Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Yoga / Hindu : Shaivite (Shiva)

12th Century

India
(Indian Subcontinent)

Akka Mahadevi

Timeline (12th Century)

Poems by Akka Mahadevi
Books - Links

Akka Mahadevi, Akka Mahadevi poetry, Yoga / Hindu, Yoga / Hindu poetry, Shaivite (Shiva) poetry, poetry, poetry

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Mahadevi or Akka Mahadevi, sometimes called simply Akka, was born in Udutadi in the Karnataka region of India. At age 10, she was initiated as a devotee of Shiva, the pale-skinned god of destruction and rebirth, lord of yogis and ascetics. She worshiped Shiva in the form of Chennamallikarjuna, which means literally "Mallika's beautiful Arjuna."

It is said that Mahadevi was married by arrangement to Kausika, a local king. There were immediate tensions, however, as Kausika was a Jain, a group that tended to be wealthy and was, as a result, much resented by the rest of the population. Much of Akka's poetry explores the themes of rejecting mortal love in favor of the everlasting, "illicit" love of God, and this seems to be the path she chose as well.

She ran away from her life of luxury to live as a wandering poet-saint, traveling throughout the region and singing praises to her Lord Shiva. A true ascetic, Mahadevi is said to have refused to wear any clothing -- a common practice among male ascetics, but shocking for a woman.

In Kalyana, she met the famous Shaivite saints Basava and Allama Prabhu.

Akka spent the last of her days in the Srisailam area. Tradition says she died in her twenties, entering mahasamadhi (final divine union) with a flash of light.

Poems by Akka Mahadevi

	He bartered my heart
	I love the Handsome One:
	It was like a stream
	Like a silkworm weaving
	People, male and female,
	Riding the blue sapphire mountains
	Sunlight made visible
	Through Thee have I forgotten Thee!
	Till you've earned
	What do the barren know
	Would a circling surface vulture
	You are the forest
	You can confiscate

Recommended Books

	Sacred Voices: Essential Women's Voices Through the Ages, Edited by Mary Ford-Grabowsky Amazon.com
	The Shambhala Anthology of Women's Spiritual Poetry, Edited by Aliki Barnstone Amazon.com
	Speaking of Siva, by A K Ramanujan Amazon.com
	Women Writing in India: 600 BC to the Present: Volume 1, Edited by Susie Tharu / Edited by K. Lalita Amazon.com

Related Links:

	Akka Mahadevi http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/mahadevi.html Brief bio, bibliography, several poems on-line.
	Who is Akka - Dr. R.G. Mathapati http://www.ourkarnataka.com/religion/akka_mathapati.htm An article exploring the life of Akka Mahadevi and the significance of her poetry.
	Lives of Saints - AkkaMahadevi http://www.ambahouse.org/akkamahadevi.html An excerpt from a talk on the life of Akka Mahadevi.
	Akka Mahadevi: The Genuine Mystic http://www.shivayoga.net/literature/sharanas/akkamahadevi.html A good biography and several poems.
	Women in World History: Bhakti Poets: Mahadevi http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/lessons/lesson1/lesson1.php?menu=1&s=7 A brief note about Akka Mahadevi within the context of women Bhakti poets, along with a couple of poems.
	Mahadevi - Poet Seers http://www.poetseers.org/the_great_poets/female_poets/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/india/mah A very good biography along with poetry and a few links.

Please support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Akka Mahadevi

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Sacred Poetry from Around the World