Rudraksha Therapy Book I Chapter III

[Guest guest]

Chapter III

 

As stated in the last chapter it would be good to take a look at people today

who are a modern example of ancient Shaivism and how the Holy Rudraksa is

treated in their Spritual Teachings

 

Although Veera Shaivism is one of the older sects of this belief system along

with Shaiva Siddhaanta, Shivaadvaita and Kashmir Shaivism it is one of the

most dynamic of modern day Shaivite Schools

 

Religious homeland for Veera Shaivism is in Karnataka South Central India.

About 40 million people live in this state and about one fourth or 10 million

peoople are practiceing this Faith there. There is hardly a village in the state

without a jangama ( wandering monk ) or matha ( monestary )

 

The earliest reference to Veera Shaivism is found in the ShivaAgamas and the

adherents of this faith trace their beginnings back to the rishis of ancient

times. It was made popular by the remarkable South Indian Brahmin Srhi

Basavanna ( 1105 - 1167 )

 

Veera "heroic" Shaivites are also known as Lingayats, "bearers of the Linga"

and Sivasharanas. All members are to constantly wear a Linga encased in a

pendant around the neck. Veera Shaivite belief is that wearing the linga on the

body unites the soul with the Omnipresence

 

The Veera Shaivites goal in life is accomplished when soul and God are fused

in a final state of perpetual Shiva Consciousness by way of Shatsthala that is

a progressive 6 stage path of devotion and surrender

 

Bhakta sthala ( devotion )

Mahesha sthala ( selfless service )

Prasaadhi sthala ( earnestly seeking Sivas grace )

Praana Linga sthala ( experience all as Shiva )

Sharana sthala ( egoless refuge in Shiva )

Aikya sthala ( oneness with Shiva )

 

Attainment of this goal depends on the successful practices of panchachara (

five codes of conduct ) and AshtaAvarana ( eight shields or protections ) to

protect the body as the abode of Shiva

 

Panchachara The Five Codes of Conduct

 

Lingachara ( daily worship of the ShivaLinga )

Sadachara ( attention to vocation and duty )

Sivachara ( acknowledgeing Siva as the one God and maintaining equality among

all members of the community regardless of caste, education or sex )

Bhrityachara ( humility towards all creatures )

Ganachara ( defense of the community and its tenets Ashta Aavarana

 

Ashta Aavarana The Eight Protections or aids

 

Guru ( obedience to a teacher )

Linga ( worship of the Divine Self )

Jangama ( reverence for a person who moves from place to place )

Paadodaka ( sipping the water in which the feet of a guru or jangama have

been ceremoniously washed

Prasaada ( offering food to a guru, jangama or linga and then partaking

sacramentally of what is left over )

Vibhuti or Bhasma ( smearing of the sacred ash )

Rudraksha ( wearing of the sacred rosary beads )

Mantra ( chanting the five syllabled formula Namah Shivaya )

 

Today Veera Shaivism is a vibrant compassionate faith that has been credited

with championing the cause of the down trodden and rebelling against a

powerful brahminical system which promoted social inequality through a caste

system

that branded a whole class of people as polluted.

 

They teach a monistic theistic doctrine named Shakti Vishishtadvaita that

rejects duality of God and Soul, multiplicity of Gods, caste hierarchy, animal

sacrifice and karmic bondage

 

One of the things I have found remarkable about Veera Shaivism is that deeply

imbedded in their Eight Protections that are linked to their Five Codes of

Conduct to protect the body as the abode of Lord Shiva, there is the wearing of

the Holy Rudraksa