The movement arose in the twelfth century under the charismatic leadership of Basava. Men and women from every background, highcaste as well as untouchable, joined the experimental community of the Virasaivas. They has their own sacred literature in the form of short poems in the vernacular language of the region : Kannada. This literature reveals the far-reaching social ideals of these devotees. Contrary to the classical Hindu tradition, they rejected almost completely the caste system. They propagated the spiritual value of every kind of labour, connected with a strong emphasis upon social service.
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