SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

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THE SAIVA RELIGION. 299
change of meaning Siva, Sivah and Sivam,* Sambhu, Sambhavi
and Sambhavam, Jsa, ISari and ISanam c.
IVA IS NOT ONE OF THE TRINITY.
The Pati or Siva of the Saiva Religion
is not one of the
Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra and scores of texts
could be quoted from the popular Tamil Hymn-books conveying
the same idea as in the hymn of Mahimna Stotra quoted above.
God is Sivam Advaitam Santam Chaturtam.
GOD CANNOT BE BORN IN MAN.
* v
As Siva is Nirguna and Turiya, the Supreme absolute
Brahman, it follows that God cannot be born as a man through
the worab of the woman. That Siva had no avataras or
births is generally known. f This is the greatest distinction of
the ancient Hindu Philosophy and of the
it
Saiva School, making
a purely transcendental Religion, freed of all anthropomorphic
conceptions.
It was the late Mr. T. Subba Rao who in his
"Notes on Bhagavat Glta entered
a vigorous protest against
the conception of the Supreme Brahman having human avataras
and we regret that, in all the mass of current writings, no writer
has thought fit to bring this view to prominence. But this
absolute nature of Siva does not prevent Him from His being
personal at the same time and appearing as Guru and Saviour,
in the form of man, out of His Great Love and feeling for the
sin and sorrow of mankind, and helping them to get
bondage.
REASON FOR CREATION.
rid of their
And this is the reason as shown in Sutra I., of Stvajnanabodham,
why God creates the Universe, and resolves it for the
purpose of making the souls eat the fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evil (good and bad karma) and
attain salvation.
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* This noun form occurs rarely in Sanskrit, but in Tamil, it is very
, commonly used as synonymous with the masculine form Siva .
t ^W^cW^#<T^n%cT*I He has neither birth nor death neither
1
likes nor dislikes.
Vti
Vide pp. 185-201 ante.