Editing Basava (section)

{{Short description|Indian philosopher and reformer (1131–1196)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox Lingayat leader
| name               = Basava
| image              = Basava Gaint Statue 108 feet, Basava Kalyana.JPG
| caption            = 
| birth_date         = 1131<ref name=carlolson/>
| birth_place        = [[Basavana Bagewadi]], [[Western Chalukya Empire|Kalyani Chalukya Empire]] now in [[bijapur district, Karnataka|Vijayapura district]], [[Karnataka]], India
| death_date         = 1196<ref name=carlolson/> (aged 65)
| death_place        = [[Kudalasangama]], [[Hoysala Kingdom]] now in [[Bagalkote district]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
| sect               = [[Lingayat|Lingayat Shaivism]] (Sharana)<ref name=britannica/><ref name="blake7"/>
| free_label         = Occupation
| free_text          = poet, social reformer, philosopher, chief minister of Bijapur province ("ವಚನಗಾರರು")
| known_for          = Socio-religious reforms, [[Anubhava Mantapa]], [[Vachana sahitya|Vachana literature]], Women empowerment movement in South India, Founder of [[Lingayatism]]
| literary_works     = ''[[Vachana Sahitya|Vachanaas]]''
| religion           = [[Hinduism]]
| honorific prefix   = Jagajyoti
}}
{{Hinduism}}
{{Lingayatism}}
'''Basava''' (1131–1196), also called '''{{transliteration|kn|ISO|Basavēśvara}}''' and '''{{transliteration|kn|ISO|Basavaṇṇa}}''', was an Indian philosopher, poet, [[Lingayatism|Lingayat]] social reformer in the Shiva-focused [[bhakti movement]], and a [[Hindu]] [[Shaivite]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Jestice|first=Phyllis G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5cQH17-HnMC&q=basavanna+hindu&pg=PA107|title=Holy People of the World: A Cross-cultural Encyclopedia|date=2004|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57607-355-1|pages=107|language=en}}</ref> [[Social reformers of India|social reformer]] during the reign of the [[Kalyani Chalukya]] and the [[Kalachuris of Kalyani|Kalachuri]] dynasties. Basava was active during the rule of both dynasties but reached the peak of his influence during the rule of King [[Bijjala II]] in [[Karnataka]], [[India]].<ref name=britannica>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Basava#ref287077 Basava] Encyclopædia Britannica (2012), Quote: "Basava, (flourished 12th century, South India), Hindu religious reformer, teacher, theologian, and administrator of the royal treasury of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I (reigned 1156–67)."</ref><ref name="Ramanujan1973p175">{{cite book|author=A. K. Ramanujan|title=Speaking of Śiva|url=https://archive.org/details/speakingofiva0000rama|url-access=registration|year=1973|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0-14-044270-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/speakingofiva0000rama/page/175 175]–177}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Gene Roghair|title=Siva's Warriors: The Basava Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5hwABAAAQBAJ |year=2014 |publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-6090-6|pages=11–14}}</ref>

Basava spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as ''Vachanaas''. He rejected gender or social discrimination, superstitions and rituals<ref name="carlolson">Carl Olson (2007), The Many Colors of Hinduism: A Thematic-historical Introduction, Rutgers University Press, {{ISBN|978-0813540689}}, pages 239–240</ref> but introduced ''[[Ishtalinga]]'' necklace, with an image of the [[lingam]],<ref>Fredrick Bunce (2010), Hindu deities, demi-gods, godlings, demons, and heroes, {{ISBN|9788124601457}}, page 983</ref> to every person regardless of their birth, to be a constant reminder of one's [[bhakti]] (devotion) to Shiva. A strong promoter of [[ahimsa]], he also condemned [[Human sacrifice|human]] and [[Animal sacrifice|animal sacrifices]]. As the chief minister of his kingdom, he introduced new public institutions such as the ''[[Anubhava Mantapa]]'' (or, the "hall of spiritual experience"),<ref name=janpeter4/> which welcomed men and women from all socio-economic backgrounds to discuss spiritual and mundane questions of life, in open.<ref name=skdas163/>

The traditional legends and hagiographic texts state Basava to be the founder of the Lingayats. However, modern scholarship relying on historical evidence such as the Kalachuri inscriptions state that Basava was the poet philosopher who revived, refined and energized an already existing tradition.<ref name=carlolson/><ref name=britannica/><ref name=edrice/> The ''Basavarajadevara Ragale'' (13 out of 25 sections are available) by the Kannada poet [[Harihara (poet)|Harihara]] ({{c.|1180}}) is the earliest available account on the life of the social reformer and is considered important because the author was a near contemporary of his protagonist.<ref name="bio">Shiva Prakash (1997), p. 179</ref> A full account of Basava's life and ideas are narrated in a 13th-century sacred Telugu text, the ''[[Basava Purana]]'' by [[Palkuriki Somanatha]].<ref>Velchuri Rao and Gene Roghair (2014), Siva's Warriors: The Basava Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha, [[Princeton University Press]], {{ISBN|978-0691604879}}, pp. 1–14</ref>

Basava literary works include the [[Vachana Sahitya]] in [[Kannada Language]]. He is also known as '''Bhaktibhandari''' ({{lit|the treasurer of devotion}})<ref name=janpeter/> and '''Basavanna'''.