Panchacharyas
Religious figures of India
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Through Vedas and Upanishads
History
Panchacharyas origin is traced to Siddhanta Shikhamani a 15th-century mythological fiction of Sanskrit language written by Shivayogi Shivacharya, During 14th century some Telugu aradhya Brahmin priests migrated to Kannada region due to rise of Vaishnava dominance in Telugu region, they mesmerized by the large following of Lingayatism, and they started to mix Lingayatism and brahminism, but did not stop their Brahminism. Similar to their past Brahmanical Acharya Traya, meaning three sages (Adishankaracharya, Madhavacharya, Ramanujacharya, and their peethas), the five priest among the migrant five sages crowned themselves as a Panchacharyas and established panchpeethas, which are named after famous shiva temples, and Panchacharyas are the founders of Veerashaivism, they created mythological fiction Siddhanta Shikhamani, manipulated agama and other Shaiva literature, republished it as Veerashaivaagama to support their claims. A small manuscript named Acharya-Guru-Parampara details the following guru lineage of Panchapeethas; Visvesvara Guru, Ekorama, Viresaradhya, Virabhadra, Viranaradhya, Manikyaradhya, Buccayyaradhya, Vira Mallesvaradhya, Desikaradhya, Vrsabha, Aksaka, and Mukha Lingesvara.
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Siddhanta Shikhamani
Siddhanta Shikhamani is a Sanskrit language mythological fiction of 15th century written by Shivayogi Shivacharya, it is also known as Renukagastya samvada. In 21st century Siddhantha Shikhamani was translated to Kannada by Dr Chandrashekhara Shivacharya swamiji head of one of the Panchapeetha.
Summery of Siddhanta Shikhamani
Siddhanta Shikamani has 21 chapters, The introduction starts with a prayer to Shiva, it further states, this holy book is equivalent to the Vedas and all knowledge of Upanishads and Agamas, It claims Renukaradhya arose out of five great Sthavaralingas, in different yugas they were dharma pracharaks in the Krutayuga, Tretayuga and Dwaparayuga; and they had given advice to Vibhishana of the Ramayana; and they described the glories of Shiva to sage Agastya; and they had given the Chandramouleshwara Linga to Shankaracharya; The fictional claims continues.
— Summery, Siddhantha Shikhamani, 15th century mythological fiction
Based on this book the Panchapeethas claimed Panchacharyas are a founders of Lingayatism or Veerashaiva, however this claim is rejected by researchers and opinioned Siddhanta Shikhamani is mythological fiction not a history, it is written after a centuries of founding Lingayatism or Veerashaiva by Basava and there is no mention of any of this Panchacharyas in any Hindu literatures or inscriptions which predates 15th century. Researchers also rejected claims of Siddhanta Shikhamani, as per them no Veda, Agama, Upanishad, Brahmanaka, Aranyaka or any text related to Shankaracharya or the Ramayana or any Hindu literature make a mention of any of these Panchacharyas or their amazing activities.
Iconography
A sage emerging from Shivalingam
Renukacharya, Darukacharya, Ekorama, Panditharadhya, Vishwaradhyas are called as Panchacharyas, their iconography is a sage emerging from Shivalingam, it is based on Siddhanta Shikhamani, as per this mythology Renukaradhya is said to have been emerged from the Someshwara lingam in Kolanupaka of Telangana.