The word Āgama originally stood for the Vedas but later was extended to temple worship. It therefore clearly is an extension of Vedic discipline and rituals. The Vedic poetry recited to create an imagery in mind is called Mantra (of the man - mind) but the same created through physical suggestion (tanū of body) is Tantra. The divine which cannot be seen with eyes is created through Mind (mantra) and (tantra). So much so, the great saints like Appar defines God as one who manifests through mantra and tantra (mantiramum tantiramum anāṉ kaṇṭāy). The Āgamas give these two approaches together. So, the treatises dealing with temple is called Āgama or Tantra.
The treatises dealing with worship in Śiva temples is called a Śivāgama or Śaiva tantras. There are 28 major Śivāgamas and 108 minor Śivāgamas, but all of them are not available. Of the major Śivāgamas, which are generally listed beginning with Kāmikāgama, and though the names of all the 28 are known, only a few are available in prints now. They include Kāmikā, Kāraṇā, Aeintya, Raurava, Ajita, Makuta and others are available. They are generally divided into four parts as Caryapāda, Kriyāpāda, Yogapāda and Jñānapāda. Caryā means purification and personal worship of the priests, derived from the word Ācāra or observances. Kriya deals with worship of idols. Yoga in Śaiva system includes the eight-fold Aṣṭhāṅga yoga of Patañjali or different stages of yoga called Śiva yoga. Jñāna deals with the ultimate philosophy of the system.
The Śaiva system has several subsects among them ranging from four main branches to as many as 32 sub-sects. According to one tradition there are six major sub schools called Śaivam (Siddhānta Saivam), Pāsupatam, Vāmam, Mahāvratam, Kālāmukham, and Bhairavam. These are called six inner systems of Śaivam, each having its own Āgamas. Each emphasizing one manifestation of Śiva as Supreme. One school holds Chandraśekhara form. In another it may be Somāskanda form and yet another it may be Naṭarāja or Bhairava. For example, the main deity of the Makuṭāgama followers is Naṭarāja. As early as 6th century, Appar sings that Śaivas, Pāsupatas, Mahāvratis, Kāpālika, Kālāmukhas and Antaṇar were prevalent in Tamiḻnāḍu. Though these were subsects, all of them accepted the authority of the Veda with this difference that the Śaivas ascribed equal authority to the Vedas and Āgamas. We may say here that chronologically the Vedic lore was the earliest and their allusions in Vedic lore got expanded into the 18 Mahapurāṇās, all known in Tamiḻnaḍu as we find Sambandar refers to the number 18 representing the Puraṇas. We may say here that what Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata did to popularize Rāma, and Kṛṣṇa, the Purāṇas did for Śiva and Devi. But this should not be considered as compartmentalised for the exploits Śiva and Devi as seen in Purāṇas. This synthesis could be dated earlier than 6th century BCE for Bodhāyana, one of the earliest Sūtrakāra refers to them in his gṛhya-sūtra. The daily rituals of the dvijas prescribe the adoration of this deification.
, the ritual part of idol worship cannot be fixed to any one century. As they are the extension of the Vedas, they may be traced to the Vedic period. There are enough proof in the earliest Buddhist literature, for temple ritual and images so much so we have to place the origin of Śaiva and also the Vaiṣṇava Āgamas to pre-Buddhist age.
