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Philosophy of Saivism Srikantha and had written Saivāgama works. The original teacher Sveta has also been mentioned in the Vāyavīya samhitā of the Siva-mahāpurāņa.
In the initiatory adoration hymn Śrīkaņtha adores Siva, the Lord, as being of the nature of ego-substance (aham-padārtha). The sub-commentator Appaya Dīkşita (A.D. 1550), in following the characterisation of Siva in the Mahābhārata, tries to give an etymological derivation in rather a fanciful way from the root vaša, 'to will.' This means that the personality of Siva, the Lord, is of the nature of pure egohood and that his will is always directed to the effectuation of good and happiness to all beings. This egohood is also described as 'pure being' (sat), ‘pure consciousness' (cit) and 'pure bliss' (ānanda). Srīkaņķha further says that his commentary will expound the essence of the teachings of the Upanisads or the Vedānta and will appeal to those who are devoted to Siva. Srīkantha describes Siva on the one hand as being the category of aham or egohood which forms the individual personality, and at the same time regards it as being of the nature of 'pure being,' 'pure consciousness,' and 'pure bliss.' He thinks that this individual personality can be regarded only in unlimited sense to be identified with the infinite nature of Siva. Appaya Dīkṣita in commenting on this verse quotes the testimony of some of the Upanişads to emphasise the personal aspect of the God Siva as a personal God. Ordinarily the word 'sac-cid-ānanda-rūpāya' would be used in the writings of monistic Vedānta of the school of Sankara, in the sense of a concrete unity of 'pure being,' 'pure consciousness,' and 'pure bliss. But that kind of interpretation would not suit the purposes of a purely theistic philosophy. For this reason Appaya says that the words 'sac-cid-ānānda' are the qualities of the supreme God Siva and that this is indicated by the terminal word ‘rūpāya,' because Brahman as such is arūpa or formless. The expansion of the limited individual into the infinite nature of Siva also implies that the individual enjoys with Him qualities of bliss and consciousness. In a Sankarite interpretation the person who attains liberation becomes one with Brahman, that
1 Siva-mahāpurāņa, Vāyaviya samhitā 1. 5. 5 et seq. (Venkateśvara Press, Bombay, 1925).
om namo'ham-padārthāya lokānām siddhi-hetave, saccidānanda-rūpāya śivāya paramātmane. 1.
Preliminary adoration to Siva by Srikantha.
