🔱 Shaivism: Worship of Lord Shiva in Indian Tradition

Introduction to Shaivism

• People who worship Lord Shiva are known as Shaivas, and the religious path associated with Shiva is called Shaivism.
• Shaivism is one of the oldest traditions of Hinduism, focused on the worship of Shiva, known as the destroyer and transformer in the Hindu Trinity (Brahma – the creator, Vishnu – the preserver, and Shiva – the destroyer).

🗿 Historical Origins and Early Evidence

• The earliest archaeological evidence of Shiva worship comes from the Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan culture). A seal showing a yogi-like figure (identified as Pashupati) sitting in a meditative posture surrounded by animals is believed to be an early form of Shiva.
• In the Rigveda, a deity named Rudra is mentioned — a fierce storm god. Rudra is considered an early form of Shiva.
• In the Atharvaveda, Shiva is referred to by several names:

1. Bhava – the source of creation
2. Sharva – the destroyer
3. Pashupati – lord of all beings (especially animals)
4. Bhupati – lord of the Earth

🕉️ Development of Linga Worship

• The first clear description of Linga (symbol of Shiva) worship is found in the Matsya Purana.
• The Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva) also refers to the worship of the Shiva Linga.
• In the Taittiriya Aranyaka, Parvati is mentioned as Rudra’s consort.
• The gentler forms of Shiva’s consort include Padma, Parvati, Uma, Gauri, and Bhairavi — representing various feminine energies (Shakti).

Major Shaiva Sects (Sampradayas)

The Vamana Purana mentions four major Shaiva sects:

Sect	Founder	Key Beliefs and Practices	Main Text	Main Region
Pashupata	Lakulisha	Believed in severe asceticism, meditation, detachment from world. God Shiva as Pashupati (Lord of all beings).	Pashupata Sutra	Gujarat and Central India
Kapalika	Not clearly known	Worshipped Shiva in fierce Bhairava form. Used skulls in rituals, smeared ashes from cremation grounds, practiced tantric rites.	Tantric texts	Srishail (Andhra Pradesh)
Kalamukha	Unknown	Known for extreme asceticism; drank and ate from human skulls; lived in cremation grounds; wore ash from funeral pyres; described as Mahavratadhari in Shiva Purana.	Possibly Tantric texts	Karnataka, South India
Lingayat (Veerashaiva)	Basavanna, Allama Prabhu	Rejected caste system and ritualism. Worshipped Shiva in the form of personal Linga worn around neck. Believed in equality and social reform.	Shunya Sampadane, Basava Purana	Karnataka, South India

🔸 The Pashupata sect is considered the oldest Shaiva sect. Its followers were known as Pancharthikas.
🔸 Shrikar Pandit was a renowned Pashupata Acharya.

Nath Sect

• Matsyendranath founded the Nath sect around the 10th century CE.
• This sect became more widespread under Gorakhnath, who is credited with organizing and promoting Hatha Yoga and meditation.
• The Nath sect combines elements of Shaivism, Tantra, and Yoga.

Shaivism gained great popularity in South India under the patronage of powerful dynasties:

Dynasty	Contribution to Shaivism
Pallavas	Promoted Shaivism through temple construction; supported Nayanar saints.
Chalukyas	Built beautiful Shaivite temples and supported temple traditions.
Rashtrakutas	Built the world-famous Kailasa Temple at Ellora, carved from a single rock.
Cholas	Constructed grand temples like the Brihadeeshwara Temple in Thanjavur by Rajaraja I.

Nayanar Saints (Devotees of Shiva)

• Nayanars were Shaiva Bhakti poets and saints who spread the message of love and devotion to Shiva.
• There were 63 Nayanar saints. Among them, the most famous were:

1. Appar (Tirunavukkarasar)
2. Sambandar
3. Sundaramurthi
4. Manikkavachakar

They sang devotional hymns in Tamil and opposed caste-based discrimination.

Though not Shaivite, the following thinkers lived around the same time and had their own beliefs:

Name	Belief System	Main Ideas
Makkhali Gosala	Ajivika	Believed in absolute determinism (non-action).
Ajita Kesakambali	Materialist (Lokayata)	Denied existence of soul, heaven, karma.
Pakudha Kaccayana	Atomist/Physical philosopher	Believed everything is made of eternal substances.
Puran Kassapa	Non-action theory	No merit or sin results from action.
Sanjaya Belatthiputta	Skeptic	Refused to give definite answers on philosophy.

Shaiva Symbolism in Coins

• The Kushan emperors (1st–3rd century CE) issued coins that depict Shiva along with his bull Nandi.
• This shows the wide popularity and state-level acceptance of Shaivism during ancient times.

Term / Text	Meaning / Importance
Linga	Symbolic representation of Shiva, often worshipped in temples.
Pashupati	Title of Shiva meaning “Lord of All Living Beings.”
Shunya Sampadane	Key Lingayat scripture describing spiritual dialogues and teachings.
Basava Purana	Biography of Basava, founder of the Lingayat movement.
Mahavratadhari	A title given to ascetics following extreme vows, as in the Kalamukha sect.
Ellora Kailash Temple	Rashtrakuta-built masterpiece of rock-cut Shaivite architecture.
Brihadeeshwara Temple	Massive Chola temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu.

