Poetic Rendering
Plant bitter neem, then build around it
a wall of sugared sweetness
milk it with kindness,
bathe it in honey,
pour over it all the gentleness of the world
yet will the neem turn sweet?
Will its bitterness flee?
Does jaggery change the nature
of what is rooted in its own taste?
So too,
those who do not stand in the all-pervading One,
who do not walk the path of Shiva’s devotion
how can we journey with them,
or speak in harmony with hearts
that do not share the ground of truth?
Koodalasangamadeva,
discernment is Your gift:
teach me to know where grace flows
and where companionship loses its way.
Basavanna uses a simple, striking metaphor: a neem tree cannot become sweet no matter how much jaggery, milk, or honey is lavished upon it. Its nature remains what it is. In the same way, companionship with those who neither stand in the awareness of the all-pervading divine nor share the devotion to Shiva becomes fruitless. No amount of kindness or accommodation can transform the fundamental orientation of someone who is not aligned with truth. This is not condemnation it is clarity. The vachana teaches the importance of viveka (discernment): knowing where one’s spiritual energy can flow in harmony and where it will be met with resistance. True companionship arises only where there is shared devotion and rootedness in the divine.
Spiritual Context
Core Spiritual Principle: Discernment of Nature (Svabhava Viveka). In Lingayoga, effort must be aligned with reality. A fundamental principle of reality is that transformation comes from within, from the awakening of the inner Linga. To pour spiritual energy into a vessel not oriented to receive it is not compassion but ignorance (Aviveka), leading to exhaustion and resentment for both parties.
Cosmic Reality Perspective: From the non-dual view, the neem’s bitterness and the jaggery’s sweetness are both expressions of Shakti, each with its own inherent quality (Guna). To try to make one become the other through external application is to violate the law of their manifestation. Similarly, consciousness rooted in separation (ego) and consciousness rooted in unity (Linga) operate on different frequencies. Forcing communion creates dissonance, not harmony.
Historical Reality (Anubhava Mantapa Context): This vachana provided essential strategic clarity for the Basavayoga movement. In seeking to dismantle caste and create a new society, there was a temptation to convert or accommodate everyone. Basavanna warns that the community’s revolutionary energy must be conserved and directed toward those whose hearts are already open to the “ground of truth.” It is an instruction to build the core with those of shared devotion, rather than diluting the essence in an attempt to sweeten inherent opposition.
Interpretation
“Plant bitter neem… pour over it all the gentleness of the world”: This describes the exhausting endeavor of the unwise reformer or friend. It assumes the problem is external (lack of sweetness) rather than internal (the root nature).
“Yet will the neem turn sweet? Will its bitterness flee?”: These rhetorical questions expose the futility. Spiritual change is an alchemy from within, not a coating from without. The “root” (Mula) consciousness must itself be transformed by grace.
“Those who do not stand in the all-pervading One…”: This defines the “neem nature” in human terms: a consciousness not established in non-dual awareness (Shivachara). Their actions and perceptions arise from a different, separatist foundation.
“How can we journey with them, or speak in harmony…?”: This states the practical consequence. Shared journey (Sahaja) and true dialogue (Samvada) require a shared ontological foundation. Without it, communication is transactional or conflictual, never unitive.
“Discernment is Your gift: teach me to know…”: The conclusion is surrender, not judgment. The seeker prays for the divine gift of Viveka to distinguish between a) where grace is flowing and companionship is natural, and b) where energy is being wasted in a futile dynamic.
Practical Implications: Compassion must be guided by wisdom. Offer kindness to all, but offer your spiritual companionship, collaborative effort, and inner trust only to those who demonstrate a shared foundation in truth. Do not mistake the duty of universal goodwill for the obligation of intimate spiritual alliance.
The Cosmic Reality
Anga (Human Dimension): The realm of action and effort. It can mix ingredients, build walls, and pour liquids. But it cannot change the essential seed (Bija) of another being. Its power is limited to providing conditions; it cannot force transformation.
