Rama, krishna, narayana, kalki, hari, vithoba, kesava. Sanatana dharma is the original religion that comes down from the dawn of creation of this universe. Shaivism in terms of when it began to be officially practiced as a religion in india and elsewhere. There were islamic movements which combined sufism with hindu principles. Vaishnavism is one of the major hindu denominations along with shaivism, shaktism, and smartism.
The most famous of these sects, and those with the largest following, are vaishnavism, shaivism, shaktism, and smartism. Vaishnavism has numerous sects and their beliefs vary. Originating in india, saivism has wide appeal across the country and is particularly strong among the tamils of southern india and sri lanka. The previous year question paper is and study material is. Vaishnavism and shaivism are two types of religious sects that prevail in india.
Weve created reference pages for every book so you can quickly find all kinds of relevant information. Online books on hinduism, hindu religion, hindu culture, shastras, hindu scripture, vedas, upanishad. Vaishnavism is the branch of hinduism in which vishnu or one of his incarnations usually krishna or rama is worshipped as the supreme god. Hindus who viewed siva as the supreme deity are known as saivaites.
Lord shiva is the supreme god and is prevalent widely through out india. Siva, devi sakti and vishnu are the three major aspects of god presented in the hindu pantheon during the postvedic period. Saivism is ancient, truly ageless, for it has no beginning. An ancient religion with prehistoric roots, it represents several traditions, each of which can be considered a. A religion of freedom hindu mythology emphasis on practice law of karma hindu sects glory of hinduism. Scholars disagree whether a syncretic tradition emerged from buddhism and shaivism, or it was a coalition with free borrowing of ideas. The tradition is notable for its avatar doctrine, wherein vishnu is revered in one of many distinct incarnations. Since these are the denominations of one religion, altogether these are known as sixfold religion. Both saivism and vaishnavism have diversified religious beliefs and. Saivism and vaishnasvism are the very popular forms of hindu faith with large number of. It is not based on a set of dogmas preached by a particular set of. Hinduism, also known as the sanatana dharma, or eternal way, is our planets original and oldest living religion, with over one billion adherents. Is there any relevance today to the vaishnavism and shaivism.
It is the precursor of the manyfaceted religion now termed hinduism. Attempts were made between the hindus and the muslims to worship together and forget differences between religion to live in peace. The pervader or the immanent or one of his various incarnations avatars as the supreme manifestation of the divine. Hinduism has four main denominations saivism, shaktism, vaishnavism and smartism. The agamas are also the basis of kashmir saivism which is called the pratyabhijna system. However, as a faith system, shaktism is still subject to the same flaws and errors as all strains of hindu religion. Shaivism synonyms, shaivism pronunciation, shaivism translation, english dictionary definition of shaivism. Four denominations of hinduism magazine web edition. Kashmir saivism ac acintyabhedabheda vedanta mb madhyamaka. Difference between vaishnavism and shaivism compare the. May 18, 2017 before reading any further, please read through this answer.
Tnpsc hindu religious exam study materials executive officer. Chapter one evolution of bhakti from ancient religions. This book is a compendium of essays on sri vaishnavism brought out by m. Shaktism shares the core beliefs held by all hindus but with a notable emphasis on a feminine aspect of divinity, rather than a masculine one. Gold professor of religion and anthropology, syracuse university, syracuse, n. Emphasis is on bhakti and tantra, sometimes occult, practices.
Tnpsc hindu religious exam study materials executive. In this pamphlet an attempt has been made to introduce to the reader the various facets of saivism in as simple a manner as the subject permits. While shiva is revered broadly, hinduism itself is a complex religion and a way of life. From religion of love and devotion, introduction by dr. Despite the differences, all vaishnavas believe that there is one supreme god over all creation. It is aimed at giving the saivites a basic knowledge of their cult. Most vaishnavites believe that religion is the performance of bhakti sadhanas, devotional disciplines, and that man can communicate with and receive the grace of the gods and goddesses through the darshan sight of their icons.