In the worship of Śaiva (and Vaiṣṇava system) there was a tendency to divide image worship into saumya and ghorā form, the latter restored by the kings or men in deep distress, praying terrible disasters for the enemies. Historically there is evidence to show there were a good number Vedic Scholars who were great Śaivācāryas who came from Gaudadeśa, (Bengal) Lātadeśa (upper Bihar), Āryadeśa (Uttar Pradesh), Madhyadeśa (Madyapradesh) to Tamiḻnāḍu from 10th to 13th century and most of them served as Rājagurus of Chōḻa emperors. They were responsible for some of the great temples of Tamiḻnāḍu like Tañjāvūr, Gaṅgai-koṇḍa-chōḻapuram, Tribhuvanam and so on. Rājēndra Chōḻa I brought a good number of Śaiva Ācāryas from Antarvedi (Gaṅgā Yamunā Doab) or Godaviri region. One of the inscriptions in the great temple of a Tañjāvūr says that Śaiva Ācāryas from Āryadeśa, Gaudadeśa, and Madyadeśa alone should serve as Śaiva Ācārya. In the great temple of Gaṅgai-koṇḍa-chōḻapuram, Rājēndra praises his guru Śaiva Ācārya Sarva Śiva Paṇḍita from Gaudadeśa as the very embodiment of Śiva on Earth and he was ever engaged in adoring his feet.
These Śaiva Ācāryas were great Vedic scholars, who interpreted Vedas and Upaniṣads as expounding the supremacy of Śiva. One Śrikaṇṭha Sambhu from Gaudadeśa, wrote a commentary on Brahma-sūtra of Veda Vyāsa. It is valued so high as that of Śaṅkara and Rāmānuja. In his commentary Śrikaṇṭha Sambhu establishes that the Brahma-sūtra extoll the final entity as Śiva.
Śrikaṇṭha, son Iśvara Śiva consecrated the great Chōḻa temple at Tribhuvanam near Thiruvidaimarudūr. He is described as a great scholar of Vedantic doctrine. There are many other smaller ones among the Chōḻa temples in the Tañjāvūr district that were the contribution of these Gauda Śiva Ācāryas. But mention must be made of the Gauda Śiva Ācārya of Śiva temple at Dārāsuram near Kumbakōṇam and such Ācāryas at Chidambaram.
We have seen that Āgamas deal with building of temples, qualification of Ācaryas, the form and iconography of images, daily and periodical pūjās, festivals, repairs, consecration, and expiations. They are bulky texts with the result abridged texts were required. We have such abridged editions of Āgamas which were called Paddhatis dating from 8th century onward. Iśāna-gurudeva-paddhati, Aghora-sambhu-paddhati are such popular texts.
It is seen from the Āgamas that besides the general requirements, Śivācārya should know writings, Astronomy and Vāstu Vidyā etc. As the Śivācārya acted as trustees for several hundred temples, they were also expected to know Dharma Śāstras as well. They must not only know the Vedas, Vedāṅgas, and Āgamas, but also Agni kārya and be adept at karṣanādi pratiṣtāntam. More importantly, that they must be practicing Śaivites and have faith in Śaiva-darśanam.
The Sarva-jñanottara-āgama states that Śaivācāryas from region between Vindhyas and Kanyākumari are eminently suited to be Ācāryas as they are honest and trustworthy. We conclude this by an important mention in Aghora-sambhu-paddhati, that one Vidyānta Śiva from the Chōḻa country was invited by the king of Vāranāsi and appointed him as his Rājaguru and this happened before the times of Rājarāja, the migration thus had been both ways. 15.2. Vaikhānasa school The Vaiṣṇavas of Tamiḻnāḍu are divided into two broad divisions as Vaikhānasas and Pāñcarātrins. The Vaikhānasa school is the most dominant school up to 11th century and found in many inscriptions. Only in the eleventh century, the Pāñcarātra school is mentioned in inscription. This is mainly due to the predominance of Vedic scholars in Tamiḻnāḍu about which we shall see in the sequence. Vikhānas was a sage mentioned in the Ṛg Veda “vikhanā muni am”. The Ṛg Veda also says “pavasvantam vaikhānasam lavas ate”. The Yajur Veda says “vaikhānasam pūrva iha sāma bhavati”. He is also mentioned in Sāma Veda and the Mahābhārata of the Veda Vyāsa.
There were eight who were mentioned as the disciples of Sage Vikhānas. They are mentioned as Kāśyapa, Atri, Marīchi, Vasiṣṭha, Āṅgīrasah, Pulastyah, Pulaha, and Kratuh. It also includes Vikhānas as a follower making a total of nine. According to tradition Brahmā himself was called Vikhanā. They were the followers of Sruti and Smṛtis that is Vedas and Dharma Sāstras.
