Shivakumara Swamigalu

• 02 Apr 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Shivakumara Swamigalu (Swami ji) on his Jayanti.

• Shivakumara Swamiji was a prominent Lingayat scholar, educator and a spiritual leader.

Key Points

• Birth:
  
  • He was born in the village of Veerapura, Ramanagara District, Karnataka on 1^st April, 1907.
• Early Life:
  
  • He was his parent’s thirteenth child and was named Shivanna at birth.
    
    • His interest in religion began in his childhood when he accompanied his parents to religious centers.
  • After completing his elementary education in the village he was born in, he moved to Nagavalli to complete his middle school.
    
    • Simultaneously, he also became a resident student at Siddaganga Math for a brief period.
    • Sree Siddaganga Math is an ancient ashram fostering a continuous line of illustrious "Shiva Yogi Siddapurushas". The Math was established by Sree Gosala Siddeshwara Swamiji in 15^th century A.D.
      
      • The Math is situated at a distance of 63 Km from Bangalore (Karnataka).
  • In 1930, he earned a bachelor’s degree in arts from the Central College in Bangalore. He was proficient in English, Kannada, and Sanskrit.
  • In 1965, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature degree by Karnataka University.
• About:
  
  • He was a Lingayat religious figure and head of the Siddaganga Matha in Karnataka. He was described as the most esteemed adherent of Lingayatism.
    
    • He entered the monk’s order or viraktashram at Siddaganga Math on 3^rd March, 1930.
  • He was known as ''Nadedaaduva Devaru'' or the ''Walking God'' among his followers.
  • He was considered as the incarnation of Basaveshwara, the 12^th century social reformer, as he accepted all irrespective of their religion or caste.
• Social Work:
  
  • He had founded 132 institutions for education and training.
    
    • Here, the children are provided free shelter, food, and education.
    • Visitors and pilgrims coming to the Math also receive free food.
  • He founded Sri Siddaganga Education Society.
  • Under the swami’s guidance, an agricultural fair was also held annually to help the local people.
• Awards:
  
  • In 2007, he was awarded the Karnataka Ratna (highest civilian award in Karnataka).
  • In 2015, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan (the third highest civilian award in India).
• Death:
  
  • He was almost 112 years old when he passed away on 21^st January 2019 as a result of multiple infections.

Lingayats

• The term Lingayat denotes a person who wears a personal linga, the aniconic form of god Shiva, on the body, which is received during the initiation ceremony.
• Lingayats are the followers of the 12^th-century social reformer-philosopher poet, Basaveshwara.
  
  • Basaveshwara was against the caste system and Vedic rituals.
• The Lingayats are strict monotheists. They enjoin the worship of only one God, namely, Linga (Shiva).
• The word ‘Linga’ does not mean Linga established in temples, but universal consciousness qualified by the universal energy (Shakti).
• The Veerashaivas sect of the community also worships Shiva idols and practises other Hindu customs.

Source: PIB