Philosophy of Šaivism

SAIVISM, may be defined as the set ting aside of the triune equality of Brahmà, Vishçu, and Šiva, and the merging of the former two gods in the god – Šiva. But it is also more than this. It is the exaltation of Šiva to the position of a Supreme Being, infinite, eternal, and exempt from subjection to the law of ultimate absorption into the Universal Spirit.

Rudra appears quite early in the Veda with a well-recognized and well-marked personality of his own. He is an important deity, whose anger is to be dreaded and whose favour is to be propitiated. Probably the first office or function connected with him was that of directing and controlling the rage of the howling storms. As god of gale and tempest he is father of the destructive storm-winds, who are also called Rudras, and generally identified with the Maruts. He is also nearly related to Time (Kàla), the all-consumer, and indeed afterwards identified with him.

Šiva became to his worshippers the great god (Mahà-deva) and lord of the universe (Jagat-pitûi, višva-nàtha) who, although he has numerous forms, is generally worshiped under one mystical shape – a plain upright stone, the sign or symbol (liæga) of generative and creative power – scattered in millions of shrines over every part of India.

Unquestionably all Hindus, even the strictest Vaishçavas, are ready to pay homage to Šiva in his characters of Dissolver and Regenerator. The book is designed to be an informative treatise devoted to Šiva.