Vaishnavism and Saivism

Introduction

• Saivism and Vaishnavism are popular forms of Hindu faith with large followings, where Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are worshipped as the Supreme Being respectively.
• In popular Hinduism, Siva is part of the Trinity and associated with Annihilation, while Brahma and Vishnu are gods of creation and sustenance.
• Both Saivism and Vaishnavism have diversified religious beliefs and practices, with numerous sects found across India.
• These traditions are considered very ancient in India, with some Vedic references to Siva and Vishnu, although their roles as Supreme Beings were not fully developed in the Vedic texts.
• The Medieval bhakti movements led to the development of these traditions both in religious and philosophical spheres.
• Saivism is considered one of the oldest and most ancient religions, potentially pre-dating recorded history.
• Saivism is not only old but also still a living religion practiced by multitudes today.
• Scholars trace the origin of Saivism to the pre-Vedic period, with some identifying it as an indigenous Dravidian tradition, separate from the Vedic tradition.
• Sir John Marshall linked Saivism to the Mohenjo-daro-Harappa sites, suggesting Siva as a prototype of the male god in these ancient civilizations.
• Scholars such as G.U. Pope, G. Slater, Maraimalai Adigal argue that Saivism is pre-Aryan and pre-Vedic, while others like K.A. Nilakanta Sastri advocate for its Vedic origin.
• Rudra, a minor deity in the Vedic period, is associated with Siva and is described as fierce, destructive, and linked to the natural forces like storms and lightning.
• In the Yajurveda, Siva is attributed various names like paśupati (God of animals), Nīlagrīva (blue-necked), Sitikaṇṭha (white-throated), reflecting his omnipotent and omniscient qualities.
• In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, Siva is referred to by titles like Hara, Mahādeva, Īśa, and Maheśvara, highlighting his elevated status.
• The Mahābhārata mentions one thousand and eight names of Siva and narrates his marriage to Uma, the daughter of the mountain king Himavān.
• The Rāmāyaṇa associates Siva with the origin of the Gaṅgā, wherein he traps the celestial river in his matted hair to control its force before it descends to Earth.
• In Puranic literature, Siva is described as Ardhanārīśvara, a fusion of male and female principles, and as Dakṣiṇāmūrti, the silent yogic teacher.
• Siva is known by several names such as mahāyogin, taponitya, and yogīśvara, underscoring his association with meditation and ascetic practices.
• Siva’s image in Puranas is often depicted as a destroyer of evil, and he is known as saṁhāramūrti, the God of destruction.
• Iconographically, Siva is described as wearing animal skins, with matted hair, a crescent moon on his head, serpents, and a trident.
• Siva’s third eye symbolizes wisdom, and his weapons include a fire, axe, and drum. His dwelling place is said to be the crematorium, and his body is smeared with ash.
• The depiction of Siva as the Dancing Lord is another important representation.
• Tamil literature provides extensive references to Siva, describing his sixty-four divine sports and many attributes in great detail.
• The Indus Valley civilization provides evidence of early worship of Siva, with the fusion of Vedic Rudra and indigenous Siva traditions.
• By the time of the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, Siva had been absorbed into the Vedic pantheon and given the title of Mahādeva.
• Megasthenes is the first foreigner to mention Siva in historical records.
• During the Gupta period, the worship of Siva gained significant importance, and the bhakti movement in South India marked the rise of Saivism.

Origins and Development of Vaishnavism

• The sources of origin of the Vaishnava religious tradition are varied, with some tracing it back to the Vedic tradition itself.

• Various concepts of Supreme Vishnu are seen in different Vaishnava sects, including:

  • The Visnu (God with three strides) in the Vedas.

  • The Narayana (cosmic and philosophical god).

  • The Vasudeva (historical god).

  • The Krishna (pastoral god).

• Some scholars believe that Vaishnavism originated from Visnu in the Vedas, while others argue that it developed after the rise of the Bhagavatam.

