“Understanding Veerashaivas, Lingayats and Sanatana Dharma”, Esamskriti, April 3, 2018:
“Do Veerashaivas or Lingayats form a distinct religious category? Perhaps no, as both have roots in the age-old Shaiva tradition. Religion cannot be founded as one establishes a shop, even if it is patronized by state power.
The failure of Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi is a case in point. Jesus Christ did not found Christianity or the Buddha, Buddhism. But their ideas crystallized with time, making the identity-conscious followers, circumscribe the prophets into micro groups.
Veerashaiva sect is traced to five great teachers – Revanaradhya, Marularadhya, Ekoramaradhya, Panditaradhya, and Vishvaradhya, who sprung out of the five faces of Siva – Ishana, Tatpurusha, Sadyojyoti, Vamadeva and Aghora, symbolising consciousness, bliss, will, knowledge and action, respectively. Veerashaiva saints are popularly called sharana or shiva-sharana ie those who are under Shiva’s canopy of grace….”
Read the full article at Esamskriti.com
