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The Liṅgāyats, or Vīraśaivas, are a group of ardent worshippers of Lord Śiva who are found primarily in modern Karnataka state and some contiguous districts in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and, to a lesser extent, Tamil Nadu (see Lalitamba, 1976; Rathinasabapathi, 1982). Some ten million strong, they constitute one of Karnataka’s most prominent religio-politico-social communities (Egnor, 1970, 161–164; Michael, 1979, 311–313). The importance of their Kannada language scriptural texts parallels …

Basava (or Basavēśvara or Basavaṇṇa) is the purported founder of the Liṅgāyat (or Vīraśaiva) religious movement. His most likely dates are 1105-1167 CE, though some argue for 1134-1196 CE. As with most founders, there are both traditional versions of his life and challenges to the very claim that he, rather than a group of mystical teachers ( ācāryas), founded the movement. Those traditional views, even if verified in broad scope, are challenged in their details by historical and epigraphical evidence. Certainly his person, both traditional and histor…