Saying, "Got the comprehensive wisdom that where life is there is shiva", can one live with dog, pig, chicken, cat ? In realization having known the true nature of the self, other than nurturing good wisdom, good action, good justice, good path, if one acts in whatever way thoughts go, saying "I've got wisdom", would Lord chennamallikArjuna leave without making them born as dogs ! Notes: 1. Getting the great spiritual knowledge is to nurture oneself. If one thinks they can act in whatever way they like because the great knowledge has been got, they call for decay of their glorious state ! 2. shunaka - dog; sUkara - pig; kukkuTa - hen; mArjAla - cat; shvAnagarbha - dog birth. -------------CP zAig Z zg HgU PAUAl vAiizg Pg AUAl AiP zUAl ZPdAi DvAUvP UAl.

akka mahAdeviyavara vachana hasivAdare UroLage bhikShAnnaMgaLuMTu tRuSheyAdare kere bAvi haLLaMgaLuMTu shayanakke hALudEgulavuMTu cennamallikArjunayya AtmasaMgAtakke nInenaguMTu. Meaning: If hungry, there is food in the town to beg for. If thirsty, there are lakes, wells and streams. For sleeping, there is discarded buildings. Oh Lord chennamallikArjuna, as the company for the soul You are there. Notes: 1. How many people postpone their happiness making it conditional "only when so and so situation prevails, I would be happy." ! Even those who have not fulfilled their basic needs like food and shelter can be happy for sure, if they know to enjoy the bliss our Lord showers ! 2. c.f. "As robe I have a loin cloth, To sleep the outside verandah is there, To eat there are the dry leaves, To drink there is enough water, As the company the name of Lord riding the bull is there. Who worries about whether the north pole goes up or the south pole goes down for the moon. - paTTinattAr" ---------------CP zAig Z JAv tAUAigAm ? JAv sUAUAigAm ? QgAv zgU ! K dz sPg AzUU ! ZPdAv UAq q JU !!

akka mahAdeviyavara vachana ennaMte puNyaMgeydavaruMTe ? ennaMte bhAgyaMgeydavaruMTe ? kinnaranaMtappa sOdaranenage ! ELELu janmadalli shivabhaktarE baMdugaLenage ! cennamallikArjunanaMtappa gaMDa nODA enage !! Meaning: Is there anybody who has got so much of merit as me ? Is there anybody who is so much blessed like me ? kinnara like are my brothers ! In the seven generations the devotees of Lord shiva are my relatives ! My husband is chennamallikArjuna Himself, you see !!

Notes: 1. If blessed with an ability to serve ( kinnaras are known for their music. Here referred to sing the God in the music sweet like theirs.) , and the association of the chaste hearted devotees and got to have the mind that is fixed in Lord shiva, what else is there to aspire for ? 2. c.f. mAtA cha pArvatI devi pitA devo maheshvaraH | bhAndavA shiva bhaktAshcha svadesho bhuvanatrayam || - shankara bhagavatpAda -------------CP zAig Z vz, PPz dP vz w-gt-DUz Uwz sPwAi V Gwz ! swAi zsjg ! s jz, zjvAPgz, gvz A d ! d swAi sw ! gtsAiAz CU P dzVU zjzgAz q ZPd sw !

akka mahAdeviyavara vachana hitavidE, sakalalOkada janakke matavidE shRuti-purANa-Agamada gatiyidE bhakutiya beLagina unnatiyidE ! shrIvibhUtiya dharisire ! bhavava parivudu, duritasaMkulavanoresuvudu, nirutavidu naMbu manuja ! javana bhUtiyE vibhUti ! maraNabhayadiMda agastya kashyapa jamadagnigaLu darisidareMdu nODA shrIshailacennamallikArjunanoLisuva vibhUti ! Meaning: This is the appropriate thing; For the people of the whole world this is the esteemed path; This is the ultimate thing said in shruti, purANa and Agama; This is the splendor of the light of devotion; Wear this holy ash ! This roots out the birth; This brushes away the gamut of gloom; This is established, oh humans trust this ! The quickest wealth is vibhUti ! See that to get rid of the fear of death the sages like agastya, kashyapa and jamadagni wore this. The Holy Ash that is loved by the cennamallikArjuna of shrishaila ! -------------#