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17. SAIVISM
The author of Potripahrotai sings
"Iravaa Inpathu Yemai iruththa vendi piravaa muthalvan piranthaan."
(To give us eternal pleasure, the unborn prime God was born). He delivers us from our original sin (Sahasa malaa).
(vi) Sacrifice
The Godhead had lost all his glories and offered himself as a 'Sacrifice', so that mankind could be restored to a new life leaving the inherent qualities of leading a sinful life. In short, he gave himself as 'Sacrifice' for the remission of sins of the mankind. This is sung by Thirunavukkarasar in Tevaram as follows
'Aviyumaahi' (He offered himself as sacrifice)
"Aviyaai aviyumaahi arukkamaai Perukkamaahi Paaviyar paavam theerkum paramanaai brahmanaahi"
(He being the sacrifice he offered himself as Sacrifice, decreased yet multiplied, he is the Transcending Brahman who washes away the sins of the sinners.)"
http://www.geocities.com/athens/ithaca/1412/origin.html
Dr. M. Deivanayagam, Dr. D. Devakala:The Revival Movement of Dravidian Religion
Main Saivite Traditions
Dr. Kanti Chandra Pandey (M.A., Ph.D., D. Litt., M.O.L. Shastri, Lucknow University) in Bhaskari (Varanasi, 1998, p. VI) (also "Saivism: Some Glimpses", Delhi, 1996.) lists eight systems of Shaiva philosophy:
1. Pashupata dualism 2. Siddhanta Shaiva dualism 3. Dualistic-cum-Non-dualistic Shaivism of Lakulisha Pashupata 4. Vishishtadvaita Shaivism 5. Visheshadvaita Shaivism (Vira Shaiva) 6. Nandikeshvara Shaivism
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