Saturday, October 31, 2015
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Veerashaivism
Panchacharas
The Panchacharas describe the five modes of conduct to be followed by the believer. The Panchacharas include:[5]
- Lingāchāra - daily worship of the personal Sivalinga
- Sadāchāra - attention to vocation and duty
- Sivāchāra - acknowledging Shiva as the one God and equality among members
- Bhrityāchāra - humility towards all creatures
- Ganāchāra - defense of the community and its tenets
Ashtavarana
The Ashtavaranas, the eightfold armour that shields the devotee from extraneous distraction and worldly attachments. The Ashtavaranas include
- Guru - obedience towards Guru,
- Linga - wearing a linga,
- Jangama - worship of Shiva ascetics as an incarnation of the Lord himself,
- Pādodaka - sipping the water from bathing the Linga,
- Prasāda - sacred offering,
- Vibhuti - smearing holy ash (created using cow dung) on oneself,
- Rudrāksha - wearing a string of rudraksha (holy beads) and
- Mantra - reciting the mantra "Om Namah Shivaya or Om Namah Shivaya Namaha".
Shatsthala
Shatsthala, or the concept of six phases/states/paths, is pivotal to the Lingayat philosophy. Shatsthala is a conflation of Shat and Sthala, which means 'six phases/states/levels' through which a soul advances in its ultimate quest of realisation of the Supreme.
The Shatsthala comprises the
Bhakta Sthala
Maheshwara Sthala
Prasadi Sthala
Pranalingi Sthala
Sharana Sthala
Aikya Sthala
. The Aikya Sthala is the culmination where the soul leaves the physical body and merges with the Supreme.
Lingayat Customs and Practices
Ishtalinga
The Lingayats make it a point to wear the Ishtalinga at all times. The Istalinga is made up of light gray slate stone coated with fine durable thick black paste of cow dung ashes mixed with some suitable oil to withstand wear and tear. Sometime it is made up of ashes mixed with clarified butter. The coating is called Kanti (covering). Though the Ishtalinga is sometimes likened to be a miniature or an image of theSthavaralinga, it is not so. The Ishtalinga, on the contrary, is considered to be Lord Shiva himself and its worship is described asAhangrahopasana.
Thus, for the Lingayats it is an amorphous representation of God. Lingayat thus means the wearer of this Linga as Ishta Linga. Here the wordIshta is a Sanskrit term meaning 'adored' or 'desired'. Unlike Advaitins however, Lingayats do not treat the Ishtalinga as merely a representation of God to aid in realising God but worship the Ishtalinga itself as God. Like most brahmins, Lingayats eat only vegetarian food and should not consume meat of any kind including fish. Drinking of liquor is strictly prohibited.
Lingadharane
Lingadharane is the ceremony of initiation among Lingayats. Though it can be performed at any age, it is usually performed when a child is in its mother's womb 7-8 months old. The family Guru performs pooja and provides istalinga to ythe mother and the mother ties it to her istalinga till the child in born. Once the child is born she puts that istalinga to her child and when he attains the age of 8 -11 years, the child receives Diksha from the family Guru to know the proper procedure to perform pooja of istalinga. By birth, the child wears the Linga at all times for the remainder of his/her life and it is worshipped as their own Istalinga. The Linga is housed in a small silver and wooden box and cloth. It has to be worn on chest as it is believed God resides in our heart. but people wear it on the chest or around the body using a thread.
Unlike other castes of Hinduism like brahmins, which permit only males to participate in the Upanayana or Deeksha ceremonies, Lingayats allow both men and women to participate in these ceremonies in the presence of a satguru. This practice was started by Basavanna himself, who refused to undergo Upanayana, seeing its discrimination against women.
Panchacharyas
The tradition of Virasaiva sect was founded by five ascetics- Revana, Marula, Ekorama, Panditaradhya, Vishwaradhya- who are held to have sprung from the five heads of Shiva, incarnate age after age, almost about 5500 –6000 years ago.
The great gotrakaras established five great religious centers in different parts of India. Ekorama at Kedara in the Himalayas, Vishweswara at Banaras, Marularadya at Ujjain, Panditaradya at Shrishail, Renukacharya at Balehonnur. -M.E.Tharstan : Castes and Tribes of South India p-264-265
And also mentioned by Dr. J. S. Pharkuhar in The Religious Quest of India as follows; The tradition is that the Virasaiva sect was founded by five ascetics Ekorma, Panditaradya, Revana, Marula and Viswaradya.
