SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

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266 ADVAITA ACCORDING TO THE SAIVA SIDDHANTA.
apply to Him. Thus, it is Brahman whose body
is the whole sentient
and insentient universe, and who is denoted by all words. Just as the
word blue denotes not the blue colour only, but also the lotus which is
of blue colour, so does the word universe also denotes Brahman. There
fore, such passages as All is Rudra verily teach that Brahman is
denoted by all words. Accordingly the passage All this verily is
Brahman", refers to Brahman whose body the whole of the sentient and
insentient universe is. The universe being thus a form of Brahman and
being therefore not an object of hatred etc., let
everyone be peaceful at
heart and worship Brahman. This doctrine is clearly expounded even in
the puranic texts such as the following
:
"
The body of the God of Gods is this universe, moving and unmoving.
This, the Jivas (Pasus) do not know, owing to the mighty bondage.
They say sentiency is Vidya, and insentiency Avidya. The whole uni
verse of Vidya and Avidya is no doubt the body of the Lord, the Father
of all ;
for the whole universe is subject to Him. The word sat is used
by the wise to denote the real and the good, and asat is used by vedic
teachers to denote the contrary. The whole universe of the sat and the
asat is the body of Him who is on High.
Just as, by the watering of the
roots of a tree, its branches are nourished, so by the worship of Siva, the
universe which is His body is nourished. Atman is the eighth body
of Siva, the Paramesvara pervading all other bodies. Wherefore the
whole universe, if ensouled by Siva, if aay embodied being whatso
ever be subjected to constraint, it will be quite repugnant to the eightbodied
Lord ;
as to this there is no doubt. Doing good to all, kindness
to all, affording shelter to all, this they hold, is the worshipping of
Siva." And so on.
Brahman being all -formed, it is but right to say all is Brahman"
and let every one be peaceful and worship Brahman." Wherefort. it is
Brahman who in the opening passage is stated to be the object of wor
ship, that is also spoken of as manOmaya, as partaking of the nature of
manas, and so on. Neither should it be supposed that the partaking of
the nature of manas is a characteristic mark of a samsarin ;
for Brahman
may limit Himself by assuming a shape which can form an object of
worship.
is
The slight difference there is between the way the subject
treated by Srikantha and that St. Meykandan has to be notec.
Srikantha calls this relation, following Badarayana as one of
cause and effect and calls it as a peculiar Apurva parinama,
in which the efficient cause is not affected by the change,
r
as in