Saiva Siddhanta, as representing the old Hinduism and

V with its chief scripture the Svetasvatara Upanishat and the Gita, claims to be an eclectic philosophy and an universal Religion; and the Various points I have brought out above will show how it brings itself into agreement with every shade of opinion, Religion and Philosophy. It describes Philosophy accordingly by such terms as 'Sara', 'Samarasa', 'Siddhanta' meaning 'essence of all,' 'true end,' 'the Truth'. And we invite the kind attention of every religionist assembled here to the definition of an Universal Religion given by St. Arul Nandi several centuries ago.

"Religions, postulates and text books are various and conflict one with another. It is asked: which is the true religion, which the true postulate and which the true book? That is the True Religion and postulate and book, which not possessing the fault of calling this false and this true and not conflicting with them, comprises reasonably every thing within its fold. Hence all these are comprised in the Vedas and Agamas. And these are embedded in the Sacred

Foot of Hara."

And we will close this paper with culling a few opinions of European Students of Saiva Siddhanta.

The late Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope remarks: "It is the choicest product of the Dravidian (Indian) intellect." "The Saiva Siddhanta is the most elaborate, influential and undoubtedly the most intrinsically valuable of all the religions of India."

Rev. Mr. F. Goodwill follows with the remark: "Those who have studied the system unanimously agree that this eulogy is not a whit too enthusiastic or free-worded. That the system is eclectic is at once apparent."

Rev. W. F. Goudie writes in the Christian College Magazine (xx. 9) as follows: -

"There is no school of thought and no system of faith or worship that comes to us with anything like the claims of the Saiva Siddhai)ta."

"This system possesses the merits of a great antiquity. . In the Religious world, the Saiva system is heir to all that is most ancient in South India, it is the Religion of the Tamil people by the side of which every other form is of comparatively foreign origin."

"In the largeness of its following, as well as in regard to the antiquity of some of its elements, the Saiva Siddhanta is, bey nd any other form, the religion of the Tamil people and ought to be studied by all Tamil Missionaries."

"We have, however, left the greatest distinction of this system till last. As a system of religious thought, as an expression of faith and life, the Saiva Siddhanta is by far the best that South India possesses. Indeed it would not be rash to include the whole of India, and to main-tain that, judged by its intrinsic merits, the Saiva Siddhanta represents the high water mark of Indian Thought and Indian life, apart, of course, from the influences of Christian Evangel."