Women Entrepreneurship. Rural Entrepreneurship. Agriculture. Motivation. Hindu & Lingayath. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji is one of the highest religious leaders (jagadguru, "teacher of the world") of the Virashaivas or Lingayatas. Virashaivism is a philosophically significant Shivite religion, of which most followers (approx. 15 millions) live in the South Indian state of Karnataka. Religio
us experience is at the centre of thinking and acting in this special monistic worldview. This expresses itself on the one hand in a fascinating metaphysical concept, that describes spirit and matter as aggregational states of one single reality - Shiva -, and a unique six-staged concept of the path to knowledge and salvation (shatsthalasiddhanta), that is not found elsewhere. But this attitude also benefits socio-political reality: since its rise in the twelfth century, Virashaiva ethics rejects the caste system and discrimination against women, and it distinguishes itself by a special work ethic: as it is said in the Kannada language, kelasave kailasa, work is heaven. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji, descendant from a simple agricultural family, was called to occupy the high position of the Virashaivas on account of his extraordinary intelligence, his musical talent and creativity, but also for his great modesty, empathy and charismatic dignity. From his centre in Sirigere, the Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Brihanmatha monastery, he guides his religious community and surprises not only his Indian followers and admirers with his fine balance of tradition and openness to the world. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji is known not only for his large-scale educational projects (encompassing hundreds of schools and colleges) and ecological projects for the reforestation of the region that has become arid, but also for his computerized projects (such as the digitalization of the work of the most important Sanskrit grammarian, Panini, and of commentaries to this work) and for his efforts at dialogue with religions and cultures across the world. After obtaining his doctorate at Benares Hindu University, he continued his studies in the University of Vienna, the main European centre of Indian philosophical studies. As Jagadguru he chartered an airplane and travelled around the world for weeks with a large group of people from his home region - as world teacher of a great religion he wished and wishes to learn more about the world and its pluralism and to share this experience with as many as possible. Select bibliography:
A Critical Study of the Suta-Samhita. A Thesis submitted to the Banaras Hindu University. Department of Sanskrit and Pali, Faculty of Arts. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 1976. Hoffnungen und Enttäuschungen des interreligiösen Dialogs, Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Brihanmath, Sirigere (Indien) 1991. (Nachdruck von: Hoffnungen und Enttäuschungen des interreligiösen Dialogs, in: Dialog der Religionen, Zweimonatsschrift (Heft 1), Christian Kaiser Verlag, S. 73-82). Hindu Visions of Global Peace. Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Brihanmath, Sirigere (Indien) 1994 (2. edition).
