Naanu hodare hogabahudu

 I can go - that is not the only translation of the phrase ನಾನು ಹೋದರೆ ಹೋಗಬಹುದು. It can also be translated as "one can go" if "naanu"  - ego goes. 

Context: There was a large gathering of shiva sharanas in Anubhava Mantapa. All great philosophers,  great thinkers in one stage - Basavanna, Allama prabhu, Akka Mahadevi, Chennabasavanna, Haralayya and many other. Many centuries ago in the 12th century. 

Some one raised the question "Who among us will go to heaven?". A loaded question indeed. Who is the best person, pious person, the only one capable of reaching heaven. We all know that 'paapi's go to hell and best among us go to heaven. I don't know about the rest of us - we will also go to hell or we go to an in-between place - like Trishanku swarga. 

Of course, all these are relevant only to the people who believe in after-life - who believe that some part of us still remains alive after we die. 

Coming back to the question- according to the story, Allama Prabhu answered "naanu hodare hogabahudu" which can be translated as "I may go". 

Is he so proud and smug  and better than all of us? Does he think that he is better than even Basavanna? The crowd was not happy. 

Then explained Allama Prabhu - you should listen to his vachanas - they are greatly meaningful and pleasing. He said "If 'naanu' this term goes away from your dictionary, if ego is destroyed, then you can go to heaven."

Ha, great people with great minds.

Why did I think about that today? I am one self centered person. Not proud, not egotistic, just self centered and self worried. There is exactly one being in my world - that is me. 

But the second I come out of my world - most of my worries, my sadness vanish and life seems livable again. 

So yes - even worries - they go away if 'naanu' goes.