2. Rudra-Śiva in the Upaniṣadic Literature

In the Upaniṣadic literature, a new trend has emerged. Here, all the individual gods are said to be subordinates of the Brahman who is the Ultimate Reality according to the Upaniṣads. Through the Upaniṣadic literature the unity between Brahman and Ātman or the identity of the human soul and Ultimate Reality can be known.^[1]

The creation hymns are the starting point of the concept of monism in the Upaniṣads. The pantheism of the early Vedic Indians gave place to deep knowledge of monism. The minds of the Vedic Indians were disturbed by the fundamental questions of the origin of the universe. Men were intrigued by nature. When they found that they could not explain nature or Prakṛti either by the assumption of the gods or by the rational thinking, they were in bewilderment. It leads into the speculative thinking of the Upaniṣads.

The Vedic Indians chanted the Vedic hymns which are described in the Saṃhitās to eulogize some Supreme Beings. The devotees propitiated the gods by performing the rituals for obtaining their mercy. The quest of the worshippers had developed the concept of a superhuman nature behind it. These Āryans believed in a responsive agent called god behind all these phenomena seeing the phenomena of nature like clouds’ gathering, rising and setting of the sun, lightning etc.

The Vedic Indians accepted the gods and in later period, these gods are regarded as the manifestation of one god, whom those very Vedic Indians called the Supreme Brahman or Ultimate Reality.^[2] In the Ṛgveda, this Supreme Reality is expressed as ekam sad or ‘That Real’.^[3] This concept originates the thinking of non-dual Reality which is developed and expressed to gain the idea of the Ultimate Reality. In the Upaniṣadic literature, the word ‘Brahman’ is used for the word Supreme Reality. The word Brahman is derived from the root bṛṃh ‘to grow’. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, regarding the word Brahman Śaṅkarācārya states that—bṛṃhati bṛṃhayati tasmāducyate paraṃ brahmeti.^[4] Brahman is mentioned as the soul and vital force of the universe from this all created things are generated. According to the Upaniṣadic literature, Brahman is that—from which all beings originate and which hold the all created beings in him. Brahman is that to which the all goes finally and in which the all created beings enter.^[5] The Ātman is also considered as Brahman.^[6]

In the most of the major Upaniṣads, the term Rudra is hardly seen, but in some minor Upaniṣads Rudra has been found as a distinct deity.

In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, Rudra is portrayed as only one, there is no place for a second one. He is present in all human beings. He rules these worlds by his ruling powers. He is the protector of the world. After having created the entire world, he merges them at the end of the time.^[7] He is depicted as the omniscient seer (Maharṣi), the cause of source and origin of all the deities, the lord of all as well as also the creator of Hiraṇyagarbha.^[8] From the above statement it can be known that Rudra appears as creator, preserver and destroyer. Rudra is considered as Giriśanta and Giritra and the devotees pray to him to make his arrow gracious to them and do not to destroy their near and dears by striking that arrow.^[9]

R.G. Bhandarkar comments—

“He is called Giriśa or Giritra, ‘lying on a mountain’, probably because the thunderbolt that he hurls, springs from a cloud, which is often compared to a mountain and in which he was believed to dwell.”^[10]

