They say – All those are high born Who eat sheep, fowl and tiny fish, They say – All those are low born Who eat the cow that rains on Shiva Sacred milk sanctified five times. What the Brahmins had eaten adorned the grass And a dog licked it up and went away. What the cobblers had eaten adorned the grass – Now the Brahmin’s ornament In other words Bags are made of cow’s hide For ghee and for water. Senseless Brahmins who drink Ghee and water from such leather bags Thinking it sacred They can’t escape utmost perdition. The master of Urilingapeddi Doesn’t approve of such men. Poet: Kalavve Translator: H. S. Shivaprakash Source: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin Classics Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole Radio Azim Premji University, 2023 Kalavve, among the earliest Dalit women poets in Kannada, firmly stood for the principles of Kayaka Siddhanta, emphasizing selfless work over selfishness and greed in her verses. Her poetic expression strongly condemned practices like animal sacrifice under the guise of pleasing the gods and spoke out against casteism. Vrata, or religious observance, held significant importance in her compositions. Although only 12 of her verses are extant, they encapsulate her staunch stance against societal injustices and her advocacy for selfless devotion through righteous actions.