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Siddharama (Siddharameswar) ( Siddarama or Siddheshwar of Solapur ) was one among the many apostles of Lingayat (Veerashaivism).He was a great mystic and a Kannada poet who was a part of Basavanna's Veerashaiva revolution during the 12th century. Siddharama[1] claims to have written 68,000 vachanas out of which 1379 are in existence. Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, Devara Dasimayya, Channabasava, Siddharama (1150)are regarded as the most acknowledged and respected poets. Vachanakaras wrote in the genre of Veerashaivas,under Kannada literature from the mystic period. His philosophy was one of service to mankind, the path of karmayoga. He shares the world view of other vachana poets in his rejection of blind conventions of caste and sex discrimination and emphasis on realization through personal experience. He too borrows Metaphors from diverse spheres of everyday life. Apart from vachanas,he has written several devotional works in tripadi. writing three-line verse, used from 7th century.
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He was a king of Sonnalgi or Solapur,the son of Muddanna and Suggaladevi and the first Social Spiritual guru. As part of Sharana revolution in 12th century, he encouraged inter-caste marriages. He undertook many irrigation projects for the common good. He saw divinity in every existence of the world.
Shri Siddharameshwar[2] was a historical figure of the 12th century whose "Karmayoga" about his native land, Solapur, turned him into a God-figure in time. There was a great saint Shri Siddarama, who preached the teachings of Shri Basaweshwara. A young girl, inspired by the teachings of this saint wished to marry him. Shri Siddaram denied her but gave permission to marry with his Yogadanda. The same marriage function is celebrated every year on the Makar Sankranti for three days at Bhogi, Sankrant and Kinkrant. The Nandi Dhwajas are presumed as Bride and Groom for the marriage. This festival falls around 14th January every year. A fair popularly known as Gadda Yatra is arranged for fifteen days dat this time of the year.
Siddheshwar(Siddharama) was a great conributor to Lingayatism religion and he is considered as one of the five prophets of Lingayat pantha. He had gained the "Siddhi". As Solapur was a drought prone area, Shri Siddharameshwar dug a lake with the help of 4000 "Sharanas" to solve the problem of potable water. He entombed himself alive .
Lord Shiva appeared in the guise of a Jangam Swamiji and called himself Mallinath from Shrishail. The place where Mallinath met Siddharam is known as 'Gurubhet' which is now in front of the Collector's Bungalow in Solapur, Maharashtra. This Jangam requested Siddharama to serve him hot fried tender Jowar. Next he demanded curd-rice at in order to sooth the burning sensation in his stomach. Siddharam ran to his home and asked his mother for curd-rice.
On his return to the fields, he searched for him, shouting, "Mallayya, Mallayya" did not find him. There he inquired pf the Kawadi Jangams who were on a pilgrimage to Shrishail. They promised to show him Mallayya. His quest for Mallayya made him determined to go to Shrishail. At Shrishail he was shown the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, utb this linga of black stone did not please him. Then he inquired every object and every people about the whereabouts of Mallayya running over the length and breadth of Shrishail. Siddharama began to weep. His tears were collected in the collected in a tank in the ground, which presently became known as Nayan-Kunda . When Shivayogi Siddharam reached the brink of a very deep valley called 'Rudrakada' and peeping down he yelled out "Mallayya, Mallayya!, but he did not appear. As Siddharama was about to jump in the valley., Lord Mallikarjun(Mallinath) appeared and caught hold of him by his hands.He visualized Mallaya telling him to return to Sonnalige and work towards making it the second Srishailam.
The Lord pacified him and offered 'Vajrakundal' and 'Yoga Danda' which possesses the potential to fulfill all wishes.
The Lord Mallinath asked Siddharam[3]to return to Sonnalgie to end grief on earth. The Lord Mallinath assured him that he himself would appear in the form of Shivalinga in Sonnalgie. Shivayogi Siddharam returned to Sonnalgie; the ruler of that time Nannappa and his wife Chamala Devi gave him 5 kosa land as they were told to do by a vision of Lord Shiva. Shivayogi Siddharam consecrated 68 lingas by the holy hands of Jagadguru Kapilasiddha Panditardhya, within the Panch Crosh of Sonnalgie making Sonnalgie a "Kshetra" (holy place).
Siddarama returned to Sonnalige and involved himself in public works. He dug lakes and and built temples. He encouraged people to conduct mass weddings, and do other works, which would benefit mankind. Many people joined him in transforming Sonnalige.
Allama and Siddarama came to Kalyana. At Anubhava Mantapa Allama, Siddarama, Chennabasavanna, Basavanna and others discussed the need for Istalinga.
Siddarama accepted Chennabasavanna as his Guru. Chennabasavanna performed the Istalinga initiation for Siddarama.
