Saiva refers to the branch of Hinduism dedicated to the worship of Shiva as the supreme deity. Saiva is the name of a believer and is also used as an adjective, as in the “Saiva School of Hinduism.” Saivism – also spelled Shaivism – is one of the four major branches of Hinduism.

The Saiva tradition developed many branches over the centuries, but the six major ones are:

~Saiva Siddhanta (Gorakhnatha Saivism)
~Siva Advaita
~Pashupata Saivism
~Siddha Saivism
~Kashmir Saivism
~Vira Shaivism