Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Concept of God鈥� of the study on the Rudra-Shiva concept in the Vedic and Puranic literature, starting with the concept of God as contemplated by the Rishis (Vedic sages). These pages further deal with the aspects, legends, iconography and eulology of Rudra-Shiva as found in the Samhitas, Brahamanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads Sutras and Puranas. The final chapters deal with descriptions of his greatness, various incarnations and epithets.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1. The Concept of God
The Vedas are regarded as the most sacred and ancient texts of Hinduism. The word Veda comes from the root vid to know with the suffix ac or 驳丑补帽. According to S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya, Veda is that book by which people can know the supernormal means of attainment of desired things and avoidance of unwanted things.[1] Manu says in his book 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈 that the Veda is the source of dharmas or religions.[2] There are four Vedas in number, viz. the 峁欢惫别诲补, the Yajurveda, the 厂腻尘补惫别诲补 and the Atharvaveda. Vedas are the storehouse of knowledge and it reveals the religious thought. In the ancient period, the Vedic 膧ryans worshipped the natural elements as their gods. They wondered seeing the powerful strength of nature. The Vedic people started to believe that there must be some energy behind nature. They believed in the omnipotence of the supernatural which inspired them to venerate the different phenomena of nature. The gods are worshipped thinking about the different phenomena of nature. They preside over supernatural entities. These supernatural powers govern the phenomena of nature. The Vedic people believed the natural phenomena as deities. There are some qualities in the character of gods which are common qualities to all gods. They are brilliant, powerful, immortal, compassionate, omniscient, holy, omnipotent, omnipresent, truthful, auspicious, and virtuous.
The gods help their devotees in every step and destroy as well as punish the wicked person. They are satisfied easily by the prayer of their worshippers and offsprings, long-life, prosperity, happiness, knowledge, success are bestowed upon them.
The term deva (god) comes from the root div to shine. So the term deva means one who is shining. According to 驰腻蝉办补, deva is one who bestows gifts (from the root 诲腻), who is shining (from the root 诲墨辫), who is bright (from the root dyut) and who resides in the heaven.[3] 驰腻蝉办补 again states that whatever (any object) is praised by a devotee in the hymn is called as 诲别惫补迟腻.[4] Every individual god is prayed as a Supreme one. According to the Vedas, the Ultimate Being manifested himself in different forms. The Vedic seers call the one being by numerous names. They call him as Agni, Indra, Yama, M膩tari艣v膩n.[5] According to the philosophical hymns, the origin of the deities is connected with the element of water.[6]
驰腻蝉办补, the author of Nirukta, classified the gods which are mentioned in the Vedas, as three. He states that鈥攖here are three deities, viz. 鈥楢gni whose place is on the earth, 痴腻测耻 or Indra whose place is in the air and 厂奴谤测补 whose place is on the sky鈥�.[7] According to the Nairuktas, the deities obtained many designations as a result of their greatness or of the variety of their deeds, such as 贬辞迟峁�, Adhvaryu, Brahman, Udag膩t峁涒�攁ll these are applied to the same person.[8]
Another reference has been found in the Nirukta, where it is said that the different deities belong to one soul. That means they are separate limbs of one 膧迟尘补苍 and this one soul of different deities is invoked in many ways.[9] For example, sometimes the devotees worship the gods in groups, sometimes three, four or more deities are worshipped by them (worshippers). It is not possible to classify the gods according to their importance. So, the Vedic scholars state that there are three types of gods in accordance with their residence鈥攖hose who reside in the celestial region, those (gods) who dwell in the atmospheric region and a third type who belong to the terrestrial region. Among these gods, the importance of some of the deities has been discussed here. The choice of the deities is either because they form the source ideas for later development in Hindu theology or because of their prominence in the Vedic mythology itself.
