Best decoration for the face of the saivite devotee

ಬಸವಣ್ಣನವರ ವಚನ

ನೀರಿಗೆ ನೈದಿಲೆ ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರ

ಸಮುದ್ರಕೆ ತೆರೆಯೆ ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರ

ನಾರಿಗೆ ಗುಣವೆ ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರ

ಗಗನಕೆ ಚಂದ್ರಮ ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರ

ನಮ್ಮ ಕೂಡಲ ಸಂಗನ ಶರಣರ

ನೊಸಲಿಗೆ ವಿಭೂತಿಯೆ ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರ

basavaNNanavara vachana

nIrige naiDile shR^i~NgAra

samuDrake tereye shR^i~NgAra

naarige guNave shR^i~NgAra

gaganake chandrama shR^i~NgAra

namma kUDala sa.ngana sharaNara

nosalige vibhUtiye shR^i~NgAra

Meaning:

For the water (pond) water-lily is the charm;

For the ocean tides are the charm;

For the woman character is the charm;

For the sky moon is the charm;

For foreheads of the refugees (devotees) of the

Lord of kudala sangama(Shiva), the holy ash is the charm.

Notes:

1. Imagine the loss in the beauty of the pond,

if it doesn't have a flower !

How monotonous and boring would be the

large ocean without the roaring waves !

How would the family be if the lady

who administers it is characterless ?

Compare the resplendent sky with a full moon with the one without it. So beautiful is the holy ash for the face of the devotees. It adds to the shine of the face and it adds to the shine of the mind.

2. Holy Ash is a symbol very closely associated as well as important with shivalinga. While the followers of the vedic rites hail it as Agneya snana, the saints of all philosophies of shaivism wear it in all reverence as the symbol of Lord Shiva. It is not just another mark. It stands for the cleansing of ourselves in the journey towards the Perfect Being called Shiva. The rituals are said to be giving their full fruit only when performed wearing Holy Ash. Naturally it gets the term as used by basavanna in this vachana "vibhUti"- the Exceptional wealth.