Of the following statements, which all are true?
(A) Shaiva Siddhanta recognized three eternal principles—God (Shiva), the Universe, and Souls.
(B) The ‘Agamas’ are considered authoritative texts by the followers of Shaiva Siddhanta, Kashmir Shaivism, and the Virashaiva tradition.
(C) The ‘Kapalikas’ and ‘Kalamukhs’ were two important Vaishnava sects.
(D) Vishnu ‘bhakti’ became popular in South India due to the ideas and activities of the ‘Nayanar’ saints.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is D

Statement (A) is correct: Shaiva Siddhanta is a school of Shaivism that recognizes three eternal principles: God (Shiva), the Universe, and Souls. These are central tenets of the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition.
Statement (B) is correct: The ‘Agamas’ are indeed considered authoritative scriptures by followers of Shaiva Siddhanta, Kashmir Shaivism, and the Virashaiva tradition. The Agamas are central religious texts that contain rituals, philosophy, and spiritual guidance for these traditions.
Statement (C) is incorrect: The ‘Kapalikas’ and ‘Kalamukhs’ were not Vaishnava sects. These were actually Shaiva sects. The Kapalikas were known for their extreme rituals and were associated with the worship of Shiva, while the Kalamukhs were a branch of the Shaiva tradition.
Statement (D) is incorrect: Vishnu ‘bhakti’ did indeed become popular in South India, but the credit for this goes to the Vaishnava saints, particularly the Alvars, not the Nayanar saints. The Nayanar saints were devoted to Shiva, and their activities focused on Shaivism.
Thus, the correct answer is (4) (A) and (B) Only.

Information Booster:

Shaiva Siddhanta's Three Eternal Principles: This tradition highlights the importance of the eternal relationship between God (Shiva), the Universe, and Souls, which forms the basis of its theological framework.
Agamas: "Agamas" are a collection of scriptures in Hinduism, particularly within Shaivism and Vaishnavism, considered divine and containing practical and theological knowledge. They are revered as a source of ritualistic practices, temple architecture, cosmology, and spiritual knowledge. The term "Agama" literally means "that which has come down" or "tradition," indicating their oral transmission and divine origin. They provide guidance on various aspects of religious life, including temple construction, idol worship, ritual practices, and spiritual techniques. Agamas explore theological concepts like cosmology, the nature of the universe, and the path to liberation (moksha).
Like the Vedas, Agamas have been passed down through oral tradition (Guru-Sishya parampara). Agamas describe various methods of worshipping deities, including mantra chanting, yantra (geometric diagrams) worship, and tantric practices.
Kapalikas and Kalamukhs: These were sects within Shaivism, not Vaishnavism. They were known for their extreme rituals and practices, and their focus was on the worship of Shiva. Kapalika and Kalamukha, members of either of two groups of Shaivite (devotees of Shiva) ascetics, most prominent in India from the 8th through the 13th century, who became notorious for their practices of esoteric rituals that allegedly included both animal and human sacrifice, though there is no evidence for the latter. They were successors of the Pashupatas, one of the earliest sects.

Vishnu Bhakti and Nayanar Saints: The Nayanars were devoted to Shiva, and their activities emphasized Shaivism. The popularization of Vishnu bhakti in South India is attributed to the Alvars, who were the key figures in spreading the worship of Vishnu. The Alwars were twelve ancient Tamil poet-saints of South India who were prominent figures in the Bhakti movement, a devotional tradition in Hinduism. They are revered in Vaishnavism, particularly for their passionate hymns and poems in praise of the Hindu god Vishnu. Their compositions, collected in the "Nalayira Divya Prabhandam", are considered a sacred scripture within the Vaishnavite tradition.