Shaiva Siddhanta — Siddha Shaivism
Shaiva Siddhanta is a more traditional form of Shaivism, with its roots in the early Bhakti movement that took root in the post-Mauryan period. It played an important role in the rise of Shaivism as a major sectarian movement within the historic Vedic fold and present-day Hinduism. Its philosophy and practice are derived mainly from the Vedas and the Vedic Agamas.
Unlike Kashmiri Shaivism, Shaiva Siddhanta is a dualistic philosophy (dvaita), which recognizes a subtle distinction between Shiva, the lord of the universe, and jiva, the embodied soul. Shiva is the controller, the lord (Isvara), the husband (pati). Bound souls are subject to limitations caused by the impurities of the mind and body. They can gain liberation only through the grace of Shiva, which they earn through knowledge, service, devotion, purification, and the practice of various yogas. The goal of Shaiva Siddhanta is to become an enlightened soul through Lord Shiva's grace.
Historic Context
Shaiva Siddhanta was once practiced all over India. During the medieval period, as large territories of North India came under Muslim rule, the sect moved its base to the South, where it interacted with the Tamil Shaiva Bhakti movement as expressed in the devotional renditions of the Nayanars. The Tamil compendium of devotional songs known as Tirumurai, the Shaiva Agamas, and the Meykanda Shastras form the scriptural canon of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta. Currently Shaiva Siddhanta has a strong presence in the South, with Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka accounting for millions of adherents.
Meaning
Siddhi means perfection or accomplishment. Siddhanta literally means reaching the end of perfection, which in this case is liberation or nearness (samipya) to Shiva. Shaiva Siddhanta is that body of knowledge which provides aspirants the means to attain that perfection. It is not a speculative theory but a settled, established, and validated doctrine — perfected knowledge bound to produce results when correctly practiced under the guidance of an adept guru.
Saiva Siddhanta Today
Presently, Saiva Siddhanta is practiced by a large number of Saivas of southern India and Sri Lanka. Prominent Siddhanta societies, temples, and monasteries exist in many countries. The Saiva Siddhanta Peetam in Kauai, Hawaii, founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927–2001), promotes worldwide Hindu unity through its publication Hinduism Today and propagates Advaita Saiva Siddhanta as originally expounded by Tirumular. For more information, please check the following links.1
Related Resources
Hinduwebsite.com and Saivism.net
External Resources
1. The introduction is adapted from Wikipedia with necessary modifications and improvements.
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