A number of names, viz. Hara,^[11] Īśa,^[12] Īśāna and he is the lord of immortality,^[13] Maheśvara, Nīlakaṇṭha,^[14] Ādideva, Maheśa,^[15] Viśvakarman and Mahātmā^[16] are ascribed to the Brahman who is Rudra. He is also said to be Nīlaśikhaṇḍa, Babhru, Babhrukarṇa and Virupākṣa^[17], Giriśa,^[18] Tāmra (tawny coloured), Aruṇa (red in colour) and Vilohita or one who is blazing red in colour.^[19] In the Nīlarudra Upaniṣad, Rudra is known by several names. He is addressed as Bhavabhāma and Bhavamanyu and salutation is paid to his arms and his arrows.^[20] He is portrayed as Nīlagrīva, Śikhaṇḍin and as coming down from the heaven to the earth,^[21] Jalāṣabheṣaja.^[22] In the Purāṇic literature, Nīlagrīva,^[23] Śikhaṇḍin,^[24] Giriśa,^[25] Nīlaśikhaṇḍa,^[26] Sahasrākṣa,^[27] Babhru,^[28] Virūpākṣa^[29] all these are used as names for Śiva. There is nothing superior to Rudra in this universe, nothing higher, smaller and greater than him.^[30] He is the possessor of face, head and neck of all, present in the cavity of heart of all beings. He is called Bhagavān, all pervading, omniscient and Śiva or bountiful.^[31] He remains in all beings and is called the inner soul of beings, the master of deeds, the witness and Nirguṇa.^[32] He is the quality of all senses as well as free from all the organs of senses. He is regarded as the lord, ruler and the shelter of all.^[33] Here, in this Upaniṣad, Rudra is stated as the Supreme Brahman having sahasraśira or thousand heads, thousand eyes and thousand feet,^[34] he is the great Puruṣa, omnipresent, powerful and supreme lord,^[35] the possessor of all sense organs and he is free from all the organs of senses and the lord, ruler as well as the shelter of all beings.^[36] He is the lord of all gods as well as the lord of two-footed and four-footed beings.^[37] According to this Upaniṣad, he is said to be the highest lord of the lords, supreme deity of the deities, great ruler of the rulers, the lord of the world and the most adorable god of the universe,^[38] he is female, male, young boy and young girl.^[39] Another reference has been found in this Upaniṣad where the nature (Prakṛti) is referred to as Māyā or illusion and the Maheśvara or great god is Māyin or illusion maker.^[40] Here, the word maheśvara is used as an adjective. But in the later period, this very word is used as a name of lord Śiva.^[41] At the end of the fourth chapter of this Upaniṣad, a prayer addressing to Rudra is chanted where the devotees invoke to attain shelter in him and pray to protect through his dakṣiṇa face.^[42]

In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, it is stated that the potentiality of eleven organs is called Rudra and as such Rudras are eleven in number. There are eleven organs in a human body. When they (eleven organs) leave the mortal body, they make everyone or relatives cry. As they make the relatives cry, they are called Rudras.^[43] In the Praśna Upaniṣad, prāṇa is identified with Rudra and Indra.^[44] In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad also prāṇas are identified with Rudras.^[45] In this connection, Śaṅkarācārya remarks that prāṇas are Rudras because they make everyone cry.^[46]

A mantra has been found in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, where it is stated that the seven gods, viz. Rudra, Parjanya, Āditya, Agni, Indra, Pṛthivi and Dyu reside in the eyes and watch over it. Through the red lines which are in the eyes Rudra is subservient to it.^[47]

According to P.M. Rath,

“Rudra is here described as being present in the scarlet lines in the eyes. This idea reminds one of Rudra’s associations with redness. Rudra is depicted as a red god and a deity, who emerged from the wrath of the gods and himself a wrathful deity.”^[48]

R.N. Dandekar also says that Rudra is a ‘red god’.^[49] Rudra and Īśāna along with other gods, viz. Varuṇa, Indra, Soma, Parjanya, Yama, Mṛtyu are known as Kṣatram.^[50] According to Śaṅkarācārya, kṣatraṃ means kṣatriyajātim.^[51] In this context, Swami Nikhilananda’s view can be cited.

Swami Nikhilananda remarks in his book entitled The Upanishads that,

“The Brāhmin caste is the maker of the spiritual culture and Kṣatriya caste is the protector of the culture.”^[52]

According to the Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad, Rudra is the superior to all and supreme seer. The worshippers pray to him (Rudra) to unite them (worshippers) with the supreme knowledge.^[53]

In the Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad, Rudra and his other names are mentioned along with other gods as referring to Ātman thus—

eṣa hi khalvātmeśānaḥ śaṃbhurbhavo rudraḥ prajāpatirviśvasṛgdhiraṇyagarbhaḥ satyaṃ prāṇo haṃsaḥ śāstā viṣṇurnārāyaṇo’kaḥ savitā dhātā vidhātā samrāḍindra induriti.^[54]

Paul Deussen translates this mantra thus—

“Indeed, this Ātman is Īśāna, Śaṃbhu, Bhava, Rudra, Prajāpati, Viśvasṛj, Hiraṇyagarbha, the truth, life, bird of passage (Haṃsa), ruler, Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Arka, Savitṛ, the creator, the regulator, the overlord or sovereign Indra, Indu.”^[55]

Here Rudra is used as an epithet of Ātman. Again Brahman is stated as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Prajāpati etc.^[56] Here, it is visualized that Ātman, Brahman, Rudra, Prajāpati etc., are the identical.

