According to popular view, and one backed by historical and literary evidence, the Veerashaiva sect was founded by the Panchacharyas or the Five great Prophets. This view however, is in the realm of mythology and is supported by historical and literary evidence those are available at Allahabad High Court and Jangamwadimath of Kashi.
It is believed that the Panchacharyas arose out of five great Sthavaralingas located in Balehonnur in Karnataka, Ujjini in Karnataka, Kedar in Uttaranchal, Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, and Kashi or Benares in Uttar Pradesh under different names in different Yugas.
The five Panchacharyas are
• Revanaradhya or Revanasiddha
• Marularadhya or Marulasiddha
• Ekoramaradhya or Ekorama
• Panditaradhya
• Vishvaradhya
History of Panchacharyas
The tradition of Virasaiva sect was founded by five ascetics- Revana, Marula, Ekorama, Panditaradhya, Vishwaradhya- who are held to have sprung from the five heads of Shiva, incarnate age after age, almost about 5500 –6000 years ago.
The great gotrakaras established five great religious centers in different parts of India. Ekorama at Kedara in the Himalayas, Vishweswara at Banaras, Marularadya at Ujjain, Panditaradya at Shrishail, Renukacharya at Balehonnur. -M.E.Tharstan : Castes and Tribes of South India p-264-265
And also mentioned by Dr. J. S. Pharkuhar in The Religious Quest of India as follows; The tradition is that the Virasaiva sect was founded by five ascetics Ekorma, Panditaradya, Revana, Marula and Viswaradya.
According to popular view, and one backed by historical and literary evidence, the Veerashaiva sect was founded by the Panchacharyas or the Five great Prophets. This view however, is in the realm of mythology and is supported by historical and literary evidence those are available at Allahabad High Court and Jangamwadimath of Kashi.
The Panchacharyas are the five Gurus who incarnated directly form five faces of the Sivalinga and established the Virasaiva religion and Philosophy. Hence they are called as Lingodbhavas. Those five faces of linga called as namely Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurus and Isana. With the following names Revanaradhya, Marularadhya, Ekoramaradhya, Panditaradhya and Vishvaradhya. These five Acharyas are the Gotrapurusas (pioneers) of the Virasaiva religion. The five Gotrapurusas belongs to the five Gotras namely Veera, Nandi, Bhringi, Vrishabha and Skanda respectively. These Panchacharya ruled the realm of Virasaiva kingdom by establishing the five peethas in different places in India as follows :
Veeashimhasana of Rambhapuri in Balehonnuru (Karnataka) Saddharma Shimhasana of Ujjini (Karnataka) Vairagya Shimhasana of Kedar (Uttaranchal) Surya Shimhasana of Shrishaila (Andhra Pradesh) and Jnana Shimhasana of Kashi (Uttar Pradesh)
Those Panchacharyas are called as:
Renukacharya Marularadhya Ekoramaradhya PANDITARADHYA and Vishvaradhya Adi Renukacharya.
Virasaivism has become a comprehensive and complete religion by incorporating its spiritual practices of worshipping lord Shiva took concrete shapes and forms in Virasaiva religion and this fact is quite clear and evident theory from Agamas. It is a rich and great religion, which has shown the path of Linganga-samarasya (Salvation) to one and all irrespective of one’s caste, religion, sect, sex, and group.
One of the present descendants of the Panchacharyas for Surya Shimhasana of Shrishaila (Andhra Pradesh) who was nominated by his predecessor and was made the panchacharya on 08.02.2010 is
Shrimad Giriraj Surya Sihasanasheesh Shree 1008 Shrishail Jagadguru Channa Sidharam Panditaradhya Shivacharya Mahaswamijee, Shrishail Peetha
The revered Pujya Gurujee is MA PHD from Banaras Vishwa Vidyalaya, prior accepting the post of the Panditha of Shrishail he was the Pattadhikari of Yadur Veerbhadreshwar Temple. He is blessed with the charm, deep knowledge ande all that a Gurujee should possess.
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