According to popular view, and one backed by historical and literary evidence, the Lingayat or Veerashaiva sect was founded by the Panchacharyas or the Five great Prophets. This view however, is in the realm of mythology and is supported by historical and literary evidence those are available at Allahabad High Court and Jangamwadimath of Kashi.
The Panchacharyas are the five Gurus who incarnated directly form five faces of the Sivalinga and established the Virasaiva religion and Philosophy. Hence they are called as Lingodbhavas. Those five faces of linga called as namely Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurus and Isana. With the following names Revanaradhya, Marularadhya, Ekoramaradhya, Panditaradhya and Vishvaradhya. These five Acharyas are the Gotrapurusas (pioneers) of the Virasaiva religion. The five Gotrapurusas belongs to the five Gotras namely Veera, Nandi, Bhringi, Vrishabha and Skanda respectively. These Panchacharya ruled the realm of Virasaiva kingdom by establishing the five peethas in different places in India as follows :
Veeashimhasana of Rambhapuri in Balehonnuru (Karnataka) Saddharma Shimhasana of Ujjini (Karnataka) Vairagya Shimhasana of Kedar (Uttaranchal) Surya Shimhasana of Shrishaila (Andhra Pradesh) and Jnana Shimhasana of Kashi (Uttar Pradesh)
Those Panchacharyas are called as:
Renukacharya Marularadhya Ekoramaradhya Panditaradhya and Vishvaradhya ADI RENUKACHARYA:
Virasaivism has become a comprehensive and complete religion by incorporating its spiritual practices of worshipping lord Shiva took concrete shapes and forms in Virasaiva religion and this fact is quite clear and evident theory from Agamas. It is a rich and great religion, which has shown the path of Linganga-samarasya (Salvation) to one and all irrespective of one's caste, religion, sect, sex, and group.
The origin of Adi Renukacharya and other mahacharyas has been explained in Sivagamas, especially in Svayambhuva Agama, Suprabhedagama and Viragama. Panchacharyas are the custodians of Virasaiva religion and they have expressed their feelings thus:
Pravakshyami Bhavintrashcha Shrunu Tajjananakramam. Shri Madrevana Siddhasys Kollipaki Purottame Someshwara Lingajjanana Mavasah Kadalipure. Tadwad Marula Siddhasya Sukshetre Mahattare Siddhesha lingajjananam Sthana Mujjayanipure. Sudhakundakhy Sukshetre Mallikarjuna Lingatah. Jananam Panditaryasya Nivasah Shrigirau Shive. Draksharamakhya Sukshetre Ramanathakhya Lingatah. Ekoramasya Jananamavasastua Himalaye. Kashyam Vishwesha Lingashcha Vishwaradhya Sambhavah. Sthanam Shri Kashi Kshetre Shrunuparvati Sadaram. Yete Youga Chatashketu Pancharadhyadhividhihi. Mamaling Mukhodbbhtaloka Vishruta Kirtayah.
(-Virasaiva Ratna written by Kashinath Shastrigalu: page-38)
The earlier portions of Agama Literature are the fundamental source of Saiva religion. The latter portions have been very helpful to Virasaivas religion. In that Siva has tutored Parvati regarding the matter of Panchacharyas having been sprouted out of Sivalinga. Panchacharya's name has been mentioned and described in all the aiens, in connection with the sacred places of Sivalingas. The great Acharyas such as Renuka, Daruka, Ekorama, Pandita, and Vishwaradhya, established their own Peethas in their own places. They become quite famous as Pancha Peethas masters or owners of these Peethas are Panchacharyas. They are the founders of Virasaiva religion. Out of these now, let us try to know about the sacred birthplace of Adi Renukacharya.
It is customary to call Andrapradesh as Trilinga Desha. There is an important reason for this. The famous three Lingas are here. Out of these, Swayambhu Someswaralinga, which is at Kolanupaka (also called as Kollipaki or Kulyapaka, a village near Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh) has the details about it in the work entitled "Kollipaka Mahatmam" written by a great literary person (poet) by name Chittaru Gangadhara. The details about this ancient place along with God's blessings to fulfill the desires and requests of all the devotees right from the aiens (Yuga) of Kruta, Treta, Dwapara and Kali. He further asserts that it is nothing but Kailasa on land. Installation of this Swayambhu Someshwara Linga tells many important things connected with the Puranas. In this Swayambhulinga, Ganadhishwara Renuka was reincarnated.