A reference has been found in the Jābāli Upaniṣad, where it is said that when Paśupati becomes influenced by ahaṅkāra, he turns into the living being or jīva. Paśupati is omniscient, lord of all and performer of five kinds of actions.^[57] According to P.M. Rath, these five kinds of actions are creation, sustenance, destruction, benediction and vanishing.^[58] A jīva is known as a paśu and Paśupati is known as the master of jīva (living beings).^[59] Paśupati is used for a name of Rudra-Śiva which is already mentioned in the previous chapter. This Upaniṣad describes a vrata, a kind of penance which includes wearing of the holy ash on different parts of body. The absolute principal (Paśupati) can be known only through this vrata.^[60] The Vedic reader has been told this vrata as Sāmbhava vrata.^[61] This vrata is mentioned as the means for the emancipation of living beings. If a brahmacāri or sanyāsi holds the holy ash on his body, he is free from all kinds of evils either greater or smaller; he becomes fit to worship all gods and becomes one who has recited the all Rudra hymns.^[62]

Rudrākṣajābāla Upaniṣad brings forth an imaginative story regarding the origin of rudrākṣa beads. The story is as follows—for destroying Tripuras, lord Rudra closed his eyes for a thousand years in meditation; tears fell on the earth from his eyes and from those teardrops the rudrākṣa tree originated. Here, it is said that when a devotee wears rudrākṣa on his body, he is free from all kinds of sins which are committed by him during the day and night.^[63] At the end of this Upaniṣad, it is said that the name, rudrākṣa has been attributed to it because it has originated from the eyes of Rudra.^[64] In the Śiva Purāṇa, rudrākṣa plants are said to be originated from the eyes of lord Śiva.^[65] This reference bears a clear imprint that Rudra and Śiva is same. Rudra is portrayed as possessing the character of all gods and all devas are merely different manifestations of Śiva himself. The Sun, Brahmā and the three kinds of fire, i.e. Gārhapatya, Dakṣināgni and Āhavanīya reside in the right side of Rudra. The goddess Umā,

Viṣṇu and Soma are present in the left side of him. Umā herself is the form of Viṣṇu and Viṣṇu himself is the form of moon.^[66] He is said to be the seed form to the origin of living organism and Viṣṇu is called Bījayoni or the field of the seed. God Rudra is recognised as Brahmā and whoever is Brahmā, he too is Hutāśana or fire^[67] and is depicted as possessing the character of both Brahmā and Viṣṇu. All the male sexes reside in the form of Īśāna and all the female sexes exist in the form of Umā.^[68] All the inert and sensitive creation of the universe is filled up with Umā and Rudra. All that is vyakta is present in the form of Umā and all that is avyakta is in the form of Maheśvara.^[69] The combination of Umā and Śaṅkara is stated as Viṣṇu.^[70] Brahmā is known as the Antarātman, Maheśvara is the Paramātman and Viṣṇu is the everlasting soul of all living beings.^[71] The formation of three lokas is described with a beautiful example—the three lokas, i.e. sarga, martya and pātāla is called a big tree and Viṣṇu is said to be the branches of this tree, Brahmā is trunk and Maheśvara is the root of this tree.^[72] Viṣṇu is in the form of kārya or work, Brahmā remains in the form of kriyā or action and Maheśvara is present in the form of kāraṇa or cause. For the benefit of the world, Rudra has taken these three forms^[73] and Rudra is said to be Dharma (religion), the entire world stands in the form of Viṣṇu and all knowledge remains in the form of Pitāmaha or Brahmā.^[74] The harmony between Rudra and Umā is depicted thus—Rudra and Umā are saluted in the form of nara (men) and nārī (women), brahmā and vāṇī, viṣṇu and lakṣmī, sūrya and chāyā, soma and tārā, divā and rātri, yajña and vedī, vahni and svāhā, veda and śāstra, vṛkṣa and vallī, gandha (fragrance) and puṣpa (flower), artha and akṣara, liṅga and pīṭha respectively.^[75] From these references, it is clear that Rudra and Umā are interrelated. In the Purāṇas, lord Śiva is known by the above mentioned names, viz. Nara,^[76] Brahmā,^[77] Viṣṇu,^[78] Sūrya,^[79] Soma,^[80] Yajña,^[81] Vṛkṣa,^[82] Gandha,^[83] Liṅga etc.^[84] In the Purāṇic literature, Śiva is known by the name of Ardhanārīśarīra (half man and half woman).^[85]

