SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

1 10 THE bVETASVATATA UFANISHAT.
In regard to the other and deep-rooted fallacy about its
being a sectarian Upanishat, we shall speak here atlength.
By taking this objection they mean to imply
also that it
is modern. And curiously enough we read of scholars ascrib
ing dates for the rise of these sects commencing from the tenth
and twelfth centuries. Sir W. W. Hunter seriously con
tends that Sankara was the great Apostle of Saivism. But
these writers do not see that the History of Hindu Religion is
as ancient as the History of the Hindu Philosophy, and that
the people must have had a popular religion, even, in the very
days, these Upanishats were composed, and that the Puranas
which embodied the essence of the Upanishat teaching existed
in a popular form even in those ancient days, and ,the words
Itihasa, Purana, occur even in the oldest Upanishats.* These
Upanishats are quoted by name in the Puranas and particular
passages are also commented on.
And it will be an interesting study as to what was the
religion of the people in the days of the Upanishats and Mahabharata
and Ram ay ana and of the Puranas, and to compare the
same with the existing phases of Hindu Religion. We may
indicate our own conclusions on the subject, though we
briefly
could not give our reasons in detail to wit that so far as any
room for comparisons exist, the traditions and beliefs and
ceremonials and faith of the modern day Saivas (among whom
may be included all Saktas, Ganapatyas and Smartas), who
form now the bulk of the Hindu Race, were exactly the same
as those of the people of the days of the oldest Upanishats
and Mahabharata and Ramayana. According to the opinions
of many old
scholars like Lassen, Wilson and Muir and others,
the worship of Siva represented the cult of the Higher castes,
Brahma ns and Kshatriyas, and a text of Maim mentions tnat
Siva is the God of the Brahmans, and it is remarkable how
the picture of Siva is exactly the same as that of any ancient
* BrihaJarar.yaka-Up. 2-4-10 and 4-1-2 Maittnya-Up. 6-^2 and
33, Chhandogya-Up.
VII. 1-2.