3. Rudra in the Taittirīya-saṃhitā (Introduction)

In the Taittirīya Saṃhitā, Rudra is called Vāstoṣpati. Here, it is referred that if the sacrificer goes without offering to Vāstoṣpati, the fire becoming Rudra kills the sacrificer.^[1] Rudra is known as Krayī.^[2] Rudra is said to be the lord of animals.^[3] According to Bhaṭṭabhāskaramiśra, the word paśu means bipeds and quadrupeds.^[4] In another mantra of the Taittirīya Saṃhitā, Rudra is referred to the overlord of cattle.^[5] A reference has been found in the context of the Darśapūrṇamāsa sacrifice, where Rudra is pointed out as the lord of cattle and he is implored to protect the cattle of the sacrificer. Rudra is supplicated so that he avoids using his dart.^[6] In the context of the Soma sacrifice, the sacrificer prays to Rudra to guide the soma-cow to the altar in the path of Mitra^[7] and this somacow is addressed as Rudrā.^[8] Rudras are associated with Triṣṭubh metre.^[9] The numbers of Rudras are mentioned as eleven.^[10] Veneration is paid to Rudra for protecting the sacrificer.^[11] In this Saṃhitā, there is a legend of Nābhanediṣṭha which points out the relation between Rudra and cattle. According to the story, Manu divided his property to his sons. But he did not give any portion of his property to Nābhanediṣṭha. One day when Manu went to the sacrifice of Aṅgirasas, he gave his cattle to Nābhanediṣṭha. Then Rudra came to Nābhanediṣṭha and told him that those are his (Rudra’s) cattle.^[12] In the context of the Rājasūya sacrifice, gāvīdhuka caru is offered to Rudra who is Paśupati.^[13] When one desires to practise witchcraft, he should offer a cake on eight potsherds to Agni. Here, Agni has been said to be like Rudra.^[14]

The term rudravat means Agni’s terrible nature. The dreadful body of Agni is said to be similar to the horrible nature of Rudra.^[15] Another reference has been found where it is said that one who wish to become resplendent, he must offer an oblation to Soma-Rudra. He must offer this oblation to Soma-Rudra on the fullmoon day of the month of Tiṣya. Rudra is called Tiṣya and Soma is Pūrṇamāsa.^[16] He who wishes to get offspring, to practise witchcraft, must offer an oblation to Soma-Rudra. If a person who has been suffering for long time and desires to produce an enemy against a person in his own home, he has to offer an oblation to Soma-Rudra.^[17] A reference has been found in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā, where it is said that the gods excluded Rudra from the sacrifice. Then Rudra pierced the sacrifice.^[18] The reflection of this account has been found in the Pūrāṇic legend of Dakṣa’s sacrifice where Śiva has not been invited.^[19] North quarter is mentioned as Rudra’s quarter.^[20] Rudra is portrayed as Makhaghna.^[21] He is known as Makhaghna because he destroys the people who do not pay obeisance to makha or yajña.^[22] Rudra is called the slayer of men.^[23] In the context of the piling of the fire altar, Agni is said to be Rudra and he has three types of missiles. One of those missiles strikes straight, one hits transversely and the last one that follows up^[24] and the sacrificer salute Rudra’s bow in different directions, i.e. east, west, south, north.^[25] Agni is Rudra and he has two bodies one is dread and the other benevolent or auspicious^[26] and he is born when the fire is completely piled up.^[27]

Bhaṭṭabhāskaramiśra remarks that—

sa rudraḥ etasminkāle jātaḥ prādurbhūto bhavati yadā sarvogniścito bhavati.^[28]

In the context of the preparation of the sacrificial ground, it is stated that if the sacrificer sets free the bipeds and quadrupeds to the east quarter he would give them to Rudra.^[29] There was only one Rudra no second one.^[30] This statement points out the superiority of Rudra. An account has been found in this Saṃhitā where the gods make him (Rudra) the overlord of animals for destroying the Asuras who had three cities. The first one was of copper, the second of silver and the third of gold.^[31] The same legend is described in the Pūrāṇas also. In the Pūrāṇic literature, lord Śiva is said to be the destroyer of the three cities.^[32]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

rudraḥ khalu vai vāstoṣpatiryadahutvā vāstoṣpatīyaṃ prayāyādrudra enaṃ bhūtvā’gniranūtthāya hanyādvāstoṣpatīyaṃ juhoti...|| Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 3.4.10.38

[2]:

rudra yatte krayī paraṃ nāma tasmai hutamasi...|| Ibid., 1.8.14.28

[3]:

agnirbhūtānāmadhipatissa…rudraḥ paśūnāṃ…|| Ibid., 3.4.5.16

[4]:

...paśūnāṃ dvipadāṃ catuṣpadāṃ ca | Bhaṭṭabhāskaramiśra, Ibid.

