What is in name? Could Kalyana be a name? Could it be just the name of a town like any other? No definitely not so.
By the grace of Basavanna, Kalyana is the kalpataru, wish-tree, Kamadhenu, Wish-cow, the birth place of devotion, the abode of the divine on this earth.
The twelfth century rung up the curtain over a golden epoch in the history of this nation. This century which brought a revolution in all aspects like religion, literature, language, though etc, is unique in every respect. One honestly feels that one cannot witness another such revolution which will hold a candle toit in the history of the world. We do not see any other revolution in any other part of the world like the one in the twelfth century when at one time, in one place, a religion with high intellectuals, devotees, Sharanas enlightened souls with every widening horizons of mystic experience, philosophers could be found. They were dedicated to duty with such a religious intensity and devotion that they realized the very abode of God in it. They thought that the world was one home and they considered themselves as members of that family .To them life was sacred. Welfare of all manner of life was their credo. The world was awed by such a breath taking spectacle of the many splendoured glory of that age and made its deep reverential bow to that epoch, unparallel in human history .Why? Gods themselves would throw incense and show their obeiscene.
Kalyana then was the metropolis-the capital of King Bijjala of The Kalachurya family. Basavanna was an important minister of this kingdom. Basavanna who proclaimed to the wide world that compassion was the root of all religion, brought about a revolution that staggered the whole world. Thus he became the harbinger, nay the founder of a new-era.
Moved to the depth of his being, at the sight of the low-born, the down-trodden, the distressed, the castaways and the underdogs of the society, treating them with infinite compassion, he welcomed them in to Veerashaiva Religion by granting them LINGA and thus showed them the path of deliverance and salvation. His compassion was not limited to India alone. In fact it was pervasive, holding the whole universe in its warm embrace. Overflowing with love for all humanity and mercy for all manner of life.This world is the field of the play activity of the Lord. We should live in a manner that He would approve of he said. Thus Basavanna gave a new precept to the world. Harmonizing action with speech, integrating practice with precept, he proclaimed that Kayaka is the very abode of the Lord Supreme Thus Basavanna held aloft the dignity and worth of Kayaka- nay its supreme importance in God-realisation. He reoriented and sublimated the very concept of work by founding it on a strong religious and social basis. Kayaka is not any kind of work. It is not just honest, sweated labour. He upheld the dignity of labour no doubt. But the fruits of such hard, honest labour should not be utilized for oneself and the members of one’s family alone, but should be utilized for the good of the society of which one is a part and parcel. One should feed the Guru and the enlightened souls called the Jangamas Then he should partake of the remaining Prasada, He should not think of hoarding anything for the morrow.
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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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