Not only just that, in a book released by Travel and Tourism Department of Andhra Pradesh it is mentioned like this: "….Literary evidences reveal Kolanupaka as the birth place of Renukacharya the great Virasaivas saint, believed to be born from the Svayambaghu Linga at this village and absorbed in to it after preaching Virasaivism….."
There are many inscriptions around Kolanupaka. The Languages used in those inscriptions are Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. Historians have found that, Shatavahanas to Vijayanagar Kings ruled this area. It was also ruled by Telugu and Orissa Royal families and these things have been established by historians. Still lot of research is to be done and when it is seriously pershed, many truths will come out and naturally they will end Lots of Suspicious and doubts regarding these matters. When we know the greatness of this place, we think that this place has been very aptly called as Kolanupaka which means it makes Kulas highly sacred and worthy of enormous amount of respect. Virasaivas authoritative work Siddhanta Sikhamani says that the name Kulyapaka would be more appropriate. This is a great holy place not only for Virasaivas , but also for Jains. This can be seen even in Jain Literature. It is quite noticeable that the Jain temples are in good condition even today.
By the many inscriptions that were available in the area, we come to know that this area was under the rule of Kannada kings. Chalukya king of Kalyan, was daily worshipping Lord Someshwara. By some of the inscriptions we come to know that he had given many types of gifts. On account of all these things, this is not only known as a holy place, it is also a historically famous place.
Siddhantha Shikhamani Bible of Veerashaivism
Shiva Panchayatana Puja contd..
vinaayako ravishcaNDii iisho viShNustathaiva ca . anukrameNa puujyante vyutkrame tu mahabbhayam ..
- [SV] Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva, Ambika
- [RS] Ganesha, Shiva, Ambika, Vishnu, Surya
- [GK] Ganesha, Surya, Ambika, Shiva, Vishnu
- [VP] Surya, Ganesha, Ambika, Shiva, Vishnu
Deity | Leaf |
Ganesha | Durva Grass |
Surya | - |
Vishnu | Tulasi |
Shiva | Bilva |
Devi | - |
- The worship of the five major panchayatana deities
- Followed by the worship the five forms of Shiva (Sadyojata etc)
- Followed by the the worship of Samba Sada Shiva
In either case, the advaitic progression is unmistakeable.
It is interesting to note that the progression of subtely is also reflective of the movement of the kundalini. At first, the worship of the five major deities, is the worship of four-petalled muladhara chakra (Shiva in the center, and the four deities in the four petals). This moves up to the agya chakra with the worship of Shiva with the shakti-panchakshari, in the two-petalled lotus of Shiva-Shakti. This culminates with the worship of samba sada shiva in the sahasrara chakra.
The ordering from Sadyojata is the reversal of the creation process, and is designed to take the ego-filled seeker to the ultimate source -- purusha, by leading us from the ego, to the mind, to the intellect, to the creative potential to its substratum. As per Shankaracharya's Upadesha Sahasri:
Form | Direction | Form | Element | Aspect |
Sadyojata | West | Brahma | Earth | Ego |
Vamadeva | North | Vishnu | Water | Manas |
Aghora | South | Rudra | Fire | Buddhi |
Tatpurusha | East | Ishwara | Air | Maya (Prakriti) |
Ishana | Above | Sadashiva | Akasha | Atma (Purusha) |
The worship of the Ashta Murtis brings to mind the story from the Madhaviya Shankara Dig Vijayam where, the Acharya meets Lord Shiva as a chandala accompanied by the four vedas in the form of four dogs.
