Question

Which of the following statements about Basavan are correct ?
I. He was a Brahma and devotee of Lord Shiva.
II. He founded the Lingayat tradition.
III. His compositions are preserved in Kanda tradition.
IV. He supported funerary rites like cremation.

• A. I, II and IV are correct.
• B. I, II and III are correct.
• C. I, III and IV are correct.
• D. II, III and IV are correct.

Hint:

The Lingayats fundamentally challenged Brahmanical traditions by promoting:
• The absolute equality of all human beings, rejecting caste discrimition.
• The validity of manual labor as a spiritual pursuit.
• Social reforms like post-puberty marriage and the remarriage of widows.
• Burial instead of cremation.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: The twelfth century witnessed the rise of an influential socio-religious reform movement in Kartaka spearheaded by Basavan. This movement directly challenged orthodox Brahmanical practices, caste hierarchies, and ritualistic dogma, ultimately giving rise to a distinct community known as the Lingayats or Virashaivas (heroes of Shiva).

Step 1: Evaluation of Statement I.

• "He was a Brahma and devotee of Lord Shiva.": Correct. Basavan was born into a Brahma family in Kartaka but later rejected ritualistic Brahmanical orthodoxy. He dedicated himself completely to the formless, absolute aspect of Lord Shiva. He initially served as a minister in the court of Kalachuri king Bijjala.

Step 2: Evaluation of Statement II.

• "He founded the Lingayat tradition.": Correct. Basavan, alongside companions like Allama Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi, established the Virashaiva/Lingayat movement. The followers are med Lingayats because they wear a small, stylized linga encased in a silver amulet looped around their left shoulder.

Step 3: Evaluation of Statement III.

• "His compositions are preserved in Kanda tradition.": Correct. The spiritual discourses, aphorisms, and devotiol expressions of the Lingayat saints were composed in simple, colloquial Kanda. These poetic utterances are called Vachas (literally, "sayings"). This choice of vercular language made the philosophy universally accessible to ordiry people across all strata of society.

Step 4: Evaluation of Statement IV.

• "He supported funerary rites like cremation.": Incorrect. This is a crucial theological departure point for the community. The Lingayats explicitly rejected the orthodox Hindu practice of cremation.
• Based on their metaphysical doctrine, they believe that upon death, a true devotee enters union with Shiva (lingangha) and does not return to the cycle of rebirth.
• Therefore, they do not require ritualistic cremation or post-mortuary purificatory ceremonies. Instead, they ceremonially bury their dead in a sitting, meditative posture (Samadhi).

Step 5: Synthesizing the valid options.
Because statements I, II, and III are entirely accurate and statement IV is incorrect, the valid set maps cleanly to Option (B).