In the Kaivalya Upaniṣad, lord Śiva is depicted as Paramātman or Supreme one. This Supreme one sits in a pleasant posture with a pure mind.^[86] He is pure and free from sorrow, unthinkable, unmanifest and infinite, benevolent, calm, of the form of emancipation, source of brahmayoni.^[87] He has no beginning, middle and end. He is Parameśvara and always present with his consort, Umā and he is depicted as Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, Viṣṇu, Prāṇa, Kāla, Agni and Candramā^[88] and having blue neck (Nīlakaṇṭha) and three eyes.^[89]

Paramātmā being deluded by māyā does every action in the universe having taken resort to a body—

sa eva māyāparimohitātmā śarīramāsthāya karoti sarvam.^[90]

Every living being enjoys happiness and feels sorrow in this world created by his māyā.^[91] He creates prāṇa, mind, all sense organs, sky, air, fire, water and earth. He is Sarvātmā, supreme abode of the universe, subtlest of the subtle, eternal.^[92]

The Athravaśira Upaniṣad proclaims that Rudra is the principal of all things and the highest goal. He is past, present and future. There is nothing in this world except him. He resides in the heart of all living organisms. He is Nitya and Anitya, visible and invisible, east, west, south, north, above and below. He is the quarters and sub-quarters. He is said to be eldest, noblest and best, masculine, feminine and neuter. He is the fire in all forms, viz. Gārhapatya, Dakṣiṇa and Āhavanīya.^[93] Rudra is the form of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Skanda, Indra, Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya and Soma, Yama, Mṛtyu etc.^[94] The highest Brahman is only one and he is Rudra. He is also Īśāna and the one who is Īśāna is also Maheśvara.^[95] Lord Śiva is called by this name, Īśāna^[96] and Maheśvara^[97] in the Purāṇas. He (Rudra) is called Paraṃ Brahma because he is the highest of the highest, the strong and strengthens by the strong.^[98] There is a derivation of the word rudra in the Athravaśira Upaniṣad. As per the derivation he is called Rudra because his existence (ru-paṃ) is grasped immediately (dru-taṃ) by the seers not by the other devotees.^[99] Nothing is earlier and later than Rudra, nothing what had been or nothing what was going to be. He pervades the world with thousand feet and one head.^[100]

According to the Śarabha Upaniṣad, Rudra is the Supreme one (Parameśvara). Rudra is delineated as the lord, most adorable, father of the world, the greatest among the gods, creator of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and all other gods as well as the destroyer of entire universe at the end of the time, the best and who rules over others.^[101] Rudra assuming the enormous form of Śarabha, killed Nṛsiṃha.^[102] In the Śiva Purāṇa, Śiva assuming the form of Śarabha, killed Nṛsiṃha, the incarnation of Viṣṇu.^[103] Rudra had pierced the body of Viṣṇu with his sharp nails. He had put on the attire of skin and at that time he is designated as Vīrabhadra, the great hero, he is the endower of all fulfilment and also the slayer of the fifth head of Brahmā, he destroys the entire universe into ashes by the fire spark which comes out from his forehead and originates and protects this world again and again.^[104] According to the Śiva Purāṇa, Kālabhairava, an incarnation of Śiva cut off Brahma’s fifth head with the tip of the nails of the fingers of his left hand.^[105] Rudra slew Kāla by a kick of his left foot and drank the most deadly poison, hālahala.^[106] The Purāṇas stated that at the time of churning the milk ocean Śiva drank the poison and is popular by the name of Nīlakaṇṭha.^[107] After conquering the suras in the yajña arranged by Prajāpati Dakṣa, Rudra had tied Viṣṇu with the cord of nāga.^[108] Rudra is the slayer of Tripura and having three eyes which are the sun, moon and the fire respectively. He had defeated all the gods and that god became animals or paśus and by this reason he assumed the designation of Paśupati.^[109] Rudra created Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṃha and Vāmana incarnations of Viṣṇu. He gave pain to Indra and burnt the two gods named Manmatha and Yama.^[110] Rudra is stated as Mahāgrāsa (great consumer), Śūlin (trident holder), Mahādeva, Maheśvara, Mṛḍa,^[111] Parameśvara and he destroys three kinds of sins originating from janma, mrityu and jarā and reduces a number of sufferings.^[112] Śiva is said to be the one and only eternal. Except Śiva everything in this world is false. He is also regarded as Maheśvara or great god. He is Dhyāyaḥ and Sarvasaṃsāramocakaḥ.^[113] That means he is to be meditated upon forever and abolisher of all living beings from the worldly ties.

