SHAIVISM:

✅Shaivism is oldest sect in India and a native faith of India. Aryans accepted Rudra, the nonAryan God, who gradually evolved into Shiva. 

✅Shiva was worshipped in the form of Lingakara from 1st Century A.D. onwards. 

✅The oldest Shivalinga in India is found in Gudimellam near Ranigumpa in A.P, dated 56 A.D. The sacred mantra, Panchakshari (Om Namah Shivaye) was first mentioned in Tamil epic Silappadikaram (The Jewelled Anklet) written by Ilango Adigal

#history 

#prelims

🔆The various Shiva sects are as follows:

1. Pashupata Sect – It was founded by Nakulisa or Nakulin and became quite popular in North India.

2. Kashmir Shaivism – It is found only in Kashmir and was founded by Vasugupta. It has no mantras but only mudras. This form of worship is called Trika.

3. Agamanthas, Mattamayura and Kalamukha are the popular forms in Central India. Shaivism became a devotional movement in South India, first led by Tamil Shaiva saints called Nayannars. They were 63 of them. They composed devotional Tamil literature called Thevaram. Thevaram is popular as Dravida Veda. 

 4.“Periyapuranam’ written by Sekkilar deals with the lives and teachings of Nayannars. 

 5. South India: 

 🔸Siva advaita, founded by Srikanta in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. 

 🔸Karnataka – Veera Saiva, founded by Basaveswara.

 🔸Andhra Pradesh – Aradyasaiva founded by Mallikarjuna Panditha.

#history 

#prelims