Arrival to Mangalavedhe

13. Arrival to Mangalavedhe

Having the blessings of Jathaveda Muni and heartfelt farewell from his classmates, Basavanna left the gurukul where he got educated. Here, he has spent nearly 8-10 crucial years. By gaining knowldege he has moulded his life. Basavanna came to the gurukul with storm of thoughts in his mind but going out with clear ideas about reformation and integration of the society as how a caterpiller flies out as colourful butterfly after the larva stage.

Kulapathi Jathaveda Muni tells his most favourite disciple Basavanna : "Basavanna, you are not an ordinary person. We don't have the capacity to protest the old establishments and give new vistas to the society though we feel bad about its defects and lacunae. You are not a blind follower but an establisher and worshipper of truth. You were courageous enough to protest injustice even when you were a boy. You have abounding grace of Lord Sangamanatha. I too certainly expect a revolution by you. Go and succeed, you are an invaluable fruit that the huge tree-the human race has ever borne." The guru, by gently rubbing his head with affection, sent him to Mangalavedhe*

(*Basavanna went to Mangalavedhe, leaving Koodala Sangama in 1155 A.D.-Yuvanama Samvatsara. Later on, Bijjala goes to Kalyana in 1157 A.D., Baladevarasa and Basavanna leaves for Kalyana in 1162 A.D. of Vikramanama samvatsara. I have not discussed this since it is not necessary for a common man.)

Basavanna got ready to leave Sangama along with his sister Akka Nagalambike. Her husband Shivaswamy stayed back at Brahmapuri, his native, near Kappadi Sangama to look after the family. There were none who were not astonished by looking at Baladevarasa's would-be son-in-law. People hailed Baladevarasa's fortune after seeing the extraordinary brilliance, piousness personality which could be felt by anybody just by looking at Basavanna. The prime Minister Baladevarasa with his collegues in the ministerial cabinets, important persons of the town, welcomed him by a procession. Basavanna entered Mangalavedhe as a Sun entering a place of darkness.