Agni is the most prominent deity of the Vedic Indians. At least 200 hymns are dedicated to him in the 峁欢惫别诲补 and in several hymns, he is prayed jointly with other gods. The first mantra of the 峁欢惫别诲补 is dedicated to god Agni.[10] Agni is a terrestrial god. He is declared as the carrier of the sacrifice. That is why, he is known as 贬补惫颈谤腻迟.[11] The contact between Agni and man is very closer only because of the daily sacrifice. According to the 峁欢惫别诲补, Agni has originated from different gods. In a reference, Dyau is said to be the father of Agni.[12] In another reference, it is said that he took his birth from water.[13] The 峁欢惫别诲补 states repeatedly that Agni is generated by the rubbing of two fire sticks.[14] So, these two fire sticks are called as his parents. The upper stick is male and the lower is female.[15] He is known as Purohita, Deva, 贬辞迟腻, 峁歵惫颈办 of the sacrifices.[16] He has tawny-beard,[17] tawny-hair,[18] flame-hair,[19] golden teeth.[20] He has thousand eyes.[21] He is an archer.[22]
Indra is the most popular and prominent god in the Vedas. In the 峁欢惫别诲补, 250 hymns are dedicated to him. He is an atmospheric god. He is said to have tawny-coloured hair[23] and beard[24] The Asuras鈥� drought and destruction are defeated by Indra. He is mentioned as the god of thunder and rain.[25] Thunderbolt is his weapon.[26] Many heroic deeds are ascribed to Indra. He killed so many demons like Ahi,[27] 痴峁泃谤补.[28] He is repeatedly called as 厂耻艣颈辫谤补,[29] 艢颈辫谤补惫腻苍,[30] 厂辞尘补辫腻[31] and 痴峁泃谤补han.[32] S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya explains the term 惫峁泃谤补丑补苍 as 惫峁泃谤补丑补苍 v峁泃rasya 丑颈峁僺补办补岣�.[33] He killed 痴峁泃谤补 by the help of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.[34] He is the destroyer of wicked people.[35] He is said to be close to man both as father and brother.[36] Indra is said to create Agni between the two stones.[37]
痴补谤耻峁嘺 occupies a prominent position among the Vedic deities. His supremacy cannot be ignored. He is a god of the celestial region. A reference has been found in the 峁欢惫别诲补 where it is stated that 痴补谤耻峁嘺 is the possessor of vast knowledge and that no one can escape from him. He is omniscient[38] and the king of the entire world.[39] He is spoken of as 顿丑峁泃补惫谤补迟补,[40] 峁歵补蝉测补驳辞辫腻 or guardian of 峁泃补.[41] The word 峁泃补 denotes cosmic law as well as truth and moral order. 痴补谤耻峁嘺 is described as the ruler of the world and also the administrator of the moral law. He is addressed as king of all, both gods and men.[42] He is said to be the rescuer of sin and death of his devotees.[43] He creates intellect in heart, fire in water, 厂奴谤测补 in heaven and Soma on the mountain.[44] He is mentioned as the controller of waters.[45]
痴颈峁ａ箛耻 is a celestial god. He is depicted as the god who takes three steps.[46] He traverses the earth with these three steps.[47] According to the classical writers, the three steps are either the rising, culminating and the setting of the sun or the three classifications of the world which the sun traverses.[48] His three steps are referred to as his principal characteristics. He is also called 鲍谤耻驳腻测补[49]
