Poetic Rendering
What worth is this life of mine
if I lock away what I possess
and offer nothing to those in need?
If my hands refuse to give,
would it not be better
that they held nothing at all?
If I see a sharana suffer
yet harden my heart and turn aside
tell me, O Koodalasangamadeva,
is such a life even worthy
of being called human?
Basavanna teaches that life gains meaning only through generosity. To hoard wealth while others suffer is a spiritual failure worse than poverty. The true measure of a person is not what they accumulate but what they share. Compassion is the soul’s real currency; without it, life loses its purpose.
Spiritual Context
Core Spiritual Principle: Wealth is not a personal possession but a divine trust. Its purpose is to be circulated for the welfare of all. A life devoid of active compassion is a life devoid of spiritual value.
Cosmic Reality Perspective: The universe is a dynamic system of give and take (yajna). The Divine (Linga) is the ultimate giver, the source of all abundance. To hoard is to obstruct this divine flow and to live in opposition to the fundamental law of the cosmos, which is selfless offering. Stagnation is death; flow is life.
Historical Reality (Anubhava Mantapa Context): This Vachana institutionalizes the principle of Dasoha at the heart of the Lingayat community. In a society with stark economic disparities, Basavanna makes sharing a non negotiable spiritual duty. It directly challenges the egoism of the wealthy and redefines piety not as ritual purity, but as economic justice and active compassion towards fellow Sharanas, creating a practical welfare system within the Sangha.
Interpretation
1. “What worth is this life of mine if I lock away what I possess and offer nothing to those in need?” The Vachana begins by questioning the very purpose of existence. It posits that life’s value is extrinsic, measured by its contribution to the well being of others. A locked chest symbolizes a locked heart and a stagnant soul.
2. “If my hands refuse to give, would it not be better that they held nothing at all?” This is a radical escalation. It states that the capacity to give is the very justification for possession. Wealth without generosity is not just neutral; it is a negative, corrosive force that corrupts the soul. It would be spiritually safer to be poor and unable to give than to be rich and unwilling.
3. “If I see a sharana suffer yet harden my heart and turn aside is such a life even worthy of being called human?” The final challenge targets the core of human identity. The word “human” here implies the potential for compassion, which is the divine spark within. To witness the suffering of a fellow seeker (a Sharana) and feel nothing is to extinguish that spark. Such a state is presented as sub human, a mere biological existence devoid of its essential spiritual quality.
Practical Implications: The seeker is guided to: Audit their relationship with wealth and possessions, seeing them as tools for service. Cultivate a reflex of generosity, giving freely and without calculation. See every person in need, especially a fellow spiritual seeker, as an opportunity to practice Dasoha and actualize their own humanity.
The Cosmic Reality
Anga (Human Dimension): The Anga is the individual who has internalized that they are a conduit, not a reservoir. Their body, mind, and wealth are instruments for the flow of divine grace to others. Their humanity is validated through this selfless circulation.
Linga (Divine Principle): The Linga is the source of all abundance and the principle of unconditional giving. It is the cosmic model of selfless flow that the devotee must emulate.
Jangama (Dynamic Interaction): The Jangama is the suffering Sharana and the act of giving itself. The needy person is the living Jangama, the sacred occasion for the Anga to fulfill its purpose. The dynamic interaction is the transfer of resources, which is not charity but a sacred transaction that purifies the giver and sustains the receiver, strengthening the entire spiritual ecosystem.
Shata Sthala
Primary Sthala: Bhakta Sthala. The practice of Dasoha is the most fundamental discipline for a devotee. It is the practical test of their devotion, transforming abstract faith into tangible love for the community.
Supporting Sthala: Aikya Sthala. This Vachana implicitly reinforces all stages, as Dasoha is the practical expression of the unity realized in Aikya Sthala. If one truly sees all as the Divine, withholding from any being is impossible.
Practical Integration
Arivu (Awareness Practices): Contemplation on Interdependence: Reflect on how every aspect of your life is supported by the gifts of nature and society. Cultivate a sense of gratitude that naturally seeks to reciprocate through giving.
Mindfulness of Aversion: Notice any resistance or judgment that arises when confronted with someone in need. See this as the “hardening of the heart” that Basavanna warns against.
Achara (Personal Discipline): Institute a personal vow (vrata) of giving. This could be a fixed percentage of income (like dasvandh) or a commitment of time and skill to serve others.
Kayaka (Sacred Action): Earn your livelihood in a way that creates wealth that can be shared, avoiding professions that exploit others or harm the community.
Dasoha (Communal Offering): Actively participate in and contribute to community systems of support. Ensure that no member of your spiritual or local community goes hungry or unsupported.
Modern Application
Modern capitalist culture glorifies accumulation and personal wealth as the highest goals. This leads to vast inequality, social isolation, and a numbing of compassion amidst overwhelming global crises. Many people feel that their individual contribution doesn’t matter, leading to inaction.
This Vachana is a urgent call to redefine success. It liberates one from the endless cycle of consumerism by stating that true wealth is measured by what you give. It empowers the individual, showing that every act of sharing, no matter how small, is a defiant affirmation of community and compassion in a fragmented world. It makes economic justice a personal spiritual responsibility.
Essence
A life clenched tight around its gold
is a fist that cannot hold the soul.
A heart that sees a need and stays unmoved
has forgotten the very beat that makes it human.
To be is to give. To have is to share.
This is the only prayer,
the only air the soul can breathe.
This Vachana presents a spiritual economics where the circulation of material resources is a direct reflection of the flow of consciousness. Hoarding is a manifestation of the ego’s illusion of separation, while giving is an enactment of the non dual truth of interconnectedness. Its multidimensional impact is to make socio economic ethics the litmus test of spiritual realization. It positions the Jangama not only as the enlightened teacher but as any being in need, making the entire world a classroom for compassion and transforming society into the true Anubhava Mantapa.
Your humanity is not a right but a practice. It is perfected not in what you achieve for yourself, but in what you contribute to others. The wealth you leave in your wallet decays; the wealth you distribute through compassion becomes your eternal legacy. To live only for oneself is to already be dead. To live for others is to touch the divine.
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