1. Origin of Rudra

Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)

by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words

This page relates 鈥極rigin of Rudra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.

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1. Origin of Rudra

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In the 峁欢惫别诲补, Rudra is depicted as a minor god but in the Yajurvedic as well as Atharvavedic period his position had developed. In the Br膩hma峁噄c literature, Rudra is considered as a distinct god.

In the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, the story of Rudra鈥檚 origin and at the same time identifies with Agni is alluded to.

According to this 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, when 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 intended upon creation, he created respectively the water, foam, clay, sand, 艣补谤办补谤腻 and then the earth. After creating the earth, 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 spread it out and it became 辫谤颈迟丑颈惫墨. On this earth the beings and the lord of beings consecrated themselves for a year. The lord of beings was the master of the house and U峁s was his wife. The beings were called the season and the lord of beings was the year. Then the beings and lord of beings made U峁s pregnant. Afterwards a boy was born in a year. As soon as the boy was born, he started crying. Seeing him crying 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 asked the boy about the reason of his crying. Then that boy replied that no name has been given to him. The boy asked 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 for a name. Then 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 gave him the name of Rudra. Because he cried, therefore he is Rudra. As soon as 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 gave him that name, Agni became his form. For Rudra is Agni. There is also a mention of Agni鈥檚 crying in the 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补厂补峁僪颈迟腻.^[1] The boy again said that he want to be greater than one who does not exist. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 named him as 艢补谤惫补.

In this way, the boy came to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 again six more times asking for names to be greater than the one who does not exist. Then the names 笔补艣耻辫补迟颈, Ugra, 础艣补苍颈, Bhava, 惭补丑腻诲别惫补 and 莫艣腻苍补 are bestowed to him successively.

Since 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 gave the name 艢补谤惫补 to him (the boy), the waters became his form. For 艢补谤惫补 is water. Similarly 笔补艣耻辫补迟颈 is plants, Ugra is wind, 础艣补苍颈 is lightning, Bhava is parjanya, 惭补丑腻诲别惫补 is moon and 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, 莫艣腻苍补 is the sun.^[2] Here, in this 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, these are the eight forms of Rudra. Similarly in the Pur膩峁噄c literature, these eight names are used for lord 艢颈惫补.^[3]

P.M. Rath says that 鈥淓ach of these names successively possess higher power as it appears from the text that each time the boy becomes dissatisfied by declaring 鈥榮urely, I am mightier than that; give me yet a name!鈥� This is suggestive of Rudra鈥檚 pining for supremacy.鈥�^[4]

The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 of the 艢耻办濒补 Yajurveda makes another statement regarding the birth of Rudra and a different etymology for the 艢补迟补谤耻诲谤颈测补.

According to the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, Rudra is said to be born from 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 prescribes that when 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 desired to create progeny, all the gods left him. Manyu did not leave him. He became Rudra with a hundred heads, a thousand eyes and a hundred quivers. That Rudra, with his bow strung and his arrows fitted to the string. The other gods were afraid of him. The gods told 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 that they were afraid of him because he might hurt them. Then 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 asked those gods to collect food for him (Rudra) and appeased him with that food. Thereafter the gods collected food for Rudra. That food was 艢补迟补谤耻诲谤颈测补 offering and appeased him therewith.^[5]

In the 碍补耻艣墨迟补办颈叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, the story regarding the birth of Rudra is described in a slightly different manner. The story is described below鈥攂eing eager of progeny, 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 performed austerity. When he performed austerity, five children, viz. Agni, 痴腻测耻, 膧诲颈迟测补, Candramas and U峁s were born. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 told them to perform austerity. U峁s, the daughter of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 appeared before them in the form of an 补辫蝉补谤腻. Then they attracted towards U峁s and they poured out seed, which was collected in a golden spoon made by 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. From this collected seed a deity was born who has thousand eyes, thousand feet and thousand arrows. After being born the deity came to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 and asked for a name. Thereafter 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 bestowed a name to him, i.e. Bhava. Bhava represents water. In this way, the newly born being came to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 again seven more times seeking another name. The names were given by 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 to him as 艢补谤惫补, which is fire, 笔补艣耻辫补迟颈 is air, Ugra is plants and trees, 惭补丑腻诲别惫补 represents the sun, Rudra represents moon, 莫艣腻苍补 represents food and then 础艣补苍颈 represents Indra.^[6]

Different names are ascribed to Rudra. These different epithets represent different aspects of cosmic world. These numerous names of Rudra reveal the prominence of his personality than others.