The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to set up a five-member panel to identify the temples that were constructed as per the ‘Agamas’. Following this, the appointment of Archakas (priests) would be governed accordingly and as per the judgment of the Supreme Court on the issue, the first bench of Chief Justice MN Bhandari and Justice N Mala said.
Disposing of a batch of petitions from the All India Adi Saiva Sivacharyargal Seva Sangam, by its general secretary BSR Muthukumar and 14 others, the bench upheld certain provisions of the TN Hindu Religious Institutions Employees (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2020 issued in pursuance to a government order dated September 3, 2020, of the Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments department.
The petitions sought to quash the said provisions and consequently restrain the authorities concerned from appointing or selecting Archakas and other Agama-related personnel in temples in contravention of the Agamas, as held by the Supreme Court in the Adi Saiva Sivachariyargal Nala Sangam versus State of Tamil Nadu and another case. The challenge to these provisions, all dealing with selection and service conditions, promotion, and seniority, is not sustainable, the bench said in its 93-page judgment.
What are Agamas?
The religious literature of Hinduism is broadly divided into two sections: Shruti and Smriti. Shruti makes up the focal group of Hinduism and incorporates the Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. Smriti signifies “what is recalled” in the whole collection of post-Vedic classical literature. It incorporates Vedanga, Shaddarsana, Puranas, Itihasa, Upveda, Tantras, Agamas, and Upangas. The term “Agama” is utilised for sacred writings in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism.
The Agamas are the essential source and authority for yoga techniques and guidance, according to this comprehensive description. The Shaiva Agamas respect the Ultimate Reality as Shiva (Shaivas). The Vaishnava-Agamas (Pancharatra and Vaikhanasas Samhitas) revere the Ultimate Reality as Vishnu (Vaishnavas). The Shakta-Agamas (Tantras) pay ode to the Ultimate Reality as Shakti, the partner of Shiva and Divine Mother of the universe (Shaktas). Each arrangement of texts develops the focal religious and philosophical lessons of that division.
Agamas likewise contain insights concerning who is permitted to perform temple rituals, and who is qualified to worship, and from which part of the temple. They are the core values for some individuals of the Hindu faith.
Pancharatra and Vaikanasa Agama are the two primary schools within the Vaishnava Agama. The Shaiva Agama has led to the Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy in South India and to the Pratyabhijna system of Kashmir Shaivism. Smartas recognise the Agamas but don’t necessarily adhere to them, relying mainly on the smriti texts. In the Malay languages, the word Agama literally means religion. The Agamas are also sometimes known as Tantras.
The philosophy and spiritual knowledge underlying deity worship, the yoga and mental discipline necessary for this worship, and the specifics of worship offered to the deity are all topics covered in Agamas. Each Agama consists of four parts. The first part includes philosophical and spiritual knowledge. The second part covers yoga and mental discipline. The third part specifies rules for the construction of temples and for sculpting and carving the figures of deities for worship in the temples. The fourth part of the Agamas includes rules pertaining to the observance of religious rites, rituals, and festivals.
The Agamas for Silpa (the art of sculpture) contain detailed regulations that specify the standards for the locations where temples are to be built, the kinds of images that are to be installed, the materials used to create them, as well as the images’ dimensions and proportions, airflow, lighting, and other factors. The Manasara and Silpasara are some of the works dealing with these rules. The rituals followed in the worship services each day at the temple also follow the rules laid out in the Agamas.
The Agamas state three essential requirements for a place of pilgrimage: Sthala, Teertham, and Murthy. Sthala refers to the temple, Teertham to the temple tank, and Murthy to the deity(ies) worshipped. A temple may also be associated with a tree, called the Sthala Vriksham. For instance, the Kadamba tree at the Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple is the Sthala Vriksham. A lone banyan tree that adorns the spacious courtyard of the Ratnasabha at Tiruvalankadu is the Sthala Vriksham. The entire area is believed to have been a forest of banyan trees once.
Types of Agamas
Like Upanishads, there are many Agamas. They can be broadly divided into three sets:
- Vaikhanasas Samhitas – worship God as Lord Vishnu
- Shaiva Agamas – worship God as Lord Shiva
- Shakta Tantras – worship God as Mother Goddess
There is no Agama for Lord Brahma (God of creation). Saktiates recognise 77 Agamas. I am not sure about the actual number of the Vaishna Agamas. Vaishanavates consider Pancharatra Agamas as one of the most important agamas. Each Agama consists of philosophy, mental discipline, rules for constructing temples, and religious practices.
Smartas recognise the Agamas but don’t necessarily adhere to them, relying mainly on the smriti texts.
Vaishnava Agamas
The Vaishnava Agamas are grouped into four categories, namely the Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra, Pratishthasara, and Vijnanalalita. Of these, the Vaishanavites consider the Pancharatra Agama as the most important. These Agamas are believed to have been revealed by Narayana Himself. The Pancharatra Agama is again subdivided into seven sub-Agamas: the Brahma, Shaiva, Kaumara, Vasishtha, Kapila, Gautamiya, and Naradiya.
According to the Pancharatra Agamas, devotion to Vishnu is the surest route to enlightenment, and he is the Supreme Lord of the Universe. According to another opinion, the Vaikhanasagama is the most ancient and most important Agama, and all the Agamas practically and literally copied all their information from this sacred Agama. Tradition says that the Vaikhanasa Agama was originally compiled under the guidance of sage Vaikhanasa during the early Vedic period. Sri Madhavacharya held the Pancharatra texts in high esteem and equated them with the Vedas and the epics, while Sri Shankaracharya had a different opinion.
There are two hundred and fifteen of these Vaishnava texts. Isvara, Ahirbudhnya, Paushkara, Parama, Sattvata, Brihad-Brahma, and Jnanamritasara Samhitas are the important ones.
Shaiva Agamas
Shaivates have 28 principal Agamas and 108 Upa Agamas (minor Agamas). Some of them date back to the 2nd Century. These texts are followed by different Shaiva schools, including the Shaiva Siddhantha school (the Southern Shaivas), Tamil Shaivas, the Pratyabhijna system (Kashmiri Shaivas), and Vira Shaivas, who also look to the Agamas as their primary source of authority in addition to the Vedas. The most prominent Agama text in Shaivas is the Kamika. These texts consider Shiva as the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, the Highest Self, the Conscious Principle, while Shakti is regarded as the unconscious or natural principle who is the cause of bondage. The union of Shakti with Shiva at the highest level leads to the freedom of the pasu (inner Self) from the Pasa or the attachment.
Sakta Agamas
The adherents of Saktas follow 27 Agamas also called Tantras. Saktas consider Shakti (the World-Mother) as the Supreme Self and relegate Iswara, the Divine Father, to a secondary position. In Saktas, the Divine Mother is both the cause of delusion (maya) and the source of liberation.
They focus on the Shakti (energy) aspect of God and offer a variety of ritualistic worship practices for the Divine Mother. There are seventy-seven Agamas. These are very much like the Puranas in some respects. The texts are usually in the form of dialogues between Shiva and Parvati. In some of these, Shiva answers the questions put by Parvati, and in others, Parvati answers, with Shiva questioning. Mahanirvana, Kularnava, Kulasara, Prapanchasara, Tantraraja, Rudra-Yamala, Brahma-Yamala, Vishnu-Yamala and Todala Tantra, are important works.
The Agamas teach several occult practices, some of which confer powers, while others bestow knowledge and freedom. Shakti is the creative power of Lord Shiva. Shaktas are really a supplement to Shaivism.
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