Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi is among the foremost of the bhakti saints. Her spiritual radiance was so profound that great accomplished saints like Basavanna, Allamaprabhu and others referred to her as ‘Akka’ which means elder sister. Akka Mahadevi chose the path of Madhurbhava- she considered Chenna Mallikarjuna as her husband. Mallikarjuna in Srisailam is one of the Dwadash (12) Jyotirlingas. Chenna means handsome. In Madhurbhava, God’s dearest, most pleasing form is worshipped and meditated upon.
Early life
Akka was born in Udugani in Karnataka in the 12 th century. Her parents were Nirmalshetti and Sumati. They were devotees of Shiva and raised her thus. Various accounts of her life state that she was initiated into the spiritual life in childhood itself but who initiated her is not clear. Allamaprabhu is widely known as her Guru.
Akka’s exceptional beauty caught the eye of a king named Kaushik who wanted to marry her. But Akka refused because she had already committed herself to Mahadev. Some accounts maintain that she was never married; as per others, Kaushik forced her parents and Akka had to agree. However, she agreed on the conditions that she would continue her devotional spiritual practices and would engage with saints, sages and the like.
Renunciation
It is said that the king taunted her one day for her devotion to Shiva by saying that it was he, the king, who provided for all her needs. At that very moment Akka simply walked out of the palace renouncing everything, including the clothes she was wearing. Even at present and even if it is an ascetic, it is shocking for a woman to be naked, and Akka adopted such absolute renunciation in the 12 th century. Her long, lustrous hair covered her, as she is famously depicted today. Having broken the last threads of worldly life, Akka journeyed towards Srisailam, the seat of her Divine husband. She spent the rest of her life in a cave in the forest near Mallikarjun temple.
Her guru Allamaprabhu ensured that she was a part of the Anubhavmandapa, established by Basavanna as coming together of saints, enlightened philosophers etc. for enunciating their experiences of the Ultimate realization. Basavanna is the initiator of the Lingayat tradition.
WORKS
Akka Mahadevi is a prominent name in Kannada literature. 430 Vachanas (divine poems) are attributed to her. This sky-clad ascetic also authored Matrogopya, Yogangatrividhi.
Here are some of her nectar-like words:
“Like treasure underground, taste in fruit, gold in rock, oil in seed, the Ultimate is hidden in the heart”
“Shoot the arrow (of devotion) with such force that even the arrow’s feathers pierce the target”
“And you with lust! Hear, The only worry haunting me is whether Chenna Mallikarjuna my Lord loves me or not. Fie on this body! Why demean yourself for it- Excrement pot, urine vessel, frame of bones, putrid! Think of Chenna Mallikarjuna, you fool!”
Temples
10 km from Srisailam lay Akka Mahadevi caves, with a natural Shivaling Akka used to worship. Another temple has been consecrated to mark her birth place in Udugani.
