Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘Vajasaneyi-samhita (d): Tryambaka Homa’ 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.
2. Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (d): Tryambaka Homa
In the context of the Rājasūya sacrifice, an offering of a cake is made to Tryambaka, an aspect of Rudra.
According to R.T.H. Griffith—
“tryambaka is a name of Rudra who has three wives, sisters or mothers or triocular and the thre-eeyed god.”[1]
In later literature, god Śiva is known by this name Tryambaka.[2] This sacrifice is offered for each of the member of the sacrificer’s family. This oblation is offered on one potsherd with the desire to bring prosperity to all of them. The sacrificer supplicates to Rudra for the protection of cattle and himself (sacrificer) also.
In this offering, a cake is offered to Rudra along with Ambikā, sister of Rudra and after that an additional cake is buried in a mole-hill uttering the mantra—
... svāhaiṣa te rudra bhāga ākhuste paśuḥ.
It means this mole is Rudra’s animal and Rudra rejoices in it.[3]
Tryambaka is earnestly invoked to free or save from every bound of death not from immortality.[4]
Mahīdhara remarks that—
tato rudraprasādānmṛtyormukṣīya apamṛtyoḥ saṃsāramṛtyośca mukto bhūyāsam.[5]
Here, it is said that Tryambaka saves beings from apamṛtyu or sudden, untimely death.
The physician character of Rudra is expressed in the Vājasaneyisaṃhitā and Taittirīya Saṃhitā also. The devotees invoke Rudra to confer medicine for cow, horse, man and to bestow happiness to ram and sheep.[6]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.35.173; Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.31.39; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa, 1.131.47; Agni-purāṇa, 18.43; Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.98
[3]:
Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 3.57; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa, 2.6.2.9-10
[4]:
(a) tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā’mṛtāt | Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 3.60; Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 1.8.6.2
[5]:
Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 3.60