Savillada Kedillada | Kayakave Kailasa - Bhakti Republic OST | M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani

Poet: Akka MahadeviTranslator: H.S. ShivaprakashSource: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin ClassicsPerformed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee ManiFor Bhakti Republic with Amit BasoleRadio Azim Premji University, 2023__________________________________________________________To him with no death,No decayNo formTo the Beautiful OneI have given myself, O MotherTo him with no placeNo endNo spaceNo signsTo the Beautiful OneI have given myself, O MotherTo him with no clanNo country,To the peerlessHandsome OneI have given myself, O MotherFor this reasonChannamallikarjuna, the Handsome OneIs the man for me.These wasting, dying men —Take them awayThrow them into the oven!__________________________________________________________Born in Udutadi near Shivamogga around 1130, Akka Mahadevi, the prominent female Vachanakara, left an indelible mark on Kannada literature with her 430 Vachana poems, alongside two short writings, Mantrogopya and Yogangatrividh. While she composed fewer poems compared to other saints of the movement, her contributions are highly regarded. Acknowledging Shiva, whom she addressed as 'Chenna Mallikarjuna,' as her husband in the 'madhura bhava' or 'madhurya' form of devotion, Akka Mahadevi asserted her identity as a woman only in name, dedicating her mind, body, and soul entirely to Shiva. Her pursuit of enlightenment is documented in simple yet intellectually rigorous poems. Her verses delve into the renunciation of mortal love in favor of an enduring love for God, and she imparts insights into the demanding methods of the path to enlightenment, advocating for practices such as overcoming the 'I,' conquering desires, and mastering the senses.