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Saiva Siddhanta Texts (சைவ சித்தாந்த நூல்கள்)
The most respected shaivite scriptures in Thamizh the Thirumurais(1), were composed almost in the first millenium developed the in the Thamizh people the spiritual nourishment . Based on these holy texts and developed on the fertility they made in the thought process gave rise to many philosophers dwelving in the highly complex question of the Supreme, soul and surroundings and their inter-relationship. Among them four are quite significant and are referred to as Sandhanak Kuravarkal. The texts which are explanatory/commentory texts of shiava sidhdhantha, that were written in this period of 12th to 14th century are called Santhana Noolkal or Meykanda NoolkaL. While the rest of the thirumuRais are singing the glory of Lord shiva, the Tenth Thirumurai Thirumanthiram(2) is the one that deals in detail about the philosophy and yoga. These santhAna texts are absolutely dedicated for philosophical discussions. These texts analyse the various factors, logics and experiances, refute and support the various philosophies on the ground of raising and answering questions. These are excellent food for thought and are Shaiva sidhdhanthic phil osophical tutorials. May the Nameless, Formless Supreme pashupati, Which transcedes everything bless us, the seekers !!
Shaiva Siddanta Philosophy - An Introduction
Though for learned persons this may not seem a good introduction to shaiva sidhdhantha, this page is out of the wish to talk about that. This is similar to a kinder garden boy trying to explain the construction of a nuclear reactor. Still there will be persons who enjoy the efforts of a kid to act matured.
In shaiva sidhdhantham God is called pathi, all the souls (creatures, all lives except pathi) which take birth and die are called pachu(pashu)s, the bondage is calledpAcham (pAsam). The pAcham can be classified into three - ANavam, kanamam, and mAyai (ego, deed and effects, illusion). Only these three things exist. Now the relation between them. It is the pAcham that brings suffering to the affiliated things. Due to the affiliation with pAcham the pachu suffers, and the affiliation is without origin. (that is by nature pachu is impure with pAcham). The pathi is never affected by pAcham. (pathi never gets affiliated to it). When pathi approaches pachu (blessing the pachu) the pAcham that binds the pachu making it suffer, is driven off. It is like a leaf loaded with snow. Due to the weight the leaf is pushed down (to suffer). When the sun, pathi comes the snow of pAcham escapes with the leaf coming up and smiling with the sigh of relief. In the presence of pathi pAcham won't stay with pachu. (like in the presence of sun snow disappears from the leaf). The thiruman^dhiram, which is one of the very old scripture that talks in detail about the sidhdhantham, explains further,
Translation:
Among the three things of pathi, pachu, pAcham, like the pathi pachu and pAcham are without origin. pAcham which affect the pachus will not affect the pathi. If pathi approaches (the pachu) then the pAcham of pachu won't stay (with pachu).
(or)
Among the three things of pathi, pachu, pAcham, like the pathi the pAcham of pachu is without origin. pAcham of pachu will not affect the pathi. If pathi approaches (the pachu) then the pAcham of pachu won't stay (with pachu).
It is this concept of driving away the pAcham of pachus which surrendered to pathi, which is seen in many holy deeds of Lord Shiva like tripurasaMhAram. The three demons are like the three components of pAcham (ANavam, kanamam, mAyai). Lord Shiva, pathi, destroys them by His smile of grace. Thus when the three impurities are reduced to ash pathi dances there, bliss remains. Same is with the sUrasaMhAram. Lord subramanya is the form of grace of Lord Shiva. On the prayer of pachus pathi's grace destroys tArakan (mAyai), siN^gamukan (kanmam) and sUrapadhman (ANavam).
Translation:
Ignorants say the Lord with red matted hair, source of all, burnt three cities. Three cities signify the three impurities. Who knows the burning of those impurities
The entire thiruman^dhiram has a rich collection of the pathi pachu and pAcham concept. (For example 2405 to 2424).
thirumuRai which is twelve in number are very sacred for the shaiva sidhdhanthis. It is mainly the tenth thirumuRai (thiruman^dhiram) that talks more of nyAna and yOga concepts. It is mainly based on the AgamAs. So it is called sAththiram. While those are widespread in all other thirumuRais also, it is the devotion that is given major emphasis. The bliss which is achieved by controlling the breath, meditating with all other thoughts carefully excluded which is the state of chummA iru, chol aRa (be idle, don't talk - not just in body level but in mind level), and sleeping (continuing) in the state effortlessly, is achieved through the flow of devotion which removes all the hurdles in the path as one who lies on that flow reaches the destination effortlessly. When a desire for God is developed all the other desires slowly get excluded liberating the pachu from the pAcham. While the rituals are duly acknowledged for enforcing the devotion, it is emphasized that it is the devotion and not just the rituals that lead to eternal bliss.
There are a lot of books in thamiz which describe in detail about the principles of shaiva sidhdhantham. After the period of emergence of thirumuRais (after 12th century), a set of books known as san^dhAna n^UlakaL (meykaNda n^UlakL) were written which discuss in detail the principles of shaiva sidhdhantham.
Like the samayak kuravar(champan^dhar, appar, sun^dharar, mANikka vAchkar) the four teachers who gave these books are called san^dhAnak kuravar. san^dhAna books are fourteen in number. thiruvun^dhiyAr and thirukkaLiRRuppAdiyAr to name a few. They talk about the thirty six principles and other much involved concepts of shaiva sidhdhantha. This site has many Shaiva sidhdhantha texts as well as concepts spread throughout along with some information from other concepts too. For more information refer to the books on shaiva sidhdhantha listed in this site. kauai adhiinam site has a lot of information.
