The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c8.s4.21

c8.s4.21

The account given by the Jainas is different. Vijjaṇa had gone on an expedition to Kolhâpur to reduce the Śilâhâra chief Bhoja II. to subjection. In the course of his march back to the capital he encamped at a certain place on the banks of the Bhîmâ, and, while reposing in his tent, Basava sent to him a Jaṅgama disguised as a Jaina with a poisoned fruit. Vijjaṇa, who is said to have been a Jaina himself, unsuspectingly took the fruit from the hands of the seeming Jaina priest; and as soon as he smelled it, he became senseless. His son Immadi Vijjaṇa and others hastened to the spot, but to no purpose. Vijjaṇa, however, somewhat recovered his senses for a short while; and knowing who it was that had sent the poisoned fruit, enjoined his son to put Basava to death. Inmadi Vijjaṇa gave orders that Basava should be arrested and all Jaṅgamas, wherever found, executed.² On hearing of this, Basava fled; and being pursued went to the Malabâr coast and took refuge at a place called Ulavi.³ The town was closely invested and Basava in despair threw himself into a well and died, while his wife Nîlâmbâ put an end to her existence by drinking poison. When Vijjaṇa’s son was pacified, Chenua-Basava surrendered all his uncle’s property to him and was admitted into favour.⁴ He now became the sole leader of the Liṅgâyatas; but, even before, his position was in some respects superior to that of Basava. The religious portion of the movement was under his sole direction, and it was he who shaped the creed of the sect. In him the Praṇava or sacred syllable Om is said to have become incarnate to teach the doctrines of the Vîra Śaiva faith to Basava,⁵ and, according to the Chenna-Basava Purâṇa, “Chenna-Basava was S’iva; Basava, Vrishabha (or S’iva’s bull, the Nandin); Bijjala, the door-keeper; Kalyâṇa, Kailâsa; (and) S’iva worshippers (or Liṅgâyatas), the S’iva host (or the troops of S’iva’s attendants.)”⁶