Sadasiva (, ), is the
Supreme Being
{{broad-concept article
A supreme deity, supreme god or supreme being is the conception of the sole deity of monotheistic religions or, in polytheistic or henotheistic religions, the paramount deity or supernatural entity which is above all other ...
in the
Shaiva Siddhanta
Shaiva Siddhanta () is a form of Shaivism popular in a pristine form in Tamilnadu and Sri Lanka and in a Tantrayana syncretised form in Vietnam and Indonesia (as Siwa Siddhanta). It propounds a devotional philosophy with the ultimate goal of e ...
tradition of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. Sadasiva is the omnipotent, subtle, luminous absolute, the highest manifestation of
Shiva
Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
. Sadasiva is believed to bestow ''anugraha'' and ''vilaya'', or grace and obscuration of
pasha
Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitary, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of ...
, which are the fourth and fifth of the ''Panchakritya'', or the "five holy acts" of Shiva. Sadasiva is usually depicted having five faces and ten hands, and is considered one of the
''25 forms'' of Shiva.
Shiva Agamas conclude that the
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 Up ...
, especially the
mukhalinga
A mukhalinga or mukhalingam (Sanskrit: मुखलिङ्गम्, romanized: ; literally "''lingam with a face''") is a linga, lingam represented with one or more human faces in Hindu iconography. A lingam is an aniconic representation of ...
m, is another form of Sadasiva.
Representation
The concept and form of Sadasiva initially emerged from South India, although many ancient sculptures of Sadasiva were obtained from various parts of India and South East Asia. It is believed that the cult of Sadasiva was widespread in the region of
Bengal
Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
during the period of
Sena dynasty
The Sena/Sen dynasty was a List of Hindu empires and dynasties, Hindu dynasty during the Classical India, early medieval period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. The empire at its peak cover ...
who traced their origin in
South India
South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
. Sadasiva is usually represented in the form of a
Mukhalinga
A mukhalinga or mukhalingam (Sanskrit: मुखलिङ्गम्, romanized: ; literally "''lingam with a face''") is a linga, lingam represented with one or more human faces in Hindu iconography. A lingam is an aniconic representation of ...
with the number of faces varying from one to five. The first ever sculpture of Sadasiva as a lingam with five faces was found in Bhita, near
Prayagraj
Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...
, and dates to the 2nd century CE. His five faces, ''Ishana, Tatpurusha, Vamadeva, Aghora'' and ''Satyojata'' are known as ''
Panchabrahmas'' (five creators), the emanations towards the four directions and upwards from the ''nishkala'' (formless)
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 Shaivi ...
. Kamiga Agama, the first Agama of 28
Sivagamas depicts Sadasiva as having five faces and ten arms. His five right hands hold
Trishula
The ''trishula'' () is a trident, a divine symbol, commonly used as one of the principal symbols in Hinduism. It is most commonly associated with the deity Shiva and widely employed in his iconography. Etymology
The name ''trishula'' ultimate ...
,
Axe
An axe (; sometimes spelled ax in American English; American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for thousands of years to shape, split, a ...
,
Katvanga,
Vajra
The Vajra (, , ), is a legendary and ritualistic tool, symbolizing the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). It is also described as a "ritual weapon". The use of the bell and vajra together as s ...
and
Abhaya while his five left hands hold
Snake
Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
,
Matulunga fruit,
Nilotpala,
Damaru
A damaru (, ; Tibetan languages, Tibetan ཌ་མ་རུ་ or རྔ་ཆུང) is a small two-headed drum, used in Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. In Hinduism, the damaru is known as the instrument of the Hindu deity Shiva, associated wi ...
,
Rudraksha
A ''rudraksha'' (IAST: ') refers to the dried Pyrena, stones or seeds of the genus ''Elaeocarpus'' specifically, ''Elaeocarpus ganitrus''. These stones serve as prayer beads for Hinduism, Hindus (especially Shaivism, Shaivas) and Buddhism, Bu ...
rosary and
Varadam. The consort of Sadasiva is goddess
Mahagayatri, a form of Parvati often known as ''Manonmani'' in Agamic texts. She is sometimes depicted having two arms and residing in the lap of Sadasiva.
Panchabrahma
According to Shaivite texts, the supreme being
Parashivam manifests as pentads, rather than the
trinity
The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...
of other Hindu sects - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. His five deeds, known "Panchakrityas" (five holy acts), are assigned to ''Panchamurti'', his five aspects, viz.,
Brahma
Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...
,
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
,
Rudra
Rudra (/ ɾud̪ɾə/; ) 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". Rudra ...
,
Mahesvara and Sadasiva (Mahesvara and Sadashiva are forms of Shiva, Rudra is also refers as Shiva ). Creation, Preservation, Destruction, Obscuration and Grace are done by these five manifestations respectively. The five faces of Parashiva which emanate these five aspects are praised as "Panchabrahmas", the five creators or the five realities). The Panchamurtis of Shaivism are absorbed within Shaktism and named as "Panchapreta" (five bodies).
Five faces
The five faces of Sadasiva are sometimes identified with Mahadeva,
Parvati
Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
,
Nandi,
Bhairava
Bhairava (, ), or Kāla Bhairava, is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva.Kramrisch, Stella (1994). ''The Presence of Śiva''. Princeton, NJ: P ...
and Sadasiva himself. The ten arms of Sadasiva represent the ten directions. Another variation of Sadasiva later evolved into another form of Shiva known as Mahasadasiva, in which Shiva is depicted with twenty-five heads with and fifty arms. Given accounts relating to Sadasiva are collected from Kamika Agamam and Vishnudharmottara Purana.
References
Citations
Works cited
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External links
*{{Commons category-inline, Sadashiva
Forms of Shiva