IS ENGLAND A SAIVITE COMMUITY.

    I begin with an affirmative answer and shall show what makes me arrive at this conclusion. Hindu visitors had hitherto silently glided along Western Cities and most of them were enamor of buildings and streets and various other armories of Western civilization. But passing through the churches and cathedrals of London and meditating on the many semblances and traces of Saivaism that present before me in every nook and corner of England, it is impossible to think of England as anything else except a Saivite country.

    In the first place some references are made about England in the Bhuni Kanda of Padma Purana wherein "Svetadvipa" stands for England. Looking at the map it will be evident to the average observer that England resembles the lion's tail in appearance. Passing this evidence we again arrive at another expression "Sveta Dvipa" and this can be no other than the "White Island" (England), the chalk cliffs of Dover coating the whole Island white.

    The Puranic writers again speak of Sveta Samudra which stands for the present White Sea. There is a third expression called Breta in ancient Sanskrit literature which after many transformations, has been evolved into Britain. This is confirmed when one finds that there is no other derivation for the word "Britain."

    Even the river Thames was not omitted in the Puranas which was styled as the Thamsa. We, who are adherents of Saiva Siddhanta, cannot fail to perceive that "Thamsa" is the guna of our Lord Siva. These concurrent evidences in the Sanskrit literature conclusively go to prove that England was to a large extent influenced by our Saivite forefathers.

    When a country 7,000 miles away had been fully mentioned without the omission of even a minute detail there are reasons to suppose that India had a great deal to do with Britain even in the dim and distant past.

    It is natural in a nation that ancient feelings and sentiments often reverberate themselves even after a lapse of years, when general conditions and environments, may, perchance be changed. Like a never-failing stream that flows and overflows ceaselessly even though and centuries and ages have conjoined to exhaust its energy and characteristics imbibed in a nation, even at a primitive stage of its existence, always show themselves at every period of its history. This is exactly the case with England, for is spite of the havocs which Christianity and Western civilization have played, the Saivite trend in the people has not been killed. Even in St. Paul's Cathedral the most sacred place of worship in England there are real Saiva symbols.

    It is a different question whether the people of England yearned for them; but all the same the existence of these Lingas go to show the presence of Saivaism in the country.

    Perhaps unconsciously the people have built these Lingas, but to us, Saivites, the significance cannot be underrated. Every time I see these Lingas an almost sudden glow of thrill electrifies me and I am sure every Saivite will feel the same, if he happens to consider all these patent and potent evidences.

    England is mainly a Saivite country and the same tenet of Saivaism which our forefathers had inculcated in the minds of the English people have not yet been forgotten, and whether consciously or unconsciously, the people of England are worshipping Sri Saiva Svarupa and accord the holy symbol the best place in their sanctuaries.

    Beside the natural tendencies of the English people are exclusively Thamasic.

    As Lord Siva is the destroyer and reconstructor, and one who brings his Bhaktas from darkness into light, so also the English people have an inert and deep rooted tendency of creating new order of things after destroying old ones Raudraic Gunas.

    The glory of our Lord Siva is thus manifest even in this remote land and whether Christian fanatics accept this fact with good grace or refute it indignantly, the fact cannot be gainsaid that besides, evidences of nature, the tendencies of the English people are in common with those of the Saivites and thus Lord Siva's presence is more than testified by these significant phenomena.

    After the introduction of Christianity when the Missionaries have purposely smothered the least appearance of a noble spirit inherent in the people, even after the numerous historical transformations the country has passed through the original conception of Saivaism is unshaken in every part of the country, manifesting at times through Saivic symbols scattered hither and thither, but mostly revealing themselves through the particular characteristics appertaining to the English people in general and the average Englishman in particular.

    These facts establish, beyond the least possible shadow of doubt, that our Lord Siva is equally present in this Atrishtan (England) as he is in "Bharat Kanda." It is the duty, I believe of every ardent Saivite to bring this fact to light and show to the world at large that Saivaism is the only universal cult and Lord Siva the ruler of the Universe.

    I look upon these things with joy and hope, in a short time to come, under the kind patronage of Mr. J. M. Nallasvami Pillai, B.A., B.L., whose activities in this direction are well known to the readers, that a Siva Linga, duly sanctified, will be installed in the "Modern Babylon" and the message of Lord Siva will be carried too far off lands and the glad tidings ushered in every nook and corner of the globe.

    I hope and trust that fervent and enthusiastic Saivites will offer themselves to build a temple in this country where the Siva Rupa will be installed, with due pomp and sacredness befitting the holy symbol. This will not only place the Atristhan (mentioned in our holy scriptures as Punya Bhumi) in constant intercourse with Bharatakanda but also help to assist the English people in shaking off the gross bondage of Christian civilization and breaking the shackles of superstition and credulity. Every English heart throbs in earnest, unconsciously, to be relieved from the present barbarity and it behooves, us, Saivites, to reclaim and lead them on to the glorious path of our all-supreme Lord.

T. S. J. S.

LONDON, W.C.

15^th March 1912.