Veerashaiva poet cum scholar of the Vijayanagara period, Maggeya Mayideva, is one of the most important milestones in the Veerashaiva/Lingayat literary scene, not merely in Kannada but also in the Sanskrit language, a rare feat for any literary person in the southern region.
A bold attempt to take a Kannada literary work to the vast Sanskrit ocean: His importance knows no boundaries because he has ventured into something unusual but not impossible for his time. He collated Kannada vachanas of Allama Prabhu to Sanskrit literary circles through his magnum opus ‘Prabhu Gita’, a translation cum critique, which speaks volumes about his bold attempt to take a Kannada literary work to the vast Sanskrit ocean.
Did it receive the attention it deserved? It is common knowledge that all translations have been from Sanskrit to Kannada, whereas Mayideva has reversed this established trend by introducing the 12th-century Vachana mystic Allama Prabhu to Sanskrit literature. A rare feat indeed, but did it receive the attention it deserved is a question we should reflect on.
Both were wrong guesses: It was known through other literary sources, about Mayideva writing — Prabhu Gita to the scholars’ circle, but not the content. While some believed it was another version of the Bhagavad Gita, a leading Kannada scholar made a wild guess that it must be a ‘haadugabba’, a collection of songs concerning Allama Prabhu. Of course, both were wrong guesses.
Prabhu Gita secured was literally from the laws of the white ants: But for the publication of this text in 2002 by a Bangalore-based Kannada scholar, Prof. C Mahadevappa, Prabhu Gita would have been lost forever like Mayideva’s other work titled ’Chintaratna’, an encyclopaedia of his time. The manuscript of Prabhu Gita that he secured was literally from the laws of the white ants.
Allama Prabhu is not only a towering personality in Vachana literature but also a revered name among the Hatha Yoga circles of Siddha and Natha traditions.
The Tibetan Buddhists chronicle him among the 84 Siddhas: Noted Sanskrit scholar S K Ramachandra Rao has highlighted the importance of Allama by recalling how Hatha Yoga Pradipika of Swatmarama has taken Allama Prabhu’s name in ‘hushed reverence’, although his is an ‘honoured name’ in Siddha tradition. The Tibetan Buddhists chronicle him among the 84 Siddhas, referring to his greatness.
World's first parliament: A widely travelled Allama was made the head of Anubhava Mantapa, an exalted forum established by Lord Basaveshwara, where the Sharanas of all hues exchanged their spiritual and social views freely. This forum is now proudly proclaimed as the ‘world’s first parliament’, much earlier than the British Parliament.
Presidents and Governors didn't have entry access: Former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivaraj Patil had pointed to the fact that even King Bijjala, like contemporary Presidents and Governors in states, didn’t have entry access to Anubhava Mantapa, while Sharanas of all hues of high and low births were allowed entry freely.
A position of the present Speaker: Allama was chosen as the head of Anubhava Mantapa by making the Prabhu occupy the highest spiritual throne ‘Shunya Simhasana’ by the top Sharana leaders led by Basaveshwara. This was the position of the present Speaker in the Lower Chambers of Parliament and State Assemblies.
Prabhu Gita has long, rare meters: Varanasi-based authority on Sanskrit grammar turned yogacharya Dr B P Tripathi, popularly known as Dr Vagish Shastriji, who vetted the final draft of the Prabhu Gita manuscript, has opined that “Saraswati dances on his (Mayideva’s) tongue. He composed the Shatsthala Siddhanta, a work of universal philosophical value in different long meters. While the Bhagawadgita is composed in by two or more meters, Prabhu Gita has rare long meters like Sragdhara, Shardula, Shobha, Meghavispujita, Shikharini, Malini, Vasantha Tilaka, Bhujanga Prayatam, Arya, Giti, more than 1000 slokas and Vrittas. I haven’t seen so many meters in spiritual and philosophical works”.
“Mayideva hasn’t merely translated select vachanas of Prabhu but also takes a tour for the readers to guide them with correct appreciation of mystic vachanas”.
A scope to make a comparative study: Touching about the yogic aspects in Prabhu Gita, Dr Shastri, himself a yogacharya, has said that the language used in this book is the language of Yoga, Purana and Kavya with a good description of Shatchakras. There is a scope for scholars to make a comparative study of the Shatchakras described in this book and in other yogic works.
It requires a proper understanding of Veerashaiva philosophy: Mayideva has not merely translated Prabhu’s vachanas but also helps readers to appreciate vachanakshara’s mind and intentions properly. The reason for the requirement of an expert guide to understand Allama Prabhu arises because it requires a proper understanding of Veerashaiva philosophy.
Dr C Shivakumara Swamy ably fits this position, translating Mayideva’s ‘Anubhava Sutra’ to a lay reader like me. I was lucky to have the assistance of his translation of Anubhava Sutra by Dr Swamy, a respected teacher of Sanskrit for a long time in Bangalore.
Malapraharini degenerated into 'Malaprabha': In the first chapter of the Anubhava Sutra, Mayideva provides vital information about his guru parampara and also himself in a limited manner. But he offers no personal information about his parents, but talks about his native village Magge near Aihole, a cradle for all knowledge seekers on the banks of ‘Malapraharini’, a river now known to the masses in its twisted and degenerated name —‘Malaprabha’.
