History · X-Factor Notes
Shaiva, Bhagwata Religion revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
19 revision facts
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of Religion | Vaishnava Religion developed from the Bhagvata Religion. The originator of the Bhagavata Religion was traditionally Lord Krishna (Vasudeva), a Vrishni descendant from Mathura. | |
| Vedic Mentions | Lord Krishna, son of Devaki, is described in the Chhandogya Upanishad. In the Rig Veda, Vishnu is mentioned as the God of the sky. | |
| Universal Time Scale | The mythological sequence of the four epochs (yugas) is Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kaliyuga. | |
| Vishnu Incarnation | Lord Vishnu took the form of Varaha (Boar) to kill the king of Giants, Hiranyaksha, and save the Earth from the sea. This is the third incarnation in the order of incarnations. | U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl) (Pre) 2010; U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl) (Mains) 2010 |
| Religious Text | The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita was originally written in the Sanskrit language. | N/A |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Adherent | The Greek Ambassador of Taxila, Heliodorus, accepted the Bhagavata Religion and established the Garuda pillar of Vidisha (Besanagar). On the pillar, Heliodorus was called ‘Bhagvata’ and Vasudev was called ‘Devadevas’. | U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2010 |
| Gupta Zenith | The Bhagavata or Vaishnava religion reached its peak in the reign of Gupta kings. They adopted Garuda (Vishnu's mount) as the state symbol. Most Gupta rulers held the title of ‘Parambhagavata’. | |
| Gupta Temple (UP) | The Dashavatara Temple is listed as being located in Deogarh, U.P.. | |
| South Indian Propagation | The Alvar Saints (12 in number) propagated the Vaishnav Religion in South India. |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Indus Valley Origin | The Shaiva Dharma is the oldest religion in India. People of the Indus Valley worshipped Shiva; evidence includes the Pashupati (Shiva) seal found in Mohenjodaro, which Marshall identified as an early form of Lord Shiva or Rudra. | |
| Vedic and Later Names | In the Rig Veda, Shiva is called 'Rudra'. In the Atharvaveda, he is called Pashupati. | |
| Major Sects | The four Shaiv sects mentioned in the Vaman Purana are Shaiva, Pashupat, Kapalik, and Kalamukh. | |
| Pashupat Sect | The Pashupat community was founded by a Brahmachari named Lakulish or Lakuli. | U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2017 |
| Nayanars | The propagation of Shaiva Religion in South India was done by Nayanars (63 saints). | N/A |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Gupta Temples | A Shiva temple was built in Bhumara during the Gupta period. The Parvati temple was built in Nachanakuthar during the Gupta period. | |
| Khajuraho | The famous Kandaria Mahadev Temple was built by the Chandel rulers. The temples of Khajuraho are related to both Hindu religion and Jainism. | UPPCS (Pre) 1993 |
| Ellora Temple | The famous Kailash Temple of Ellora was built by the Rashtrakuta rulers. | UPPCS (Pre) 2009 |
| Chola Temple | The Chola ruler Rajaraj I built the Brihdeeswar or Raj Rajeshwar temple in Tanjore. | UPPCS (Mains) 2008 |
| Jyotirlingas | There are 12 Jyotirlingas devoted to Lord Shiva located in different parts of India, including Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, U.P.. |
