Akka Mahadevi (ಅಕ್ಕ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ) was a prominent figure and Kannada poet of the Veerashaiva
BhaktiBhakti in practice signifies an active involvement by the devotee in divine worship. The term is often translated as "devotion", though increasingly "participation" is being used as a more accurate rendering, since it conveys a fully engaged relationship with God...
movement of the 12th century
KarnatakaKarnataka is a state in the southern part of India. It was created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act...
. Her Vachanas, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that compared to other saints of her time. Yet the term 'Akka' (elder Sister) which is an honorific given to her by great Veerashaiva saints like Basavanna, Cenna Basavanna, Kinnari Bommayya, Siddharama, Allamaprabhu and Dasimayya speaks volumes of her contribution to
Kannada literatureKannada literature is the corpus of written forms of the Kannada language, a member of the Dravidian family spoken mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and written in the Kannada script....
and the history of Karnataka.
Akka Mahadevi (ಅಕ್ಕ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ) was a prominent figure and Kannada poet of the Veerashaiva
BhaktiBhakti in practice signifies an active involvement by the devotee in divine worship. The term is often translated as "devotion", though increasingly "participation" is being used as a more accurate rendering, since it conveys a fully engaged relationship with God...
movement of the 12th century
KarnatakaKarnataka is a state in the southern part of India. It was created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act...
. Her Vachanas, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that compared to other saints of her time. Yet the term 'Akka' (elder Sister) which is an honorific given to her by great Veerashaiva saints like Basavanna, Cenna Basavanna, Kinnari Bommayya, Siddharama, Allamaprabhu and Dasimayya speaks volumes of her contribution to
Kannada literatureKannada literature is the corpus of written forms of the Kannada language, a member of the Dravidian family spoken mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and written in the Kannada script....
and the history of Karnataka. She is said to have accepted the god
ShivaShiva , also known as Rudra is a major Hindu god and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God...
('Chenna Mallikarjuna') as her mystical husband (similar to how centuries later
Meera, a 16th century saint, considered herself married to
KrishnaKrishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions in Hinduism in a variety of perspectives...
).
Early life
Born in Udatadi (or Udugani) near the ancient city of
BanavasiBanavasi is an ancient temple town in Uttara Kannada District bordering Shivamogga district in the south Indian state of Karnataka.-History:Banavasi is one of the oldest towns in the Karnataka state...
(in Shikaripura taluk
Shimoga districtShivamogga District is a district in the Karnataka state of India. Shivamogga is alternatively spelt as Shimoga. A major part of this district lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats; a region known for its green forests, plentiful rainfall, beautiful waterfalls and also of being the source...
). Much about her early life is not known, nor did she live long.
Mythology
She is a prominent figure in the field of female emancipation and a person of mystical vision. A household name in Karnataka, she had said that she was a woman only in name and that her mind, body and soul belonged to Lord Shiva. During a time of strife and political uncertianity in the 12th. century, she launched a movement that made her an inspiration for woman empowerment and enlightenment. It is commonly known that she took part in many gatherings of learned at the
Anubhavamantapa in Kudala sangama to debate about philosophy and attainment of spiritualism. In search for her eternal soul mate, she made the animals, flowers and birds her friends and companions, rejecting family life and worldly attachment.
The time was marked as height of foolishness of varnashrama dharma which only supported the three upper castes of Hindu society in India and suppressed the shudras and women.
Akka was a revelation here in that she not only rose for emancipation but also has sung vachanas which are so simple but of highest order.
It is said that Mahadevi was married by arrangement to Kausika(false, she never got married since her child hood she believed the god channamallikarjuna,the name given by her to her ishtalinga.), a local king. There were immediate tensions, however, as Kausika was a Jain, a group that tended to be wealthy and was, as a result, much resented by the rest of the population. Much of Akka's poetry explores the themes of rejecting mortal love in favor of the everlasting, "illicit" love of God, and this seems to be the path she chose as well.
