Poetic Rendering
Wherever my wandering mind roams,
whenever it sees someone as “other,”
I bind it with this truth:
The life within every being
is none but You.
When my eyes fall upon another’s wife,
I name her Mahadevī
beloved of Shiva Himself
to remind my heart
that every path, every devotion,
every cherished bond of another
is sacred in its own way.
For though seekers walk many roads,
their love, effort, and faith
all lean toward the same summit
toward You, the One Self in all.
To recognise You in every form,
in every heart,
is my vow,
O Koodalasangamadeva.
Basavanna teaches that the mind must be trained to see the Divine in all beings. Whenever the mind perceives someone as separate, he corrects it by reminding himself that every life-force is Shiva’s own presence. Calling another’s wife “Mahadevī” becomes a discipline of purity and reverence, affirming that every seeker through their own unique path moves toward the same Divine. True devotion lies in recognising the One Self shining through all forms.
Spiritual Context
Core Spiritual Principle: The final barrier to liberation is the perception of duality the sense of “I” and “other.” The ultimate spiritual practice is the continuous, intentional re-framing of perception to see the one Divine Consciousness in all beings and all situations.
Cosmic Reality Perspective: This Vachana operationalizes the non-dual (Advaita) truth. If the Linga is the only reality, then all apparent forms are that same reality. The “wandering mind” is the power of Maya creating the illusion of separation. The “binding” with truth is the application of Jnana (knowledge) to cut through this illusion.
Historical Reality (Anubhava Mantapa Context): This is a profound social and ethical guideline for the Sharanas. It prevents the community from developing sectarianism or judgment towards other spiritual paths. By seeing every relationship as sacred (calling another’s wife Mahadevi), it enforces a radical ethics of respect and purity, breaking down lust, envy, and sectarian pride.
Interpretation
1. “Wherever my wandering mind roams… I bind it with this truth:”: This describes the core discipline. The mind’s natural tendency is to categorize and separate. Spirituality is the conscious intervention in this automatic process to impose a higher, unifying truth upon perception.
2. “The life within every being is none but You.”: This is the “truth” or the mantra used for re-perception. It shifts the identity of the perceived object from a separate individual to a manifestation of the divine subject (Linga).
3. “I name her Mahadevī…”: This is a specific, advanced application. It takes a situation where the ego’s desire (lust, in this case) is most likely to arise and preemptively sanctifies it. It transforms a potential object of temptation into an object of worship, thereby purifying the mind at its root.
4. “every cherished bond of another is sacred in its own way.”: This extends the principle of reverence beyond individuals to their relationships and paths. It is an affirmation of the validity of all sincere spiritual journeys, preventing the pride of thinking one’s own path is the only one.
5. “their love, effort, and faith all lean toward the same summit…”: This is the theological basis for religious tolerance and pluralism. It recognizes the unity of the goal while celebrating the diversity of the paths.
The Cosmic Reality
Anga (Human Dimension): The Anga is the “mind-roamer,” the faculty of perception that must be trained and disciplined. Its purpose is to become a transparent lens through which the Linga perceives itself in all its forms.
Linga (Divine Principle): The Linga is the “One Self in all.” It is not an entity separate from the world but the very substance and consciousness of every being and thing.
Jangama (Dynamic Interaction): The Jangama is the active process of “naming” and “recognizing.” It is the dynamic link where the Anga’s perception is constantly corrected and aligned with the Linga’s reality. This is a living, breathing worship that turns the entire world into a moving altar.
Shata Sthala
Primary Sthala: Aikya Sthala. This practice is the lived experience of non-duality. When this re-perception becomes effortless and automatic, the stage of Aikya is realized.
Supporting Sthala: Maheshwara Sthala. The intense self-discipline required to constantly purify one’s perception and maintain inner purity (exemplified by seeing all as divine) is the core work of the Maheshwara stage.
Practical Integration
Arivu (Awareness Practices): Practice the “Sacred Glance” meditation. Throughout your day, pause and consciously look at people, animals, and even objects. Silently affirm: “You are a form of the Divine.” This is a modern equivalent of “naming her Mahadevi.”
Achara (Personal Discipline): Make it a personal vow to refrain from gossip, judgment, and criticism. When you catch yourself thinking negatively about someone, immediately apply the “binding truth”: “The life within this being is none but You.”
Kayaka (Sacred Action): In your workplace, see your colleagues, clients, and customers as various forms of the Divine. Serve them accordingly. Let your work be an act of serving God in disguise.
Dasoha (Communal Offering): Foster a community that practices this inclusive vision. Celebrate the diversity of spiritual practices within the community. See disagreements not as conflicts between egos, but as different aspects of the Divine seeking understanding.
Modern Application
The Epidemic of “Othering” and Polarization. Modern society is deeply fractured along lines of politics, religion, race, and culture. Social media algorithms amplify outrage and division. This leads to dehumanization, hatred, and violence, as we fail to see the shared humanity in those we perceive as “other.”
This Vachana provides the ultimate tool for healing a divided world. It is a methodology for deconstructing prejudice at the perceptual level. By training ourselves to see the Divine in every person especially those we disagree with or desire we can overcome the roots of conflict and build a world on the foundation of reverence and shared essence.
Essence
My mind, which draws a line,
Between your soul and mine,
I bind with this, my sacred art:
That you and I are not apart.
In every form, on every road,
I see You, bearing every load.
To see One Self, both there and here,
Is why I pray, and why I persevere.
1. The Neuroplasticity of God-Realization: The practice described is a form of spiritual cognitive-behavioral therapy. The “wandering mind” is a neural pathway of separation. Each time Basavanna “binds it with this truth,” he is forging a new neural pathway of unity. Through repetition, the perception of non-duality becomes the default setting of consciousness.
2. The Alchemy of Desire into Devotion: The specific example of transforming the perception of “another’s wife” into “Mahadevi” is a profound alchemical process. It takes the raw energy of desire (kama), which is a powerful force of attraction to a form, and sublimates it into the energy of devotion (bhakti), which is attraction to the Divine within the form. This transforms a binding energy into a liberating one.
3. Jangama as the Continuous Creation of a Sacred World: The functioning Jangama here is the moment-by-moment sacralization of the profane. It is the dynamic process where the seeker, through intentional perception, co-creates a divine reality with the Linga. The world does not change in its essence (it is always Shiva), but the seeker’s participation in it changes from one of ignorance to one of conscious recognition. This Jangama is the ultimate Kayakathe work of making the entire world a place of worship by recognizing the worker, the work, and the recipient of the work as one and the same Divine Being.
The world you see is a reflection of the mind you keep. If you see separation, conflict, and objects of desire, you live in a world of suffering. If you train your mind to see the one, sacred consciousness in all, you live in a world of unity and reverence. The choice is yours in every moment. The most profound spiritual practice is to consciously choose, again and again, to see the Divine in the face of everyone you meet. This is how heaven is built on earth.
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