In the Pañcabrahma Upaniṣad, the five-fold aspects of the Supreme Brahman are described. Lord Śiva is depicted as the Parabrahman or Supreme Brahman who has five aspects, viz. Sadyojāta, Aghora, Vāmadeva, Tatpuruṣa, and Īśāna. This Brahman or Śiva always resides in the heart and exists as witness to all beings.^[114]

According to P.M. Rath,

“Sadyojāta, Aghora etc., are the faces of the Sadāśiva to different directions.”^[115]

In the Purāṇic literature, Lord Śiva is identified with the Pañcabrahma.^[116] He is said to be of five forms.^[117] Here, it is said that Īśāna is the first form of Śiva Parameṣṭhin, Tatpuruṣa is the second physical form, Aghora is the third, Vāmadeva is the forth and Sadyojāta is the fifth.^[118]

The Kālāgnirudra Upaniṣad discusses about the tripuṇḍra mark with ashes. These tripuṇḍra mark is consists of three streaks^[119] and Maheśvara, Sadāśiva and Mahādeva are the presiding deities of these three lines respectively.^[120] At the end of this Upaniṣad, it is said that one who draws tripuṇḍra on his body with ashes and knows its significance, he is purified thereby from various great and minor sins and also able to be united with lord Śiva.^[121] In the Śiva Purāṇa, lord Śiva is represented by the ash which directly sanctifies the three worlds.^[122] One who wears tripuṇḍra with a pure mind must be regarded as a true devotee of Śiva.^[123]

These Upaniṣads established Rudra-Śiva as the all above all in the universe. He is the Paramātman or Supreme lord. He is the only one who holds everything within him.

Thus, in the minor Upaniṣads, Rudra-Śiva is treated as the creator of the all living and non-living things. He is extolled in the Upaniṣadic literature as the protector of all. He is the Supreme Reality and the lord of all beings. He is regarded as Bhagavān. But in the major Upaniṣads, his activities like protective as well as destructive have hardly assessable.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ayamātmā brahma | Bṛ.U., 4.4.5

[2]:

katyeva devā yājñavalkyetyeka ityomiti hovāca | Ibid., 3.9.1

[3]:

ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadantyagniṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānamāhuḥ | Ṛgveda, 1.164.46

[4]:

Śaṅkara on Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad, 1.1

[5]:

yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante | yena jātāni jīvanti | yatprayatnabhisaṃviśanti | tadvijijñāsatva tadbrahmeti || T.U., 3.1

[6]:

ayamātmā brahma | Mahānārāyaṇa-upaniṣad, 2

[7]:

eko hi rudro na dvitīyāya tasthurya imānllokānīśata īśanībhiḥ | pratyaṅjanāstiṣṭhati saṃcukopāntakāle saṃsṛjya viśvā bhuvanāni gopāḥ || Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad, 3.2

[8]:

yo devānāṃ prabhavaścodbhavaśca viśvādhipo rudro maharṣiḥ | hiraṇyagarbhaṃ janayāmāsa pūrvaṃ sa no buddhyā śubhayā saṃyunaktu || Ibid., 3.4

[9]:

(a) yāmiṣuṃ giriśanta haste bibharṣyastave | śivāṃ giritra tāṃ kuru mā hiṃsīḥ puruṣaṃ jagat || Ibid., 3.6 (b) Nīlarudra-upaniṣad, 1.5 (c) Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 16.3

[10]:

Vide, Bhandarkar, R.G., Vaiṣṇavism, Śaivism and Minor Religious Systems, p.146

[11]:

kṣaraṃ pradhānamamṛtākṣaraṃ haraḥ kṣarātmānāvīśate deva ekaḥ | Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad, 1.10

[12]:

tamakratuṃ paśyati vītaśoko dhātuḥ prasādānmahimānamīśam || Ibid., 3.20

[13]:

puruṣa evedaṃ sarvaṃ yadbhūtaṃ yacca bhavyam | utāmṛtatvasyeśāno yadannenātirohati || Ibid., 3.15

[14]:

(a) māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ vidyānmāyinaṃ tu maheśvaram | tasyāvayavabhūtaistu vyāptaṃ sarvamidaṃ jagat || Ibid., 4.10 (b) evaṃprakāreṇa bahudhā pratuṣṭvā kṣamāpayāmāsurnīlakaṇṭhaṃ maheśvaram | Śarabha-upaniṣad, 14

