Shiva Advaita

Shiva Advaita (Devanagari:शिवाद्वैत, Tamil: சிவாத்வைதம், Śivādvaitam, , ), also known as or Shaivite qualified nondualism, refers to Śrīkaṇṭha Śivācārya's (dated 11th-15th century CE) Southern India Shaivite commentary on the Brahma Sutras, which considers Shiva supreme, and to Appayya's 16th century CE commentary on Śrīkaṇṭha Śivācārya's stance.

Origins

Śrīkaṇṭha Śivācārya (also known as Nīlakaṇṭha Śivācārya) composed the Srikanta Bhashyam, a commentary on the Brahma Sutras, which became known as Śivādvaita. The time frame of Śrīkaṇṭha's work is not exactly known, but it is argued to fall somewhere between the 11th and 11 century, with the 14th to 15th century being more likely, according to Duquette. Sri Appayya Dikshita (16th century CE) contributed further to Shiva Advaita by expounding Śrīkaṇṭha's philosophy in his Sivarka Mani Dipika.

Tenets

The theory of Śivadvaita resembles very closely Ramanuja's Viśiṣṭādvaita non-dualism doctrine, but differs in who is considered Supreme. While Ramanuja considers Vishnu to be supreme, Śrīkaṇṭha considers Shiva supreme. While Śrīkaṇṭha does not deny Nirguna Brahman, which is central to Advaita, he affirms the supremacy of Saguna Brahman, typical of qualified non-dualism. However, Appayya affirms a form of pure non-dualism, and recasts Śrīkaṇṭha's work in an effort to establish Shiva Advaita in his Śivādvaitanirṇaya.

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