Parashiva
Parashiva (or Paramashiva, Paramshiva, or Parmshiva, among other spellings; Sanskrit: परशिव, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Paraśiva) is the highest aspect of Shiva in Shaiva Siddhanta and in Kashmir Shaivism. Below him are the primordial Shiva with the Parashakti and Sadashiva with seven Shaktis. Shaiva Siddhanta According to the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition, which is a major school of Shaivism, Parashiva is absolute reality which is beyond human comprehension and is beyond all attributes. According to Gopinath Kaviraj, Mahamahopadhaya Gopinath Kaviraj, in this aspect Shiva is both formless and with forms. He is beyond both dvaita and advaita. In Shaivite theology, Parashiva is both the source and the destination of everything in the existence. According to the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition, the other two aspects of Shiva are Parashakti and Parameshwara (god), Parameshwara. The upper part (oval stone) of Lingam, Shiva Lingam represents Paras ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lingam
A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and Indian epic poetry, epic literature, where it means a "mark, sign, emblem, characteristic", the "evidence, proof, symptom" of Shiva and Shiva's power. The lingam of the Shaivism tradition is a short cylindrical pillar-like symbol of Shiva, made of stone, metal, gem, wood, clay or precious stones. It is often represented within a disc-shaped platform, the ''yoni'' – its feminine counterpart, consisting of a flat element, horizontal compared to the vertical lingam, and designed to allow liquid offerings to drain away for collection. The ''lingam'' is an emblem of generative and destructive power. While rooted in representations of the male sexual organ, the ''lingam'' is regarded as the "outward symbol" of the "formless reali ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tattva (Shaivism)
The tattvas in Indian philosophy are elements or principles of reality. Tattvas are the basic concepts to understand the nature of absolute, the souls and the universe in Samkhya and Shaivism, Shaivite philosophies. Samkhya philosophy lists 25 tattvas while later Shaivite philosophies extend the number to 36. Tattvas are used to explain the structure and origin of the Universe. They are usually divided into three groups: ''śuddha'' (pure tattvas); ''śuddhaśuddha'' (pure-impure tattvas); and ''aśuddha'' (impure tattvas). The pure tattvas describe internal aspects of the Absolute (philosophy), Absolute; the pure-impure tattvas describe the soul and its limitations; while the impure tattvas include the Prakriti, universe and living beings that assist the existence of soul. Overview ''Tattva'' () is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness', 'principle', 'reality' or 'truth'. Samkhya philosophy enumerates only 25 ''tattva''s; twenty-four ''ātma tattva''s along with ''purusha'', which i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Nirguna Brahman
''Para Brahman'' or ''Param Brahman'' () in Hindu philosophy is the "Supreme Brahman" that which is beyond all descriptions and conceptualisations. It is described as beyond the form or the formlessness (in the sense that it is devoid of Maya) that eternally pervades everything, everywhere in the universe and whatever is beyond. Para Brahman is conceptualised in diverse ways. In the Advaita Vedanta tradition, the Para Brahman is a synonym of ''nirguna brahman'', i.e., the attribute-less Absolute. Conversely, in Dvaita Vedanta and Vishistadvaita Vedanta traditions, the Para Brahman is defined as ''saguna brahman'', i.e., the Absolute with attributes. In Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, Vishnu, Shiva, and Adi Shakti respectively are Para Brahman. Mahaganapati is held to be Para Brahman by the Ganapatya sect, Kartikeya by the Kaumaram. Etymology ''Para'' is a Sanskrit word that means "higher" in some contexts, and "highest or supreme" in others. ''Brahman'' in Hindui ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Parameshwara (god)
Parameshvara (, ) is an epithet used in Hindu literature. The term usually indicates the Supreme Being and Supreme Reality in Hinduism. Vaishnavas consider Vishnu and his avatars such as Rama and Krishna as Parameshvara, while Shaivas consider Shiva as Parameshvara. In Shaktism, unlike in Shaivism and Vaishnavism, where Parameshvara is considered supreme, he plays a supporting role and is dependent on Parameshvari, that is the Adi Shakti/Mahadevi (known for her forms such as Durga, Tripura Sundari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, MahaSaraswati etc), Shakta traditions are focused on Parameshvari's superiority over Parameshvara, comparisons going as far as to calling Parameshwara a Shava (dead body) without Parameshwari (The supreme moving force of universe), whereas in Shaivism and Vaishnavism, she is considered the dependant consort of Parameshvara (as Uma/ Sati/Parvati consort of Shiva in Shaivism and Lakshmi consort of Vishnu in Vaishnavism). Beyond sectarian interpretations, Hindus r ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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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 Paramshiva. Paramshiva is used to describe the ultimate form of Shiva in Shaiva Siddhanta and Kashmiri Shaivism. Parashakti is the power of this primordial Shiva, who is emanated by Paramshiva. Adi Parashakti is used to describe the Divine Mother (Supreme Feminine Energy/Mother of whole creation) in Hindu scriptures. Parashakti is an all-pervasive, pure consciousness, power, and primal substance of all that exists and it has Mahamaya-form, unlike Parashiva which is formless. A Parashakti as the supreme being of puranic Shaktism and of Sri Vidya obtained the name '' Adi Parashakti'' and Maheshvari-Devi. Parā in Trika Trika is a Non- Saiddhantic Mantra Margic Saivite sect that praises Parā, Aparā, and Parāparā as three supreme ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Idealism
