for students of Sem 3 BHU

1. BA V sem
Shaivism
By
Prachi Virag Sontakke

2. Sources
Architecture
Sealings
Art
Coins
Inscriptions
Literature

3. Antiquity of worship of Shiva
• First appearance in Vedic period as Rudra.
• Ashtadhyayi: refers to idol of Shiva.
• Ramayana & Mahabharata: Events from life of Shiva- drinking
of poison, killing of Madan, marriage etc.
• Manusmriti, Arthashastra & Indica: refers to worship of Shiva.
• Coins: Gondophernese, Mavez
• Kusana coins: ‘Sarvalokeshwarasya Maheshwarasya’ + Shiva
with nandi depiction.
• Ashvagosh: people worshipping Shiva.

4. Shaivism during Gupta period
• Prayaga Prasasti of Samudragupta: Gangavatarana.
• Mathura inscription of Chandragupta II: Shaiva diety Lakulish.
• Udaygiri inscription: Veerasena, a devotee of Shiva.
• Karamdanda inscription of Kumargupta I: His minister constructing a temple for
Shiva.
• One of the chief Samanta of Skandagupta was a Shaivite.
• Kalidasa: Kumarsambhava, Meghadootam, Abhgyanshakuntalam.
• Shiva temple at Bhumra

5. Early Medieval period
• Harshacharita: talks about Bhairvacharya.
• Xuan Zang: Presence of worshippers of Shiva during his visit.
• Coins of Shashanka of Bengal : depiction of Nandi
• Huna kings Tormana & Mihirkula: worshippers of Shiva.
• Chandelas, Kalchuris, Parmaras, Pratiharas, Gahadwalas, Pallavas,
Rashtakutas, Cholas.
• Shiva temples: Bhojpur temple, Kandariya Mahadeva temple Khajuraho,
Kailash temple Ellora, Brihadishwar temple Tanjore, Gangaikondacholapuram
temple, Kailashnatha temple Kanchi etc.
• Puranas, Sangam literature, Mattavilasaprahasana
• Shaivism also spread to South east Asian countries.

6. Nature of Shiva worship
• Iconographic depictions: Shiva idol, Shiva-shakti, Ardhanarishwar,
Trimurti & Shivalinga
• Both soft and fierce forms of Shiva revered.
• Saumya murti: Ascetic & house holder- Dakshina murti, Uma-
Maheshwar. Anugriha murti –Chandeshanugruh, Ravananugriha etc.
• Raudra form: Bhairava, Veerbhadra, Tandav murti
• Family: Sati, Parvati, Ganesh, Kartikeya.
• Associations: Moon, Ganga, Durga, Chamunda, Kali, Naga, Gana.
• Mount: Nandi
• Master of Yoga & meditation.

7. Anugriha murti

8. Saumya murti

10. Raudra murti

11. Vivah murti

15. Trimurti

17. Brihadishwar temple, Tanjore

18. Kandariya Mahadeva temple
Khajuraho

19. Sects of Shaivism
Shiva Bhagvata
Pashupat
Shaiv Siddhant
Kapalika
Kalamukh
Kashmiri sects
Lingayata

20. Shiva Bhagvata sect
• Referred to in Mahabhashya of Patanjali.
• Oldest sect of worshippers of Shiva.
• No details known today except name.
• It was lost in time.

21. Pashupat Sect
• Initially known as Lakulish Pashupata. Later only Pashupata.
• Vayu + Linga Purana: Propounded by Lakulisha.
• Mahabharata: refers to prevalence of this sect.
• Pashupatasutra, Puranas + Inscriptions: Lakulisha = an incarnation of
Shiva.
• Carried a dand as a representation of Lakulisha.
• Harshacharita & Kadambari: Followers wore Bhasm & Rudraksha mala.
• Xuang Zang: Sindhu & Ahichchhatra people sport Bhasm & rudraksha
mala.
• Mathura pillar inscription: Refers to 4 disciples of Lakulish.
• Udaypur Linga inscription: Name Lakulish Pashupata figure here.
• An inscription of Vigrahpal Chahman: construction of Shiva temple by
Pashupatas.
• Queen of Gangeyadeva Kalchuri constructed Shiva temple at Bhedaghat
whose upkeep was allotted to Pashupatas of Laata region.
• A Chandella inscription: construction of temple by Pashupatas.

24. Main postulates of Pashupata sect
• Shankaracharya, Vayu Purana, Pashupata sutra, Gunakarika: Philosophical background & concepts.
• Yoga: Medium to connect body & consciousness with Shiva.
• Union with Shiva via two ways: By action and by cessation of action.
• Union through action = consists of Vrat, Bhasm snan, Chanting, Pradakshina, wearing of Linga etc.
pious muttering, meditation, etc.
• Atharvasiras Upanishsad: Pashupata vrat = besmearing one's own body with ashes and at the same
time muttering mantra
• Union through cessation of action = occurs through consciousness
• End of sorrow: Freedom from bondage via: Meditation+ Yoga + Shiva’s blessings.