[5]:

prājāpatyā vai paśavasteṣāṃ rudrodhipatiryadetābhyāmupākaroti...|| Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 3.1.5.15

[6]:

...rudrasya hetiḥ pari vo vṛṇaktu dhruvā asmin gopatau syāta bahvīryajamānasya paśunpāhi|| Ibid., 1.1.1.1

[7]:

...rudrastvā’vartayatu mitrasya pathā svasti somasakhā punarehi saha rayyā || Ibid., 1.2.4.10

[8]:

vasvyasi rudrā’sya ditirasyā dityā’si śukrā’si candrā’si bṛhaspatistvā sumne raṇvatu....|| Ibid.,1.2.5.11

[9]:

...priyaṃ pātha upehi rudrāstvā pra bṛhantu traiṣṭubhena...|| Ibid., 3.3.3.5

[10]:

...ekādaśa rudrā dvādaśādityā...|| Ibid., 3.5.2.8

[11]:

Ibid., 3.5.2.12

[12]:

...yajñavāstau rudrā’gacchatsobravīnmama vā ime paśava ityadurvai || Ibid., 3.1.9.30

[13]:

...rudrāya paśupataye gāvīdhukaṃ caruṃ…|| Ibid., 1.8.10.1

[14]:

...agnaye rudravate purodāśamaṣṭākapālaṃ nirvapedabhicaranneṣā vā asya ghorā tanūryadrudrastasmā evainamā vṛścati...|| Ibid., 2.2.2.8

[15]:

rudraśabdena taddharmo ghoratvaṃ lakṣate | ...agneḥ ghorā tanūḥ yat rudravadghorasvabhāvatvaṃ...| Bhaṭṭabhāskaramiśra, Ibid.

[16]:

...tenaivāsmin rucamadadhuryo brahmavarcasakāmaḥ syāt tasmā etaṃ somāraudraṃ caruṃ nirvapet...tiṣyāpūrnamāse nirvapedrudro vai tiṣyaḥ somaḥ pūrṇamāsaḥ...|| Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 2.2.10.1-2

[17]:

...somāraudraṃ caruṃ nirvapet prajākāmaḥ...somāraudraṃ caruṃ nirvapedabhicarantasaumyo...nirvapejjyogāmayāvī... somāraudraṃ caruṃ nirvapedyaḥ kāmayeta sve’smā āyatane bhrātṛvyaṃ janayeyamiti...|| Ibid., 2.2.10.3-5

[18]:

...sarvā devatā devatābhireva yajñaṃ saṃ tanvanti devā vai yajñādrudramantarāyantasa yajñamavidhyat...| Ibid., 2.6.8.44

[19]:

Śiva-purāṇa, 2.2.32-37

[20]:

...sakṛdiva hi rudra uttarārdhādava dyatyeṣā vai rudrasya dik svāyāmeva diśi rudraṃ niravadayate...|| Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 2.6.6.5-6

[21]:

...namo rudrāya makhaghne...|| Ibid., 3.2.4.12

[22]:

makhaghne makhasya yajñasya anamaskārakāriṇo nāśayitre tubhyaṃ namaḥ | Bhaṭṭabhāskaramiśra, Ibid.

[23]:

ārātte goghna uta pūruṣaghne kṣayadvīrāya sumnamasme te astu | Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 4.5.10.3

[24]:

...rudro vā eṣa yadagnistasya tisraśśaravyāḥ pratīcī tiraścayanūcī tābhyo vā eṣa ā vṛścayate yo’gniṃ cinute...|| Ibid., 5.5.7.30

[25]:

Ibid., 5.5.7.31

[26]:

...rudro vā eṣa yadagnistasyaite tanuvau ghorā’nyā śivā’nyā...|| Ibid., 5.7.3.11

[27]:

rudro vā eṣa yadagnissa etarhi jāto yarhi sarvaścitassa...|| Ibid., 5.4.3.9

[28]:

Bhaṭṭabhāskaramiśra, Ibid.

[29]:

...paśavo dvipādaśca catuṣpādaśca tān yatprāca utsṛjedrudrāyāpi dadhyādyadakṣiṇā pitṛbhyo ni dhuvedyatpratīco rakṣāṃsi hanyurudīca utsṛjatyeṣā vai devamanuṣyāṇāṃ śāntā dik || tāmevainānanūtsṛjatyatho khalvimāṃ diśamutsṛjatyasau...|| Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 5.2.5.27-28

[30]:

...yacchaika eva rudro na dvitīyāya...|| Ibid., 1.8.6.10

[31]:

Ibid., 6.2.3.14-16

[32]:

Śiva-purāṇa, 2.5.10