Form | Representing | Shakti | Offspring | Flower |
Bhava | Water | Usha | Shukra | Arka |
Sharva | Earth | Sukeshi | Angaraka | Champaka |
Ishana | Sun | Shiva | Hanuman | Punnaga |
Pashupati | Jivatma | Svaha | Skanda | Nandyavartani |
Rudra | Fire | Suvarchala | Shani | Patali |
Ugra | Air | Diksha | Santana | Brihati |
Bhima | Akasha | Dik | Svarga | Karavirani |
Maha | Moon | Rohini | Budha | Drona |
- Mrigavyada, Sharva, Nirriti, Aja Ekapad, Ahirbudhya, Pinaki, Bhava Natha, Maheshwara, Sthanu, Bhava, Kapali
- Kapali, Pingala, Bhima, Virpaksha, Vilohita, Shastha, Ajapada, Ahirbudhnya, Shambhu, Chanda, Bhava
- Mahadeva, Shiva, Rudra, Shankara, Nilalohita, Ishana, Vijaya, Bhima, Deva-deva, Bhava, Kapali
- Aja, Ekapad, Ahirbudhnya, Virupaksha, Revata, Hara, Bahurupa, Tryambaka, Sureshvara, Jayanta, Aparajita
Surprisingly enough, we come across an outline of a puja in the famous astrological work Prashna Marga, which mentions the Atma puja, and follows the general outline of the Shiva panchayatana puja.
cakraM vilikhya caraNau praxaalya tanushodhanam . aatmapuujaam gaNeshaarcaam api kR^itvaa maheshvaram . cakramadhyasthite padme piiThapuujaapurassaram . parivaara nivedyaaDyam pa~ncaaxaryabhamarcayet ..
This is indeed the panchayatana puja prayoga captured in a single verse. Since Shiva is usually invoked with his wife Uma as "sa-uma maheshwara" or "sa-uma-skanda maheshwara", the panchakshari mantra is often substituted with the shakti-panchakshari mantra, which includes the bija representing Shakti (Uma).
In his grihya sutras, the sage has given a rudra abhisheka vidhi which does find a place in the nitya puja. This includes what is normally called the Rudra laghunyasa, a shodashopachara puja with the sadyojata and vamadeva mantras, and the worship of the five-faces and eight-murtis of Shiva.
There are similar procedures for the worship of Shiva. The shodashopachara puja may be:
- Prefixed with the 1st anuvaka of the Rudra Prashna (which has 15 parts)
- Prefixed with the [Shakti] Panchakshari Mantra
- Prefixed with the Sadyojata mantra (which has 15 parts)
There is no standard list of 16 upacharas in vogue today. In practice, few people offer exactly sixteen upacharas. Many practicioners offer around twenty upacharas as part of the shodashopachara puja. In particular, the use of pancha-mukha dipam is often added on to the shodashopachara puja for the panchayatana devatas (for obvious reasons).
(1) aasana.aavaahanam paadyam arghyam aacamaniiyakam . (6) snanam vastropaviitaM ca gandha puShpam tathaiva ca .. (11) dhuupam diipam ca naivedyam paaniiya.aacamanam tathaa . (15) taambuulo-dvasanaM ceti hy-upacaaraastu ShoDasha ..
(1) avahanam, asanam, padyam, arghyam, (5) acamanam, madhuparkam, snanam, vastam, (9) upavitam, abharanam, gandham, axatam, (13) pushpam, dhuupam, dipam, naivedyam (17) tambulam, daxinam, phalam, nirajanam, (21) pushpanjalim, pradaxinam, namaskaram, stotram (25) patram, chaamara, vaahana, nritya, (29) giitam, vaadya, praarthanam, visarjanam.
(1) paadya-arghyaa.acamanIyam ca snAnam vasana bhUShaNe . (7) gandha puShpa-dhUpa-dIpa mahAnaivedyam eva ca .. (12) tAmbUlam archanam stotram tarpaNam ca namaskriyAm . prayojayet prapUjAyAm upacArAmstu ShoDasha ..
Month | Dravya | Offering |
Chaitra | damanaka | A type of flower |
Vishakha | gandha | fragrance |
Jyeshtha | triphala | Pukanni flower |
Ashadha | kshira | Milk |
Shravana | sharkara | Sugar |
Bhadra | gudapupa | A kind of sweet |
Ashvayuja | anna | Cooked rice |
Kartika | dipa | Lamp flame |
Margashirsha | ghrita | Butte |
pausha | ikshu | Sugaar-cane |
Ardra | ajya | Clarified butter |
Phalguni | dadhi | Yoghurt |
As per the 'dvAdasha-mAsheShu visheSha-dravya-pUjanam' slokas, the substances listed above are particularly auspicious for worshipping Shiva during pournami of each of the twelve months. Thus, for example, the use of dIpa is particularly auspisious during kartika-dipam etc.
