2.6. Rudra as 厂补丑补蝉谤腻办峁

Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)

by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words

This page relates 鈥楻udra as Sahasraksha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.

2.6. Rudra as 厂补丑补蝉谤腻办峁

< Previous

Next >

God Rudra is known by this name.

Vedic commentator, 鲍惫补峁璦 construes the term 蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 as:

蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁Ｄ乱补 bahvak峁Ｄ亂a

鈥渙ne who has many eyes.鈥�^[1]

In the same mantra, 惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补 elaborates the term 蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 补蝉鈥�

蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁Ｄ乱补 sahasramak峁Ｄ箛i yasya indrasvar奴pi峁噀^[2]

鈥淗e who is described as having thousand eyes like Indra.鈥�

Here, In the Atharvaveda, the word 蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 is often used to designate Rudra as the possessor of thousand-eyes.^[3]

S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya gives an interpretation of this term 蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 as:

蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁峁� sahasrasa峁卥y膩kai岣� ak峁bhiryuktam.^[4]

In another mantra, the term 蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 is explained in a different way as:

蝉补丑补蝉谤腻办峁Ｄ乱补蝉补丑补蝉谤补峁� ak峁Ｄ箛i dar艣ana艣aktayo yasya sa tathokta岣�.^[5]

That means one who can see with his thousand eyes. According to 厂腻测补峁嘺 and 惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补, Rudra is similar to Indra in terms of this characteristic feature, i.e. thousand-eyes.

M.C. Rao opines that:

鈥�厂补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 is the macrocosm, the Rudra, is the universe with several tiny beings each with a pair of eyes, pair of legs, pair of hands and a single head.鈥�^[6]

In the 笔耻谤耻峁 S奴kta of the 峁欢惫别诲补, 笔耻谤耻峁 is called 厂补丑补蝉谤腻办峁.^[7] The same epithet 厂补丑补蝉谤腻办峁 is also applied to Indra and 痴腻测耻 jointly^[8] as well as to Agni in the 峁欢惫别诲补.^[9] In later literature, 艢颈惫补 is known by this name 厂补丑补蝉谤腻办峁.^[10] He is described as having thousand eyes.