Academic literature on the topic 'Saiva Siddhanta'

Manivasagar says, there is just one and only God. He specifies many epithets to the Supreme Deity. He sings, God is the Primary Deity for all living beings. SaivaSidhantha also describes, God (Pathi) is the primary thing among all. Manivasagar narrated that the Grace of God (Pathi) is required to detach the soul (Pasu) from the bondage (Pasam) and to reach the God. According to SaivaSidhantha, the cause of every birth is the effect of past karma which includes both-right and wrong deeds. Manivasagar has also mentioned the same as SaivaSidhantha. This paper talks about the relationships and characteristics of three primary saivasidhantha truths, that is pathi, pasu, pasam. It also talks about vinai principle, which is the primal cause for pasu tp undergo rebirth and also it suggests that by worshipping almighty a soul can cut this cycle of rebirth and merge with god. All the above concepts are illustrated with the quotes from thiruvasagam. Manivasagar narrated in his Thiruvasagam that The Soul (Pasu) should experience the impact of past karma, but at the same time, by worshipping the God (Pathi), the Soul (Pasu) will be freed from the Karma. This is also told in SaivaSidhantha.

Among the triple entities of PATHI (GOD), PASU (SOUL(S) and PAASAM Among the triple entities of PATHI (GOD), PASU (SOUL(S) and PAASAM (RESTRAIN(S) of SAIVA SIDDHANTA, this research paper deals with PATHI. All of these triple entities are eternal. PATHI, the God of Saiva Siddhanta is SIVAM. SIVAN is the same. That which is related to SIVAM is SAIVAM, says Thirumanthiram. The Ultimate God of SAIVAM is SIVAN. He is the SUPREME. SAIVA SIDDHANTA explains the way to reach him. PASU, the soul(s) released from its PAASAM, the restrain(s) and merges with PATHI, the Supreme is MUKTHI, the state of fullest potency - liberation. This is the Supreme Bliss SAAYUCHCIYAM of ULTIMATE LIBERATION – PARA MUKTHI, says Thirumanthiram. This is the state of those reached the feet of the Lord by realizing His Real State Itself – THAT-SIVAM. This state of non-dual union of the two is comparable to the conjunction of the two Tamil words THAAL(The feet of the Lord) + THALAI (Head of the devotee) becoming one word THAADALAI. The SUPREME LOVE (KARUNAI) of the God PATHI is the one that helps the souls to attain this state of their fullest potency - liberation. PATHI, the God provides the souls with THANU – the body, KARANA – the instruments, PUVANA – the place – universe and BHOGA – the objects of experience, to experience as per their individual twin karma to consume the fruits of it. All these are products of MAYA as such they are called MAYEYAM. Going through this, the sprit soul gains PAASA JNANA – the worldly intelligence, PASU JNANA – the spiritual intelligence and then reaches the states of equanimity of karma – IRU-VINAI-OPPU and ripening of the Restrains ready to be removed – MALA-PARI-PAAGA for the Descent of the Salvic Potency of the God – SAKTHI-NIPAADHA ultimately to attain the SUPREME INTELLIGENCE of SIVA – PATHI JNANA. PATHI, the God inseparable with His unblemished, unconditional, unlimited supreme Love – SAKTHI, bestows the souls with His state of Supreme Intelligence – PATHI JNANA. PATHI, the God both through his REAL FORM/NATURE – SWA-RUPA/ SOROOPA LAKSHANA and OFFICIAL FORM/NATURE – THADATHTHA LAKSHANA graces the souls. God in his real form - SWA-RUPA/SOROOPA STATE is all pervasive, neither of any form nor formless and no descriptions. This STATE OF SUPREME SELF IN ITSELF is called SUDDHA SIVAM – THE PURE STATE. The same God in his official form – THADATHTHA state, assumes nine different forms for three different actions – LAYA – bestowing immersion in him, BHOGA - bestowing worldly enjoyments and ADIGAARA – bestowing status of power for the souls. The same takes the form of our ultimate GURU to grace. As per the concept of SAT-KARYA-VAADHA, there is no effect without a cause, as such PATHI, the God is the Intelligence behind the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe as the Efficient cause – NIMITHTHA-KAARANAM. He is the cause of all these (again and again) after recurrent cycles of complete destruction, as such He, the God of Dissolution is praised as the HEAD of ALL. As per the concept of SAT-KARYA-VAADHA, there is no effect without a cause, as such PATHI, the God is the Intelligence behind the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe as the Efficient cause – NIMITHTHA-KAARANAM. He is the cause of all these (again and again) after recurrent cycles of complete destruction, as such He, the God of Dissolution is praised as the HEAD of ALL. The Supreme PATHI described in Saiva Siddhanta stands out as Omniscient cause of the all causes and actions bestows the souls with His GRACE – THIRU-ARUL. It redeem the souls by making them one with Him. It Transforms the SEEVAN, the soul by bestowing SIVAHOOD – SIAVATHTHUVAM – the godly state of INFINITE BLISS – SIVA-ANANDAM under Him. This is the Ultimate State of Non-dual Realization – ADVAITA-MUKTHI. The Real role of God in Saiva Siddhanta is to provide the souls with respective bodies, instruments, objects of enjoyment and place in multiple births until they mature enough through experience - MALAPARI-PAAGA, to bestow SIVAHOOD – the godly state ultimately. This is the True Nature of God -PATHI in Saiva Siddhanta.

