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

How do Shaivas view and interpret these Itihasas?

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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
    Commented Oct 9, 2018 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
    Commented Oct 9, 2018 at 23:18
  • like Vaishnavas interpret Shiva Mahapurana
    – user10298
    Commented Oct 14, 2018 at 18:19
  • @brahmajijnasa so which is the main scripture of Shaivism?
    – RishX
    Commented Apr 18, 2021 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
    Commented Apr 20, 2021 at 1:50

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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.

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  • Shiva said "he was his deity". Means earlier he was but not now?
    – Vishvam
    Commented Oct 9, 2018 at 6:18
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    @Rishabh This is due to the use of Reported speech as tense changes when reported-speech is used....
    – YDS
    Commented Oct 9, 2018 at 8:45
  • @Rishabh Anyway I hv removed irrelevant and debate inviting part ;)
    – YDS
    Commented Oct 9, 2018 at 9:10

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