Saiva Siddhantha

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Religions got instituted only for the purpose of humanizing the humans. They help people to understand the real purpose of birth. It not only humanizes but takes the human to the level of godliness. The growth of philosophical inclination and self inquiry alone will make any country prosperous and annihilate chaotic situations. The growth will persuade a human to accept happiness and sorrow equally. This will lead to see God in all souls. The gates of the path of love get opened.

The Tamils ever understood that the principle of love is the way of life. They declared "Anbe Sivam". Consequently, Saiva Siddhanta based on love of Siva, was the forerunner of all philosophical faiths. The worship of Siva from time immemorial is exhibited in the Harappa and Mohanjadaro excavations.

It is sure that the book by Thiru Ananthanarayanan can be included on books for historical study. The author has elaborated on Siva, presently (Saiva Siddhanta), once called Rudra (Vedic period). It is to be noted that such an elaboration is studded with dates and years. The author has detailed on Siva called by other names in the days of Sangam literature, in the literary works of the first three Saiva saints in bhakti literature and transformed into Siva in the twelfth century (Saiva Siddhanta).

Extending the research to the days of Kulothunga Chola- III, the time of demolishing caves and the atrocities of valangai and idangai groups might have presented an added picture encompassing the Siddhas.

A slight modification by way of transferring the fourth chapter to the fifth chapter and vice versa might have provided a full pledged historical research. However, in the line of books on Saiva Siddhanta, this book necessarily finds a place and it is a joy for every Tamil to own this book for full reading.

As a research associate I know the author who was basically a great humanist. He served the society at his utmost sincerity and extended his helping hand for those who were in need by making surroundings always happy with calm and peace. By heart he was personified the character of kindness and benevolence. These combined chastity led the author to study the sublime of humanity presented in the doctrine of Saiva Siddhantha. This may be reason for Almighty to pluck the ripped fruit from this world during his study time itself. More over he was destined to me as my brother for which I accept and revere him great for ever. As far as to say the exact identity of my brother has been achieved as a Loadstar for the furlorn sailors in the ocean of our life. This thought provoked me to arrange the materials collected by my brother into chapters and obeyed that it is my prime duty to publish the book in my own accord.

For this Dr. N. Baskaran the former professor of Saiva Siddhantha who guided him for higher studies helped me and encouraged me to do this work. I bestow my sincere thanks to the professor.

Here I dedicate this work to my brother himself who attained the Lotus Feet of Almighty.

The etymological meaning of the word 'Philosophy' is 'love of learning'. It signifies a natural urge in human beings to know themselves and the world in which they 'live and move and have their being'. Western philosophy has remained more or less true to the etymological meaning of 'Philosophy'. It is being essentially an intellectual quest for truth where as the Indian Philosophy has intensely religious and spiritual and has always emphasized the need of practical realization of truth. 'See the self' is the key note of most of the schools of Indian Philosophy. So all the philosophical systems of Indian Philosophy are closely associated with religion except carvaka system. Generally all the schools of Indian Philosophy are classified or grouped into two divisions viz; orthodox and heterodox. Accordingly the schools which accepted the Vedas as Pramanas are included in the category of orthodox and those schools which opposed Vedic doctrines are called heterodox.

Indian tradition relies on only one Ultimate Reality and gives six different interpretations of that Reality. These interpretations are called Shad Darsanas or "six insights". These six darsanas constitute the classic philosophical systems of India. They are Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta. They have many characteristics in common, grown out of the Upanisads. All the philosophical systems accepted shad Darsanas as supreme authority. Saivism is one of the ancient cults in India, and its antiquity can be traced even from the pre historic period of Man and developed into multifarious branches in the course of time. Though all the branches of Saiva cult are accepting Siva the Supreme God Head, each of them differed in minor aspects.

Saivism in general can be classified as Northern School of Saivism and Southern School of Saivism. The Northern School of Saivism is mainly referred to Kashmir Saivam based on Sivaqarnas and Siva Sutras of Vasu Gupta who was the founder of this system. Southern School of Saivism is known as Saiva Siddhanta in Tamil Nadu which is based on Thirumurais, and Saivaagamas. The system was systematised in the beginning of the thirteenth century by the Santanacaryas such as Meykanda Deva Nayanar and others. Their works are classified as Meykanta Sastras. They are fourteen in Numbers written from 12th century to 14& century. Scholars like Das Gupta designated the Saiva Siddhanta as the school of Southern Saivism or Agamic Saivism since its emphasis is mainly on Agamas rather than Vedas. Saiva Siddhanta is one such philosophy based on Saiva religion. Though different number of Saiva Cults are there, Saiva Siddhanta is alone proved its philosophical thoughts with logical reasoning and its 'Sastras' fully justifies how the Saiva Siddhanta differs from other branches of Saivism. The exact thought of the Saiva Siddhanta is discussed here.

The Panniru Thirumurais are the main source of the concept 'Pati' 'Pasu' and 'Pasam' The Philosophical cannons of Saiva Siddhanta such as Sivagnana Bodham and other Meykanda Sastras are the essence of Thirumurai which justify the concepts and elucidate the Siddhanta Philosophy. The chronological record of the origin and development in regard to Saivism, a compiled formation of the history of Saivism is still not clear. It is available as a separate distribution in the different disciplines of the study as origin, the development and the gradual advancement with variations and so on. As an outline of the study, an effort is made here to bring them together in a single sphere into a corpus of work as Saiva Siddhanta.

**Contents and Sample Pages**