[15]:

sanatsujātādisanātanādyairīḍyo maheśo bhagavānādidevaḥ || Ibid., 19

[16]:

eṣa devo viśvakarmā mahātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaḥ | Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad, 4.17

[17]:

babhruśca babhrukarṇaśca nīlagrīvaśca yaḥ śivaḥ | paśya śarveṇa nīlakaṇṭhena bhavena marutāṃ pitā || virupākṣeṇa babhruṇā vācaṃ vadiṣyato hataḥ | śarva nīlaśikhaṇḍena vīra karmaṇi karmaṇi || Nīlarudra-upaniṣad, 3.2-3

[18]:

(a) śivena vacasā tvā giriśācchā vadāmasi | Ibid., 1.6 (b) acintyaśaktirbhagavāngirīśaḥ svāvidyayā kalpitamānabhūmiḥ || Śarabha-upaniṣad, 20

[19]:

asau yastāmra aruṇa uta babhrurvilohitaḥ | ye ceme abhito rudrā dikṣu śritāḥ sahasraśo’vaiṣāṃ heḍa īmahe || Nīlarudra-upaniṣad, 1.9

[20]:

namaste bhavabhāmāya namaste bhavamanyave | namaste astu bāhubhyāmuto ta iṣave namaḥ || Ibid., 1.4

[21]:

apaśyaṃ tvāvarohantaṃ divitaḥ pṛthivīmavaḥ | apaśyaṃ rudramasyantaṃ nīlagrīvaṃ śikhaṇḍinam || Ibid., 1.1

[22]:

eṣa etyavīrahā rudro jalāṣabheṣajīḥ | Ibid., 1.3

[23]:

(a) Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.30.191; Matsya-purāṇa, 132.23 (b) piṅgalākṣo janādhyakṣo nīlagrīvo nirāmayaḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.88

[24]:

Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.54.71; Liṅga-purāṇa,1.65.55; Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.123

[25]:

(a) Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.98.37; Matsya-purāṇa, 132.18; Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.35.166 (b) divyāyudhaḥ skandaguruḥ parameṣṭhiḥ parātparaḥ || anādimadhyanidhano giriśo girijādhavaḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.9

[26]:

nityaṃ nīlaśikhaṇḍāya śūline divyaśāyine || Matsya-purāṇa, 132.24

[27]:

Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.65.61; Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.35.164

[28]:

Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.35.170

[29]:

viśvarūpo virūpākṣo vāgīśaḥ śurasattamaḥ || sarvapramāṇasaṃvādī vṛṣāṅko vṛṣavāhanaḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.6

[30]:

yasmātparaṃ nāparamasti kincidyasmānnāṇīyo na jyāyo’sti kaścit | vṛkṣa iva stabdho divi tiṣṭhatyekastenedaṃ pūrṇaṃ puruṣeṇa sarvam || Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad, 3.9

[31]:

sarvānanaśirogrīvaḥ sarvabhūtaguhāśayaḥ | sarvavyāpī sa bhagavānstasmātsarvagataḥ śivaḥ || Ibid., 3.11

[32]:

eko devaḥ sarvabhūteṣu gūḍhaḥ sarvavyāpī sarvabhūtāntarātmā | karmādhyakṣaḥ sarvabhūtādhivāsaḥ sākṣī cetā kevalo nirguṇaśca || Ibid., 6.11

[33]:

sarvendriyaguṇābhāsaṃ sarvendriyavivarjitam | sarvasya prabhumīśānaṃ sarvasya śaraṇaṃ bṛhat || Ibid., 3.17

[34]:

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt | sa bhūmiṃ viśvato vṛtvā’tyatiṣṭhaddaśāṅgulam || Ibid., 3.14

[35]:

mahānprabhurvai puruṣaḥ satvasyaiṣa pravartakaḥ | sunirmalāmimāṃ prāptimīśāno jyotiravyayaḥ || Ibid., 3.12

[36]:

Ibid., 3.17

[37]:

yo devānāmadhipo yasminllokā adhiśritāḥ | ya īśe asya dvipadaścatuṣpadaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema || Ibid., 4.13

[38]:

tamīśvarāṇāṃ paramaṃ maheśvaraṃ taṃ devatānāṃ paramaṃ ca daivatam | patiṃ patīnāṃ paramaṃ parastādvidāma devaṃ bhuvaneśamīdyam || Ibid., 6.7