Bodhāyana in his dharma-sūtra, refers to Vānaprasthā following Vaikhānasa-sūtra. And says that Vaikhānasa-sūtra was called “Śrāmanakam tena agnim ādadhita vānaprasthah”. That those vaidikas who wants to embrace the third stage of life - Vānaprastha, by going to forest once and for all leaving the town and village life must carry the sacrificial fire with them. This is an important injunction for any follower of Vānaprastha Āsramī.
This Vaikhānasa-sūtra is cited as authority by great Sūtrakāras like Āpastamba, Gautama, Yama, Manu, Sankhalikhita, Hārīta, Vasiṣta and others it is therefore evident Vaikhānasa-sūtra is one of the oldest to survive. Some of the sages like iAtri, Kācyapa, Gautamaṉ and others were poets mentioned in Saṅgam literature. Evidently, this text is pre Saṅgam in date as it mentioned in Bodhāyana, Āpastamba, Gautamas and others he should be assigned to 600 BCE or earlier.
According to ancient tradition, the sage Vikhānas composed this Sūtra by following the Yajus Sākhā branch of the Vedas incorporating Śrauta-smārta tradition, also relates to Vānaprasta Āśrama. Another tradition says that Viṣṇu himself taught Vikhānas, that he created this school by compiling the mantras referring to Viṣṇu in Vedas and taught with the aṅgas of the Vedas. These Mūla Vaiṣṇava mantras to be recited in rites and codified the order of japa, homa, arccana, and dhyāna. Evidently, the temple worship of this school was based mainly on the Vedas and is a signal development of Vedic nature of temple worship.
So, it is natural that this school reflects many concepts found in Vedānta doctrines. The most ancient school among the Vaikhānasa is the Marīci school called Marīci-samhitā also called Vimānārccana Kalpa. There are three other texts of this school namely Bhṛgu, Atri, and Kācyapa, all emphasizing the Vedic nature of worship. 15.3. Marīci Samhitā According to Marīci, one should worship Paramātmā, the Supreme Self as described in the Śruti and using the mantras from the four Vedas, and thereby attain the supreme abode of Viṣṇu as prescribed in the Śruti. It cites the Vedic hymn which says Viṣṇu is the foremost, as “Viṣṇu is embodiment of all deities, Agnih avamah, the fire is the last deity among them and in between are all other deities”. In holding Viṣṇu as Supreme this text cites the Puruṣa-sūkta passage “all these are that Puruṣa”, (Ṛg Veda 8-4-17) sa Brahmā sa Śivah (Nārāyaṇa-sūktam, Taitt Aran 8-26) this Param Brahma is Param Jyotihi, Supreme effulgent luminary. Evidentially, it is this Puruṣa-sūkta and Nārāyaṇa-sūkta denote Vaiṣṇava worship is based on Sūrya worship. Marīci calls this Vimāna Arccana. It also mentions two kinds of worship, with and without forms. The formless worship is offered in Fire while worship of form is “idol worship”. The latter is superior because the worship will continue even after the demise of the patron.
The Supreme must be visualized in the heart of the individual which is like a lotus in the middle of which remains the flame which should be seen in meditation. “Hṛdaye Agni Sikhā paramātmānam, vyavastitam, dhyānena pasyet”. The image worship is called Kriyāmārga.
Marīchi-samhitā is in 100 chapters/kāṇḍa which deals with the qualification of Ācāryas, the village layout, distribution of temples in the village, types of Viṣṇu temples, the deities to be installed in different levels, their iconography, their daily worship, periodical worships, special worships, festivals, the time of festivals, the expiatory rites, dos and don’ts, safeguards in times of dangers, etc. At the end, it gives some aspect of philosophy of the school. It prescribes the worship is done through aṣṭhāṅga yoga (of Patañjali) and emphasizes, Jñāna-mārga. Evidently, it combines both the jñāna-mārga and karma-mārga, as in the case Vedic karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa.
