sharana

Sharana, from the Sanskrit śaraṇa meaning refuge or shelter, is a term used in the Kannada religious tradition to denote a devotee or follower. In a broader sense, it refers to the medieval saint-poets who formed the Sharanas, part of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat movement of 12th-century Karnataka.

Origin and movement. They emerged in the region of present-day Karnataka during a reformist movement led by Basavanna and his followers. The Sharanas rejected ritualism and caste hierarchy, and gathered in Anubhava Mantapa, an experiential academy established by Basavanna, to discuss philosophy, religion, and social reform.

Literature and teachings. The Sharanas wrote vachanas, short, often anonymous spiritual poems in Kannada, which expressed devotion to Shiva in the form of the Ishtalinga and promoted ethical living, humility, and social equality. Notable Sharanas include Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, Akka Mahadevi, Madivala Machideva, and Devara Dasimayya. Women sharanas contributed notably to vachana literature.

Legacy. The Sharanas are foundational to the Kannada vachana literature and the Lingayat tradition. Their emphasis on a direct, personal form of devotion and social reform influenced later religious and literary developments in Karnataka and beyond.