canon of "Saiva Siddhaanta

[C.R. Selvakumar]

@By `incontrovertible evidence' I meant evidence for a tantra's
@predating the 9th--10th-century Kashmirian lineage of
@Raamaka.n.tha II, whose writings systematised the "Saiva Siddhanta.

   Thanks for your clarification.
@
@I don't believe that there is any firm evidence that dates any of the
@Siddhaantatantras to the fifth century or before.  The earliest dated MS

   I wonder whether you had considered the writings of
   Kaaraikkaal ammaiyaar, a lady saint poet of Tamil country
   belonging to the 5th century. The hymns of poet-saints
   tirunaavukkarasar ( popularly known as 'appar') and tirugnaana
   sambandar ( popularly known as 'sambanDar') belonging to the
   6-7th centuries contain Saiva Siddanta.
[..]

   I was also curious about the date of tirumoolar who is said to have
   written tirumantiram(in Tamil), a work on tantric-Siddhantic topics.
   I've seen claims of 3rd centry to 10th century. I don't know whether
   tirumantiram can be assigned a date much later than 10th century.
   I wonder whether tirumantiram is considered in the Siddhantic study ?

   selvaa

@Dominic Goodall