Akka Mahadevi 1150 - 1175 (?) CE

Akka Mahadevi was born at Udutadi in the Shivamogga District of Karnataka State, India to Sumati andNirmalshetti, who were devotees of Shiva.They were the staunch followers of Trividhi philosophy of Guru, Linga and Jangama.

As a child Akka showed great interest and devotion to religious practices.

As an adult, she renounces the world and accepts the life of Sanyasin (Holy One/ saint). This was an unusual step for a women and she was questioned extensively by Allma. Allamaprabhu and Kinnari Bommayya. Both questioned her actions and her decisions but she explained and defended them fully. She later settles in Basavakalyan, called Kalyan that was the captial of the Western Chalukya dynasty at the time..

She is seen as representing the whole Vachana movement and she is clearly a major figure in the social empowerment of women.

Among her works we find these lines:

“I am without pride of caste
Without pride of resolute will am I.
I have cast away the arrogance of riches,
Of the pride of learning also I have none.
No manners of pride dare some near me,
For Thou hast blest me with Thy Grace.”

It has been said that:

" She measured the heights of philosophical imagination, yet she did not remain content with the mere intellectual curiosity, she sought more and more a centre of reference in God whom she approached through ardent love and devotion. She instinctively felt that man can never be fully and wholly fulfilled through self-discipline and knowledge, though self-discipline is arduous and knowledge superior. A more human approach to God lies through pure love and unselfish love which withdraws most of the obstacles that the ego interposes between the divine and the devotee."

"Listen, oh, Mother! I love him,
He is the one, the only one.
He knows no birth and death.
He is uncabined by caste or clime.
He is boundless, changeless, formless;
He is beautiful beyond comparison,
All others fade away and die at last.
I will have none of them.
My Lord shall forever be
The One Channamallikarjuna.

I heartily recommend reading Dr. R.G. Mathapati essay about Akka Mahadevi

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