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Do Shaivas accept that Rama and Krishna were incarnations of Vishnu?

How do Shaivas view and interpret these Itihasas?

Ikshvaku
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    They don't interpret Itihasas, Ramayana and Mahabharata, because those scriptures are not of their interest. Shaiva scriptures are of their interest. – brahma jijnasa Oct 09 '18 at 22:56
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    By the way, it is a common misconception among some Hindus that Shaiva Puranas such as Shiva Purana represent a scripture of interest to traditional Shaivas. As far as I heard Shiva Purana and other Puranas were not of interest to old Shaiva traditions, and they became of interest only in recent time, perhaps in a past couple of centuries or so. – brahma jijnasa Oct 09 '18 at 23:18
  • like Vaishnavas interpret Shiva Mahapurana –  Oct 14 '18 at 18:19
  • @brahmajijnasa so which is the main scripture of Shaivism? – RishX Apr 18 '21 at 11:32
  • @RishX Shaivism has several different traditions, and in each they could be studying different scriptures. I haven't studied much of Shaivism, so you better ask someone who have. – brahma jijnasa Apr 20 '21 at 01:50
  • @brahmajijnasa maybe that's why I find studying Shaivism so difficult. I can find Advaita or Vaishnava scriptures so easily. Infact they have common like Bhagavada Gita and Bhagavatam. Idk if Shiva Purana holds similar status for all Shaiva sects. Even I am more familiar with Vaishnavism specifically Gaudiya Vaishnavism due to this reason. – RishX Apr 20 '21 at 02:21

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As per Shiva Purana: PART TWO RUDRA SAMHITA: SATI KHAND: Chapter 24,

[Lord Shiva said to Sati:]

  1. The fair-complexioned one is younger brother Laxman, the incarnation of Shesha. The elder brother is complete incarnation of Vishnu. He is called Rama.

So, you can see that Shiva Purana (important scripture for Shaivas) portraits Rama as an incarnation of Vishnu.

Also, as mentioned in this post, Ramcharitmanas itself is a narration of Parvati's Qs and Shiva's answers only. And, at many places, Ramcharitmanas portraits Rama as Vishnu's incarnation.

YDS
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