It is also called vishnuism, its followers are called vaishnavas or vaishnavites, and it considers vishnu as the supreme lord. Shaivism focuses attention on the god shivasometimes spelled siva who is the hindu god of performing arts and dance. It is also called vishnuism, its followers are called vaishnavas or vaishnavites, and it considers vishnu as the supreme lord the tradition is notable for its avatar doctrine, wherein vishnu is revered in one of many distinct incarnations. Mar 17, 2015 vaishnavism is the branch of hinduism in which vishnu or one of his incarnations usually krishna or rama is worshipped as the supreme god. Reincarnation, karma, and so forth are ultimately false, and so shaktism cannot be a legitimate replacement for the gospel. Iv included in groupviiib services hindu religion question paper oct 20 with answer key. Shaivism is also distinguished from more popular sects such as vaishnavism for placing much less emphasis on the concept of avatarsphysical incarnations of the supreme deity. Till date temples follow their respective religions. Tk waters has a bachelors degree in literature and religious studies and a masters. Ppt hinduism powerpoint presentation free to view id. Vaishnavism is historically the first structured vaishnava religion as vishnuism, in a word, is the only cultivated native sectarian native religion of india. Vaishnavism in a nutshell hinduism religion and culture. And like other hindu branches, they believe in the existence of many.
Jan 02, 2020 shaktism, then, shares some interesting parallels with other hindu sects and certain forms of buddhism. The devotional literature of the bhakthi movement is known as panniru thirumurai and the fourteen sastras of the theological exposition are known as saiva sittanta sastras. This is the primary point that distinguishes shaktism from other hindu sects. Tnpsc hindu religious executive officer exam question paper analysis. Worldmark encyclopedia of religious practices dictionary. Vaishnavism is the largest hindu denomination and it has numerous subdivisions. Immaculate body, natural understanding, omniscience, eternally free, infinite.
Saivism, also written shaivism and saivism, is the branch of hinduism that worships siva as the supreme god. The vaishnava agama is further divided into pancharatra and vaikanasa agama. Hinduism has four main denominationssaivism, shaktism, vaishnavism and smartism. Shaivism was adopted by several ruling hindu dynasties as the state religion though other hindu traditions, buddhism and jainism continued in parallel, including the chola and the rajputs. Manual of style, and the american psychological association apa. Although it originated in india, today hinduism is a world religion practiced in every part of the world.
Hinduism has within itself all types of religions such as theism, atheism, polytheism, adwitism, dwaitism, saivism, vaishnavism, and so. Saivaites worship siva as the supreme deity and vaishnavites vishnu3. During a long and complex development, many vaishnava groups emerged with differing beliefs and aims. Of the historical division into six darsanas philosophies, two schools, vedanta and yoga, are currently the most prominent. The authors painstaking effort in showcasing his empirical wisdom in. The four denominations of hinduism himalayan academy. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as sanatana dharma, the eternal tradition, or the eternal way, beyond human history. While shiva is revered broadly, hinduism itself is a complex religion and a way of life, with a.
Members of vaishnavism are called vaishnavites or vaishnavas. Saivism and vaishnavism are the offshoot of early indian christianity. Before reading any further, please read through this answer. A similar trend was witnessed in early medieval indonesia with the majapahit empire and preislamic malaya. Interestingly, while hinduism is extraordinarily diverse. Basics of hinduism welcome to kauais hindu monastery. Shaivism is the most ancient form of hinduism, so their followers claim it to be the highest form. Its devotees worship vishnu, or one of his avatars, as the supreme god. Shaivism is a complex body of south asian traditions centered on the worship of the hindu male deity shiva, or siva sanskrit. The current piece deals with the history of vaishnavism in india.
