Arrival of Baladevarasa

9. Arrival of Baladevarasa

The time of the convocation ceremony of the Gurukul coincided with the celebrations of the main carnival of the Koodala Sangama, the place of pilgrimage. Baladevarasa was invited as the chief guest for the convocation to be held under the guidance of the great teacher Jathaveda Muni for the students who had completed the studies in the Gurukula -the learning centre of Koodala Sangama. He was the Prime Minister of the king Bijjala-a feudatory in the Chalukyan empire. This invitation provided him an opportunity to visit Koodala Sangama. Since a long time Baladevarasa could not have the darshan of Lord Sangameshwara, his family deity.

Since Basavanna's formal education had reached the final stage, his future was at cross-roads. On this occasion, Kulapathi Jathaveda Muni had arranged for brief lectures by his students. Normally a guru enjoys by showing his students, who were enlightened and yearning for salvation to the visitors similar to a wordly man enjoys by exhibiting his wealth and children to the relatives. Kulapathi Jathaveda Muni introduced Basavanna, an invaluable gem of his Gurukula, to the invitees by arranging his lecture.

In his lecture, while talking about his future, Basavanna said "I don't know how to unite and reform the society which is terribly shattered into fragments. In the shade of a coconut tree, the shade of the bunch of the coconuts is also seen. Standing on that shade, if we pretend to pluck and drink the coconuts, does it really mean we have drunk the tender coconut water ? Does it quench the thirst ? That is just a shade. Though the shade is just adjacent to the real coconut tree, it is a semblance but not the real. Likewise, if we involve in the practice of supersticious beliefs and pretence by considering these as the religious practices, what we get is just lassitude which is neither the real benefit nor the satisfaction. This is like just an illusion of eating the shade of the coconut bunches and pretending to be satisfied.

When we measure perpetually
Does the measuring vessel get tired ?
When we walk perpetually
Does the road get tired ?
When we do exercise perpetually
Does the stick get tired ?
Instead of the devotee who does not understand the truth
Getting tired, does the Linga get tired ?

If we continue with meaningless practices, we simply get simply tired without any benefits. People dip when they see water and go round when they see tree, thinking that they have got the fulfillment, but do they really know the form of God?

The reprehensible concept of touchability and untouchability is not only in one field but is present in all the fields in different forms. It is not only among the human beings,but in the land, water, flowers, languages, directions, human organs, time, likewise it is being practised every where. People get frightened by recoging discrimination in an immutable flow of time, good-bad, Gulika-Rahu etc... They believe Ganges water at Kashi as the most sacred and the people who take dip in it will be absolved from all the sins, making difference in water which is available in the creation. They have an illusion that prayer in the mother tongue is not sufficient but should be in Sanskrit only. Man's intelligence has created the languages. Feeling is the language of the heart, that itself is the most sacred. What is the use in the jugglery of words which does not have feelings ? There is necessity to build a natural and simple path so that even a common man should get the bliss of God. I have a dream of building such an exquisite path. The souls are moving towards God continuously as pilgrims. All are travellers and Sharanas- who have surrendered to God. They don't have the confusion of caste, creed and sect. When this model of ideal society is formed only then my life becomes meaningful". Thus, when Basavanna spoke eloquently about his opinions and ideals, the whole gathering listened to him in silence. Jathaveda Muni was surprised delighted and felt proud. Basavanna, who drew the attention of the whole gathering, became the main attraction of Baladevarasa's attention. The audience were surprised and they dispersed expressing their appreciation over his talent, erudition and thoughtfulness.