Idealism in philosophy, also known as philosophical realism or metaphysical idealism, is the set of metaphysics, metaphysical perspectives asserting that, most fundamentally, reality is equivalent to mind, Spirit (vital essence), spirit, or consciousness; that reality is entirely a mental construct; or that ideas are the highest type of reality or have the greatest claim to being considered "real".Goldschmidt et al. 2017, p. ix. Because there are different types of idealism, it is difficult to define the term uniformly. Indian philosophy contains some of the first defenses of idealism, such as in Vedanta and in Shaivism, Shaiva Pratyabhijna, Pratyabhijña thought. These systems of thought argue for an all-pervading consciousness as the true nature and ground of reality. Idealism is also found in some streams of Mahayana Buddhism, such as in the Yogachara, Yogācāra school, which argued for a "mind-only" (''cittamatra'') philosophy on an analysis of subjective experience. In ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Odisha
Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, eighth-largest state by area, and the List of states and union territories of India by population, eleventh-largest by population, with over 41 million inhabitants. The state also has the third-largest population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Tribes in India. It neighbours the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the south. Odisha has a coastline of along the Bay of Bengal in the ''Indian Ocean''. The region is also known as Utkaḷa and is mentioned by this name in India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The language of Odisha is Odia language, Odia, which is one of the Classical languages of India. The ancient kingdom of Kalinga (historical region), ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the southeast and Chhattisgarh to the east, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the north, and the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the northwest. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India, the third most populous country subdivision in South Asia and the fourth-most populous in the world. The state is divided into 6 divisions and 36 districts. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra due to its historical significance as a major trading port and its status as India's financial hub, housing key institutions and a diverse economy. Additionally, Mumbai's well-developed infrastructure and cultural diversity make it a suitable administrative center for the state, and the most populous urban are ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Monism
Monism attributes oneness or singleness () to a concept, such as to existence. Various kinds of monism can be distinguished: * Priority monism states that all existing things go back to a source that is distinct from them; e.g., in Neoplatonism everything is derived from The One. In this view only the One is ontologically fundamental or prior to everything else. * Existence monism posits that, strictly speaking, there exists only a single thing, the universe, which can only be artificially and arbitrarily divided into many things. * Substance monism asserts that a variety of existing things can be explained in terms of a single reality or substance. Substance monism posits that only one kind of substance exists, although many things may be made up of this substance, e.g., matter or mind. * Dual-aspect monism is the view that the mental and the physical are two aspects of, or perspectives on, the same substance. * Neutral monism believes the fundamental nature of reality to be ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Kashmir
Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. The term has since also come to encompass a larger area that includes the Indian-administered territories of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Chinese-administered territories of Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract. Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent. It is bounded by the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the northeast and the Tibet Autonomous Region to the east (both parts of China), by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south, by Pakistan to the west, and by Afghanistan to the northwest. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pratyabhijna
Pratyabhijñā or Pratyabhigyā () is an idealistic, monistic, and theistic school of philosophy in Kashmir Shaivism which originated in the ninth century CE. The name of the system is derived from its most famous work, ''Īśvara-pratyabhijñā-kārikā'' by Utpaladeva. Etymologically, ''pratyabhijñā'' is formed from ''prati-'' ("re-") + ''abhi-'' ("closely") + *''jñā'' ("to know"), so the meaning is "direct knowledge of one's self," "recognition." The central thesis of this philosophy is that everything is absolute consciousness, termed ''Śiva'', and it is possible to "re-cognise" this fundamental reality and be freed from limitations, identified with Śiva and immersed in bliss. Thus, the slave (''paśu'': the human condition) shakes off the fetters ('' pāśa'') and becomes the master (''pati'': the divine condition). Nomenclatura The term '' Trika'' was used by Abhinavagupta to represent the whole of Kashmir Shaivism, or to designate the Pratyabhij� ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Utpaladeva
Utpaladeva (c. 900–950 CE) was a Shaiva tantrik philosopher, theologian and poet from Kashmir. He belonged to the Trika Shaiva tradition and is a thinker of the Pratyabhijñā school of monistic idealism.Torella, Raffaele (2021), ''Utpaladeva: Philosopher of Recognition'', pp. 1-3. DK Printworld (P) Ltd, His '' Īśvarapratyabhijñākārikā'' (IPK, ''Verses on the Recognition of the Lord'') is a central text for the Pratyabhijñā school of Shaiva Hindu philosophy. Utpaladeva was also a tantrik guru and a religious bhakti poet, having authored the influential '' Śivastotrāvalī (A Garland of Hymns to Śiva)'', a collection of Shaiva hymns that remain popular with Kashmiri Shaivas. Utpaladeva was a student of Somānanda (875–925 CE) and an influence on the exegete Abhinavagupta, whose works later overshadowed those of Utpaladeva. However, according to the Indologist Raffaele Torella "most of Abhinavagupta’s ideas are just the development of what Utpaladeva had alrea ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |