Tenets of Sharana Samskruthi

Samskriti or culture is the way of life.  Sharana Samskriti means the way of life Sharanas lived and attained divinity.  Sharanas led a simple life with work culture and high thinking.  Basaveshwara a great thinker of 12th century led the Lingayat movement and spread Lingayat  Philosophy and he was the  inspiration for the entire movement.  There were more than 300 Male and 36 female Sharanas. 

Vachanas are their contribution, in which they have recorded their experience and philosophy.  They wrote what they experienced and lived.
 

Arivu (Knowledge, awareness), Achara (Practice) Anubhava (spiritual experience), Kayaka (earning through physical labour), maintaining truth and purity, Dasoha (offering a portion of what is earned to a needy without any ‘Aham’ (I am the giver) are the tenets of Sharana Samskriti.
 

‘Guru’ is one who leads ‘shishya’ to the divine path.  In Lingayat philosophy ‘Guru is the concept and represents awareness.  So is the saying ‘Arive Guru’ (Awareness is teacher).  Most important feature of Sharana culture is ‘Nade Nudi’ practice and  preach should go together otherwise Linga will not appreciated.
 

Basaveshwara through Sharana Samskriti transformed the entire society, in the 12th century, when there was monarchy and for the first time in the history of the world Guru Basaveshwara introduce democracy by establishing ‘Anubhava Mantapa’ – a socio spiritual parliament participated by men and women of different religions, caste, creed and professions.


 

References

1. Sri Basaveshwara – A commemoration volume.1967

2. The Lingayat Movement by S.M. Hunsal Pub: Basava Samithi

3. Basaveshwara and his times by P.B. Desai

4. Lingayath Philosophy by Basarur Subba Rao, Shri Mangesh Publication, Bangalore.

5. Speakings of Shiva by A.K. Ramanujan, Penguin Classics

6. ‘Vachana’ Eng version by Dr O.L. Nagabhushana Swamy