Siva-Kosha (In Two Volumes)

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The Kalpatharu Research -Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign Blessings of his Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswainiji under the auspicious of Dakshinamnya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Established in 1981, Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation ancient heritage in India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyuotisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than fifty till now), are Six Vol’s of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Vol’s of Agama-Kosha, Three Vol’s. of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga, and intends publishing “Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha” an Encyclopedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art, and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad- based and multi-disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up, to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm-Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kula type of Institution, on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over 100 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the Sixtieth of its achievement in this field.

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore, which has already established itself as prolific learning center in Indology: and our publications are of enduring value; it has added one more Kosha to its series of Devata-Kosha (Encyclopedia of Indian gods and goddesses), including Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha, Durga-Kosha. Navagraha-Kosha and Salagrama-Kosha. As it is well known, a group of five divinities receives worship all over the country. known as Panchopasana, Panchayatana or Pancha-Deva-Puja. It accommodates the worship of Ganesha. Ambika (Durga), Surya. Siva and Narayana. We have already brought out Koshas with regard to the first two of five divinities and Surya has been covered in Navagraha-Kosha. The present volume relates to Siva and the volume on Narayana is under preparation.

The Academy is grateful to Vidyalankara, Sastrachudamani, Sangita-kalratna Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao for having prepared this volume ‘Siva-Kosha’, as he has done the other volumes in the series. Siva is the deity that is worshipped all over the country by all classes of people; and the literature on Siva, Saiva agama and Saiva pantheon is immense, and there are also numerous shrines in India and where Siva is worshipped in one form (or aspect) or an other. The available matter therefore justifies two volumes on the subject. We hope that the scholars and students interested in Indian culture would welcome this publication as they have done our previous research publications.

We acknowledge with profound respect and gratitude the blessings on us by Acharya of Sri Sringeri Sharada-Peetham. His Holiness Sri Sri Bharathi-Tirtha Mahaswamiji. who has graciously consented to be the chief patron of the Academy. We are also grateful to Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Administrator of the Sri Sringeri Sharada-Peetham and the Chairman of the Kalpatharu Research Academy, for his unfailing encouragement in our endeavor.

Also we are deeply beholden to the authorities of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India for their generous financial assistance. We also thank the Govt. of Karnataka for their support in our endeavor. The Omkar Offset Printers, Bangalore, have accomplished a laudable work in producing this volume; and we are grateful to them.

Siva is a god of antiquity and widespread popularity. He is of Vedic Puranica and tantrik celebrity. The aniconic (linga( form of Siva also presents the sense of the mysterious the iconic form (called lilla murti) twenty four in number are replete with myths and legends associated with Siva and his acts of compassion and destruction. The agamas and the sculptural texts (Silpa Sasra) give elaborate information about this god and the representation of his iconic and aniconic forms. The present attempt is to gather under one cover the multi faceted grandeur of this god called Siva or Rudra in this benign as well as ferocious aspects. With due regard to the vast material (Literary as well as pictorial) in Sanskrit and Tamil that is available the Kosha is prepared in two volumes the second volume including the source materials and worship rituals.

I am grateful to the Chief patron of the Kalpatharu Research Academy the pontiff of the Sringeri Peetham Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Swamigal the administrator of the Sringeri Peetham and the Chairman of the Academy, Sri V.R. Gowrishankar and the Chief Editor and Director of the Academy Daivajna K.N. Somayaji for having provided this opportunity for me. I acknowledge the assistance and courtesy I have got from my friends Nagendra and Venkatesh Babu of omkar offset printers during the production of this volume.