Anubha Sahitya are compositions of the saint-poets mainly belonging to Virashaivism. The traditional account of the origin of Virashaiva sect is derived from fire ascetics – Ekorana, Panditaradhya, Revana, Marula and Visvaradhya, who are mythically said to have appeared from the five lingas.
The doctrine traces its origin to the teachings of
Vijayabhairavi Agama, Malini Vijaya Tantra and Mahanirvana Tantra and depends
less on the Vedic sources through Srikantha has authored a commentary on
Brahmasutra in the context of Virasaiva philosophy.
The foundation of the philosophy was laid by the vacana
(songs of colloquial language) by the trio – Allama Prabhu, Basava and Chenna
Basava. In order to expound and popularize their philosophy, Anubhava Mantapa,
an assembly of saranaganas (devotees of the sect) was established in the famous
city of Kalyana in Karnataka for promotion of spiritual discussion and exchange
of philosophical thought. All these have been explained in detail by
Siddhavireshvara in his Sunyasampadana.
The voluminous composition of vacanas of the 12th
century and ancient agamas were brought to life due to the genuine efforts of
preceptors such as Mahalingadeva, Magge Mayideva, Jakkanarya and Giridhara.
Of these, Magge Mayideva is best known as sutrakara (literally,
composer of sutra, a technical aphoristic style of composing a Shastra text).
He was born in 15th century CE and hailed from a place called Magge
near Aihole. He traces his origin to Upamanyu Shivacharya. His father
Sangameshvaraprabhu, the fifth from Upamanyu, along with his other ancestors
are hailed as great teachers of Shaiva doctrine. He wrote Anubhava Sutra (or
Sahitya) apart from Shivambhara, an appendix to Anubhava Sutra and a commentary
called Viseshartha Prakasika. It is because of this that he has been hailed as
sutrakara of Satsthala Siddhanta.
His works have been supplemented by Jakkanarya, the author
of Ekottara Satasthali which was commented upon by Srigirindra. Virasaiva
Sikharatna records that Magge Miyideva was teacher of Jakkanarya.
The main doctrine of Satsthala Siddhanta is that there exist
six states of Shiva as bhakta, mahesha, prasadi, pranalinga, sarana and aikya.
Aikya is ultimately identifying oneself with Brahman by attaining the ekottarasata
sthala or jnanasunyasthala, a state when one will have no knowledge of being
identified with the universal being.
Anubhava Sutra proclaims that parabhakti stands above moksha
for moksha is not held to be the highest end of man, but forms only the gateway
through which the atman (the individual self) has to pass for realizing its
divine possibilities of self-adoration and self-delight. This doctrine is known
as fifth purushartha, explicitly mentioned in Anubhava Sutra – dharmadi purusharthanam
caturnam paratha para. Panchamah purushartho hi bhaktih saivi sanatani.
The other works which supplement Anubhava Sutra are
Siddhanta Sikhamani, Shivadvaitadarpana, Shiva stotravali and Virashaivasikharatna.