''Shanmata'' () meaning "Six Sects" in Sanskrit, is a system of worship, believed in the

Smarta The ''Smarta'' tradition (, ) is a movement in Hinduism that developed and expanded with the Puranas genre of literature. It reflects a synthesis of four philosophical strands, namely Uttara Mīmāṃsā, Advaita Vedanta, Advaita, Yoga (philo ...

tradition to have been founded by the Hindu philosopher

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...

, whose lifetime was during circa 8th century CE. It centers around the worship of six primary deities of Hinduism:

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

Ganesha Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

Surya Surya ( ; , ) is the Sun#Dalal, Dalal, p. 399 as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchaya ...

, and Skanda. It is based on the belief in the essential oneness of all deities, the unity of Godhead, and their conceptualization of the myriad deities of India as various manifestations of the one divine power, '' Para Brahman''.

Philosophy

Adi Shankara's followers believe Brahman alone is ultimately real and the true self, '' atman'', is not different from ''Brahman''. It centers around the worship of the deities belonging to six '' āgama'' schools: * Shaiva * Shakta * Saurya * Vaishnava * Kaumara * Ganapatya Philosophically, all are seen by Advaitins as equal reflections of the one '' Saguna Brahman'', i.e. a personal divine with form, rather than as distinct beings.

Relationship with Smartism

The Smarta tradition, a relatively modern Hindu tradition (compared to the three other traditions), invites the worship of more than one god, including Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, and Surya among other gods and goddesses. It is not as overtly sectarian as either Vaishnavism or Shaivism, and is based on the recognition that Brahman is the highest principle in the universe and pervades all of existence. Generally, Smartas worship Brahman in one of five forms: Ganesha, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, and Surya. Because they accept all the major Hindu deities, they are regarded to be liberal or nonsectarian. They follow a philosophical, meditative path, emphasizing man's oneness with God through understanding. Some Smartas accept and worship the six manifestations of Brahman, and the choice of the nature of Brahman is up to the individual worshipper, since different manifestations of God are held to be equivalent. It is believed that in Adi Shankara's time these deities had their own

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

followers who quarreled with each other, claiming the superiority of their chosen deity. Adi Shankara is said to have synthesized these quarrelling sects by integrating the worship of all these deities in the Shanmata system.

References

{{Hindudharma Worship in the Smarta tradition Adi Shankara

Philosophy

Relationship with Smartism

See also

References