From: ravi@socrates.umd.edu (Ravi Sinnarajah)
Subject: Re: Saiva Siddhanta and Sri Vaishnavism
Organization: University of Maryland University College
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 03:58:30 GMT


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* This is being RePosted since the original response sent as a
  Reply and as a Forward [to this post] didn't get posted...
  => one of my 'goofs' from late last nite...  ;-)
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In soc.culture.tamil, Mani Varadarajan <mani@aix.Berkeley.EDU> writes:

>Has anyone else noted the amazing similarity between the two
>uniquely Tamil faiths of Saiva Siddhanta and Sri Vaishnavism?
Both of these "isms" originating from the [deep]South of
Indian peninsula [or, is that the 'thraavidar' naadu(?!)]
are derivatives of the AGAMAs [for they have their own texts and
and practises --external to the VEDic domain and adheres to the
tradition and knowledge and practise---traced to GURU 
paramparai(s)].

Also, they digress on chariyai(practise), kiriyai(performance:
worship/temples), yogam(teachings) and gNYanam (philosophy-
wisdom). 

[Note:  The BALInese also hold on to the belief that what is
        "left as HINDHUISM in their land" --what is practised 
        by them is [they call it as] AGAMA. Their practises 
        could well form a *gr8* study!]

>......

>Other than their ascribing different names and forms to god,
>from a cursory glance of mine, it appears that the two
>traditions are very close in terms of their emotional and
>philosophical approach to god.  For example, both revere the
>outpourings of Tamil saints, (Devaram and Prabandham,
>respectively), both firmly believe in temple worship, and both
>are staunchly anti-advaita.
Both of them are based upon "bakthi" as well [from their land,
it travelled north to Bengal. St. Chaitanya took it and the rest
is history...=> it's another post...] and abound w/ *real* bakthi
literature---w/ *gr8* tamizh...
[late Rev(athi vaNakkaththukkuriya pithaa). Xavier thaninaayakam 
 of World Tamil Conference fame, proclaimed that:
   "If Greek was for philosophy, Latin was for law,
       French as for romance and English was for commerce, then
       Tamil was for bakthi!"]

>I realize that a great part of this is due to their common
>Tamil forebears, but I'd like to know if there are any
>significant (i.e., non-ritualistic) differences between the
>sects.  I am looking for philosophical, social, and theological
>differences.
[I'm *not* quite versed w/ "vaiNava muRai". Some others, could
 exemplify on that].

Saiva Sidhaantham [different from the saivism as practised in
Kashmir and Nepal(?!)] is based upon the trinity:
mup_poRul uNmai: pathi-pasu-pasam [symbolic representation of
   "iRai(god)-aanma(soul?!)-love(bond)] and aanma's relationship to
mum_malankaL: aaNavam(ego)-kanmam(iru_vinai/munpu seithavai: past
    deed(s))-maayai(illusionary life).

Of the originator, it says that it(the originator of all universe...) 
   is like the thamizh letter "a": sErnthum(combines with consonants to 
   give rise to other sound. ex. k+a=ka, n+a=na, zh+a=zha and so on)
   sEraamlum (thaniththu niRpathu).  
   IE. like the letter "Akaram", the originator can stand on its own and 
   combines with/(permeating through) the beings...
=> "non-dualism" or advaitham (as some translations have adopted to denote,
    "saivism"....]

>In addition, today, Sri Vaishnavism appears to be a sect that
>is dominated by brahmins.  However, the annals of Sri Vaishnava
>history say that Ramanuja had many thousands of non-brahmins
>Sri Vaishnava disciples; where are they in modern Tamil
>society?  Is Saiva Siddhanta also structured the same way?
Well, I can tell about the practises in Eezham [aka, ilankai] which
is held to be a bastion of Saiva Sidhdhaantham [other than TamilNadu]
where it is strictly adhered in practise: fostering aatheenam(for
ARIVU_theerkkum_AA-LAYAM: discourses from sidhdhaanta texts and other
works including periya puraaNam, kandha puraaNam and siva puraaNam,
popularising the recital of thEvarams w/ paN -the traditional way) and
madaalayam(PASI_theerkkum_AA-LAYAM: anna thaanam and poo_cheys including
for the GURUs-- chiththarkal including yogar swaamikal and sadai_ammah);  
institutions (like, siva thoNdan nilayyam and saiva paripaalana sapai:
publish news papers, magazines, conduct saiva exams for schools, 
and publishing the saiva works including sidhaantham and thirumuRai).

The criticism is that the "moral & ethical code (as realised from
Saiva Siththaantham)" and 'enforced' in yaazhppaaNam is by the
middle class (saiva vELLaalaR?!-land owners-white collar people)
and it has also created "yaazhppaaNath thalaik_kanam" among them 
- a sign of aaNavam(?!)...

>I request a Saiva Siddhantin out there to post or email me some
>good books (in English) on Saiva Siddhanta history and
Saiva Sidhdhaanththa texts include philosophy and bakthi literature
include:
-  siva NYaana bOtham, siva NYaana siththiyaar, thiru aruR payan
   (14 books written by mey kaNda thEvar, aruNanthi siva aachchaariyaar
    and others whose lineage is traced to 4 munivar--- sananthanar
    and others who are supposed to have received the wisdom, 
    transmitted by sivan-thatchNaamoorththi...)
-  panniru thirumuRai (unearthed by nambi aaNdaar nambi under the
   patronage of Raja Raja Cholan) including the works of moovar(sampanthar,
   naavuku arasar, suntharar), maaNikka vaasakar (thiruvaasakam, paavai,
   kOvai), thirumoolar (thirumanthiram) and periya puraaNam (anthology:
   64 naayanmaar)
-  they also add the latter day thayumaanavar, pattinaththaar, aruNakiri 
   and auvai...

Some of the books in english include:
   - Saiva Sithanthism in relation to science
     by: S. M. Muthiah
     Saiva Prakaasa Press
     Jaffna

   - Tirumoolar Thirumanthiram
     : Holy Hymns   Tantras
     Vol. 1-10
     by: Dr. B. Natarajan
     ITES publications
     Madras

   - Sivaganna Botham
     by: J. M. Nallaiswami Pillai
     "kazhgam"

Other sources include:
   - The South India Saiva Sidhanta Works
     Thirunelvelly
     ("then inthiya saiva siththaantha nooR pathippuk kazhagam"
       = 'KAZHAGAM'!)i

   - The Saiva Siddhanta Peru manram
     Mylapore, Madras
  
   - Kasi Mutt
     Tiruppanandal, Thanjavur

   - Himalayan Academy
     P. O. Box 157
     Hanamaulu, Hawaii 96715
     Hawaii [& in Calif. ?!]

        
Note: I've also seen good, quality translations of thEvarams and
      analysis of late in the U.S. ...


vaNakkam,
/iravi.

PS:  I'm *not* a "saiva sidhdhaanththi"...
     [But, hey! I _love_ *Tamil*...   ;-)


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    padam_aadak kOyiR pakavaRku onRu Eyil
    nadam_aadak kOyil namparkku anku aakaa
    nadam_aadak kOyil namparkku onRu Eyil
    padam_aadak kOyiR pakavarkku athu aamE
                  - thiru_manthiram [1857]

    translation:  Offerings made to the God in a temple[buliding]
                  do *not* benefit the 'mobile temples(physical 
                  bodies)': we, who are the living gods...
                  Whatever offered to the living beings- we, the 
                  people becomes the offering(s) made to the God!

                  =>  "jeeva poo_saiyE, siva poo_sai"
                       : service to fellow beings, is
                         service to God...!!