A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c20.33

c20.33

The other development in Śaivism (also based on the twenty-eight Śaiva Āgamas) was the growth of Vīra-śaivism or the Liṅgāyat cult in Karṇātaka and the Telugu country. Basava, the prime minister of Kalacuri Bijjala, king at Kalyāṇi (1156), is usually regarded as the founder of the sect. Liṅgāyat tradition avers that the sect is very old and was founded by five ascetics—Ekōrāma, Paṇḍitārādhya, Rēvaṇa, Maruḷa, and Viśvārādhya—who were held to have sprung from the five heads of Śiva. Basava, they say, was but the Reviver of the Faith; but we know for a fact that the five ascetics named were all contemporaries of Basava, some older, some younger. The early history of Vīra-śaivism is therefore still somewhat uncertain. Two features of the sect, however—the prominent place held by monasteries, and the more or less complete social and religious equality among the sectarians—have been held to be due to the influence of Jainism and Islam. Liṅgāyats regard Śiva as supreme and must worship only Him; hence the name Vīra-śaivas, stalwart Śaivas. They must also worship each his own chosen *guru*. Each Liṅgāyat, man or woman, carries a *liṅga* about his person, usually in a silver or wooden reliquary suspended from the neck. Reverence is paid by Liṅgāyats to the sixty-three *nāyaṉārs* of the Tamil country whom they recognize as Purātanas (elders) and to seven hundred and seventy later saints among whom are included Māṇikka-vāśagar, Basava, and his chief disciples. An account of Liṅgāyat literature has been given already.