| There are many
other interesting bas - reliefs depicting Siva and Kali as dancing together, Siva as
Gajaha Murthy i.e., slayer of the demon in the form of an Elephant, and Durga as
Mahishasura Mardani i.e., slaying a demon in the form of a buffalo, Siva saving the boy
Markandeya from the death noose of Yama, and a number of other Saivite. Scenes from the
puranas. There is also a carving of the serpent Sesha whose body is coiled and interlaced
representing the Hindu symbol of eternity. Srisailam
is also a principal seat of Veerasaiva. The term 'Veerasaiva' itself shows that their sect
came into existence at a time when the people had to defend their faith with valor.
Veerasaiva used to wear the Sivalingas in open defiance of the Jains who persecuted them,
and hence the lingas came to be called as Pranalingas, since they had defended them with
the very prana of the wearer. Veerasaiva do not accept the Adhyasa theory of Sankara a
regard the Visista- dvaita, theory of Ramanuja also as self- contradictory. They
believe that Pasu or Jeeva is tied to the three impurities of Mala, Karma and Maya, and
that liberation means freedom from these impurities only. Their initiation or Diksha is by
the Siva Panchakshari Mantra after which they have to wear the Shivalinga continuously on
their bodies. Even ladies can have this initiation. |
