View source for Parashiva

{{redirect|Paramashiva|the 2014 film|Paramashiva (film)}}
{{Short description|Hindu deity}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
[[File:Dutcheshwar Shivling .jpg|thumb|Upper part (oval stone) of [[Lingam|Shiva lingam]] represents Parashiva]]
{{Saivism}}
'''Parashiva''' (or '''Paramashiva''', '''Paramshiva''', or '''Parmshiva''', among other spellings; [[Sanskrit]]: परशिव, [[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]]: Paraśiva)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/glossary_c.html|title=Glossary|at=search for "Paraśiva"}}</ref> is the highest aspect of Shiva in [[Shaiva Siddhanta]] and in [[Kashmir Shaivism]]. Below him are the primordial Shiva with the Parashakti and Sadashiva with seven Shaktis.

==Shaiva Siddhanta==
{{main|Shaiva Siddhanta}}
According to the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition, which is a major school of [[Shaivism]], Parashiva is absolute reality which is beyond human comprehension and is beyond all attributes. According to [[Gopinath Kaviraj|Mahamahopadhaya Gopinath Kaviraj]], in this aspect [[Shiva]] is both formless and with forms. He is beyond both [[dvaita]] and [[advaita]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/ch02_01.html|title=Dancing with Siva|pages=ŚLOKA 16 (What Is the Nature of Our God Śiva?)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/ch02_02.html|title=Dancing with Siva|at=ŚLOKA 17(https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/ch02_02.html)}}</ref> In Shaivite theology, Parashiva is both the source and the destination of everything in the existence. 

According to the [[Shaiva Siddhanta]] tradition, the other two aspects of [[Shiva]] are [[Parashakti]] and [[Parameshwara (god)|Parameshwara]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/ch02_03.html|title=Parashakti}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/ch02_04.html|title=Parameshwara}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/glossary_c.html|title=Dancing with Siva|date=30 June 2003 |publisher=Himalayan Academy|isbn=0945497946|at=search 'परमेश्वर ' and 'पराशक्ति '}}</ref>

The upper part (oval stone) of [[Lingam|Shiva Lingam]] represents Parashiva while lower part (pedestal) represents [[Parashakti]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/r7_14.html|title=Hinduism for Children|at=Search for "Śivaliṅga"}}</ref> Parashiva is beyond all of the [[Tattva (Shaivism)|36 tattvas]] mentioned in [[Shaivism]] philosophy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/dancing-with-siva/web/r7_25.html|title=36 tattva}}</ref>

== Kashmir Shaivism ==
[[File:Tattvas36.gif|thumb|Paramashiva is the ultimate reality who either (according to Kashmir Shaivism) construct himself or (according to Shaiva siddhanta) beyond 36 tattvas, the whole elements of reality.]]
{{Main|Kashmir Shaivism}}
Kashmiri Shaivism describes how all of reality, with all of its diversity and fluctuation, is the play of the single principle, Paramashiva. The two aspects of this single reality are inseparably united: Shiva and Shakti.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1438108737 | title=Critical Companion to George Orwell | publisher=Infobase Publishing | author=Edward Quinn | year=2014 | pages=229 | isbn=9781438108735}}</ref> Paramashiva ''appears'' as the world through his creative power, Shakti. The ontological nature of Paramashiva is beyond human knowledge and articulation, yet it can be experienced directly through mystical intuition.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ErhIBHJEkwC | title=Kashmir Shaivaism | publisher=SUNY Press | author=Jagadish Chandra Chatterji | year=1914 | pages=viii | isbn=9780887061790}}</ref>

The Kashmir Shaivism tradition, also called Trika Shaivism, is a [[Nondualism|non-dualist]] branch of [[Shaivism|Shaiva-]][[Shaktism|Shakta]] [[Tantra]] [[Hinduism]] that originated in [[Kashmir]] after 850 CE.<ref name="IEP">[http://www.iep.utm.edu/kashmiri/ David Peter Lawrence, ''Kashmiri Shaiva Philosophy'', Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]</ref><ref name=":1">Wallis, Christopher; Tantra Illuminated, chapter II, The History of Śaiva Tantra</ref> In its place of origin in Kashmir, this tradition is commonly referred to as "''Kashmiri Shaivism''." It later spread beyond Kashmir, with its great scholar [[Abhinavagupta]] calling it "Trika" (meaning "the Trinity"). It particularly flourished in the states of [[Odisha]] and [[Maharashtra]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>Carl Olson, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RVWKClYq4TUC&dq=Pratyabhij%C3%B1a+%2B+trika&pg=PA237 The Many Colors of Hinduism], Rutgers University Press, 2007,  page 237</ref> Defining features of the Trika tradition are its [[Idealism|idealistic]] and [[Monism|monistic]] ''[[Pratyabhijna]]'' ("Recognition") philosophical system, propounded by [[Utpaladeva]] (c. 925–975 CE) and Abhinavagupta (c. 975–1025 CE), and the centrality of the three goddesses [[Parashakti|Parā]], Parāparā, and Aparā.<ref name="IEP" /><ref name=":1" />
==See also==
*[[Brahman]]
*[[Krishna]]
*[[Mahaganapati]]
*[[Mahavishnu]]
*[[Nirguna Brahman]]

==References==
{{incomplete citations|date=October 2023}}
{{Reflist}}

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Forms of Shiva]]
[[Category:Shaivism]]


{{Hindu-theo-stub}}