THE AGAMAS

Introduction
Another class of popular scriptures are the Agamas. The Agamas are theological treatises and practical manuals of
divine worship. The Agamas include the Tantras, Mantras and Yantras. These are treatises explaining the external
worship of God, in idols, temples, etc. All the Agamas treat of (i) Jnana or Knowledge, (ii) Yoga or Concentration,
(iii) Kriya or Esoteric Ritual and (iv) Charya or Exoteric Worship. They also give elaborate details about ontology
and cosmology, liberation, devotion, meditation, philosophy of Mantras, mystic diagrams, charms and spells,
temple-building, image-making, domestic observances, social rules, public festivals, etc.

Divisions of the Agamas

The Agamas are divided into three sections: the Vaishnava, the Saiva and the Sakta. The three chief sects of
Hinduism, viz., Vaishnavism, Saivism and Saktism, base their doctrines and dogmas on their respective Agamas.
The Vaishnava Agamas or Pancharatra Agamas glorify God as Vishnu. The Saiva Agamas glorify God as Siva and
have given rise to an important school of philosophy known as Saiva-Siddhanta, which prevails in South India,
particularly in the districts of Tirunelveli and Madurai. The Sakta Agamas or Tantras glorify God as the Mother of
the Universe, under one of the many names of Devi.

The Agamas do not derive their authority from the Vedas, but are not antagonistic to them. They are all Vedic in
spirit and character. That is the reason why they are regarded as authoritative.

Vaishnava Agamas
The Vaishnava Agamas are of four kinds: the Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra, Pratishthasara and Vijnanalalita. The
Brahma, Saiva, Kaumara, Vasishtha, Kapila, Gautamiya and the Naradiya are the seven groups of the Pancharatras.
The Naradiya section of the Santi-Parva of the Mahabharata is the earliest source of information about the
Pancharatras.

Vishnu is the Supreme Lord in the Pancharatra Agamas. The Vaishnavas regard the Pancharatra Agamas to be the
most authoritative. They believe that these Agamas were revealed by Lord Vishnu Himself. Narada-Pancharatra
says: “Everything from Brahman to a blade of grass is Lord Krishna.” This corresponds to the Upanishadic
declaration: “All this is, verily, Brahman–Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma.”

There are two hundred and fifteen of these Vaishnava texts. Isvara, Ahirbudhnya, Paushkara, Parama, Sattvata,
Brihad-Brahma and Jnanamritasara Samhitas are the important ones.

Saiva Agamas
The Saivas recognise twenty-eight Agamas, of which the chief is Kamika. The Agamas are also the basis of
Kashmir Saivism which is called the Pratyabhijna system. The latter works of Pratyabhijna system show a distinct
leaning to Advaitism. The Southern Saivism, i.e., Saiva Siddhanta, and the Kashmir Saivism, regard these Agamas
as their authority, besides the Vedas. Each Agama has Upa-Agamas. Of these, only fragmentary texts of twenty are
extant. Lord Siva is the central God in the Saiva Agamas. They are suitable to this age, Kali Yuga. They are open to
all castes and both the sexes.

Sakta Agamas
There is another group of scriptures known as the Tantras. They belong to the Sakta cult. They glorify Sakti as the
World-Mother. They dwell on the Sakti (energy) aspect of God and prescribe numerous courses of ritualistic
worship of the Divine Mother in various forms. 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 Siva and Parvati. In some of these,
Siva answers the questions put by Parvati, and in others, Parvati answers, Siva questioning. Mahanirvana,
Kularnava, Kulasara, Prapanchasara, Tantraraja, Rudra-Yamala, Brahma-Yamala, Vishnu-Yamala and Todala
Tantra are the important works. The Agamas teach several occult practices some of which confer powers, while the
others bestow knowledge and freedom. Sakti is the creative power of Lord Siva. Saktism is really a supplement to
Saivism.

Among the existing books on the Agamas, the most famous are the Isvara-Samhita, Ahirbudhnya-Samhita,
Sanatkumara-Samhita, Narada-Pancharatra, Spanda-Pradipika and the Mahanirvana-Tantra.

