SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

a religio-philosophical system of South India in which Siva is worshiped as the supreme deity. The Saiva-siddhanta system is realistic and dualistic, in contrast to Kashmir Saivism (q.v.), which is idealistic and monistic. The principal literature of the Saiva-siddhantas are the Tamil devotional hymns written by Saiva saints from the 5th to the 9th century, known in their collected form as Tirumurai. Meykandadevar (13th century) was the first systematic philosopher of the school.