Panchacharyas
Panchacharyas are religious figures of Veerashiva denomination of Shaivism. Veerashaivism is thought to be an evolution of the Kalamukha Shaiva Jiyar tradition. Panchacharya means five sages, referring to Renukacharya, Darukacharya, Ekorama, Panditharadhya, and Vishwaradhya, their iconography is sage emerging from the five Shivalingams of the Panchapeethas. They are seated in Panchapeethas known as Veera, Saddharma, Vairagya, Surya, and Jnana Shimhasanas. Renukacharya is first mentioned in Siddhanta Shikhamani, in the Sanskrit language written by Shivayogi Shivacharya, it is regarded as holy book for the Veerashaivas.
History
Panchacharyas origin is traced to Siddhanta Shikhamani a 15th-century mythological fiction of Sanskrit language written by Shivayogi Shivacharya, During 14th century some Telugu aradhya Brahmin priests migrated to Kannada region due to rise of Vaishnava dominance in Telugu region, they mesmerized by the large following of Lingayatism, and they started to mix Lingayatism and brahminism, but did not stop their Brahminism. Similar to their past Brahmanical Acharya Traya, meaning three sages, the five priest among the migrant five sages crowned themselves as a Panchacharyas and established panchpeethas, which are named after famous shiva temples, and Panchacharyas are the founders of Veerashaivism, they created mythological fiction Siddhanta Shikhamani, manipulated agama and other Shaiva literature, republished it as Veerashaivaagama to support their claims.A small manuscript named Acharya-Guru-Parampara details the following guru lineage of Panchapeethas; Visvesvara Guru, Ekorama, Viresaradhya, Virabhadra, Viranaradhya, Manikyaradhya, Buccayyaradhya, Vira Mallesvaradhya, Desikaradhya, Vrsabha, Aksaka, and Mukha Lingesvara.
Siddhanta Shikhamani
is a Sanskrit language mythological fiction of 15th century written by Shivayogi Shivacharya, it is also known as Renukagastya samvada.In 21st century Siddhantha Shikhamani was translated to Kannada by Dr Chandrashekhara Shivacharya swamiji head of one of the Panchapeetha.
Summery of Siddhanta Shikhamani
Based on this book the Panchapeethas claimed Panchacharyas are a founders of Lingayatism or Veerashaiva, however this claim is rejected by researchers and opinioned Siddhanta Shikhamani is mythological fiction not a history, it is written after a centuries of founding Lingayatism or Veerashaiva by Basava and there is no mention of any of this Panchacharyas in any Hindu literatures or inscriptions which predates 15th century.Researchers also rejected claims of Siddhanta Shikhamani, as per them no Veda, Agama, Upanishad, Brahmanaka, Aranyaka or any text related to Shankaracharya or the Ramayana or any Hindu literature make a mention of any of these Panchacharyas or their amazing activities.