SIDDHANTA GNANA RATNAVALI:
FIRST LESSON / CHAPTER I: ON PROOF
1) Question : What is Pramana?
Answer : Proof or measure.
2) Question : What is instrument of proof?
Answer : Intelligence of the Soul.
3) Question : How many kinds of Pramana are there?
Answer : Three kinds.
4) Question : What are they?
Answer : 1. (Katchi pramanam) proof by perception.
2. (Anumana pramanam) proof by inference.
3. (Agamia pramanam) proof by Agamas or the word of God.
5) Question : What is Katchi pramanam or proof by perception?
Answer : To know an object by our senses.
Example : Mountain, Earth, Sea are objects presented to our mind through our senses.
6) Question : What is Anumana pramanam or proof by inference?
Answer : To infer an unknown thing by what we have seen.
Example: To infer that there is fire within a house by seeing the smoke, coming out of a house.
7) Question : What is Agamia pramana or proof by Agama?
Answer : To know by the words of God revealed in our Sacred Vedas and Agamas.
Example: To know that there is Mahameru, Hell, Heaven, &c.
8) Question : How can we measure the objects of the world?
Answer : By numbers, weighing, measuring rod.
9) Question : What is Anuvayam?
Answer : Agreement.
10) Question : What is Vethiregam?
Answer : Negation, or Difference.
11) Question : How many kinds of katchi or perception are there?
Answer : They are of 8 kinds.
12) Question : What are they?
Answer:
Perception without difference.
Perception with difference.
perception with doubt.
wrong perception.
Perception by mind.
Perception through external senses.
perception by yogaq or psychical practices.
Perception by experience.
13) Question : How many kinds of inference are there?
Answer : Two kinds.
14) Question : What are they?
Answer : Subjective inference or Introspection and objective inference.
15) Question : Vedas, how many?
Answer : Four.
16) Question : What are they?
Answer : Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda.
Sub-Vedas: Ayur Veda (medicine), Thannur Veda (Archery), Ghandarva Veda and Artha Veda.
17 & 18) Question : How many Siva Agamas are there?
Answer : 28, Viz,
1. Kamikam, 2. Yogajam, 3. Chinthiam, 4. Karanam, 5. Achitham, 6. Theeptham, 7. Sookshmnam, 8. Sakaschiram, 9. Anjiman, 10. Suppirabetham, 11. Vijayam, 12. Nischuvasam, 13. Swayambuvam, 14. Analam, 15. Veeram, 16. Rowravam, 17. Magudam, 18. Vimalam, 19. Chandragnanam, 20. Mukavimbam, 21. Purorjeetham, 22. Ilalitham, 23. Chittam, 24. Santhanam, 25. Saruvoktham, 26. Paramecbhuram, 27. Kiranam, 28. Vathulam.
19) Question : Are there any more Agamas?
Answer : There are others such as Vama &c. They cannot be considered as Siva Agamas.
20) Question : What is the difference between Vedas and Agamas?
Answer : Vedas are general Science but Agamas are special science relating to Saivism.
21) Question : What is Vedanta?
Answer : They are the Upanishads that deal with the rational aspect of the Vedas.
22) Question : What is Siddhanta?
Answer : They are the rational or gnanamarga of the Agamas.
23) Question : What does Siddhanta mean?
Answer : The true end. The ultimate goal.
21 & 25) Question : How many Vedangams are there?
Answer : Six, viz.
Mantras, Vyakaranam (Grammar), Nikandu (Dictionary), Santhopichitham (Logic), Nirutham (commentary) and Sothidam (astrology).
26) Question : Are there Siddhanta Sastras in Tamil?
Answer : Yes.
27) Question : How many?
Answer : Fourteen.
28) Question : Name them?
Answer : 1. Tiruvunthiar, 2. Tirukalitrupadiar, 3. Sivagnanabotham, 4. Sivagnana Siddhiar, 5. Irupahirupathu, 6. Unmaivilakkam, 7. Sivaprakasam, 8. Tiruvarutpayan, 9. Vinavenba, 10. Potripatrodai, 11. Kodaikavi, 12. Nenchuviduthuthu, 13. Unmainerivilakam, 14. Sankarpanirakaranam.
29) Question : Of these, which is the revealed original work?
Answer : Sivagnanabotham.
30) Question : Which is the secondary work?
Answer : Sivagnanasiddhiar.
31) Question : What are the allied works or works based on the above?
Answer : Sivaprakasam &c.
32) Question : Who is the author of Sivagnanabotham?
Answer : Meikanda Devar of Tiruvennainallur, (The original text is from the Agama and hence revealed.)
33) Question : Who is the author of Siddhiar and Irupairupathu?
Answer : Arulnandi Sivachariar of Tirutuvaiyar.
34) Question : Who wrote Sivaprakasam?
Answer : Umapathi Sivachariar of Kotravankudi.
35) Question : Who is the author of Tiruvunthiar?
Answer : Uyyavanthadevanayanar of Tiruviyalur.
36) Question : Who wrote Tirukalitrupadiyar?
Answer : Uyyavanthadevanayanar of Tirukadavur.
37) Question : Who is the author of Unmaivilakakkam?
Answer : Manavasagamkadanthadevanayanar of Tiruvathigai.
38) Question : How many of the Siddhanta Sastras were written by Umapathi Sivachariar?
Answer : Sivaprakasam and seven other works.
39) Question : Are there any other works besides these fourteen?
Answer : Yes. There are many others such as Tatvavilakkam, Thukalarubotham, Tatvaprakasam &c.
