Jangama

Jangama is a member of the order of wandering monks, said to have been created by Mahadev of the Kailas Parvat (modern day Himalayan range).

The word Jangam means "dynamic or moving" in Sanskrit.

When different religious movements rose and fell in India, they have constantly changed the meanings of words like Jangama. The people who belong to this caste will have surnames ending with either "Mutt" or "Math". They are also called as "Swamys".The "jangamas" are mainly populated in North karnataka. Jangamas: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary on Vira Saivism

Vira Saivism (Saiva): (Sanskrit) "Heroic Saivism." Made

prominent by "vishwaguru Basavanna" in the 12th century. Also called Lingayat Saivism. Followers, called Lingayats,Lingayat's treat jangama's as their gurus or masters or priests.jangama's, Lingavantas or Sivasharanas, always wear a Sivalinga ontheir person. Vira Saivites are proudly egalitarian and emphasize the personal relationship with Siva, rather than temple worship. Vira Saiva priests, jangamas, conduct marriages and other domestic rites and also act as gurus or teachers. Among the most central texts are Basavanna's Vachanas, Allama Prabhu's Mantragopya,Chennabasavanna's Karana Hasuge, and the collected work called Shunya Sampadane. The monistic-theistic doctrine of Vira Saivism is called Shakti Vishishtadvaita -a version of qualified nondualism which accepts both difference and nondifference between soul and God, like rays are to the sun. In brief, Siva and the cosmic force or existence are one ("Siva are you; you shall return to Siva."). Yet, Siva is beyond His creation, which is real, not illusory. God is both efficient and material cause. In Vira Saivism, Siva divides from His Absolute state into Linga (Supreme Lord) and anga, individual soul, the two eventually reuniting in undifferentiated oneness. There are three aspects of Sivalinga. 1) Ishtalinga, personal form of Siva, in which He fulfills desires and removes afflictions -God as bliss or joy; 2) Bhavalinga, Siva beyond space and time, the highest divine principle, knowable through intuition; 3) Pranalinga, the reality of God which can be apprehended by the mind. The soul merges with Siva by a progressive, six-stage path called shatsthala, consisting ofbhakti (devotion), mahesha (charity and selfless service),prasada (seeking Siva's grace), Pranalinga (experience of all as Siva), sharana (egoless refuge in Siva) and aikya (oneness with Siva). Today Vira Saivism is a vibrant faith, particularly strong in its religious homeland of Karnataka

South Central India. Roughly 40 million people live here, of which perhaps 25% are members of the Vira Saiva religion. Early on, they rejected brahminical authority, and along with it the entire caste system and the Vedas. By rejecting the Vedas, they continue to stand outside mainstream Hinduism, but in their profound love of Siva and acceptance of certain Saiva Agamas, as well as the main truths of the Vedic wisdom, they have identified themselves as a unique Saiva sect. Though they have established their faith as a distinct and independent religion in Indian courts of law, they are still widely embraced as devout brothers and sters of the Hindu dharma.

See: Lingavanta, Saivism.

(See also: Vira Saivism , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)