Summary In this vachana, Basavanna uses the image of a vessel filled with sugar. If the sweetness is not tasted, what use is the sugar-filled vessel? Possession is not the…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna confronts a claim made through the authority of Veda Vyasa Muni: that apart from Keshava there is no higher deity. He does not dismiss sacred…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna warns against restless outward seeking. A person gathers small things from many places, asks from others, troubles people, and carries burdens, yet does not see…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna asks whether Hari can be called unforgettable, whether Brahma can be called unforgettable, and whether the thirty-three crore gods can be called unforgettable. The questions…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna addresses those who go to the banyan tree and perform anxious acts around it. He asks whether biting teeth, chattering mouths, and fearful gestures can…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna gives the image of a temple damaged from within. When the inner support is cut, the temple itself falls. The danger is therefore not only…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna tests every form by its essential quality. What use is a relationship without fidelity, a friend without virtue, or a body without life? The outward…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna begins with the Linga directly present before the seeker. When the Linga is in the palm, to say that another deity is equal becomes a…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna begins with the image of a crooked dog’s tongue. Speech that moves without discipline, truth, or right measure becomes speech touched by death. He warns…

Summary In this vachana, Basavanna recalls the gathering for Daksha’s sacrifice. The foremost gods came together for the rite, and he asks the listener to look at their faces. The…