namakam chamakam japyam shriisuuktam puruShasuuktakam . brahmasuuktam viShNusuuktam visheShaan rudramantrakaan ..
somaanam svaraNam TA 4.3 gaNaanaantvaa TS 2.3.14 saijjanena TS 2.3.14 indra eNamadiidharat TB 2.4.2 praataganim praatarindraM TB 2.8.9 pavitram te vitatam TA 1.48
khyeSham vaishvaanaraM jyotiH TS 1.1.4 suuryastvaa purastaatpaatu TS 1.1.11 suuryasya cakshuraaruham TS 1.2.4 bhuurasi shreShThii rasmiinaam TS 3.2.10 suuryo devo diviShadbhyo TS 3.3.10 suuryo maa devo divyaat TS 3.2.4 suuryo maa devo devebhyaH TS 3.5.5 suuryo divodhipatiH TS 3.4.5
viShNornukam viiryaaNi TS 1.2.13 tadasya priyamabhi TS 2.4.3 pratadviShNustavate TS 2.4.3 paromaatrayaa tanuvaa TS 2.8.3 vicakrame pR^ithiviim TS 2.4.3 trirdevaH TS 2.4.3
pariNo rudrasya TS 4.8.10 stuhishruta.ngartasadam TS 4.8.10 miiDuShTamashivatama TS 4.8.10 arhinbibharShi RS 2.33.10 tvamagne rudra TS 1.3.14 aavo raajaanam TS 1.3.14
deviiM vaaca TB 2.4.6 anantaa TB 2.8.8
namo astu sarpebhyaH TS 4.2.8 idam sarpebhyaH TB 3.1.1 nighR^ishvairasamaayutaiH TA 1.12
Shiva Panchayatana Puja
aadityam gaNanaatham ca deviim rudram ca keshavam . pa.nchadevatam ityuktam sarvavarmasu puujayet ..
The panchayatana [shodashopachara] puja, traditionally practiced among Smartas was established by Shankaracharya, enabling us to worship our Ishta devata with an Advaita buddhi, while including all the other major sectarian devatas. The Ishta devata is placed in the center, with the other remaining deities placed around it.
brahmaa kR^itayuge vedastretaayaaM bhagavaan raviH . dvaapare bhagavaan viShNuH kalau devo maheshvaraH ..
susnaataH samyagaacaantaH kR^itasa.ndhyaadikakriyaH . uda.nmukhaH praa.nmukho vaa puujaakarma samaacaret ..
Center | North East | South East | South West | North West |
Ganapati | Vishnu | Shiva | Surya | Durga |
Surya | Shiva | Ganapati | Vishnu | Durga |
Vishnu | Shiva | Ganapati | Surya | Durga |
Shiva | Vishnu | Surya | Ganapati | Durga |
Durga | Vishnu | Shiva | Ganapati | Surya |
However, other placements are followed by some practicioners:
Center | North East | South East | South West | North West |
Shiva | Vishnu | Ganapati | Surya | Durga |
Ganapati | Surya | Durga | Vishnu | Shiva |
Ganapati | Shiva | Surya | Durga | Vishnu |
aakaashasyaadhipo viShNuragneshcaiva maheshvarii . vaayoH saryaH kshiteriisho jiivanasya gaNaadhipaH ..
Deity | Bhuta | Stone | River | Place |
Ganesha | Apa | Red Sonabhadra | Sone | Bihar |
Surya | Vayu | Crystal | Vallam | Tamil Nadu (Tanjavur) |
Vishnu | Akasha | Saligrama | Gandaki | Nepal |
Shiva | Prithivi | Bana Linga | Narmada (omkara-kunda) | Madhya Pradesh |
Ambika | Agni | Swarna Mukhi (Rekha Shila) | Swarnamukhi | Andra Pradesh |
shaiva ca vaiShNavam shaaktam sauram vainaayakam tathaa . skaandam ca bhaktimaargasya darshanaani Shadeva hi ..
Variations of the puja include:
- the use of laghunyasa and/or mahanyasa in the puja
- shanmatha puja, with the addition of Subrahmanya puja
- panchayatana puja, worshipping Subrahmanya in place of Devi
- panchayatana puja, worshipping Subrahmanya in place of Surya
- the worship of Nandi[keshwara] in the punah puja