User:Sarvagnya/sandbox/lingayat
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[edit] Daasoha
This is a unparalleled service done on the mankind. It means a free offering to those who are in need providing a sense of satisfaction of Daana and Dharma for the giver and a sense of fulfillment for the receiver. Some forms of it are
- Anna Daasoha
- Gnaana Daasoha
- Bhakti Daasoha
and anything done as selfless service.
Its effect is even prevalent today. Any temple of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Male Mahadeshwara hills, Biligiri hills will have Anna Daasoha. How it is arranged is even more interesting. Local daanis will help in providing cereals, grams , rice(Anna) and vegetables. The dishes are prepared by locals youths without any caste differences and served in a big hall where everyone sits on floor in pankthi - also called sahapankthi bhojana - in order and feel the essence of Annapoorneshwari -Goddess of food - without any differences.
This sahapankthi Bhojana was a practice among Brahmins who used to arrange Mristanna -tasty and energetic food only for themselves - for every religious ceremony and would take the gifts having filled there bellies - has been ridiculed humorously by various Kannada poets.
Not only in temples but in schools also Daasoha has taken shape of mid-day meals in Karnataka - the first state to start this scheme. A famous vachana says
- Soham yennade Daasoham yendenisayya - which means be selfless (Daasa Aham) rather than selfish (Naanu or Aham).
- Dayavillada Dharma yaavudayya Dayave Dharmada moolavayya - signifies that Kindness is the origin of Dharma.
Gnaana Daasoha means offering of Knowledge or Gnaana. Siddaganga Mutt of Tumkur speaheaded by His Highness Sri Sri Sree Sree Shivakumara Swamiji- in his late nineties- stands as greatest example of such ideology. It is imparting education to all those thousands of underprivileged children under one roof. It even has a vedic school in it for imparting Sanskrit education and Indian culture. Many other Mutts or centres of charity at unknown corners of the world follow these ideals for welfare of human kind. Even ISKCON in Bangalore has started to practice Akshara and Anna Daasoha for the needy.
This form of selflessness and kindness can only be attributed to 12th century reform.
[edit] Daasoha
Among the many injunctions prescribed for the devout Lingayat, Dasoha is a very important one. Basava created this as a protest against the feudalistic ideologies present at that time. He shunned the sharp hierarchial divisions that existed and sought to remove all distinctions between the hierarchially superior master class and the subordinate, servile class. Even though he himself served as a minister under the king, Bijjala, he pointed out that he worked only as a daasohi or one who serves. Dasoha to him meant working hard for one's livelihood and for the maintenance of society. In Basava's view, a dasohi should consider himself, but a servant of society.
Therefore, Dasoha in principle assumed that what belongs to God must return to Him and what came from society should be given back by way of selfless service. Basava exhorted all wearers of Ishta linga to practice dasohawithout reservation.
[edit] Sources of Lingayat history
To reconstruct the historical context, origin and development of the Lingayat faith, one will need to draw upon several sources. The various sources that are involved here include folk literature, inscriptions, historical facts, post-Basava developments, the Vachanas, reminiscences, Ragale literature, the lingayat and Jaina puranas and the doctrinal and philosophical works like the Shoonya Sampadane. Following a holistic and comparative study of all these sources, it is possible to reconstruct the origin and development of the Lingayat faith across time and space. Of all the sources, particularly important is the epigraphical evidence. The Arjunavada inscription in particular establishes the historicity of Basava beyond dispute. The Vachana literature, especially the vachanas composed by Basava himself are of vital importance in this studya. Harihara's Ragale is yet another invaluable source.
