Siva Jnana Lahari (Regd.) is established in 1995 AD as a Charitable Society to promote national integration and to propagate the rich cultural and philosophical heritage of India i.e. Bharata Khandam stated in the ancient texts, the Vedas, the Upanishads, Smrutis, Samhitas, Agama Sastras, Dharma Sastras, Kalpa Sutras, Itihasas, Puranas and Upapuranas, etc. numbering 14 called as 'CHATURDASA VIDYASTHANAMS', hitherto hidden in Sanskrit and in a few Indian languages and not known to world at large.
Vedas are given to us, by Parameswara. Of the fourteen Vidyasthanams, "Chaturdasa Vidyasthanams" Vedas and Upanishads explain the existence of the Ultimate Reality, Eeswara or Brahman visa-viz. the Jeeva and Jagath or Viswam. This is called in Vedantic language as "Tatwatriam" i.e. Jeeva, Jagat and Eeswara. Since, what is contained in the Vedas and Upanishads is difficult to understand, the great sage Veda Vyasa has written the "Puranas", as "Upabrihnams" to explain them to us in the form of stories for easy understanding. The Vedas consist of two parts viz. the Samhita or Karma Kanda part, dealing with the performance of Yajnas, etc. which may not help us in deciding "Paramyam" or the Ultimate Reality or the Brahma Tatwam. The second part consists of Jnana Kanda, the Upanishads, which are again very difficult to understand. Therefore, Veda Vyasa wrote in crisp form about 545 Brahma Sutras, selecting the important points from out of the Upanishads. Veda Vyasa has not stopped with this Brahma Sutras. He further wrote Mahabharatam after writing all the 18 Puranas and Upapuranas. He was not content with writing this Mahabharatam even and went a step further and introduced the Geeta Sastram, as a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna to explain this Jeeva, Jagat and Eeswara in a more detailed fashion.
In course of time commentaries came to be written for - (i)the Upanishads, (ii)the Brahma Sutras and (iii)the Geeta all the three put together called as "Prasthanatriam" by such scholars as (i)Sri Nilakantaradhya, 3100 BC or 2044 Kali Era, (ii)Sri Aadi Sankaracharya, 509-477 BC, (iii)Sri Ramanujacharya, 12th century AD and (iv)Sri Madhwacharya, 1199 AD and others. Neelakanta Bhashyam is the earliest of all of them.
The entire Veda Vangmayam is projecting only Siva Paramyam and Saiva Siddhanta and nothing else. The great adwaita scholar Appayya Deekshitar of the 16th Century AD also projected this Siva Paramyam in his works (1) Brahma Tarka Sthavam, (2) Siva Karnamtrtam, (3)Bharata Tatparya Sangraham, (4) Ramayana Tatparya Sangraham, (5) Chaturveda Tatparya Sangraham, etc., but these books remained dormant as the Siddhanta stated therein is against Adwaita Siddhanta particularly "Panchayatanam" or worship of five Gods. Sruti is emphatic stating "Aeka Aeva Rudro Na Dwiteeyaya Tasthe", meaning there is only one God Rudra and no second person, as also in these words.
(i) Swetaswataraopanishad is stating "Siva Aeva Kevalaha", meaning Siva alone is there.
(ii) Skanda Purana Sivatatwa Sudhanidhi is stating, "Na Kimchana Sivadanyam, Na Kimchana Sivaatparam, Sivaatiriktam Nahicha, Sarvam Sivamayam Jagat", meaning there is nothing else apart from Siva, there is none else above Siva, there is nothing different from Siva. This entire world is full of Siva.
(iii) Eesavasyopanishad is stating "Eesavaasyamidagum Sarvam", meaning this entire Universe is encircled by Siva.
(iv) The Sruti mantras "Rutagum Satyam Param Brahma --- " and "Eesanassarva Vidyaanaam --- " are all eulogising Siva as the Parabrahman.
(v) The Yoga Sutras are stating "Tasya Vaachakaha Pranavaha".