Sathatha Sri Vaishnava

The Sathatha Sri Vaishnavas, also known as Chattada Sri Vaishnavas or Sattada Sri Vaishnavas, are
a caste living throughout the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. For
several centuries, they have rendered a variety of services in Sri Vaishnava temples
as archakas, dharmakartas, progithar, guardians of temple properties and suppliers of flowers such as garlands
for worship. They have claimed Brahmin status, although this has been contested.
Origin
They are a Telugu caste originally from the Chola-ruled regions of South India now known as North
Arcot and South Arcot, and also the Northern Circars. They have operated schools from the time of Ramanuja,
in the 12th century. They subsequently migrated to other areas of South India, including Hyderabad State when
it was under the supervision of a British Resident.
The community was associated with the Tengalai movement, which was significant as it identified them as a
part of one of the two Srivaishnaivite sects that had frequently feuded with each other since the death of
Ramanuja in 1173. Whilst Ramanuja himself probably expressed no preference, the Tengalais, or
"southerners", preferred Tamil language religious texts and their counterparts, the Vadagalais ("northerners")
were in favour of Sanskrit sources. The two groups also had doctrinal differences regarding such things as the
nature of salvation. The cumulative effect of these differences was that the Tengalai were more liberal, radical
and socially inclusive than the Vadagalai, and thus attracted to their ranks a larger number of people from
castes that were considered to be low in status and, indeed, people who were thought to be completely outside
the caste system.
Request for name change
Originally known as Satani, Sattada, Chattada or Chatadi, the 1931 Census Report for Mysore stated that
"the request that the name Satani to be changed to Sattada Sri Vaishnava could not be accepted because Sri
Vaishnava is the name of a distinctive group of Brahmins and Satani community is not generally treated as a
Brahmin community. The adoption of the new name could be misleading." Many communities
were attempting to claim Brahmin status there at that time, and British Raj officials had previously treated
Satanis as being a mixed community of non-Brahmins who had in common their adherence to the Tengalai
movement and various forms of temple service.
History
There are several sub-sects among the Sathatha Sri Vaishnava. Many follow a lifestyle like that of
the Iyengars. Their names have the honorary suffix Ayyangar and the title acharya, swamy. They especially
revere the Sankha, the Chakra, the Naamam, Hanuman and Garuda. Above all, they honour the Alvars,
especially Nammalvar. They recite and use only the Alvar's hymns for domestic rituals. Most are disciples of
the Koil Annan and Acharya Purusha of Srirangam. Some follow the Vaanamaamalai Math and others the Para
Vastu Math at Tirupati.
The Srirangam Kovil Olugu records that this community served in the Srirangam temple at the time of
Ramanuja and that he assigned them special duties and services in his reorganisation of the temple.
They were also prominent in Srirangam and Kanchipuram (15th and 16th centuries) under the leadership of
Kanudaadi Ramanujuayyangar, who was a disciple of both Koil Annan at Srirangam and Azhagiyamanaavala
Jeeyar at Kancheepuram Varadarajaswami temple. They were in charge of Ramanuja Kootams.

History
There are several sub-sects among the Sathatha Sri Vaishnava. Many follow a lifestyle
like that of the Sri Vaishanava (Iyengars). Their names have the honorary suffix
Ayyangar and the title acharya, swamy. They especially revere the Sankha, the Chakra,
the Naamam, Hanuman and Garuda. Above all, they honour the Aazhvaars, especially
Nammaazhvaar. They recite and use only the Aazhvaar’s hymns for domestic rituals.
Most are disciples of Koil Annan-and Acharya Purusha of Sri Rangam. Some follow the
Vaanamaamalai Math and others the Para Vastu Math at Tirupati.

The term "Sathatha" may be a corruption of Sat-taada (Sanskrit "Sat" and Tamil
"Taada"), meaning pure or true servant.

The Srirangam koil Olugu records that this community served in the Srirangam temple
at the time of Śrī Ramanujacharya (11th century AD) and that this Acharya assigned
them special duties and services in his reorganisation of the temple.

They were also prominent in Srirangam and Kanchipuram (15th and 16th centuries)
under the leadership of Kanudaadi Ramanujuayyangar, who was a disciple of both Koil
Annan at Srirangam and Azhagiyamanaavala Jeeyar at Kancheepuram
Varadarajaswami temple. They were in charge of Ramanuja Kootams.

The distinctiveness of Srivaisnava Hinduism lies not only in the fact that it gives special
attention to the female mode of the godhead (sri), but also in its claim to inspiration by
both the Sanskrit Veda and the devotional poems of the twelve devotees known as
Alvars (650-850 C.E.) - considered to be the Tamil Veda. The two vedas are not of
equal weight for all Srivaisnavas - Vatakalai (northern branch) Srivaisnavism gives
precedence to the Sanskrit and Tenkalai (southern branch) Srivaisnavism to the Tamil.
Nonetheless, both lineages of theologians came to speak of their theology as ubhaya
vedanta - "the wisdom of both" the Tamil Veda and the Sanskrit Veda. Among the
Alvars - one female and eleven males – at least five are non-Brahmin and it is the works
of one of these, Nammalvar, that are most revered. The literature of both the northern
and southern lineages stipulates that moksa is by the grace of the supreme Lord
through rituals open to both male and female members of all castes.

At the same time, it appears that the entire lineage of theologians, on both the Tenkalai
and Vatakalai sides, is Brahmin from the beginning (Nathamuni, c. 900) to the present.
Sociological and ritual studies show that both Tenkalai and Vatakalai Brahmins consider
the maintenance of caste purity important and continue to perform the prescribed Vedic
rituals. Those who administer initiatory rites (diksa), as well as the Srivaisnava temple
priests, are invariably Brahmin. Indeed, the rather extensive scholarly literature
describing and interpreting Srivaisnavism represents it as essentially a Brahmin
tradition.