The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c32.4

v1.c32.4

THE supreme god worshipped in India for a time during the pre-Buddhist period seems to have been Brahma. Even the Buddhistic scriptures give Brahma preference over the other deities of the Hindu Parnassus ¹. But later on another god, Siva, unexpectedly usurped his place of supremacy. The Saiva system seems to have been introduced in the peninsula from abroad. According to a legend, the first place in which it was practised was Benares. This was due to the efforts of King Divodasa¹. Siva's cult was later on fostered through the preaching of Sankaracharya. Nevertheless the superiority of Siva was not to remain long undisputed. A new rival arose in the person of the god Vishnu. Vaishnavism was propagated early during the Scythian and Gupta periods ² and finally with unusual vigour in the 11th century. The struggle that naturally ensued between the two deities and their respective adherents during this first peroid of the Aravidu dynasty will be the subject of this chapter. But we shall begin with a brief account of the Vaishnava movement, in order to make clear the position and the activity of the Aravidu Emperors in this religious conflict.