Shaiva
Shaiva Agamas are texts devoted to the worship of Shiva. These contain instructions for the building of temples, installation of idols, and various rituals.
Agama — Shaiva·Shaiva
- Shaiva Agamas are the revealed scriptures of the Shaiva tradition — centered on Lord Shiva as Supreme Being.
- There are 28 primary Shaiva Agamas plus 207 Upagamas (subsidiary texts).
- Each Agama has four sections (Padas): Jnana (knowledge), Yoga (practice), Kriya (ritual), Charya (conduct).
- Shaiva Agamas form the basis of Shaiva Siddhanta — the dominant theology of Tamil Shaivism.
- The temple cities of Tamil Nadu (Chidambaram, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai) follow Shaiva Agamic prescriptions.
- Kashmir Shaivism (Trika) developed from the Bhairava Agamas — a Shakta-Shaiva synthesis.
- Abhinavagupta's Tantraloka is the masterwork of Kashmir Shaivism — 37 volumes synthesizing all Agamic traditions.
- The Shaiva Siddhanta school (South India) and Kashmir Shaivism (North India) are the two great Shaiva Agamic traditions.
Structural Organization
AgamaPrimary scripture (28 total)→PadaSection (Jnana, Yoga, Kriya, Charya)→PatalaChapter
Example: Kamika Agama → Jnana Pada → Chapter 1
Key Topics
28 Shaiva Agamas
Complete set from Kamika to Vatula
Shaiva Siddhanta
South Indian Shaiva theology — Pati, Pashu, Pasha (God, soul, bondage)
Kashmir Shaivism
North Indian non-dualist Shaivism — Pratyabhijna school
Temple Ritual
Agamic prescriptions for South Indian Shiva temple worship
Panchakritya
Shiva's 5 acts: creation, preservation, destruction, concealment, grace
Diksha & Initiation
Formal initiation into Shaiva tradition
Key Figures
Sadashiva
Supreme revealer of Shaiva Agamas
Abhinavagupta
Greatest Kashmir Shaivism philosopher — Tantraloka
Tirumular
Tamil Shaiva sage — Tirumantiram — Agamic tradition in Tamil
Key Texts & Works
Kamika Agama
Most important Shaiva Agama — temple construction and ritual
Tantraloka (Abhinavagupta)
37-chapter synthesis of Kashmir Shaivism
Tirumantiram (Tirumular)
Tamil Shaiva Agamic scripture — 3,000 verses