शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

ii SIVAGNANA BOTHAM.
commented on Sivagnana Botham is called "Adwaitha Meikandan"
(அத்துவித மெய்கண்டான், one who saw the Truth of Adwaitha) by
Thayumanavar. However it is the Agama which gives the
Philosophy its form and language. Very absurd notions are
entertained of the Agamas or Tantras, specially derived from the
low practices of the Right-hand followers or Vamabahinis of
Bengal and proceeding from ignorance of the real works, through
want of published books and translations. The books followed by
the Left-hand Section or South Indian Sects are altogether differ-
ent and I give a list of them below. Very little notice is taken
of them by Oriental Scholars and of the existing works the Karma
Kanda are alone preserved to us. There are several of these works
in the great Mutt at Thiruvavaduthurai; and an excellent com-
mentary on one of the Upagamas, Paushkara, by Umapathisiva-
charya is also preserved there. Like the Veda or Mantra, the
Agama or Tantra is divided into Karma Kanda and Gnana Kanda
and there were a large number of Upagamas corresponding to
Upanishads, of which Mrigendra is very largely quoted by Sayana-
charya in his Sarvadarsana Sangraha. The true relation of the
Agama to the Veda is pointed out by Swami Vivekananda in his
address to the Madras people and I quote his observations below.
"The Tantras as we have said, represent the 'Vedic rituals'
in a modified form, and before any one jumps into the most ab-
surd conclusions about them, I will advise him to read the Tantras
in connection with the 'Brahmanas' especially of the 'Adhwaryu'
portion. And most of the 'Mantras' used in the 'Tantras' will
be found taken verbatim from these 'Brahmanas.' As to their
influence, apart from the 'Srouta' and 'Smarta' rituals, all other
forms of ritual observed from the Himalayas to the Comorin have
been taken from the 'Tantras' and they direct the worship of the
Saktas, the Saivas, the Vaishnavas and all others alike."
I am also informed that the sources of the rules for the rituals
followed by Smartas and which are now taken from some manuals