(vi) Puranas are explaining this point "Pranavohi Param Brahma, Pranavaha Paramam Padham, Pranavo Vaachakastasya Sivasya Paramaatmanaha" - Siva Puranam is stating Siva as Pranava Vachaka i.e. "OM".
(vii) Siva Geeta Sastram is stating "Aasam Pradhama Mevaaham, Vartaamicha Sureswaraah, Bhavishyamicha Loke Asmin, Matto Naanyosti Kaschina, Vyatiriktam Namastosti, Naanya Tkinchi Sureswaraha". In this Siva Geeta, Siva addressing Indra and other celestial Gods -- there is none else apart from Me in the past, in the present or in the future.
(viii) Mantropanishad is also emphasising "Viswaadhiko Rudro Maharshihi" or Rudra is superior to this Universe.
(ix) Atharva Siropanishad is stating "Siva Aeko Dhyeyaha, Sivamkaraha, Ssarvamanyat Parityajya", Siva alone has to be worshipped to the exclusion of all others.
(x) Vatoola Sivagamam is stating "Sarveshaameva Tatwaanam Moolam Siva Iti Smrutaha" - for all Tatwas the origin or Moolam is Siva. This is discussed in detail under Sivatatwam.
(xi) Siva Sankalponishad is stating "Paraatparato Brahma, Tat Paraatparato Harihi, Tat Paraatparato Sambhuhu, Tanme Siva Sankalpamastu", meaning Siva alone is the Ultimate Reality above Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the protector and Rudra, the destroyer, etc. etc.
The greatness of the Srouta Saiva Siddhanta and Saiva Maha Deeksha Swaroopam are discussed separately, which may be perused.
The present situation in the Educational system in this country is such, that our great grand children at the current rate may not be able to know, read and understand or write or even speak anything in their mother tongue and muchless in Sanskrit, about the great traditions of this country and muchless able to read, understand or write on the vast treasure house of knowledge stored in our scriptures in Sanskrit and in local languages. The Kathopanishad mantra referred to such persons as:
Avidyaaya Mantare Vartamanah Swayamdheeraa Panditammanyamaanah Dandahyamanah Parayantimudha Andhe Naivaniyamana Yadandhah - Kathopanishad - 1-2-5
"The ignorant, who live in the midst of darkness fancy themselves as wise and learned, go round and round, deluded in many crooked ways as blind people led by the blind".
The object of Siva Jnana Lahari is therefore, to explain and enlighten the seekers of knowledge on the great traditions of this country. The great truths on Saivam culled out by the author from the scriptures and written both in Sanskrit and Telugu with authentic quotations from the Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, Samhitas, Agama Sastras, Dharma Sastras, Kalpa Sutras, Itihasas, Puranas and Upapuranas, are translated into English and published by Siva Jnana Lahari, (English series) for the benefit of the readers to acquaint themselves with the treasure house of knowledge contained in the Srouta Sivadwaita philosophy, which alone is following the Vedas and hence called as the Srouta Saiva Siddhanta.
There is neither dispute about the Ultimate Reality nor any inconsistency or otherwise in the entire Veda Vangmayam including the Puranas. The author has stated this point eloquently that "Sarva Vidya Samanvayam", meaning interpretation of what is stated in all the scriptures in unison and without contradiction is possible only through Srouta Saiva Siddhanta in the following humble words:
" There is no time or occasion or even intention to criticise others or their faiths. From times immemorial, importance was given by all scholars to the Siddhantas propounded as well as their critics. It is only after analysing them either the Siddhantas, or the views of the critics, which do not stand on the Vedic platform are rejected. Even the Brahmasutra karta, Veda Vyasa, while mentioning the names of others and their "Sampradayams" and founders of other religions in the "Poorva Mimamsa Sastra", stated other's point of view and proved them to be wrong and established his own views and his own Siddhanta. All other scholars and critics followed this method. The same method is followed by me. "
The readers are requested to visit this website in a dispassionate way and enrich themselves by going through the various works of the author mentioned under the heading "Mudigonda Nagalinga Sastry", especially Vidyasthana Vinirnayam, a complete and final decision on the Vedic texts.