Shaivism is not just a religion but a rich spiritual tradition that emphasizes devotion, inner realization, and ascetic living. Over centuries, it influenced Indian philosophy, art, literature, and social reform through various sects, saints, and royal patrons.

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Introduction to Vaishnavism

• Vaishnavism is a major tradition within Hinduism that focuses on the worship of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations (avatars).
• The roots of Vaishnavism can be traced back to the Upanishads, where Vishnu is mentioned as a supreme being.
• It evolved from the Bhagavata tradition, which was centered on the worship of Vasudeva-Krishna, a form of Vishnu.

📜 Early Development and Origins

• In its early phase, the worshippers of Narayana (Vishnu) were known as Pancharatras, followers of a tradition called Pancharatra Samhita, which prescribed five forms of devotion to Vishnu.
• The founder figure of Vaishnavism is often considered to be Lord Krishna, who belonged to the Vrishni clan and lived in Mathura.

📚 Early Mentions in Texts and Inscriptions

• The Chandogya Upanishad refers to Krishna as Devaki-putra (son of Devaki) and a disciple of Sage Ghora Angirasa, which shows that Krishna was a respected philosophical figure in early Indian thought.
• The earliest inscriptional evidence of Krishna as a deity comes from the Besnagar (Heliodorus) Pillar Inscription, set up by a Greek ambassador named Heliodorus around 2nd century BCE, who called himself a devotee of Vasudeva (Krishna).

According to the Matsya Purana, Lord Vishnu is believed to have taken ten major incarnations (Dashavatara) to protect dharma and restore cosmic order:

Avatar	Form	Purpose
Matsya	Fish	Saved the Vedas during the great flood
Kurma	Tortoise	Supported Mount Mandara during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan)
Varaha	Boar	Rescued Earth from demon Hiranyaksha
Narasimha	Man-lion	Destroyed the demon Hiranyakashipu to protect his devotee Prahlada
Vamana	Dwarf Brahmin	Defeated the demon king Bali through peaceful means
Parashurama	Warrior with axe	Destroyed corrupt Kshatriya rulers
Rama	Prince of Ayodhya	Ideal king; defeated the demon Ravana
Balarama	Elder brother of Krishna	Assisted Krishna in many divine missions
Buddha	Spiritual teacher	Spread compassion and peace; discouraged animal sacrifice
Kalki	Future warrior riding a horse	Will appear in the future to destroy evil and restore dharma

During the Gupta period, the Varaha (boar) avatar was especially popular and was often depicted in art and sculptures.

💓 Devotion (Bhakti) in Vaishnavism

• The most important aspect of Vaishnavism is Bhakti (devotion) to Vishnu or his incarnations.
• Vaishnavism teaches that salvation (moksha) can be achieved through love, surrender, and devotion to the personal form of God.
• Worship practices include chanting, singing bhajans, reciting scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, and participating in festivals such as Janmashtami and Rama Navami.

Note: Lord Vishnu’s famous weapon, the Sudarshan Chakra, has six spokes and represents the power to destroy evil and uphold righteousness.

Global Spread: Angkor Wat Temple

• The Angkor Wat temple, located in modern-day Cambodia, is one of the largest Hindu temples in the world.
• It was built by King Suryavarman II between 1113 and 1150 CE.
• This grand temple was originally dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and contains a statue of Vishnu that is about 10.3 feet (3.15 meters) tall.

Philosophical School	Main Philosopher (Acharya)	Philosophy Type	Key Beliefs
Vishishtadvaita	Ramanuja	Qualified Non-dualism	God is supreme but souls and world are real; devotion leads to liberation.
Dvaita (Dualism)	Madhvacharya (Anand Tirtha)	Pure Dualism	God (Vishnu) and soul are completely different. Salvation only through grace.
Shuddhadvaita	Vallabhacharya	Pure Non-dualism	The world is real, and Krishna is the Supreme God. Emphasis on grace and love.
Dvaitadvaita	Nimbarka	Dualistic Non-dualism	Soul and God are both different and similar. Dual and non-dual relationship.

Sect	Founder	Focus of Worship	Important Text
Warkari Sect	Namdev	Lord Vitthal (form of Krishna)	Bhajans, Abhangs
Sri Vaishnava	Ramanuja	Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi	Brahmasutra Bhashya
Samartha Sect	Samarth Ramdas	Rama and Hanuman	Dasbodh
Ramanandi Sect	Ramananda	Lord Rama	Adhyatma Ramayana

These saints spread Bhakti through vernacular languages and brought spirituality closer to common people.

Summary of Key Points

• Vaishnavism is centered on the worship of Lord Vishnu and his avatars.
• Emphasizes Bhakti (devotion) over rituals and caste barriers.
• Originated in Pancharatra and Bhagavata traditions.
• Prominent during the Gupta period and spread to Southeast Asia (e.g., Angkor Wat).
• Supported by Acharyas and Bhakti saints, who created different philosophical schools and devotional movements.
• Continues to be a vibrant tradition with deep influence on Indian art, music, dance, and literature.

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