Saiva Siddhanta Church
Encyclopedia
Śaiva Siddhanta Church is a spiritual institution and identifies itself with the Śaivite Hindu
religion. It is based on the precepts of the Nandinatha Sampradaya
, and traces its origins to a two thousand year-old lineage of the Kailāsa Paramparā
Gurus.
The Church was founded in 1949 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
, (born: Robert Walter Hansen) a traditional U.S. Hindu
leader. The name of the Church is from the Sanskrit
language and could be roughly rendered in English
as "The Church of God Śiva's Revealed Truth."
Kauai Aadheenam, also known as Kauai's Hindu Monastery, located on the Garden Island of Kauai
in Hawaii
, is the headquarters of Śaiva Siddhanta Church.
The current head of the Church is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religion. It is based on the precepts of the Nandinatha Sampradaya
Sampradaya
In Hinduism, a sampradaya can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’, although the word commands much more respect and power in the Indian context than its translations in English does...
, and traces its origins to a two thousand year-old lineage of the Kailāsa Paramparā
Parampara
Parampara denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture and Indian religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism...
Gurus.
The Church was founded in 1949 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami , also known as Gurudeva by his followers, was born in Oakland, California, on January 5, 1927, and adopted Saivism as a young man. He traveled to India and Sri Lanka where he received initiation from Yogaswami of Jaffna in 1949...
, (born: Robert Walter Hansen) a traditional U.S. Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
leader. The name of the Church is from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language and could be roughly rendered in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as "The Church of God Śiva's Revealed Truth."
Kauai Aadheenam, also known as Kauai's Hindu Monastery, located on the Garden Island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, is the headquarters of Śaiva Siddhanta Church.
The current head of the Church is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.