God Is Dead There Is No God: The Vachanas of Allama Prabhu

12-century saint-poet Allama Prabhu along with Basavanna and Akka Mahadevi was a founder of the Virashaiva or Lingayat movement in Karnataka. During a period of intense religious ferment these Sharanas--protégés of Shiva--aimed to dismantle religious hierarchy and bigotry. They rebelled against exploitation based on class caste and gender through their vachanas which were ahead of their times. Today the Lingayats regard these vachanas as their sacred literature. The vachanas of Allama Prabhu are rooted firmly in the idea of experiential reality. From gazing at Shiva from a distance to uniting with Him to declaring He doesnt exist and to finally realizing that He exists in a dynamic void--these poems represent Allamas quest for Shiva. They are passionate and filled with yearning; critical and brazen. Translated with great skill and fluidity by Manu Devadevan God Is Dead There Is No God is a treat for modern-day seekers as well as poetry lovers.