Virashaiva - An Introduction

Matching its name vira shaivam this appeared as a mass level enlightening structured movement. This stream of Shaivam is a quite special one that it while upholding the superior knowledge passed through the ancient sages, gave serious thought to shunning some of the customs which by then lost their essence and got corrupted. This stream of Shaiva was not limiting itself to the elites, it was a very big mass movement. It streamlined the thoughts and rituals blasting off the blocking precipitations from good old customs. It thus revitalized the entire system with the sanatana dharma placed comfortable and Shaiva shining gloriously.

It would be a blunder if looking at some of the outsets of this stream of shaiva that it is against the Vedas and to be considered separate from the base of sanatana dharma. Actually one would find that the holy scriptures of vira shaivam giving due regard to the shrutis like the other schools of spirituality in Hinduism. What it emphasizes and tries to achieve is the sarva shruti samanvayam (collective and symphonized view of all the shrutis). The means it chooses in achieving this are the Agamas. If the shrutis could be considered as the science or knowledge bases which given the nature of the truth that it could have different complementary behaviors making it complete, the Agamas are like the recipe or "How to apply this knowledge" scriptures. vIra shaivam defines a framed approach that was derived from the openness of spiritual analysis. It appears to deal more with the practical aspects and is more implementation-oriented. So this has been a mass movement.

One of the major reforms vira shaivam tried to achieve was the abolishing of the discrimination of people based on their birth. It tried to create a "one society" that focused on the worship of Lord shiva shunning away the narrow-minded groupings. The caste system which probably was intended to ensure a smooth running of the social system knitted with the interdependence of each other sections of the society had got exploited by some claiming superior making the life of some others pathetic! vira shaiva fought against this, by making one shade from various colors. Whatever be the original sections of the society they belonged the ones who joined this stream became one community clearly erasing off their old marks. They were called Lingayat as they wore the Holy symbol of Lord shiva - the shiva linga on their chest. This marvelous stream demolished the genderwise discrimination too. The females used to actively do all the worship of Lord shiva as their male counterparts could. While the great Mother shakti does the worship of the Lord why not the other womenfolk ?

It was a really admirable unconventional thrust in bringing people together to love and love the Supreme, which is Pure and Science. With these fundamentals any one who practices in the other streams of shaiva could claim himself/herself to be a vira shaivite ! This movement gained good momentum despite the initial hurdles and progressed but it was a paradox that many generations later, this open system itself became section by itself with somewhat closed contours ! However its contribution are quite significant and still valuable.

The vira shaivites are also called Lingayats as they wear a shiva Lingam which is known as iShTa li.ngam on their chest. Worship of this Lingam is the most preferred worship of Lord shiva in the vira shaiva school. It is mandatory to have this Ista Linga and it is done from the time even when one is conceived. The major scriptures of vira shiava are called vachanas (speeches) indicating their simplicity of language in appealing to even masses. The saints of vira shaiva who are called sharanas (refugee - in Lord shiva) have composed these scriptures.

Anceint virashaiva

Though vIrashaiva is quite older sect of shaivism, very clear history of this path before the famous reformer of this tradition basavanna is not available. The source of its traditions trace back to the shivagamas (1). Though it has spread all throughout bharata varsha with the mutts still in practice sticking to the virashaiva philosophy, it has been strong in karnataka and its surroundings. Though there are sanskrit and other language scriptures dedicated to virashaiva, the major part exist in kannada as vachana sahitya.

shaivagamas and virashaiva

The earliest reference to virashaiva occurs in the shivagamas. Agamas while referring tot he types of shaivites like Adi shaiva etc, refers to virashaiva and tell about characteristics of virashaivites. Agamas deal elaborately on the basic principles of virashaiva like Shadhsthala, guru, linga, jangama etc. But shivagamas do not talk exclusively about virashaivam. Like the case of vedas, shivagamas are also looked up by various other shaivite paths. Each of the path may take in part or full the principles adapt and they evolve on that basis. That way virashaivam shares many points with the Agamas and has also evolved its specific style of elevating the souls.

panchacharyas

It is not an easy task to attribute the virashaiva, like the bigger umbrella of sanatana dharma itself, a single founder. But there are five acharyas who spread the knowledge of virashavam as the tradition claims. The five acharyas (3) starting from renuukacharya originated the monasteries at five places spread across India rambhapuri (balehalli), ujjaini, shrishaila, kedhara, varanasi. These mutts still continue the virashaiva traditions.

basavanna - is he the founder of vIrashaiva?

When told about virashaiva, the devotee who comes to mind first is basavaNNa. Lack of historical references to vIrashaivam before his period, major socio-spiritual facelift given during his period and the marvelous growth of the path subsequently makes one think that way. But the point that he got initiated into the path through a guru and the fellow devotees were also initiated to virashaiva probably indicate that, it may not be basavanna who founded this path. But without any doubt, it is he and the fellow devotees who made the major difference in the way the religion was flowing. Naturally he comes big in the mind of virashaivite.

Influence of/on other paths

Karnataka in the past had been stronghold of jainism and pashupata - kaalamukha shaivism. kaalamukha shaivam (not to be confused with kapalika) is supposed to have been quite following Agama tantras with less importance for caste etc. The indications are that this sect in karnataka influenced as well as merged itself into the gigantic virashaiva movement in later days.

virashaiva scholars (vachana composers) have been quite a bit influenced by the devotees of tamilnaadu (4) like tirunyana sambandhar and hold in high esteem the 63 devotees (5) as 63 puratanaru, whom the Shaiva Siddhanta also holds in very high reverence. While shaivism in tamilnaadu influenced virashaiva devotees to a great extent, in later days virashaiva spread in tamilnaadu also. There are virashaiva mutts in many parts of tamilnaadu and parts of virashaiva literature has been available in tamil for long time.

The practice of virashaivam which was in existence earlier too got a new outlook with the patronage of the great devotee basavanna and stood with splendor transforming the society in the later days.