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The Shiva Purana mentions the following -

The Śaiva Āgama is of two varieties: Śrauta (Vedic) and Aśrauta (Unvedic). The Śrauta consists of condensed Vedic texts; the other one consists of independent texts but well consecrated.

The independent texts were originally ten but supplemented subsequently by eight more so as to constitute eighteen texts. They are called Kāmika etc., and the entire literature is called “Śaiva Siddhānta”

The Śrauta literature consists of a billion verses. In it the Pāśupata Vrata and Jñāna are explained.

Which Srauta (Vedic) Saivagama is being alluded to in these verses?

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  • I think, the aśrauta āgamas are the āgamas accepted by Śaiva Siddhānta, and the śrauta ones are possibly the āgamas accepted by Trika (Kashmir Śaivism).
    – Bingming
    Commented Mar 13 at 8:54

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shrauta shaiva agama could be the one used in nataraja temple chidambaram as the temple website mentions about worship procedure laid out by patanjali to sages which is also referred in chidambaram mahatmya, part of skanda purana :

The temple is managed and administered hereditarily by the Chidambaram Dikshitar – a class of Vaideeka Brahmins whom, legends say, were brought here, from Mt. Kailas, by Saint Patanjali, specifically for the performance of the daily rituals and maintenance of the Chidambaram temple.

These Deekshithars follow the Vedic rituals, unlike the Sivachariyars or Adhisaivars – who follow the agamic rituals for the worship of Lord Shiva. The rituals for the temple were collated from the Vedas and set by Patanjali, who is said to have inducted the Deekshithars into the worship of Lord Shiva as Nataraja.

In ancient times the Deekshithars, the community of hereditary priests were known as Muvariyavar, or the 3000 of Tillai. The Chidambaram Mahatmyam recounts of their arrival in Tillai just as Lord Nataraja started his dance there. Thus they were the chosen guardians of the Lord’s worship and of the temple from its very conception.

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