Sakalesha Maadarasa (ಸಕಲೇಶ ಮಾದರಸ)

Infinite are the addictions of food and carnal pleasure;
infinite are the wearers of ochre garb.
O Sakaleshwaradeva, rare are those
who know none other than you. [Vachana No.2057] ^[1]

Sakalesha Maadarasa was a senior contemporary of Basavanna and ruler of Kallukurike. Mallikaarjuna was his father. Kereya Padmarasa, Kumaara Padmarasa and Padmaanka were the poets hailing from his family. He came to Kalyaana renouncing everthying and became a sharana. After the revolution of Kalyaana he went to Srishaila and died there. He was a scholar and a musician. He played on stringed instruments. 133 of vachanas with the signature phrase Sakaleshwaradeva are available. Many of his vachanas refer to details of his personal life and discuss some issues of musicology.

Nothing is meaner than desire;
none is greater than the desire-less.
No religion is greater than compassion;
no help is greater than reason.
To all things animate and inanimate,
there is no other god than Sakaleshwara. [Vachana No.2059] ^[1]

You may build a tank,
but can you fill it with water?
You may give arms to a person,
but can you give him courage?
You may get a man to marry,
but can you make him potent?
You may show the absolute to a person,
but can you etch its thought in his mind?
As the worldly adage-
‘reading is one-fourths, but wit three-fourths,’ goes
by guru’s grace alone none can reach his goal,
Sakaleshwaradeva. [Vachana No.2063] ^[1]

Our maker is the only god,
truth is the only good word;
practice of service is the only discipline;
there is no other god, no other discipline,
no other good words.
This is the ancient's path that pleased Sakaleshwara the great.
Trust him and you will be benefited. [Vachana No.2064]