Think of reverting to the original name: TReverting to the meaning of ‘Mala’, in Sanskrit and also Kannada, is ‘night soil’ or ‘human excreta’. ‘Prabha’ will mean aura. What kind of aura can the night soil offer? In light of Mayideva’s disclosure of the river’s name and its appropriateness, the government, which has changed so many names of cities in Karnataka, should think of reverting back to Malaprabha’s original name ‘Mala Praharini’, capable of destroying three kinds of wastes (Mala) - Anava, Karmika and Maya.
Kalyanada is Shivaswarupi and a superior being than Vishnu: If Mayideva has not revealed any information about his parents or family, he is only venturing the trodden paths of the poets and writers in the past. He was named ‘Kalyanada’, another name of Lord Shiva. He is not a humble person when it comes to defending his faith or his own acquired name, Mayideva. He says Vishnu is a known ‘maya swarupi’, hence a ‘Mahi’. Since Kalyanada is Shivaswarupi and a superior being than Vishnu, he got his name Mayideva, Lord of Mayi = Vishnu. Dr Swamy’s translation here to me appears very appropriate and mirrors the intentions of the ancient author very ably.
Dr Swamy, though now a retired Professor, was associated with mature scholars right from his younger days. Probably it is this trait that made him dive deep into serious research activities quite early in life. He has several Kannada and Sanskrit research works to his credit.
Impressed by the quality of his writings: Although I have no locus to judge the quality of his writing, as a reader, I have gone through some of his books, and I am impressed by the quality of his writings in both languages. With a little bit of translation experience, I am also aware how difficult and complex the translation of philosophical works can be, especially when it is from Sanskrit.
A real trap for encasing the super complicated Shatsthala philosophy: A cursory look at Mayideva’s Sanskrit writings will give the impression that the language he has employed appears to be very simple and requires no translation. His simple language is a real trap for encasing the super complicated Shatsthala philosophy. Translation of such work without being aware of the philosophical complexities is certainly a difficult task.
Handled the issue with all the deftness: The purpose of translation is to navigate even a lay reader to the contents, bypassing the long time gap and the language barrier. Prof. Swamy has handled the issue with all the deftness it deserved. His long association with the mature scholars is certainly visible in his thoughts and expressions.
An expression of love and reverence to an issue: In the Anubhava Sutra, Mayideva explains in detail "shadbhakti, six ways of showing reverence to the almighty. They are Sraddha, Nishta, Avadhana, Anubhava, Ananda and Samarasya, leading to attainment of the status of ‘Lingaswarupa’ in the most simple and candid manner. This text was first published by Jangamawadi Matha, Varanasi, without any translation. The Hindi translated version came out in 1998, followed by Dr Swamy’s in Kannada in 2003. This work is not merely a translation but an expression of love and reverence for an issue he truly believes in.
Human body as strong as a diamond: As already mentioned, Allama Prabhu is a respected figure among Natha and Siddha traditions in the north, too. Just as in Natha tradition, Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhists also believe in turning the human body as strong as a diamond. The Veerashaivas differ here and hold the Jnana path as superior to Yoga Marga. The conflicts in the twin paths to attainment have been age-old, as reflected in the texts that are available to posterity.
Tibetans and the Nathas believe in the superiority of Yoga Marga, while Veerashaiva philosophy lays emphasis on Jnana Marga as evidenced in the dialogues between Allama Prabhu and Goraksha at Srishaila hills, a hub for the practitioners of Buddha, Jaina, Veerashaiva, Siddha, Natha and Rasa Shastra traditions.
Prevalence of conflicts between Yoga Marga and Janna Marga: Vijayanagara period’s Kannada work ‘Shunya Sampadane’ records the prevalence of conflicts between Yoga Marga and Janna Marga in the dialogues between Allama Prabhu and Goraksha dialogues as the two paths for salvation. Srisaila, where the dialogue took place, was the melting pot of multiple faiths. Shunya Sampadane records the dialogues as well as the physical encounter between the two titans in a dramatic fashion. Goraksha asks Allama to strike him with the sword to test the strength of his body. Allama, after much persuasion, strikes Goraksha with the sword only to get rebounded with a clinging sound between the sword and diamond (vajra) body.
After this, Allama asks Goraksha to pierce him with his sword, and when he attempts to pierce Allama, it is like a flashing sword in the air/void and not against a human body, leaving Goraksha flummoxed repeatedly.
In the dialogue is mentioned in the text, Allama derides the concepts and beliefs of Yoga and Rasa Shastra and upholds the superiority of Jnana over Yoga Marga.
As per Shunya Sampadane's text, it is Allama who wins the contest. Goraksha concedes defeat, being unable to pierce Allama’s void body even with his sword and vajra body in the contest, and accepts the superiority of Jnana Marga over Yoga Marga and even composes vachanas in Kannada as a mark of respect to the winner.
*M Chenna Nagaraj is a veteran journalist.
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