on extant Samhitās have not yet become available even as manuscripts.
Each of the three schools Śaiva, Śākta and Vaiśnava— have further divisions and sub-divisions (Upa-Āgamas)
Śaiva Āgamas
The literature of the Śaiva school is intimately related to that of the Śākta school The school is designated as “Śaiva” because the name given herein to the Supreme Being is “ Śiva” regarded as the World-Father, the Final Cause of the Universe Under the Saiva Agama (also known as the Mahesvara Agama) come the following well-known divisions
1 The Pāśupata School Pasupati Sūtras and writings attributed to Haradattācārya and Lakulisa (or Nakulisa) are considered as the authoritative works of this school
2 The Siddhānta or Saiva Siddhānta School This is the living religion of a considerable section of Tamilians in South India Among the authoritative works of this school are the well-known 28 Śaiva Āgamas, Nīlakanta's Bhāsya on Vedānta Sutras (usually referred to as Saiva Visistādvaita) and an extensive literature in Tamil written during the last 1500 years or more by Śaiva Ācāryas of the Śaiva Siddhānta school Among the 28 Śaiva Āgamas, the Kāmika, Kārana, Suprabheda and Vāthüla are considered specially authoritative
3 The Pratyabhijñā School of Kashmir Among the authoritative works of this school are the Śiva Sūtras of Vasugupta, Spanda Karikā of Kallata, Śwadrsti of Somānandanātha and Pratyabhijñā Sūtra of Utpala (Pratyabhijñāhrdayam of this school was published by the Adyar Library in 1938 as No 19 of the Adyar Library Series)