The Agama is an age-old knowledge and sivagama is the book which removes the feces through knowledge and gives birth to the house. Manickavasagar’s statement that the Lord has the twenty-eight Agamas, which are saiva siddhanta texts and the precepts of Siddhanta Saivism, as his image, is “Agamam Aginindru Annippan Thal Vazhga” is a highlight of sivagama ideas. Here ‘Annipaan’ is waiting. It is the Kriyapada of the Sivagamas that speaks about Sivadīdīksha. In Kriyapada, when the souls attain shakti nipada, the miracle of appearing to them as gurumurthy and giving them religious special and naked initiations is spoken of. Initiation is the destruction of the stool and the giving of wisdom. This diksha is an important ritual taken up by all religions and the path to muthi. The upanayana ritual of wearing the sacred thread is the qualification for the recitation of the Vedas and the observance of the vedic discipline in the vedic system. In the same way, it is sivadīdīksha which creates the qualification for the recitation of thirumarais and sivagamas in saiva dharma and to carry forward saiva discipline. While deekshavidhi explains some explanations, Arumuga Navalar mentions in saivavina’s answer book about the special rule of initiation at the age of seven in Saivism. Even though the Guru preaches various mantras, the moola mantra is the thiruvainthazhutham “Shivayanam”, your name has not been forgotten in my tongue appar swamigal |nathan namam namasivayave| Sambandar also praises Thiruvainthazhuthu. It is the Kriyapada of the original Sivagamas of this study that gives the details of Sivadīksha. It is made clear that all Saiva samajists, from sivachariyars, should be initiated and should follow the principles of initiation. Shiva deeksha is associated with life and the steps of this initiation are that a person who is initiated by Shiva wears shiva symbols and performs panchakshara prayer and receives the muthi of Shiva and removes ignorance and attains knowledge. Contemporary Practices of Sivadheeksha The necessity of Sivadeeksha in the present context has also been highlighted.

The idea of unity arises in the Vedas in the world of Indian philosophy. Though there is a natural worship, it is finally discovered that all the gods are the same power. In later times, all the deities were worshipped as Prajapati. The thought of unity continued to be immersed in the upanishads that finally arose in the Vedas. The lord was called Brahmma. In the period, Sankara has given importance to Advaita thought, in order to clarify the views found in the Upanishads. The Advaita theory speaks of the fact that it is a true object. That is The Brahman, and there is no defect in it. For this he speaks of vivatvatism, prativivavada, and avatarvatism. He is strongly presenting the idea that the world and life arise from the Brahmana. But the following principles of Vishitatvaita, Dvaita and Saiva saivism are the three truthful of the Lord, life and the world. But they too are willing to speak of the lord who is not less. In this way, we cansee that the advaita doctrine of Sankarar cannot be presented as a description of the doctrine by refusing or standing away. So all theories speak of a true object in the end, which is the object of the divine doctrine that is now widely worshipped throughout the world. The Vedas, Upanishads, Vedanta and Saiva siddhanta concepts are presented to the forefront of this article. The study is explained in a way that is compared with history to find out the truth of the study.

ABSTRACT This thesis is a Tamil to English translation of the first part of the Civañāṉa Cittiyār, called the Parapakkam composed by Aruṇanti Civācāriyār in the middle of the thirteenth century. The Parapakkam contains three hundred and one verses written in viruttam style; it is an amplification and illustration of the Civañāṉapōtam, the seminal and foundational work of Meykaṇṭatēvar, which became the catalyst in the formation of the Śaiva philosophical canon named after him—the Meykaṇṭa Cāttiraṅkaḷ. The Parapakkam is a review and criticism of fourteen systems of religious philosophy, including Jaina and Buddhist schools. The arguments of Aruṇanti are framed from the standpoint of Śaiva Siddhānta. The Cupakkam, which is not addressed in the thesis, is the second part of the Civañāṉa Cittiyār; it elaborates on the basic tenets of Śaiva Siddhānta philosophy. Besides providing the translation of the Parapakkam, the thesis analyzes the language and methods employed by Aruṇanti to establish the superiority of his school of Śaiva Siddhānta over the competing schools with reference to the development of Indian polemical philosophy.
RÉSUMÉ Cette thèse consiste dans la traduction, du tamoul à l'anglais, de la première partie du Civañāṉa Cittiyār, nommé Parapakkam. Composé par Aruṇanti Civācāriyār au milieu du XIIIe siècle, le Parapakkam contient trois cent un versets écrits dans le style viruttam. Il reprend et élabore sur le Civañāṉapōtam, travail fondamental de Meykaṇṭatēvar qui devint le catalyseur dans la formation du canon philosophique śivaïte et qui porte le nom de son auteur, Meykaṇṭa Cāttiraṅkaḷ. Le Parapakkam est une analyse et un examen critique de quatorze systèmes de philosophie religieuse, incluant les écoles djaïnes et bouddhiques. Les arguments d'Aruṇanti y sont invoqués du point de vue du Śaiva Siddhānta. Le Cupakkam, qui n'est pas abordé dans cette thèse, constitue la deuxième partie du Civañāṉa Cittiyār; il développe les doctrines de base de la philosophie du Śaiva Siddhānta. Outre la traduction de Parapakkam, la thèse fournit une analyse du langage et des méthodes utilisées par Aruṇanti afin d'établir la supériorité de son école du Śaiva Siddhānta sur les écoles concurrentes en ce qui a trait au développement de la philosophie polémique indienne.