PRABHULINGALEELE

ಪ್ರಭುಲಿಂಗಲೀಲೆ

praBulingalIle

The Game of Life played by Lord Shiva in the guise of Allamaprabhu

Chamarasa (cAmarasa)

Fifteenth Century, 1430 A.D.

Not Known NagaNapura (?), Gadag in Dharwar District ( ? )

Veerashaiva

Proudhadevaraya of Vijyanagara Dynasty

.

Poetry: Shatpadi Kavya

Bhamini Shatpadi

Palm Leaves and paper

1884

Vuntakallu Girimallaiah

Ambashankaravilasa Mudraksharashale, Channapuri

1. Prabhulingaleele, Ed. S.S.Basawanal, 1938, Literary Committee, L.E.Society, Publication-2, Dharwar (Another edition by Vi.Ru.Koppala was published in the same year and by the same publisher. 2. ‘Prabhulingleeleya sangraha’, by M.S. Basavalingaiah and M.R.Srinivasa Murthy, 1934, Mysore University , Mysore . 3. ‘Prabhulingleele’ B.V. Mallapura, Gadugu.

'Prabhulingaleele' by Chamarasa is an important text in the series of litrary texts that have evolved over a period of time on the the lives and times of the Shivasharanas of the twelfth century. Allamaprabhu is projected as the philosophical nucelus of the movement with an ability to be a friend, philosopher and guide to most of his contemporaries. The gradual conversion of a catholic movement in to a religion neccissiates the deification pf some of its leaders and Veerashaivism was no exception. 'Prabhdevara ragale' by Harihara, Shunysampadane and Prabhulingaleele denote successive stages of this kind of evolution regarding Allamaprabhu. Prabhlingleele which attempts a merger of the historical and the mythological begins and ends at Kailasa the abode of Lord Shiva. Allama and Mayadevi are represented as the reincarnations of the saatvic(noble) element of Shiva and Tamasic(evil element of Parvathi respeectively. Consequently the result of confrontation betweem Allama and Maya is a foregone conclusion and all the attempts of Mayadevi to woo and wed Allama do not succeed. After that Allama dons the mantle of a nomadic Guru and goes around meeting many a sadhaka and correcting their philsophical and methodical errors with suitable advice. This goup of benificiaries include Goggaiah, Goraksha, Muktayakka, Siddarama, Akkamahadevi and Basavanna himself. This journey culminates in Allama's ascension of Shunya Simhasana presiding over the activities of the anubhavamantapa set in motion by Basavanna. He performs many a miracle during this journey and treats his disciples with a loving and firm hand. Prabhulingaleele contains fifteen chapters and approximately six hundred poems composed in Bhamini shatpadi and written in medival Kannada (Nadugannada) The language is simple and powerful and the style is not at all pedantic. Some of the descriptions involving Mayadevi's childhood, Allama's confrontation with Maya and his tryst with other shiva sharanas are suffused with poetic beauty and dramatic strength. Chamarasa is often compared with Kumaravysa another doyen of his times. Prabhulingaleele along with other texts has playd a crucial role in furthering the tradition of Veerashaiva philosophy and religion and it's equally important as a literary work of genuine merit.