The cogitativeness of prodigious Basavanna was growing above his age. The established norms and faiths which were practised by his parents, relatives, friends and the people around used to create many suspicions and doubts in him. He was not ready to agree with any norms which were not accepted by his prudence. The caste system, polytheism, worship of petty gods, religious sacrifice, animal slaughter which were established in the society, had not only created dejection but also encouraged him to protest against them.
One morning, father Madarasa was engrossed in worshipping at home. At the same time Basavarasa returned from the garden, he was tired and thirsty. Madalambike did not allow him inside when he asked for water. She was worried about "madi" (madi is a Kannada word, which means purity) which she did not want to spoil until Madarasa finished his pooja. She asked Basavarasa to wait till Madarasa's pooja was over. Basavarasa waited for ten minutes and then came inside and enquired whether his father had finished pooja. But Madarasa was involved in worshipping many deities. He was offering pooja to Vighneswara, Saraswathi, Shiva, Vishnu, Parvathi, Lakshmi, one after another. Basavarasa enquired his mother for the second time but Madarasa was still performing pooja. He was involved in worshipping another deity. Instead of meditation and spiritual thoughts which were essential for spiritual attainment, a mechanical recitation of verses was going on. Once in every ten minutes Basavarasa used to come in and enquire his mother whether his father's pooja was over. When he learnt that his father had not yet completed, he came out and started digging in front of the courtyard. After worshipping all the deities in the pooja room, Madarasa came out to worship the Sun, threshold and Bilwa tree (Bael tree ; the botanical name being AEGLE MAMELOS. Its leaves are used to worship Linga). There, he noticed small pits dug by Basavarasa. He became furious :
"What play is this Basavarasa ? Why have you dug these pits in the courtyard ?" Madarasa asked his son.
"Father, I was very thirsty. When I asked mother for water, she told me that "madi" should not be spoilt till your pooja was over and asked me to wait. But I was very thirsty, so I started digging these pits to quench my thirst."
"You mad ! does water come so soon ? does it come if you dig like this ? you must go on digging at the same spot. Instead of digging twelve pits, you have to dig only one and deeply, only then you can get water, is it
not ?" Madarasa laughed merrily.
"Exacty father ! To get close to God we have to channelise all our attention on one thing with the help of only one mantra. Instead of this if we worship different deities mechanically, can we experience God who is the confluence of knowledge and bliss ?"
Madarasa was astonished by this answer. Then Basavarasa pronounced.
"Listen my father, instead of
Worshipping the Supreme Creator,
Why do you entangle
Your soul in transmigration by worshipping
Indra, the Sun, Moon, Fire, Mountain ?
Alas ! how you could be my father
Shiva's devotees are my father and mother "
(Bhimakavi)
That means, instead of worshipping the Supreme Creator, the father of the whole universe, are you not entangling your soul in the material existence by worshipping the Sun, the Moon, fire and other things?" Madarasa could not answer, remained silent. These questions were not out of haughtiness but were the result of pure and sharp thoughts which were radiating from his son's intellect.
After some days, another occasion had arisen. It was a special event. Under the presence of Madarasa, a sacrificial ceremony was in progress. In that grand ceremony, Basavarasa was keenly observing everything and everyone. He saw the people who were enjoying by offering valuable articles like costly silk cloths dipped in ghee, diamonds, ornaments to fire. He felt very bad and asked ;
"Father, why are you all offering these valuable articles to fire ? couldn't these costly silk cloths be used to cover the body of so many people who don't have even a piece of cloth ? wouldn't these ghee and oil which are being put in fire suffice those people who are in need ?"
Madarasa became furious. He browbeated with low voice and said : Stop your stupid arguments, you often raise the same thing everywhere..."
" Instead of giving these valuable things to a living being why are you all wasting them by just putting in fire which is a non-living thing ? Please tell me......"
"You fool ! Fire is a god. Whatever we offer here to fire will reach Him". Madarasa was very angry.
"Allright father ! If fire is a god, then why do the people struggle to put out when their houses catch fire? They should leave it to God, is it not ? But they throw dust and dirty water instead of ghee and silk cloth. At that time they don't praise fire but they scold, why ?"
"Basava, you are talking too much and going headlong. Your words are out of rudeness. Keep quite, don't ask nonsense questions in the middle..."
Another occasion ;
A big sacrificial ceremony was in progress. Since a famous festival was being celebrated in that area, many people had gathered from different places. There, Madarasa was given a prominent seat. In status, wealth, erudition and in all other aspects he was respectable. He had brought Basavarasa wanting him to enjoy the grandeur. Nevertheless a sense of apprehension was simmering in his heart as he never knew what sort of questions Basavarasa would ask. The ceremony was in progress without any disturbance. A he-goat was tied to a pole-yoopa stambha. It was a sacrificial animal. slaying of the animal was started. Amidst chanting of the hymns, the innocent animal started shedding tears helplessly. Those tears not only swung Basavanna into deep thought but also made him to weep. Tears were rolling down from his eyes. His class mates were surprised and said,
"What sort of courageous boy you are ; eh.... he is crying like a girl", they rediculed him.
"Ah !..... is it not a living being which would like to live like us ? Why should the people kill it.....?"
"To please God !..."
"It is lie, untruth ; the kind hearted God can never ask for a living being as a sacrifice which he has created. He is not cruel..." Basavarasa asserted.
"The life of a sacrificed goat becomes meaningful. It reaches the heaven soon since it is offered to God, ...."
"If there is such an easy way to reach heaven, old people can be offered as sacrifice. If I am going to be offered as sacrifice, I may also reach God easily, is it not....?" Basavarasa questioned.
"Leave it, who will speak to him. If we keep arguing with him we can't enjoy this ceremony." His classmates pooh-poohed Basavarasa and moved away. But Basavarasa was terribly moved by the goat's cry. He was feeling as if his heart was squeezed. That agonising cry of the goat had left him in deep sorrow. That pain which had stirred his heart has started flowing out as tears. Helplessly, as a representative of God, Basavarasa promised the goat on behalf of Him.
Oh goat ! do you cry because
They have killed you to fulfil their promise
Do you cry before them who recite Vedas
Do you cry before them who listen to scriptures
Our Lingadeva would punish them for making you cry.
