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Siddhanta Gnana Ratnavali - ON PROOF

CHAPTER I - ON PROOF


1. Question : What is Pramana?

Answer : Proof or measure.

2. Question : What is instrument of proof?

Answer : Intelligence of the Soul.

3. Question : How many kinds of Pramana are there? 

Answer : Three kinds.

4. Question : What are they? 

Answer : 1. (Katchi pramanam) proof by perception.

2. (Anumana pramanam) proof by inference.

3. (Agamia pramanam) proof by Agamas or the word of God.

5. Question : What is Katchi pramanam or proof by perception? 

Answer : To know an object by our senses. 

Example : Mountain, Earth, Sea are objects presented to our mind through our senses.

6. Question : What is Anumana pramanam or proof by inference? 

Answer : To infer an unknown thing by what we have seen. 

Example: To infer that there is fire within a house by seeing the smoke, coming out of a house.

7. Question : What is Agamia pramana or proof by Agama? 

Answer : To know by the words of God revealed in our Sacred Vedas and Agamas. 

Example: To know that there is Mahameru, Hell, Heaven, &c.

8. Question : How can we measure the objects of the world? 

Answer : By numbers, weighing, measuring rod.

9. Question : What is Anuvayam? 

Answer : Agreement.

10. Question : What is Vethiregam? 

Answer : Negation, or Difference.

11. Question : How many kinds of katchi or perception are there? 

Answer : They are of 8 kinds.

12. Question : What are they? 

Answer : 

Perception without difference. 

Perception with difference. 

perception with doubt. 

wrong perception. 

Perception by mind. 

Perception through external senses. 

perception by yogaq or psychical practices. 

Perception by experience.

13. Question : How many kinds of inference are there? 

Answer : Two kinds.

14. Question : What are they? 

Answer : Subjective inference or Introspection and objective inference.

15. Question : Vedas, how many? 

Answer : Four.

16. Question : What are they? 

Answer : Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda. 

Sub-Vedas: Ayur Veda (medicine), Thannur Veda (Archery), Ghandarva Veda and Artha Veda.

17 & 18. Question : How many Siva Agamas are there? 

Answer : 28, Viz, 

1. Kamikam, 2. Yogajam, 3. Chinthiam, 4. Karanam, 5. Achitham, 6. Theeptham, 7. Sookshmnam, 8. Sakaschiram, 9. Anjiman, 10. Suppirabetham, 11. Vijayam, 12. Nischuvasam, 13. Swayambuvam, 14. Analam, 15. Veeram, 16. Rowravam, 17. Magudam, 18. Vimalam, 19. Chandragnanam, 20. Mukavimbam, 21. Purorjeetham, 22. Ilalitham, 23. Chittam, 24. Santhanam, 25. Saruvoktham, 26. Paramecbhuram, 27. Kiranam, 28. Vathulam.

19. Question : Are there any more Agamas? 

Answer : There are others such as Vama &c. They cannot be considered as Siva Agamas.

20. Question : What is the difference between Vedas and Agamas? 

Answer : Vedas are general Science but Agamas are special science relating to Saivism.

21. Question : What is Vedanta? 

Answer : They are the Upanishads that deal with the rational aspect of the Vedas.

22. Question : What is Siddhanta? 

Answer : They are the rational or gnanamarga of the Agamas.

23. Question : What does Siddhanta mean? 

Answer : The true end. The ultimate goal.

21 & 25. Question : How many Vedangams are there? 

Answer : Six, viz. 

Mantras, Vyakaranam (Grammar), Nikandu (Dictionary), Santhopichitham (Logic), Nirutham (commentary) and Sothidam (astrology).

26. Question : Are there Siddhanta Sastras in Tamil? 

Answer : Yes.

27. Question : How many? 

Answer : Fourteen.

28. Question : Name them? 

Answer : 1. Tiruvunthiar, 2. Tirukalitrupadiar, 3. Sivagnanabotham, 4. Sivagnana Siddhiar, 5. Irupahirupathu, 6. Unmaivilakkam, 7. Sivaprakasam, 8. Tiruvarutpayan, 9. Vinavenba, 10. Potripatrodai, 11. Kodaikavi, 12. Nenchuviduthuthu, 13. Unmainerivilakam, 14. Sankarpanirakaranam.

29. Question : Of these, which is the revealed original work? 

Answer : Sivagnanabotham.

30. Question : Which is the secondary work? 

Answer : Sivagnanasiddhiar.

31. Question : What are the allied works or works based on the above? 

Answer : Sivaprakasam &c.

32. Question : Who is the author of Sivagnanabotham? 

Answer : Meikanda Devar of Tiruvennainallur, (The original text is from the Agama and hence revealed.)

33. Question : Who is the author of Siddhiar and Irupairupathu? 

Answer : Arulnandi Sivachariar of Tirutuvaiyar.

34. Question : Who wrote Sivaprakasam? 

Answer : Umapathi Sivachariar of Kotravankudi.

35. Question : Who is the author of Tiruvunthiar? 

Answer : Uyyavanthadevanayanar of Tiruviyalur.

36. Question : Who wrote Tirukalitrupadiyar? 

Answer : Uyyavanthadevanayanar of Tirukadavur.

37. Question : Who is the author of Unmaivilakakkam? 

Answer : Manavasagamkadanthadevanayanar of Tiruvathigai.

38. Question : How many of the Siddhanta Sastras were written by Umapathi Sivachariar? 

Answer : Sivaprakasam and seven other works.

39. Question : Are there any other works besides these fourteen? 

Answer : Yes. There are many others such as Tatvavilakkam, Thukalarubotham, Tatvaprakasam &c.

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