25. Shaiva Siddhant Sect
• Jiva represents Shiva. But he is unaware of this reality.
• Jiva has cover of dirt, ignorance & bondage on him.
• When Jiva is able to break free from this cover, he unites with Shiva.
• Freedom from bondage & illusion by 4 methods.
1. Knowledge: about the true self.
2. Action: purification by mantras,worship, meditation,fasting etc.
3. Meditation: Yoga sadhana.
4. Charya: faith in Shiva, Uma, Ganesh, Skanda, Shiva linga.
• Rules: Cant eat prasad of any other God. Cant engage in killing of animals. Cant speak ill of
Shiva.Cant use things meant for Shiva.

26. Shaiv Siddhant: Philosophy
• Three main compounds- Pati, Pashu & Paash.
1. Pati = Shiva: All knowing-all encompassing-all seeing-all power. Made of 5 powers- Ishan,
Tatpurush, Sadyojata, Aghor, Ishan. Performs 5 major deeds= creation, sustenance, destruction,
benevolence, tirobhava
2. Pashu: Bodily self, limited, ignorant, active. 3 types- Vigyan kal (destroyed actions by knowledge),
Pralayakal (destroyed actions in pralaya), Sakal (still bear dirt of action & bondage of illusion).
3. Paash: Bondage which restricts pashu to unite with Pati. 3 types of bondage- Mal (which ends
energy & action), Karma (actions done with expectations), Maya (web of Illusion of this world)
• Attainment of knowledge by knowing the triratnas- Shiva = Actor, Shakti = Causation, Bindu =
Medium

27. Kapalika Sect
• Sources: Shankardigvijaya, Shaivashastra, Maltimadhava.
• Xuanzang: Buddhists living with naked ascetics who cover
themselves with ashes and wore bone wreathes on their
heads, but does not call them Kapalikas or any particular
name. Scholars have interpreted these ascetics variously as
Kāpālikas, Digambara Jains, and Pashupatas.
• Gāthāsaptaśati (third to fifth century CE): first extant literary
references to a kapalika - Describes a young female Kāpālikā
who besmears herself with ashes from the funeral pyre of
her lover.
• Varāhamihira (c500-575) : refers more than once to the
Kāpālikas

28. Kapalika sect: Beliefs and Ways
• Worship: The fierce Bhairava form of Shiva
• Bhairava = Represents Supreme Reality.
• one who destroys fear or one who is beyond fear
• Mode of worship: Human sacrifice, worship with blood & alcohol, sexual acts, application
of bhasam, keeping jata, eating uneatable food etc.
• Traditionally carried a skull-topped trident (khatvanga) and an empty skull as a begging
bowl
• Extremist sect.
• No distinction on the basis of varna or sex.

29. Kalamukha sect
• A subsect of Kapalikas.
• Earlier known as Karukasiddhanti.
• More extremist and cruel than Kapalikas.
• Shivapurana: calls them Mahavratdhara

30. Shaivism in Kashmir
• Shiva is the ultimate truth but worshipper is ignorant to realise it.
• Shiva worshipped as Chaitanya, Spanda, Paramshiva
• Salvation by attainment of knowledge.
• Two sects:
Traits Spandashastra Pratyabhigyashastra
Founder Vasugupta Somanand
Time of emergence 8th/9th cent CE 10th cent CE
Main thoughts Shiva is ultimate reality. Shiva is ultimate reality.
Worshipper is unaware of his
oneness with Shiva
Worshipper is unaware of his
oneness with Shiva
Upon darshan of Shiva as
Bhairava, realisation of truth.
Its Guru who makes one aware
of truth.

31. Veershaivmata = Lingayat sect
• Popular in south India.
• Based on 28 Shaiva agams.
• Imparted a great antiquity by their texts.
• Its 5 founders arose from 5 heads of Shiva.
• They established Lingayat centers at Mysore, Ujjain, Kedarnath, Kashi & Sri shail.
• Lingayat thrived in northern Karnataka during the Vijayanagara Empire (14th-18th century)
• Basava/Vasava was responsible for its revival.
• Rejects any form of social discrimination including the caste system

32. Veershaivmata/ Lingayat sect
• Worship centered on Shiva as the universal god in the iconographic form of Ishtalinga.
• Bhavalinga (seen by devotion), Pranalinga (seen by knowledge), Ishtalinga (seen by eyes).
• Sacred texts: Siddhanta Shikhamani, Basava Purana, Sunyasampadane
• Panchacharas: five codes of conduct to be followed.
• Lingāchāra: Daily worship of the individual Ishtalinga icon, one to three times day.
• Sadāchāra: Attention to vocation, duty & adherence to the 7 rules of conduct issued by Basava
• Sivāchāra:acknowledging Shiva as the supreme divine being
• Bhrityāchāra:Compassion towards all creatures.
• Ganāchāra – Defense of the community and its tenets.
• Rules & regulations: compulsory - wearing of linga, Diksha sanskar (girls also), no alcohol-
nonveg consumption, worship under guidance of Acharya.

33. Conclusion
• A long and uninterrupted tradition of worship.
• Visible signature of this continuity of worship
across various historical periods.
• Evidence in form of plethora of literature,
archaeological, art & architectural remains.
• Even today, Shaivism is one of the most
popular forms of Pauranic religion.