The Influence Of Religion

 It is a recognised fact that philosophy very often in an outgrowth of religion. It is particularly true of some of the prominent systems of Indian thought, such as Buddhism, Jainism, Vaisnavism, Säktism and Saivaism. Saivaism, as the very word indicates, is an outgrowth of the Religion, which recognised Śiva to be the highest God. This God is referred to in the Vedic passages by various names such as Sambhava, Mayobhava, Sankara, Mayaskara, Śiva and Rudra etc. This God, Siva, has been discovered to be the object of worship in the hoary past in India in the finds of Harappa and Mohenjodaro, which are recognised to be the earliest archaeological finds of this country. Saivaism is even now one of the great living religions. Some of the biggest religious monuments are dedicated to Śiva.