Kucara, 骋颈谤颈峁ａ弓丑腻.[50] Indra killed a demon named 痴峁泃谤补 with the help of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.[51] In the Vedic literature, 笔奴峁苍 occupied an important position from the point of view of the number of hymns dedicated to him. 笔奴峁苍 belongs to the celestial region. The word 辫奴峁苍 is derived from the root 辫耻峁� to nourish. 笔奴峁苍 is described as the guardian of every path[52] and also called Pathaspati or the lord of the road.[53] He protects all men and animals from harm. That is why he is known by a name, Vimocana.[54] He is a god who takes care of the cattle and brings them back when gone astray.[55] It is stated that he protects and guards the steeds,[56] the strong and the increaser of nourishment.[57] A unique feature of 笔奴峁苍 is mentioned, as that his chariot is drawn by goats instead of horses. For that reason he is called 础箩腻艣惫补.[58]
It is not possible to enumerate and describe all the gods of the early Vedic times. Here, only a few important points have been discussed in respect of some important gods.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
vedo鈥檏hilo dharmam奴lam | 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈, 2.6
[4]:
ath膩to daivatam | tady膩ni n膩m膩ni pr膩dh膩nyastut墨n膩峁� 诲别惫补迟腻n膩峁� tad daivatamity膩cak峁te | sai峁Ｄ� devatopapar墨k峁Ｄ� || Ibid., 7.1
[5]:
[6]:
Ibid., 10.121; 10.129
[7]:
[8]:
t膩s膩峁� mah膩bh膩gy膩dekaikasy膩岣� api bah奴ni n膩madhey膩ni bhavanti | api v膩 karmap峁泃haktv膩t | yath膩 hot膩鈥檇hvaryurbrahmodg膩t膩-ityapi ekasya 蝉补迟补岣� | Ibid., 7.2.5
[9]:
[10]:
峁欢惫别诲补, 1.1.1
[11]:
antarvidv膩n adhvano devay膩n膩natandro d奴to abhavo havirv膩峁� || Ibid., 1.72.7
[12]:
agnir am峁泃o abhavadvayobhir yad ena峁� dyaur janayat suret膩岣� | Ibid., 10.45.8
[15]:
Ibid., 3.29.3
[16]:
Ibid., 1.1.1
[17]:
hiri艣尘补艣谤耻岣� 艣ucidann峁沚huranibh峁涐梗峁璦tavi峁岣� || Ibid., 5.7.7
[18]:
ta峁� citray膩ma峁� 丑补谤颈办别艣补m墨mahe sud墨timagni峁� suvit膩ya navyase | Ibid., 3.2.13
[19]:
Ibid., 3.17.1
[20]:
Ibid., 5.2.3
[21]:
sahasr膩k峁 vicar峁峁噄ragn墨 rak峁Ｄ佱箖si sedhati | Ibid., 1.79.12
[24]:
Ibid., 10.23.4
[25]:
yasta indra mah墨rapa岣� stabh奴yam膩na 膩艣ayat | ni ta峁� pady膩su 艣i艣natha岣� || Ibid., 8.6.16
[26]:
Ibid., 1.32.1
[27]:
Ibid., 1.32.2
[28]:
Ibid., 1.32.5
[30]:
Ibid., 6.17.2
[31]:
ya岣� somap膩 nicito vajrab膩huryo 惫补箩谤补丑补蝉迟补岣� sa jan膩sa indra | Ibid., 2.12.13
[33]:
厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid.
[34]:
divo na tubhyamnvindra satr膩surya峁� devebhirdh膩yi vi艣vam | ahi峁� yadv峁泃ramapo vavriv膩sa峁� hann峁沯墨峁nvi峁ａ箛un膩 sac膩na岣� || 峁欢惫别诲补, 6.20.2
[35]:
Ibid., 1.12.10
[36]:
Ibid., 3.53.3
[37]:
yo a艣manorantaragni峁� jaj膩na sa峁僾峁沰samatsu sa jan膩sa 颈苍诲谤补岣� | Ibid., 2.12.3
[38]:
Ibid., 1.25.7-9
[41]:
峁泃ena mitr膩varu峁嚹乿峁泃补 v峁沝h膩v峁泃补sp峁浥沘 | Ibid., 1.2.8
[42]:
[43]:
[45]:
pra s墨m膩ditya as峁沯advidhart膩n 峁泃补峁� sindhavo varu峁嘺sya yanti | na 艣r膩myanti na vi mucantye te vayo na papt奴 raghuy膩 parijman || Ibid., 2.28.4
[47]:
[48]:
vi峁ａ箛o岣� dh奴liyukte p膩dasth膩ne ida峁� 蝉补谤惫补峁� jagat samyagantar bhutam | seyam峁沰 y膩skenaiva峁� 惫测腻办丑测腻迟腻...vi峁ａ箛ustridh膩 nidhatte 辫补诲补峁� tredh膩bh膩v膩ya p峁泃hivy膩mantarik峁 div墨ti 艣腻办补辫奴峁噄岣� (Nirukta, 12.18-19)| 厂腻测补峁嘺 on 峁欢惫别诲补, 1.22.17
[49]:
yo askabh膩yaduttara峁� sadhasta峁� vicakram膩峁嘺stredhorug膩ya岣� | 峁欢惫别诲补, 1.154.1
[50]:
pra tadvi峁ａ箛u岣� stavate v墨rye峁嘺 m峁沢o na 产丑墨尘补岣� kucaro giri峁ａ弓h膩岣� | Ibid.,., 1.154.2
[51]:
divo na tubhyamanvindra satr膩surya峁� devebhirdh膩yi vi艣vam | ahi峁� yadv峁泃ramapo vavriv膩sa峁� hann峁沯墨峁nvi峁ａ箛un膩 sac膩na岣� || Ibid., 6.20.2
[52]:
辫补迟丑补蝉辫补迟丑补岣� 辫补谤颈辫补迟颈峁� vacasy膩 k膩mena k峁泃o abhy膩nalarkam | Ibid., 6.49.8
[55]:
Ibid., 6.54.5
[56]:
Ibid., 6.53.9
[57]: