Sharana (
Kannada:ಶರಣ) meaning "to surrender" denotes egoless surrender and refuge in
Shiva, the
Deity of
Hinduism. In practice, the word
sharana refers specifically to a person who is a follower (a bhakta or a seeker) of the Lingayat tradition. Sharanas through centuries were responsible for the spread of
Lingayatism in
India.