Summary When Basavanna is asked whether there are Bhaktas in the mortal world, he answers three times that there is no other Bhakta. He places himself alone in the position…

Summary Basavanna says that he becomes a Bhakta slowly, slowly. He becomes Yukta—gathered and rightly joined—slowly, slowly. He becomes a true Sharana slowly, slowly. As he proceeds, he crosses the…

Summary Basavanna examines Karma-kanda, Bhakti-kanda, and Jnana-kanda and refuses to accept any of them when held as an isolated spiritual identity. Formal action governed only by prescribed consequence is not…

Summary Basavanna refuses to identify himself as the one who can declare, “I have become pure,” or “I have attained.” Purity and attainment may be present, but he does not…

Summary Basavanna examines the materials ordinarily used in worship. Milk has already been touched by the calf, water by the fish, and the flower by the bee. None can be…

Summary Basavanna presents a paradox of knowing. What has been known does not allow itself to be known again as an object that the mind can grasp. What has been…

Summary Basavanna declares one earth for both the Holageri and the Shiva temple, and one water for both bodily cleansing and ritual achamana. The divisions of sacred and unsacred, socially…

Summary Basavanna presents a continuous maturation of Linga-siddhi. By holding Achara-Linga, Anubhava-Linga is attained; by holding Anubhava-Linga, Marga-Kriya-Linga is attained; through Marga-Kriya-Linga, the kriya that has crossed beyond the earlier…

Summary Basavanna questions the greatness of each apparent support. The ocean rests upon the earth; the earth rests upon the jewelled hood of Nagendra; Nagendra becomes the ring upon Parvati’s…

Summary Basavanna identifies a distinct transforming power in each sacred figure. For Brahma, speech is paruṣa; for Vishnu, the eye is paruṣa; and for Rudra, the hand is paruṣa. For…