Linga (Divine Principle): The inner determinant, the “root taste.” It is the foundational consciousness from which all qualities arise. In one being, it is manifest as devotion; in another, as alienation. Only the Linga itself, through grace, can re-orient its own manifestation.
Jangama (Dynamic Interaction): The flow of relationship. When both beings are rooted in the Linga, the Jangama is a confluence, a Sangama. When roots are different, the Jangama is a collision or a slow seepage of energya “companionship [that] loses its way.”
Shata Sthala
Primary Sthala: Bhakta. The Bhakta, full of fervor and compassion, is most prone to the error of trying to sweeten every neem tree. This vachana is a crucial lesson in conserving and focusing their devotional energy (Bhakti-Shakti) for their own progress and for truly resonant fellowship.
Supporting Sthala: Sharana. The community of Sharanas is the realized social expression of this principle. It is a fellowship where the “root taste” is the same, allowing for profound harmony and mutual growth. The Bhakta seeks entry into this authentic Sangha.
Practical Integration
Arivu (Awareness Practices): Develop “Root Discernment.” In meditation, when faced with a difficult relationship, visualize it as the neem and jaggery. Ask inwardly: “Am I trying to change a fundamental root nature here? Is this a call for boundless love, or for wise boundaries?” Seek the intuitive answer.
Achara (Personal Discipline): Practice “Energy Auditing.” Notice which relationships leave you feeling drained and bitter versus energized and sweet. While not the sole criterion, this feeling is often a signal of rooted (or rootless) companionship. Consciously reallocate your time and vulnerability accordingly.
Kayaka (Sacred Action): In collaborative projects, choose allies based on shared values and vision (the “root”) over mere skill or convenience. A project built with shared devotion will have resilience and grace; one built with divergent roots will crumble under pressure, no matter how sweet the initial promises.
Dasoha (Communal Offering): The community should be a clear container. It can offer teachings and kindness to all (the external sweetness), but should discern carefully who is entrusted with core responsibilities and intimate fellowship. This protects the integrity of the container for all members.
Modern Application
Toxic Positivity & Relationship Codependency. Modern culture often demands we “sweeten” every bitter relationship to fix, accommodate, or maintain harmony at all costs, especially in families or workplaces. This leads to spiritual codependency, exhaustion, and the suppression of necessary discernment under the guise of “unconditional love” or “non-judgment.”
This vachana authorizes Liberating Discernment. It allows us to acknowledge that some relationships, due to fundamentally different values or levels of consciousness, cannot bear the weight of deep spiritual friendship or collaboration. We can offer general kindness and respect while wisely limiting our investment and exposure. This frees energy for the nourishing companionships that truly support our journey, and it stops the futile, self-harming project of trying to change another’s root nature.
Essence
You may wrap the bitter tree in gold,
A story of transformation told.
But sap that rises from the deep
Will hold the truth it’s meant to keep.
So walk with those whose roots drink low
From the same stream that you know.
All else is kindness, broad and free,
But not the path to unity.
This vachana describes the law of entrainment in conscious systems. A system vibrating at a low frequency (bitterness, separation) cannot be entrained to a high frequency (sweetness, unity) by mere proximity or external application. For entrainment to occur, the lower-frequency system must possess an inherent capacity or willingness to resonate. Otherwise, the higher-frequency system wastes energy and may even experience destructive interference. Spiritual community is a resonant field where entrainment is possible; outside it, the law is conservation of spiritual energy.
You cannot force a tuning fork that vibrates at 440 Hz to hum at 528 Hz by surrounding it with 528 Hz forks. It will either ignore them or create discordant beats. It must itself be retuned from within. Spend your time singing with those already in your key.
We deeply desire to heal, connect, and harmonize with everyone. Yet, we also possess a limited amount of spiritual and emotional energy. This vachana teaches that true love is not endless expenditure on futility, but the wise and sometimes sorrowful discernment to invest our deepest camaraderie where it can actually take root and grow. It is the courage to love from a distance when closeness would destroy the love itself.
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