Basava - Insignia

Insignia

The Kudala Sangama Deva is - his insignia of all his vachanas in Kannada.

Ramanujam in his book, speaking of Shiva, has translated Basavanna's insignia Kudala Sangama Deva into Lord of the meeting rivers. But that is only literal translation. It does not fit to the Definition of Kudala Sangama Deva given by Basavanna.

Basavanna Defines GOD as:

jagadagala mugilagal migeyagal,

nimmagala, pataLadindattatta nimma shricarana,

brahmanDadindattatta nimma shri mukuta,

agammya, agOcara, apramana lingave,

neevenna karasthalakke bandu

cuLukadirayya kudala sangamadeva.

In this Vachana, Guru Basava has made it clear that, Kudala Sangamadeva in not Lord of meeting rivers. He is infinite, eternal, and beyond the reach of the physical senses. Basavanna gives perfect shape in the form of Ishtalinga to the formless and absolute GOD. Thus Ishtalinga represents the eternal, omnipresence, and Absolute GOD.