The four denominations of hinduism welcome to kauais hindu. Most of the differences need not even be of the background philosophy. Hinduism is an indian religion and dharma, or way of life, widely practiced in the indian subcontinent and parts of southeast asia. Sivagnanapotham by meykanta tevar is regarded as the basic text of the saiva sittanta sastras. Entwistle vishnu in the vedic period neither vishnu nor siva, the two major gods of modern hinduism, occupied a particularly prominent position in the vedic pantheon. Myth of one hindu religion exploded asim iqbal 2nd islamic. Classified by primary deity or deities, four major hinduism modern currents are vaishnavism vishnu, shaivism shiva, shaktism devi and smartism five deities treated as same. Mar 17, 2015 saivism, also written shaivism and saivism, is the branch of hinduism that worships siva as the supreme god. Shaivite hinduism origins, shaivite hinduism history. Shaivism and shaivas shaivism also saivism in hindu religion is associsted with lord shiva. Shaivism saivites are those who primarily worship god siva as supreme god, both immanent and transcendent. Together with vaishnavism those sects devoted to the god vishnu and shaktism those devoted to the goddess shakti creative power. When most people think of hinduism, they think of the many gods and goddess in the hindu pantheon. Shaivism definition of shaivism by the free dictionary.
Hindu saivism in india is possibly a legacy of the nonaryan religious belief of the. Vaishnavism is the largest hindu sect, with 550 million followers worldwide. The devotional vaishnava literature that emerged in sanskrit and in vernacular writings from the 10th through the 16th century continues to be a. The sects typically focus on bhakti, or devotion, to one deity. On the other hand, the followers of shaivism are called by the name shaivaites. In the malay languages the word agama literally means religion. Though some form of worship existed during the prechristian era, saivism and vaishnavism developed into religions only in the postchristian era.
Aug 10, 2017 this book is a compendium of essays on sri vaishnavism brought out by m. As just seen, the spectrum of hindu religiousness is found within four major sects or denominations. Hinduism is also known by the names sanatanadharmaand vaidikadharma. With bhakti as a base, emphasis is placed on sadhana, tapas austerity and yoga. It is interesting to note, how the two streams that originally.
Sep 23, 2012 apostle thomas contribution towards the development of hindu religion. Although it is usual to speak of vishnu as the source of the avataras, this is only one of the names by which the god of vaishnavism is known. Hinduism vaishnavism and shaivism students britannica. Scholars trace the roots of siva worship back more than 8,000 years to the advanced indus valley civilization. Sufism with vaishnavism hindupedia, the hindu encyclopedia. Much of vaishnava faith is monotheistic, whether the object of adoration be vishnu narayana or one of his avatars. The devotional vaishnava literature that emerged in sanskrit and in vernacular writings from the 10th through the 16th. The way of rajasthani pilgrims and others arthur llewellyn basham professor of asian civilizations, australian national university, canberra. While the hindu pantheon is expansive, not all hindus worship every deity. Scholars regard hinduism as a fusion or synthesis 6 note 4. Vaishnavism, one of the major forms of modern hinduism, characterized by devotion to the god vishnu and his incarnations avatars.
Shaivite hinduism, also known as shaivism, isalong with vaishnavism, shaktism, and vedantaone of the principle forms of the tradition. Emphasis is on supreme bhakti or surrender, called prapatti. Originating in india, saivism has wide appeal across the country and is particularly strong among the tamils of. Hinduism is a major religion of india with a long and complex history. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and god are one. The authors painstaking effort in showcasing his empirical wisdom in the realm of sri vaishnavism, is laudable. Chapter one evolution of bhakti from ancient religions ancient religions vaishnavism and shaivism have flourished together, sometimes conflicting sometimes coalescing with each other, as part of basic hindu religious tradition after the onset of bhakti movements in india. Vaishnavists worship the avatars of vishnu, though usually they center on lord rama and lord krishna. Shaivism reveres the god shiva as the supreme being. Vishnu is the god of preservation who maintains the cosmos until it is time for shiva to destroy it. Only persons professing the hindu religion as required by section 10 of the tamil nadu hindu religious. Shaivism is one of the major traditions within hinduism that reveres shiva as the supreme. Followers of saivism are called saivas or saivites.
