Sharana Basaweshvara Temple - Gulbarga

Dedicated to the Hindu saint and reformer, Basaveshwara, the temple is a popular year-round pilgrimage centre for Hindus. A chariot festival is held in his honour near the Gulbarga tank.

Sharana Basaweshvara Temple

Gulbarga, a historical city in Karnataka is known for its rich cultural heritage. For nearly 1500 years, Gulbarga has been prominent in the history and culture of the Deccan. Many great dynasties rose to power in the region in rapid succession leaving indelible marks of their glory in the history. The very first known work in Kannada literature, "Kaviraj Marga" was produced during 850 AD by Srivijay during the reign of the famous emperor Nrupatunga. Around the same time Mahaveeracharya wrote his mathematical works and Vijnaneshwara gave his Mitakshara Law - an epigraph preserved in Martur village 22 km from Gulbarga. The region has witnessed a profound revolutionary movement during 12th century led by Basaveshwara. Later Gulbarga became a bastion of the philosophical school of Sufism and produced a very eminent saint and scholar, Hazrat Khajaa Banda Nawaz in 15th century and another famous saint Sri Sharana Basaveshwara in 19th century.



vachanadalli nAmAmR^ita tumbi
nayanadalli nimma mUruti tumbi
manadalli nimma nenahu tumbi
kiviyalli nimma kIruti tumbi
kUDala saMgama devA
nimma charaNakamaladoLagAnu tumbi

Meaning:
The words spoken (by me) are full of ambrosia of (Your Holy) Name !
The eyes are enriched with the vision of Your Form !
The mind is full of Your thoughts !
The ears are filled with Your Glory !
Oh Lord of kUDala saMgama,
in Your Feet lotus, I am there as a bee !



attalitta hOgada.nte heLavana mADayyA ta.nde,
sutti suLidu nODada.nte andhakana mADayyA ta.nde,
matto.nda kELada.nte kivuDana mADayyA ta.nde,
nimma sharaNara pAdavallade
anya viShayakkeLasada.nte irisu,
kUDalasa.ngamadEvA.

Meaning:
Not digressing here and there, make me a lame person, my Father !
Not letting sight around and away, make me blind, my Father !
Not letting hear something else, make me deaf, my Father !
Other than Your refugee's feet, keep not getting dragged
into anything else, Oh the Divine of kUDalasangama !!


nIrige naiDile sR^i~NgAra
samuDrake tereye sR^i~NgAra
naarige guNave sR^i~NgAra
gaganake chandrama sR^i~NgAra
namma kUDala sa.ngana sharaNara
nosalige vibhUtiye sR^i~NgAra

Meaning:
For the water (pond) water-lily is the charm;
For the ocean tides are the charm;
For the woman character is the charm;
For the sky moon is the charm;
For foreheads of the refugees (devotees) of the
Lord of kUDala sangama, the holy ash is the charm.


GYAnada baladinda aGYAnada kEDu, nODayya
jyOtiya baladinda tamantada kEDu, nODayya
satyada baladinda asatyada kEDu, nODayya
paruShada baladinda avalohada kEDu, nODayya
kUDala sangana sharaNara anubhAvadinda
enna bhavada kEDu, nODayya.

Meaning:
By the power of knowledge, is the destruction of ignorance, You see.
By the power of light, is the destruction of darkness, You see.
By the power of truth, is the destruction of falsehood, You see.
By the power of paruSha stone, is the destruction of iron, You see.
By the experience of the refugees of Lord of kUDala sangama,
is the destruction of my birth cycle, You see.


umba baTTalu bEre kanchalla
nODuva darpaNa bEre kanchalla
bA.nda o.nde bhAjana o.nde
beLage kannaDiyenisinittayyA.
aridaDe sharaNa maredaDe mAnava
mareyade pUjisu kUDalasa.ngana.

Meaning:
The vessel used for eating is not a different bronze and
the mirror is not made of different bronze.
Material is the same; Nature is the same;
When polished it shines as the mirror.
If realizes (s/he) is a sharaNa;
If forgotten then (ordinary) human being.
(So) worship without forgetting the One in kUDalasangama