==SHARANA PATHA==[4]
Sonnalige in Sholapur district which was famous as the birthplace of the celebrated Virasaiva saint Siddharama[5] was included in the Sevuna empire. And, obviously it made a great impact on the religious life of the people during the Sevuna period.The saint Siddharama who received diksha from Revensiddeshwar and Channabasavanna was highly respected in the area and hence it came to be called Sonnalige kshetra and southern Varanasi and Abhinava Srisaila.The temple of Kapilasiddha Mallikarjuna at Sonnalige added greater sanctity to the place. Almost all the later kings of the Sevuna dynasty were the patrons of this kshetra as well as the saint Siddharama. Bhillama's ministers Bandugideva and Mayideva are said to have visited the kshetra, worshipped at the temple and gifted the village Choraharige for the [[angabhogaand rangabho of the temple in 1191 A.D.5 The next ruler Jaitugi made many grants to this temple. In the year 1195 A.D., he instructed his officer Padmanbha Dandanayaka to visit the temple and make a gift to the deity. Accordingly,Padmanabha made a gift of the village Jambugave in Sholapur district to the temple. Two years later Jaitugi instructed his ministers Sovideva Dandanayaka and Mayideva Dandanayaka to make tax-free grants to the same temple. However, Singhana II, the greatest ruler of the dynasty patronised Sonnalige Kshetra most. An inscription of 1234 A.D.,records a gift of the village Mantravadi to the temple by Honnabommisetti, a minister. Seven other ministers Keshava Nayaka, Mankayya, Sri Rama and others also donated lands to. King Krishna instructed his minister to donate the village Dattagi. Two other ministers Kucharasa and Chattarasa were also the patrons of the temple. King Mahadeva was also a patron. At the instance of the king, minister Devaraja made the gift of the village Sangur, making it free of all taxes.8 An inscription further states that Devaraja visited Sonnalige kshetra and is said to have felt purified from all the sins at the very sight of the God Mallikarjuna. The religious sentiments expressed in the Sangur inscription indicate the popularity of this kshetra.Another important point is the citing of Siddharama's vachanas in the inscriptions of the period. It is not known under what circumstances these vachanas came to be a part of the Sevuna inscriptions. It is possible that Siddharama's vachanas became very popular and obviously the composers of the inscriptions wanted to enhance the value of them by quoting the vachanas of Siddharama. It is also possible that Siddharama specially wrote these two vachanas as a preamble to gifts made to the temples so that nobody would have the moral courage to go against the purpose of the grant, as it had the sanction of a great saint like Siddharama. Whatever might have been the real purpose of these vachanas, there is no doubt that they were important. Many Sevuna inscriptions contain the vachanas of Siddharama. These inscriptions belong to the kings Bhillama,Jaitugi, Singhana, Krishna and Mahadeva. They are found at Churgi (1190), Jaitugi (1194), Kudigi (1201),Gundakarajigi, Phadenkur (1256), Jettigi (1257), Kottagi(1264) and Yadihalli. This list is by no means exhaustive, but this is sufficient to show the impact of Siddharama as a Virasaiva vachanakara on the population of tnriched the value of the inscriptionshe period.Another highly interesting point is that one of the Sevuna inscriptions contains a Sanskrit rendering of a Kannada vachana of Siddharama. Thnriched the value of the inscriptionsis is found in Takali (Indi Taluk, Bijapur district). It belongs to the rule of Sevuna king Krishna but its date is lost. As it is highly interesting the relevant position of the inscription in given here.A town by name Hilli in Akkalkot was another well-known Virasaiva centre. There was a temple here dedicated to Kudala Sangamadeva which attracted pilgrims and devotees from Karnataka and other places.
Shivayogi Siddharama praises guru Channabasavanna in his vachana:
That blazing sun is enthroned
In the eight petalled Lotus Heart
The Moon is enthroned in the centre of that sun
Fire is seated in the centre of that moon
The glow is seated in the centre of that fire
Enlightenment dwells
In the centre of that glow
Enlightened soul resides in that enlightenment
Shiva the Supreme inhabits
The centre of that enlightened soul
Such a supreme Lord
Placed His hand on the head of my enlightened body
Forged it into a shape from the
Senses of the mind and feeling
And revealed it to my sight
And gave Linga to my palm
To the blessed feet of Channabasavanna
I bow again and again and thus
Will I live O Prabhu,
O Lord Kapilsiddha Mallikarjuna
Siddharama is at his best when he charges a quotidian event with far reaching significance as in :
A cock is crowing day in and day out
The multitudes of mortals are not aware of it.
Once they are aware,
No birth or bondage for them.
If they stay unaware
No end of their births and deaths,
O Kapilsiddhamallikarjuna.
Siddarama upholds family life in the following vachana.
Devotee falls in love with a woman
Joining her in marriage
Devotee falls in love with earth
Buys it and builds a house
Devotee falls in love with wealth
It makes him tired and it provides
Kapilasidda Mallikarjuna.
In this vachana, Siddarama says that the devotee should marry the person he loves and buy the land he loves for his house. If he falls in love with wealth, he will acquire it. However, although the wealth provides for his future, its quest will make him tired.
Siddarama,an accomplished sharana,explains the power of Guru in this vachana:
By applying the ointment
Named Shiva's knowledge
Removed the cataract named ignorance
Siddarama, an accomplished sharana, explains the power of Guru in this vachana:
By applying the ointment
Named Shiva's knowledge
Removed the cataract named ignorance
Gained knowledge of Shiva
Kapilasidda Mallinatha!
Siddarama says that his Guru, by applying the ointment named Shiva knowledge, removed his cataract named ignorance
Siddarama[6] wrote vachanas with the name "Kapilasidda Mallikarjuna". There are 1,679 vachanas of his. In addition to vachanas, Siddarama wrote Sthotra Threevidhigalu with "Yoginatha" as his signature. Ragavanka wrote Siddarama Charitra, the history of Siddarama. Jayadevi-thai Ligade has written Siddarama Purana.
Scholars like M.M. Kalburgi, M.S. Vrishabhendraswamy, M.S. Nagaraja Rao and others have studied this problem in great detail. It is said that at least 22 inscriptions of the Sevuna period contain Siddharama's vachanas. Vide: M.M. Kalburgi, Sasanagalalli Sivasaranaru; M.S. Vrishabhendraswamy, Sasanagalalli Sri Siddharamana Vachanagalu (The Karnatak University Journal - Humanities, Vol. x, p.204; M.S. Nagaraja Rao, Karnataka Bharati, Vol. 3.4 and Vol. 4.3, pp 3-14 and p. 101-112)
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