What is the difference between shaivism and vaishnavism. Vaishnavism is the largest branch of modern hinduism. Also, youll find various philosophies, dualistic and nondualistic in both vaishnavism and saivism. The origins of the tradition are difficult to determine. Thus sanatana dharma means the eternal duty or the eter. Saivism embraces at the same time monism specifically nondualism and dualism. Sanatana means eternal and dharma means duty, activity or nature. These two sects show some differences between them.
Hinduism as it is commonly known can be subdivided into a number of major currents. Hinduism included saivism, with siva being the supreme deity, and vaishnavism, where. Jan 02, 2020 shaivism is also distinguished from more popular sects such as vaishnavism for placing much less emphasis on the concept of avatarsphysical incarnations of the supreme deity. Well, the division between vaishnavism and shaivism has been very old, maybe as old as hinduism. Maheswar neog, edited we, at, do feel proud to present three of these excellent essays of lakshminath bezbaroa.
Saivite hindus worship the supreme god as siva, the compassionate one. Vaishnavism is the worship and acceptance of vishnu sanskrit. But sacred writings tell us there never was a time when saivism did not exist. These questions have been considered again and again by eminent scholars, and so far no satisfactory answer has been given. All four believe in karma and reincarnation and in a supreme being who is both form and pervades form, who creates. The followers of vaishnavism are called by the name vaishnavaites. This sixfold religion is the development of two major sects viz. Hindu scriptures vedas, upanishads, bhagavad gita epics, puranas, agamas. Hindu scriptures are the oldest in the world, sanatanadharma is so. Among these four streams, there are certainly more similarities than differences. The goal of shaiva siddhanta practice is, therefore, to free the living soul from.
Vaishnavism is the name given to the faith and practices of those hindus who hold vishnu the all pervasive one and the goddess lakshmi as supreme deities. Hinduism also known as sanatana dharma, is the oldest living religion in the world. Hinduism consists of six systems namely saivism, vaishnavism, ganapathiam, kaumaram, souram and saktham. Each has a multitude of guru lineages, religious leaders, priesthoods, sacred literature. Siva has inherited the characteristics of rudra, a dangerous and. It is believed that the conflict between the aryans and dravidians was expressed in the vaishnav shaiv differences as lord vishnu is largely considered to be an aryan god, while lord shiva belongs to the prearyan era and he is believed to have. The paths of karma yoga and jnana yoga lead to bhakti yoga. The basic elements of worship in the temples and worships were derived from vedas and the puranas. Saivism, shaktism, vaishnavism and smartism, each with hundreds of lineages.
Exploring clojure, elixir, haskell, scala, and swift bo. Is there any relevance today to the vaishnavism and. Four denominations of hinduism join the hindu renaissance. For example, the sat panth and the rasul panth are some sufi sects of this traditions.
Shaivism or dalit religion, and that the aryan vaishnavas were trying to destroy. The smartas, who acknowledge the vedas as the supreme and follow the vedic tradtion, recognize the agamas, but dont necessarily adhere to them. Online books on hinduism, hindu religion, hindu culture. The followers of hindu shaivism is referred to as shaivas or saivas. Vaishnavism shaivism and other minor religious systems r. Vaishnavism, also called vishnuism, one of the major forms of modern hinduism, characterized by devotion to the god vishnu and his incarnations avatars. The latter works of pratyabhijna system show a distinct leaning to advaitism.
What are the fundamental differences between shaivism. Shaivism focuses attention on the god shivasometimes spelled siva who is. Shaktism is one of the more commonly known subdivisions within hinduism. Within the nondual schools, it is true that the absolute is given different names like paramashiva, brahman.