Gitartha Samgraha (critical Study)

by Partha Sarathi Sil | 2020 | 34,788 words

This page relates ‘Shiva and Vedic Rudra’ of the study on Abhinavagupta’s Gitartha Samgraha commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: one of the core texts of Indian Philosophy. The Gitartha Sangraha is written in the light of Kashmir Shaivism and brings to Shaiva metaphysics and Yoga integrated in the Bhagavadgita. This study deals with Abhinava’s vision about the purpose of human existence and the accomplishment of salvation (i.e., self-realisation).

2. Śiva and Vedic Rudra

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From the perspective of principle the ultimate aim of spiritual practice is to be experience the existence of supreme reality. One supreme being is manifested in various forms which is declared in the Veda as “Ekam Sadviprā Bahudhā Vadanti”. Some of the Vedic mantras are prayers of God Rudra where Rudradeva is delineated not only in his terrible form but also having a calm and quiet nature. Ācārya Yāska explains Rudra in Nirukta as “rudra raurītīti satah, roruyamāno dravatīti vā rodayatervā”^[1]. The application of the term ‘rut’ to denote the Upaniṣad, has got some significance–“rutaḥ śabdarūpāḥ upaniṣadaḥ”^[2]. Mahīdhara in his commentary of the Yajurveda has shown Rudra as provider of knowledge–‘ravaṇamiti jñānaṃ rāti dadāti iti rudrah’^[3]. In the 16th chapter of Śukla-Yajurveda description of God Rudra unveils Him as the worldly God Śiva. The form of Rudra as revealed in the mantras like, ‘namaste Rudra manyava uto ta īṣave namah’^[4] etc. appears to have no difference with that of Śiva or Pināki worshiped at present. So, as a God Śiva is in Vedic God in one hand and also a popular god on the other.

Rudra is represented as brilliant shafts which run about the heaven and earth^[5] and as holdingarms which slay cows and men^[6]. Here the characteristic of Rudra is reflected as a destructive entity. In Veda, Rudra is characterized as Paśupa or the protector of cattle^[7]. Rudra is also prayed to not to distress children with disease^[8] and to keep everybody free from any illnesses^[9]. Rudra also known as the best physician of physicians^[10]. In Ṛgveda, Rudra observes all earthly beings by his power and admired as divine being^[11]. Mainly the character of Rudra defined as much more developed in Śatarudriya unit. His favorable form is distinguished from its opposite, the deadly one. Rudra, being master of open fields and plain, he is lord of cattle (paśunām patiḥ). The name Paśupati appears in later periods a special designation of this deity. Thus the range of Rudra became so wide that he known as “lord of the quarters”.

R.G. Bhandarkar has explained beautifully about Rudra in his book Vaiṣṇavism and Śaivism,—

“The names Śarva (arrow-wielder) and Bhava also occur and when his wrathful nature is thoroughly appeased, he becomes Śambhu or benignant, Śaṃkara or beneficent, and Śiva or auspicious, which names occur at the end of the Śatarudrīya.”^[12]

Though the Gītārthasaṅgraha does not mention ‘Śivo’ham’ in an embodied form, Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord is understood as the Śiva here. The words like ‘nīlagrīva’, ‘giriśanta’^[13] etc available in the Vedic mantras and Śiva-māhātmya (glorification of Śiva) as mentioned in the 200th& 201st chapter of the Droṇa Parvan of Mahābhārata. It can be said that during the time of the Purāṇas a connection between Vedic and non-Vedic Śiva was made through the medium of the ākhyānas and upākhyānas. In this way the Vedic Paśupati gradually became familiar to the society as a popular Paśupati. The co-existence of Āgama and Nigama also justifies this fact. Dr. Upendra Kumar Das in his ‘Bhāratīya Śakti-Sādhanā’ has discussed about the similarities between the Śatarudrīya Rudra and Lord Mahādeva, the presiding deity of the Śākta sect.