Akka mahadevi biography of mahatma

Akka Mahadevi is a revered poet-saint of the Bhakti movement in the history of Karnataka and Kannada literature for her devotion and vachanas.

Every tree was the kalpavriksha, every bush was the Sanjeevani, every place was a teertha, every water body contained Amritha and every pebble was the chintamani gem. As per the customs of the time, she was expected to marry and lead a conventional life. Her poems were revolutionary in their content and style, breaking away from the traditional forms of Sanskrit literature.

Above all, she was and will be the maternal figure for the people of Karnataka.

Akka left this materialistic world to unite with her spiritual consort, Lord Shiva; however, she has left behind her profound teachings and vachanas. They express her love for Chennamallikarjuna and her yearning for union with the divine, often blurring the lines between the sacred and the secular.

In the company of Basavanna, Chenna Basavanna, Prabhudeva and Madivalayya, her devotion attained maturity.

It is believed that at the age of 25, she found the Kadali vana in the vicinity of the Shrishaila temple and lived the rest of her life in a cave. Akka Mahadevi’s profound devotion, mystical experiences, and philosophical insights further strengthened the Lingayat movement, inspiring countless individuals to question societal norms and embrace a path of spiritual equality and social justice.

Legacy and Present-Day Significance:

Saint Akka Mahadevi’s legacy continues to inspire and resonate with people across different generations.

One day a Jain king Kaushik laid his eyes on Akka while passing and was completely besotted with her beauty.

Hug the body of the Lord so tightly that the bones crumble…”

(Akka Mahadevi’s vachanas have been translated into Tamil by Tamil Selvi and Madhumitha. Akka Mahadevi is a household name in Karnataka. Born in the region that is today known as Karnataka, she was one of the foremost figures among the Virashaiva or Lingayat movement—a radical sect that rejected the caste system and the dominance of Brahmin orthodoxy.

Early Life and Spiritual Awakening

Mahadevi Akka was born around 1130 CE in the village of Udutadi in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

Akka fought the world, breaking its every rule and norms to assert that every individual has the right to practise devotion and spirituality. Her devotion to this form of Shiva was not just religious but deeply personal, treating him as her lover and husband.

Mahadevi’s parents, while initially supportive of her spiritual pursuits, faced social pressure as she grew older.

This would truly be the greatest tribute to Akka Mahadevi.

You are the whole forest

And all the divine trees in it

You are all the birds and beasts

Playing in and around the tree.

Why don’t you show yourself to me

Who are contained in everything

O Cennamallikarjuna?

Saint Akka Mahadevi: A Devoted Mystic and Literary Luminary

Introduction:

Saint Akka Mahadevi, widely known as Akka Mahadevi or Akkamahadevi, was an exceptional 12th-century Indian saint, mystic poet, and advocate of spiritual liberation.

These Vachanas, characterized by their emotional depth and profound spiritual insights, reflected her unwavering love for Lord Shiva and her yearning for union with the divine.

Akka Mahadevi’s Vachanas transcend societal conventions and advocate for a direct, personal relationship with God, beyond the barriers of caste, gender, and social hierarchy.

Some of the famous flicks on her are:

• Amarjyoti Akkamahadevi
• Kaaya by Kriyative Theatre
• Shivayogi Akkamahadevi

Legacy

Akka was much more than a saint; she was the epitome of feminism, a pioneer of female devotion, an embodiment of eternal and ethereal love, a rebel, and a mystic poet born with the gift of the gab.