It speaks of installation of nine mūrtis of Viṣṇu, or eight forms, six forms or five forms, surrounded by circles of deities. It mentions supreme form, the Vyūhas forms, the ten avatars like Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and others. Then follows elaborate circles of secondary deities all being Vedic Devatās, some of which including Rākā, Kuhū, Anūmati, Sinivāli may not be intelligible to modern Vaiṣṇavas. This being a Vedic school, an emphasis is also laid on homa. This is a comprehensive treatise and it will not be possible to cover all aspects in this Section. Beyond any doubt, this school has played a vital role in Tamiḻnāḍu. 15.4. Śri Pārameśvara Samhitā The famous Viṣṇu temple of Tamiḻnāḍu at Śrīraṅgam follows the Āgama, Pārameśvara-samhitā in all aspects of worships, festivals, structures etc. The text has been published by Śri Govindācārya, in the year 1953 at Śrīraṅgam. Govindācārya mentioned as the teacher of Pāñcarātra, at the school of Siṅgamaiyaṅgār, at Śrīraṅgam.
It is a remarkable publication of love and veneration, in which besides the text, the Āchārya has given nearly 20 drawings of the lay out of the temple, the kalasa as to be established in the yāgaśālā, various consecratory rituals that gives the subtle philosophy, etc. It is not only of great help for those performing the rituals, but also lay scholars to visualize the totality of the meaning of the temple. The scholars should be ever thankful to this great Ācārya for publishing this voluminous text. There is an excellent introduction to Pañcarātra Āgama in English at the beginning. It is seen from the introduction this text was originally in two parts as jñānapāda and kriyāpāda, section on Knowledge, and section on Rituals. It is also stated the first part on jñāna is lost, and it is only the kriyapāda that has survived. The present text Pārameśvara-samhitā is that of kriyāpāda. Even here, some portions seem to have been lost at the end.
It is in 26 chapters beginning from the origin of this śāstra. However, the text abruptly ends with the fire sacrifice, for Sudarsana yantra. Obviously some more parts have been lost. What is important is that before giving the chapter headings and their brief contents, the author has given the complete iconography of the temple like the distribution of deities on the Vimāna (Vimāna Devatās), deities at the entrances, and in different circles: 1 on the base from the bottom most • Anantan • Chakras • Sāmarthya Śakti • Lakṣmi with Śankha nidhi and Padma nidhi • Kaustubha with lords of the two nidhi, • Overall, these comes as the embodiment of Śaktis. This followed by 18 Śaktis. • Outside this eight Śaktis are distributed on 8 slabs. • The akṣaras from Akārā to Kṣakāra on eight slabs • Then on the pāda of adhiṣṭhāna see the following circle of deities. • Dharma, Adharma • Jñānam, Ajñānam • Vairāgyam, Avairāgyam • Aiśvaryam, Anaiśvaryam • Ṛgvedā • Yajurveda • Sāmaveda • Atharvaṇaveda • Kritā yuga • Tretā yuga • Dvāpara yuga • Kali yuga On the corner petals of the ādhāra-padma. • Vāsudeva • Samkarṣana • Pradyumna • AniruddhaIn the inner petals of the ādhāra-padma. • Varāha • Ādinātha Viṣṇu • Narasiṁha • NārāyaṇaThe lotus of the caranam front: • Vāsudeva • Samkarṣana • Pradhyumnan • AniruddhanThe folliwing are the deities on the yoga pitha: • Cakras • Padmam • Vimala and other Śakti in the centre • Ananta snake • Vihaga Garuda • Amboja • The hang has two Kāla • Vāyuh • Niyantā • Śāstram • Vidyādhipatayah • Śivan • Prajāpatayah • Indrah • Sapta Riṣyah • NavagrahāhThus, it draws mainly from the Vedas. Be it Vaikānasa or Pāñcarātra, they are rooted in the Vedas.
