........ SIDDHAS ---- REFERENCE ABOUT SIDDHAS

References about Siddha-like persons and personalities during Sanga period

One Tamil poet says that his hair did not become grey, because he was so happy with his life, even though he is an old man. There were several rishi like persons existed without caring for others engulfed in their penance in forests and other remote places. Later Imberumkappyangal vividly describe different types of monks, sages, saints etc. As they were engaged in different activities and the Sanga poets were mostly interested in praising the kings, feudatories and others, they might not been noticed by them. In the ritual of Veriyadal, the arrangement of rice in the form of geometrical figures remind tantric figures. Many rock paintings found in Tamilagam have been dated to 2000-1500 BCE contain many geometrical figures. In fact, Tiruvalluvar himself can be considered a Siddhar of the ancient period. However, the Siddha works circulated in his name have not been written by him and they are of later period.

Siddhas and Tantras

There is a possibility that Siddhas might have been associated with Tantras. The tantric worship and practices definitely originated in India and spread to China through Tibet and other countries7. Siddhas played a role in such propagation. As several Siddhas had contacts with China and Tirumular came from Kashmir, Siddhas actively worked for the development of Sakti cult connected with Tantraism. Incidentally, Kashmir acted as a route to China and also a place for the development of Kasmira Saivism. One group of scholars trace the origin of Agamas to Kashmir. The contents of Tirumular are evidently tantra oriented, describing different cakras in yogic approach. However, the Sakti worhip is predominantly noted in his work. Because of the similarity found in Tirumanthiram and Saundarya Lahari attributed to Adi Sankara, it is evident that Adi Sankara is predated to Tirumular. Moreover, Adi Sankara had to encounter with Sakti worshippers and compromise to bring them into the fold of Shanmata. The later Siddhas too have extensively dealt with cakras of temple and as well as human body (plexus, centre of energy).

 

 

  
 
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