Critical Analysis of the Dîptâgama

Part of ’Towards an History of Saivasiddhanta’ project

Objectives

Contribution towards the understanding of the religious history of South India through the critical study and analysis of a canonical text on Agamic Shaivism.

Agamic Shaivism, dating from the 6th century AD, constitutes one of the most significant religious movements in South India. Even today, all major Shiva temples in the South come under it. It has a large known body of Sanskrit and Tamil literature as well as several artistic displays, temples and statues.

All available information on it is derived from related literature, the primary sources being canonical texts in Sanskrit, the Agamas, which are still mostly unedited ; more can be learned on this only by augmenting the number of volumes presently available to researchers.

The unedited Diptagamas which constitute one of these canonical texts, deals (in about a hundred chapters) with temples, images as well as the rites practiced in the interior of these temples

Materials and Methods

The editing work is based on a study of the manuscripts (or their copies) available for the most at IFP ; these have all been scanned for consultation on CD-ROM. The approach adopted for preparation of the editing work is obviously philological. However, a great deal of importance is attached to the study of the evolution of the text and in particular to the modifications undergone by it over the centuries while it was « adapted » to the new social and religious situations.

The ongoing edition work aims effectively to lend a dynamic vision of the Diptagama and to situate it in the context of the religious history of South India. Towards this end, it is often necessary to use references to realias (temples, images, present customs in the temples).

Partners

LACMI laboratory (University Paris III /C.N.R.S.)

Funding

• French Institute of Pondicherry
• University Paris III, C.N.R.S.

Team

Project Head

• Prof. (emer.) Bruno DAGENS (Université Paris III/Sorbonne nouvelle).

Research Fellows and Associates

• Dr. Marie-Luce BARAZER-BILLORET (Maître de Conférences, Université Paris III/Sorbonne nouvelle)
• M. Dattatreyamoorthy
• Dr. T.Ganesan
• Dr. Vincent LEFEVRE (Conservateur du Patrimoine, Musée Guimet)
• SAMBANDHAN SIVÂCÂRYA, S, , Pandit, I.F.P.

Ph.D candidates

• BAROIS, Christèle, I.F.P/University of Paris III, France
  Saiva ritual and doctrine in puranic context

• Nicolas Dejenne, I.F.P/University of Paris III, France
  Saiva doctrines in a puranic context

Main Outputs

Publications and/or CD ROMS

• Diptagama. Tome II. Chapitres 22 à 62.

Edition critique Marie-Luce Barazer-Billoret, Bruno Dagens et Vincent Lefèvre avec la collaboration de S. Sambandha Sivacarya et la participation de Christèle Barois, Collection indologie n° 81.2, IFP / Mondes Iranien et Indien, 2007, 603 p.
Language : Sanskrit, French. 700 Rs (25 €)

Diptagama is one of the 28 canonical treatises pertaining to the Southern Saivite school known as Saivasiddhanta. It deems itself a treatise on installations. The critical edition of this hitherto unpublished text relies on manuscripts kept in the library of the French Institute of Pondicherry. The present edition will comprise 3 volumes.

The first volume released in 2004 dealt with mantras, installation of the main Linga in the temple, and even more with architecture and iconography. The present, second volume is centred on rituals, mainly for the installation of statues, but several chapters also deal with daily ceremonies, fire ritual, baths, etc.

As in the case of the first volume, the Sanskrit text is followed by a chapter-wise summary aimed at facilitating the reading of the 41 chapters published herein.

Keywords: agamas, iconography, Saivism, Sanskrit, temple, ritual

• Dīptāgama. Tome 1. Chapitres 1 à 21

Edition critique Marie-Luce Barazer-Billoret, Bruno Dagens et Vincent Lefèvre avec la collaboration de S. Sambandha Śivācārya, 2004, vi, 449 p. (PDI n° 81.1)
Languages: Sanskrit, French. 600 Rs (22 €)

The Dīptāgāma is a Sanskrit Śaiva treatise pertaining to the southern school (Śaivasiddhānta). It deals mainly with the installation of images of gods in Śiva temples: installation rituals (pratiṣṭ̣hā), iconography, iconometry and architecture. It was hitherto unpublished and the present critical edition (to be published in 3 volumes) is based upon several manuscripts kept in the Library of the French Institute, Pondicherry. This first volume deals especially with mantras and temple architecture as well as with numerous iconographical descriptions and with liṅgapratiṣṭhā. The Sanskrit text is printed in Nāgari script with copious critical apparatus. There is an introduction and a detailed chapterwise summary (in French).

Keywords: āgamas, iconography, Śaivism, Sanskrit, temple

Last volume is planned for 2008.

Work in progress...