Poem set to musicKannada12th century
Kalabeda Kolabeda
ಕಳಬೇಡ ಕೊಲಬೇಡ
Kalabeda Kolabeda is one of the best-known vachanas of Basavanna, the 12th-century Kannada poet, philosopher and social reformer. In a few short lines it sets out a complete code of everyday ethics.
- Written by
- Basavanna (died 1167)
- Music
- Traditional
- In the video
- Manjula Gururaj
- Context
- Vachana of Basavanna (Basaveshwara)
- Year
- 12th century
- Language
- Kannada
Kalabeda Kolabeda lyrics with English translation
Line breaks follow the Kannada Wikisource transcription; the vachana number (235) printed after the text in the source is omitted.
ಕಳಬೇಡ ಕೊಲಬೇಡ ಹುಸಿಯ ನುಡಿಯಲು ಬೇಡ ಮುನಿಯಬೇಡ ಅನ್ಯರಿಗೆ ಅಸಹ್ಯಪಡಬೇಡ ತನ್ನ ಬಣ್ಣಿಸಬೇಡ ಇದಿರ ಹಳಿಯಲು ಬೇಡ. ಇದೇ ಅಂತರಂಗಶುದ್ಧಿ ಇದೇ ಬಹಿರಂಗಶುದ್ಧಿ ಇದೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವರನೊಲಿಸುವ ಪರಿ.
Kalabeda Kolabeda Husiya nudiyalu beda Muniyabeda Anyarige asahyapadabeda Tanna bannisabeda Idira haliyalu beda. Ide antarangashuddhi Ide bahirangashuddhi ide namma kudalasangamadevaranolisuva pari.
Do not steal, do not kill, do not speak lies, do not rage in anger, do not feel disgust for others, do not praise yourself, do not scorn the one before you. This alone is inner purity, this alone is outer purity; this is the way to win the love of our Lord Kudalasangamadeva.
Translation: Lyriccs (original translation). Transliteration: Lyriccs.
The story behind Kalabeda Kolabeda
Basavanna, also called Basaveshwara, served as a minister at the court of the Kalachuri king Bijjala II at Kalyana in the 12th century. He led the Sharana movement, which rejected caste distinctions and empty ritual and welcomed people of every background, including women, into a spiritual community. Its gathering place became known as the Anubhava Mantapa.
The Sharanas expressed their ideas in vachanas, short prose-poems in plain spoken Kannada. Basavanna's vachanas end with the name of his chosen deity, Kudalasangamadeva, the Lord of the meeting rivers. Kalabeda Kolabeda is among the most quoted of them; it is taught in schools in Karnataka, displayed in public places and set to music by many singers in the tradition of vachana gayana.
What Kalabeda Kolabeda means
The vachana is a list of seven negatives: do not steal, do not kill, do not lie, do not rage in anger, do not look on others with disgust, do not praise yourself, do not belittle the person in front of you. None of them requires temple rites, special knowledge or wealth; they are rules that anyone can follow in daily life.
Basavanna then makes a striking claim. This alone is inner purity, this alone is outer purity, and this is the way to win the love of God. Ritual cleanliness and ceremonies are quietly set aside in favour of honest, humble and non-violent conduct. The vachana sums up the Sharana belief that true devotion is shown in how one treats other people.
Quick facts
- Basavanna was a 12th-century minister at Kalyana under the Kalachuri king Bijjala II.
- His vachanas end with the name Kudalasangamadeva.
- The vachana lists seven things not to do and calls them both inner and outer purity.
- Vachanas are written in plain spoken Kannada rather than classical metre.