Parameshvara (, sa, परमेश्वर), also rendered

Parashiva Parashiva (or Paramashiva, Paramshiva, or Parmshiva, among other spellings; Sanskrit: परशिव, IAST: Paraśiva) is the highest aspect of Shiva in Shaiva Siddhanta and in Kashmir Shaivism. Below him are the primordial Shiva with the Para ...

and

Sadashiva Sadasiva ( sa, सदाशिव, , ta, சதாசிவம் ), is the Supreme Being, also known as Paramashiva, in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Shaivism. Sadasiva is the omnipotent, subtle, luminous absolute, the highest manifestatio ...

, is an epithet of the

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

destroyer deity,

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

. The term usually indicates the position of

as the

Supreme being In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

and Supreme Reality in the tradition of

Shaivism Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...

. Parameshvara is the ultimate and highest reality that eternally pervades all matter for Shaivas, the devotees of Shiva. He is regarded by devotees to be totality itself, controlling the triple forces of creation, preservation, and destruction.

Etymology

The word is a compound of the Sanskrit words परम meaning 'Supreme' and ईश्वर meaning 'Lord'. Thus Parameshvara literally means 'highest supreme ruler'. Similarly, the word ( + ) means 'Supreme shiva'. These two words are simultaneously used in

Saivite Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

texts as synonyms for

Parabrahman ''Para Brahman'' ( sa, परब्रह्म, translit=parabrahma, translit-std=IAST) in Hindu philosophy is the "Supreme Brahman" that which is beyond all descriptions and conceptualisations. It is described as the formless (in the sense th ...

, the Indian equivalent of Supreme being. Sometimes, other traditions of Hinduism such as

Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...

and

Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

also use the term as a synonym of Parabrahman within their philosophical perspectives.

Shaiva Siddhanta

Shaiva Siddhanta accepts the existence of (three entities), (the supreme being Paramashiva), (all atmans) and (three bondages of

Anava Anava ( sa, आणवा, āṇavā) (from "anu", meaning an atom or an exceedingly small entity) is a state - the consciousness of the ego, the sense of "I" and "mine". This represents a sense of individuality and a separation from a general ex ...

Karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

). As the supreme being, Parameshvara only has the distinct eight characters or predicates which are applied to distinguish him from the other two entities of Shaiva Siddhanta— Pashu and Pasam. They are (who knows everything), (with infinite happiness), (without bondages), (independent), (unlimited mercy), (unrestricted grace), (wholesome) and (with pure body). Shaiva Siddhanta states that Parameshvara is in two states—, the form of lord that is moving through 36 tattvas and , the pure form of supreme being beyond everything. These two forms can be compared with the Saguna and Nirguna definitions of

Para brahman ''Para Brahman'' ( sa, परब्रह्म, translit=parabrahma, translit-std=IAST) in Hindu philosophy is the "Supreme Brahman" that which is beyond all descriptions and conceptualisations. It is described as the formless (in the sense th ...

in the

Vedantic ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...

tradition. When he is defined with , Paramashiva exists in nine divine forms,

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rud ...

Maheshwara Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

Sadasiva Sadasiva ( sa, सदाशिव, , ta, சதாசிவம் ), is the Supreme Being, also known as Paramashiva, in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Shaivism. Sadasiva is the omnipotent, subtle, luminous absolute, the highest manifestation ...

Shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...

, Nadam, and Bindhu in which he is beyond words in his last four formless manifestations known as . The first five are his manifestations with forms and known as . Sadasiva is his mixed form of and which is often identified with

lingam A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...

. Shiva and Shakti exist as inseparable in the state of in which they are often identified as the non-dual supreme being Paramashiva and

Parashakti Parashakti (IAST: Paraśakti, Sanskrit: पराशक्ति) or Parā is one of the three chief goddesses in Trika system of Kashmir Shaivism along with Aparā and Parparā. In Siddhantic perspective, Parashakti is the counterpart of Pa ...

. Since they are inseparable and undifferentiated, Shaiva Siddhanta sees them as single oneness, Parameshvara.

Kashmir Shaivism

Kashmiri Shaivism describes how all of reality, with all of its diversity and fluctuation, is the play of the single principle, Paramashiva. The two aspects of this single reality are inseparably united: Shiva and Shakti. Paramashiva ''appears'' as the world through his creative power, Shakti. The ontological nature of Paramashiva is beyond human knowledge and articulation, yet it can be experienced directly through mystical intuition.

References

{{Reflist Names of God in Hinduism Hindu philosophical concepts

Etymology

Shaiva Siddhanta

Kashmir Shaivism

See also

References