She ran away from her life of luxury to live as a wandering poet-saint, traveling throughout the region and singing praises to her Lord Shiva.
She travelled widely in search of emancipation and finally became a
Sanyasini (woman saint) before settling down in Basavakalyana,
Bidar districtBidar is a district of Karnataka state in southern India. The historic city of Bidar is the administrative centre of the district. The district is located in the northeastern corner of the state, near the borders with Andhra Pradesh to the east and Maharashtra to the north and west...
. Her non-conformist ways caused a lot of consternation in a
conservative society and even her eventual guru Allama Prabhu had to initially face difficulties in enlisting her in the gatherings at Anubhavamantapa.
A true ascetic, Mahadevi is said to have refused to wear any clothing -- a common practice among male ascetics, but shocking for a woman.
Legend has it that due to her true love and devotion with God her whole body was protected by hair.
One of her famous vachana has a reason for this also which translates as
People,
male and female,
blush when a cloth covering their shame
comes loose
When the lord of lives
lives drowned without a face
in the world, how can you be modest?
When all the world is the eye of the lord,
onlooking everywhere, what can you
cover and conceal?
Her poetry exhibits her love for Chenna Mallikarjuna and harmony with nature and
simple living.
She Sang:
For hunger, there is the village rice in the begging bowl,
For thirst, there are tanks and streams and wells
For sleep temple ruins do well
For the company of the soul I have you, Chenna Mallikarjuna
Some scholars estimate she lived for only twenty five years. She is believed to have disappeared in the banana groves at
ShreeshailaSrisailam is a holy town and Mandal, situated in Nallamala hills of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 232 km south of Hyderabad, on the banks of River Krishna. A famous temple dedicated to Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Bhramaramba is located here. Srisailam is one among the various...
, in
Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , abbreviated A.P., is a state situated on the south-eastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Hyderabad...
while in
ecstasySpiritual ecstasy is an altered state of consciousness characterized by greatly reduced external awareness and expanded interior mental and spiritual awareness which is frequently accompanied by visions and emotional/intuitive euphoria...
entering mahasamadhi (divine union) with a flash of light.
Famous vachanas by Akka
Thanu karagadavaralli pushpavanolleyayya neenu
Mana karagadavaralli Gandhakshateyanollayya neenu
Arivu kanthereyadavaralli Aarathiyanollayya neenu
Parinamigalalladavaralli Naivedyavanollayya neenu
Bhavashuddhavilladavaralli Dhupavanollayya neenu
Hrudaya kamalavilladavaralli iralollayya neenu
Ennalli enuntendu karasthaladali imbugonde,
HeLa Channamallikarjuna............
Mane Mane thappadanthe beduvanthe madayya
Bedidode annavanu ikkadanthe madayya
Ikkidode nelake biluvanthe madayya
Nelake biddode nanettikomba munna shuni ettikombanthe madayya
channamallikarjuna
Thanu karagadavaraqlli pushpavanolleyayya neenu
Mana karagadavaralli Gandhakshateyanollayya neenu
Arivu kanthereyadavaralli Aarathiyanollayya neenu
Parinamigalalladavaralli Naivedyavanollayya neenu
Bhavashuddhavilladavaralli Dhupavanollayya neenu
Hrudaya kamalavilladavaralli iralollayya neenu
Ennalli enuntendu karasthaladali imbugonde,
Hela Channamallikarjuna............
kaayakke neLalaagi kaadithu maaye
kaalakke manavaagi kaadithu maaye
manake nenahaagi kaadithu maaye
nenahinge arivaagi kadithu maaye
jagada janguLigaLige bengolanethi kaadithu maaye
chenna mallikarjuna neenoDDida maayeya aaru gelalaararu
beTTada mElondu maneya mADi mrugagaLiganjidoDentayya
samudrada taDiyalli maneya mADi nore teregaLiganjidoDentayya
santeya naDuve maneya mADi shabdakke nAchdoDentayya
chenna mallikArjuna dEva kELayya
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