Meykandar

Traditionally placed in the early 13th century CE.

Editorial overview

Historical context

Meykandar is the foundational teacher of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta as a philosophical system. His Shiva Jnana Bodham, a short Tamil work of twelve sutras with commentary, is regarded as the root text of the Meykandar lineage. Tradition holds that its sutras render verses of the Raurava Agama, which scholars debate. His disciple Arulnandi and later authors developed his teaching into the fourteen Meykanda Shastras.

On attribution: Whether the Shiva Jnana Bodham is an original Tamil composition or a rendering of Agamic Sanskrit verses is debated.

Core ideas

Three eternal realities: the Lord (pati), souls (pashu) and bonds (pasha)
Souls are bound by impurities (malas): anava (innate limitation), karma and maya
Shiva acts on souls out of grace, and liberation comes through that grace
In liberation the soul is inseparable from Shiva, yet not identical: a non-duality that preserves distinction
The world is real and is produced from maya as a material cause under Shiva's direction

Major works

Textशिवज्ञानबोधम्Shiva Jnana BodhamTwelve sutras that became the foundational philosophical text of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta.

Concepts

Conceptपति पशु पाशPati, Pashu, Pasha — Lord, soul, bondShaiva Siddhanta's three eternal realities: the Lord, bound souls, and the bonds that bind them.ConceptशिवShiva (as principle)Shiva as the supreme reality or pure consciousness, as understood in Shaiva philosophies.Conceptअनुग्रहAnugraha — graceDivine grace — God's freely given favour that frees the soul.ConceptजीवJiva — the individual soulThe living, embodied individual who acts, experiences and transmigrates.ConceptमायाMayaThe power of appearance — why the world seems other than it is.Conceptमोक्षMoksha — liberationFinal freedom from bondage and the cycle of rebirth.

Philosophical disagreements

Presented so you can understand each side — not to declare a winner.

With Advaita Vedanta
Shaiva Siddhanta rejects the Advaita view that the soul is identical with the absolute and the world is maya in the sense of appearance; souls are eternally real and distinct even when liberated.
With Kashmir Shaivism (Pratyabhijna / Trika)
Both are Shaiva, but Kashmir Shaivism holds that souls and the world are forms of Shiva's consciousness, while Siddhanta keeps the Lord, souls and bonds eternally distinct.

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Related thinkers

अभिनवगुप्तAbhinavagupta

Traditions

शैव सिद्धान्तShaiva Siddhanta शैवShaivism