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ANUBHAVA MANTAPA
That unique institute of mystic Symposium is indeed a splendid tribute to Basavanna’s sublime vision. Nay in the history of religions of the world it has no parallel. He won over by his devotion and chaste conduct Allama,completely that supremely enlightened soul of hallowed glory and seated him on the Shunyapeetha, Throne of infinity , a sublime concept of his own creation. Allama was indeed an enlightened soul literally and metaphorically, Though he moved about in human frame , his body did not cast a shadow , when he walked about there were no foot prints. He was intangible to touch .He was the blazing torch of enlightened knowledge .Prabhu, generally inaccessible to any one, was won over by the devotion of Basavanna and he came to his door. The sweat fragrance of Basavanna’s devotion wafted along by the wind,had spread and pervaded all over the country.It attracted innumerable devotees and brought them to Kalyana. From Kashimir in the extreme north to Kannyakumarii in the extreme south., devotees from every nook and corner of the length and breadth of the country flocked to Kalyana. Thus people. Professing many faiths ,collected themselves in Kalyana ,were initiated in to lingayathism by accepting Linga-symbol o the lord. “ Work Is Worship” became the breath and finer spirits of their life. Sharana dedicated to their respective vocation and work used to assemble every evening and morning in the Anubhava Mantap.( Auditorium of Mystic Symposium).There used to be symposium on their mystic experiences. The Sharanas not only sanctified the age they lived in by their deeply contemplative and chaste life, but the succeeding ages as well. The Anubhav-Mantap (. Auditorium of Mystic Symposium) was in fact a great confluence of unparalleled mystics.The Vachanas of the Sharanas suffused and charged with mysticism, were a veritable bunch of lightning flashes . The mystic symposium they conducted there,resulted in the birth of Vachana Sahitya( literature) .The shooting rays of this blazing light dispelled the darkness from the minds of the people. Basavanna was the prime architect of all this. Channabasavanna was the son of the elder sister of this great soul. He was the exponent of the Shatasthala,the Six fold – System of Veerashaiva Philosophy and the second president of the Shunyapeetha ,Throne of infinity .He was the distinguished son of Akka Nagamma and her husband Shivadeva. Channabasavanna has described the sublime glory of Kalyana in one of his Vachanas. Imagination itself staggers at the description of the greatness and magnitude of Kalyana given by Channabasavanna .While reading it one is apt to exclaim that there never was ,never is and never will be a city on this earth anywhere like Kalyana,
Channabasavanna writes that the world of Gods (Rudraloka),the golden pinnacle of the fourteen worlds itself descended to this earth and took birth asa the great of Kalyana.There in that great city lived only good people and devotees. The chaste ,The pure The Truthful, The Highly enlightened souls who were in direct communion with the divine ,the highly learned in the religious scriptures, could only inhabit the city . The sinners ,the untruthful, the unchaste, such of those by nature are barred from the entry in to the holiest of the holy cities .To those who enter in daring disregard of this divine mandate, life in the city would be bleeding and painful as the sharp
edge of the sword. That holy city to them would be inaccessible and invisible. The city covers a radius of twelve Yojanas (about 19Kms). It has three hundred and sixty gates. It has three hundred and fifty-five doors made up of diamond bars, etc. The fort wall encircling the city is as long as forty-eight Yojanas. The houses of the royal officers are a lakh. The houses of the feudal kings and feudal lords are a lakh each. The houses of the army officers and soldiers are countless. There are hundred and twenty spacious roads named as Suryavithis covering a distance of twelve Yojanas (19Kms) and hundred and twenty-five Somavithis of twelve Yojana distance. But the lanes inside the city and the outskirts of the capital are innumerable. In that city there ate one lakh and ninety six thousand temples dedicated to Shiva. The prominent amongst them is the Tripurantaka temple. There are three hundred and sixty lakes covered with the lotus leaves. There are monasteries where Dasoha is conducted. And their number is two lakhs eighty five thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Chief among these monasteries is the monastery of Basavaraja. It is a superb piece of architecture, with a spacious compound built of solid stone covering a distance of one Yojanas. The five framers of the doors are artistically decorated with superfine bas-reliefs and they bear the commandments in Panchakshari. On the golden doors garlanded with leaves are the Rudrakshas. They are also decorated with many flags. In the centre of that spacious monastery is situated the throne of Basavanna. It has the golden tower of thousand pillars. The house has thousand golden pinnacles. Best quality rice is grown in the holy waters that have washed the feet of the enlightened souls. A lakh and ninety-six thousand devotees perform their Linga-Pooja there. Basvanna is the focal figure for the innumerable devotees and enlightened souls that inhabit the city. He is their friend, philosopher and guide . Aptly this city is called Kalyana. Those who visit Kalyana once, will have no rebirth . Those who mention its name will have their sins absolved. Those hear the praise of such Kalyana will have the misdeeds of their previous birth washed and attain salvation. Hence Oh Lord Kudala Channasangamadeva,I wrote this divine inscription and read it too. Hence, I have no birth again.
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Reference:- From The book : Ulavi the abode of salvation −>By Panchakshari Hiremath
Translated from kannada by Prof. C. N Hiremath
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