• For South Indian Vaishnavism, some trace the Krishna cult to the Yadavas in Madurai, a section of the Vrsni people who colonized the Pandya country.

• Another view suggests that the Vishnu cult in ancient Tamil culture originates from the mullai region, where Perumal is worshipped.

• Vaishnavism is also called bhāgavata, meaning the cult of Bhagavat (the Lord), drawing inspiration from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Gīta, and the Nārayaṇīya (section of the Mahābhārata).

• Pāñcarātra and Vaikānasa Āgamas are canonical texts in Vaishnavism:

  • Pāñcarātra deals with rituals, knowledge of God, mental concentration, yoga, temple construction, image installation, and daily rites.

  • Vaikānasa Āgamas provide instructions for temple construction and image molding.

• Vishnu’s abode is called Vaikuṇṭha, where He is enthroned beside His consort, Lakṣmi (goddess of good fortune).

• Vishnu is depicted in five forms:

  • Transcendent (para): Possesses six attributes—knowledge, lordship, potency, strength, virility, and splendour.

  • Grouped (vyūha): Four forms—Vāsudeva, Saṁkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha—with distinct functions in cosmic creation and soul redemption.

  • Incarnated (avatāra): Nine incarnations are believed to have occurred, with one yet to come.

    • These incarnations descended when the world was in danger of destruction, often to defeat demons or restore order.

    • Incarnations include Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Narasimha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, and Buddha.

    • Buddha‘s incarnation is controversial and believed to either end animal sacrifice or lead wicked men to deny the Vedas.

    • The final incarnation is Kalki, yet to come, to destroy the wicked and restore the Kṛta Yuga (age of gold).

  • Idol (arcā): The most concrete form of God, where the image of Vishnu is believed to be a real, divinely alive form, making God accessible to devotees.

• Service to the arcā is considered the primary duty of a devotee in Vaishnavism.

Philosophical Schools Saivism

• Siva has both a dark and grim side to his nature, in addition to his beneficent qualities.

• His nature is described as fierce, associated with horrible places like cremation grounds, wearing a garland of skulls, and performing the rudra thandava dance, which destroys the world at the end of the kalpa.

• Despite this, Siva is also regarded as the great ascetic, meditating on the slopes of Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas, with matted hair, a crescent moon on his head, and the sacred Ganges flowing from it.

• The characteristics of agricultural and pastoral fertility gods have been merged in Siva.

• He is known as the lord of beasts (paśupati), the patron of procreation in both men and animals.

• Siva is commonly worshipped in his emblem, the liṅga.

• Some Siva cults have developed unpleasant practices such as animal sacrifice and psychopathic self-mortification.

• However, most sects consider Siva to be the God of love and grace.

• Tamil Saivism describes Siva in exalted terms with a strong moral emphasis.

• In Tamil Saivism, the harsh elements of Siva have disappeared, and he is seen as a compassionate father of all living things who cares for them with love and justice, protecting them from evil.

• There are many forms of Saivite religious and philosophical traditions in Saivism.

The Pasupata-S or Kapalika-S

• The paśupatas are the oldest Saivaite tradition in the north.

• In this tradition, ascetic tendencies were strongly emphasized.

• Although their doctrines show closeness to the Samkhya and Yoga philosophies, they distinguish themselves by emphasizing Saiva monotheism.

• For the paśupatas, Siva is absolutely independent and the instrumental cause of the world.

• Nature and souls are seen as effects and are rooted in God’s will.

• The liberated souls are believed to become eternally associated with Siva.

• Their yogic practice consists of constant meditative contact with Siva in solitude, often in burial places.

• Their ritual practices were often regarded as revolting.

• The more extreme groups, called kapālikas, practiced ostentatious indifference to anything worldly.

• Kapālikas carried human skulls (kapāla) and a bowl of liquor.

• Due to these practices, they are worshipped as the skull bearer (kapālika) or the frightful one (bhairava).