Pashupata Shaivism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pashupata Shaivism - one of the main Shaivite schools. The Pashupatas (Sanskrit: Pāśupatas) are the oldest named Shaivite group.[1]

Dating is uncertain, but the Pashupatas may have existed from the first century CE.[2] Gavin Flood dates them probably from around the second century CE.[3] They are referred to in the Mahabharata, the action of which takes place in the 4 millennium BCE. [4]

The Pashupatas were ascetics.[5]

Pashupata Shaivism was a devotional (bhakti) movement.[6]

The Pashupata movement was influential in South India in the period between the seventh and fourteenth century, however it does not exist any more.[6]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ For the Pāśupatas as the oldest named Śaiva group, see: Flood (2003), p. 206.
  2. ^ For dating as first century CE, with uncertainty, see: Michaels (2004), p. 62.
  3. ^ For dating from probably second century CE, see: Flood (2003), p. 206.
  4. ^ For citation to MBH śantiparvan 12.349.64, see: Flood (2003), p. 206.
  5. ^ For Pāśupata as an ascetic movement see: Michaels (2004), p. 62.
  6. ^ a b Lorenzen, David N. Śaivism. An Overwiew, [in]: Gale's Encyclopedia of Religion, vol. 12, 2005, ISBN 0-02-865981-3

[edit] References

  • Flood, Gavin (Editor) (2003). The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.. ISBN 1-4051-3251-5. 
  • Michaels, Axel (2004). Hinduism: Past and Present. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08953-1. 
 This Hinduism-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Languages