Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)

by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words

This page relates ‘Origin of Rudra’ 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.

1. Origin of Rudra

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In the Ṛgveda, Rudra is depicted as a minor god but in the Yajurvedic as well as Atharvavedic period his position had developed. In the Brāhmaṇic literature, Rudra is considered as a distinct god.

In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, the story of Rudra’s origin and at the same time identifies with Agni is alluded to.

According to this Brāhmaṇa, when Prajāpati intended upon creation, he created respectively the water, foam, clay, sand, śarkarā and then the earth. After creating the earth, Prajāpati spread it out and it became prithivī. 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 Uṣas 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 Uṣas pregnant. Afterwards a boy was born in a year. As soon as the boy was born, he started crying. Seeing him crying Prajāpati asked the boy about the reason of his crying. Then that boy replied that no name has been given to him. The boy asked Prajāpati for a name. Then Prajāpati gave him the name of Rudra. Because he cried, therefore he is Rudra. As soon as Prajāpati gave him that name, Agni became his form. For Rudra is Agni. There is also a mention of Agni’s crying in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā.^[1] The boy again said that he want to be greater than one who does not exist. Prajāpati named him as Śarva.

In this way, the boy came to Prajāpati again six more times asking for names to be greater than the one who does not exist. Then the names Paśupati, Ugra, Aśani, Bhava, Mahādeva and Īśāna are bestowed to him successively.

Since Prajāpati gave the name Śarva to him (the boy), the waters became his form. For Śarva is water. Similarly Paśupati is plants, Ugra is wind, Aśani is lightning, Bhava is parjanya, Mahādeva is moon and Prajāpati, Īśāna is the sun.^[2] Here, in this Brāhmaṇa, these are the eight forms of Rudra. Similarly in the Purāṇic literature, these eight names are used for lord Śiva.^[3]

P.M. Rath says that “Each of these names successively possess higher power as it appears from the text that each time the boy becomes dissatisfied by declaring ‘surely, I am mightier than that; give me yet a name!’ This is suggestive of Rudra’s pining for supremacy.”^[4]

The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa of the Śukla Yajurveda makes another statement regarding the birth of Rudra and a different etymology for the Śatarudriya.

According to the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, Rudra is said to be born from Prajāpati. The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa prescribes that when Prajāpati 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 Prajāpati that they were afraid of him because he might hurt them. Then Prajāpati 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 Śatarudriya offering and appeased him therewith.^[5]

In the Kauśītaki Brāhmaṇa, the story regarding the birth of Rudra is described in a slightly different manner. The story is described below—being eager of progeny, Prajāpati performed austerity. When he performed austerity, five children, viz. Agni, Vāyu, Āditya, Candramas and Uṣas were born. Prajāpati told them to perform austerity. Uṣas, the daughter of Prajāpati appeared before them in the form of an apsarā. Then they attracted towards Uṣas and they poured out seed, which was collected in a golden spoon made by Prajāpati. From this collected seed a deity was born who has thousand eyes, thousand feet and thousand arrows. After being born the deity came to Prajāpati and asked for a name. Thereafter Prajāpati bestowed a name to him, i.e. Bhava. Bhava represents water. In this way, the newly born being came to Prajāpati again seven more times seeking another name. The names were given by Prajāpati to him as Śarva, which is fire, Paśupati is air, Ugra is plants and trees, Mahādeva represents the sun, Rudra represents moon, Īśāna represents food and then Aśani 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.