[39]:

tvaṃ strī tvaṃ pumānasi tvaṃ kumāra uta va kumārī | Ibid., 4.3

[40]:

māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ vidyānmāyinaṃ tu maheśvaram | Ibid., 4.10

[41]:

(a) Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.30.138 (b) niśācaraḥ pretacārī sarvadarśī maheśvaraḥ || bahubhūto bahudhanaḥ sarvasāro’mṛteśvaraḥ || Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.65.73

[42]:

ajāta ityevaṃ kaścidbhīruḥ prapadyate | rudra jatte dakṣiṇaṃ mukhaṃ tena maṃ pāhi nityam || Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad, 4.21

[43]:

katame rudrā iti daśeme puruṣe prāṇā ātmaikādaśaste yadā’smāccharīrānmartyādutkrāmantyatha rodayanti tadyadrodayanti tasmādrudrā iti || Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad, 3.9.4

[44]:

indrastvaṃ prāṇa tejasā rudro’si parirakṣitā | tvamantarikṣe carasi sūryastvaṃ jyotiṣāṃ patiḥ || Praśna-upaniṣad, 2.9

[45]:

prāṇā vāva rudrā ete hīdaṃ sarvaṃ rodayanti | Chāndogya-upaniṣad, 3.16.3

[46]:

rudanti rodayantīti prāṇā rudrāḥ | Śaṅkara, Ibid.

[47]:

tametāḥ saptākṣitaya upatiṣṭhante tadyā imā akṣan lohinyo rājayastābhirenaṃ rudro’nvāyatto’tha yā akṣannāpastābhiḥ parjanyo yā kanīnakā tayādityo yatkṛṣṇaṃ tenāgniryacchuklaṃ tenendro’dharayainaṃ vartanyā pṛthivyanvāyattā dyauruttarayā nāsyānnaṃ kṣīyate ya evaṃ veda || Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad, 2.2.2

[48]:

Vide, Rath, P.M., Rudra-Śiva in the Vedas, pp.74-75

[49]:

Vide, Dandekar, R.N., Vedic Mythological Tracts, p.256

[50]:

brahma vā idamagra āsīdekameva tadekaṃ sanna vyabhavat | tacchreyorūpamatyasṛjata kṣatraṃ yānyetāni devatrā kṣatrāṇīndro varuṇaḥ somo rudraḥ parjanyo yamo mṛtyurīśāna iti || Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad, 1.4.11

[51]:

Śaṅkara, Ibid.

[52]:

Vide, Swami, Nikhilananda, The Upanishads, Vol.III, p.126

[53]:

yo devānāṃ prathamaṃ purastād viśvādiko rudro maharṣiḥ | hiraṇyagarbhaṃ paśyata jāyamānaṃ sa no devaḥ śubhayāsmṛtyā saṃyunaktu || Mahānārāyaṇa-upaniṣad, 10.3

[54]:

Maitrāyaṇī-upaniṣad, 6.8

[55]:

Vide, Deussen, P., Sixty Upaniṣads of the Veda, p.350

[56]:

tvaṃ brahmā tvaṃ ca vai viṣṇustvaṃ rudrastvaṃ prajāpatiḥ...|| Maitrāyaṇī-upaniṣad, 5.1

[57]:

paśupatirahaṅkārāviṣṭaḥ saṃsārī jīvaḥ sa eva paśuḥ | sarvajñaḥ pañcakṛtyasaṃpannaḥ sarveśvara īśaḥ paśupatiḥ || Jābāli-upaniṣad, 11

[58]:

Vide., Rath, P.M., Rudra-Śiva in the Vedas, p.92

[59]:

jīvāḥ paśava uktāḥ | tatpatitvātpaśupatiḥ || Jābāli-upaniṣad, 13

[60]:

Ibid., 19-20

[61]:

ed. and revised by K.L. Joshi, O.N. Bimali and Bindiya Trivedi, 112 Upaniṣads, Vol. I, p.466

[62]:

sa mahāpātakopapātakebhyaḥ pūto bhavati ...sa sarvāndevāndhyāto bhavati...sakalarudramantrajāpī bhavati...|| Jābāli-upaniṣad, 22

[63]:

divyavarṣasahasrāṇi cakṣurunmīlitaṃ mayā | bhūmāvakṣipuṭābhyāṃ tu patitā jalabindavaḥ || tatrāśrubindavo jātā mahārudrākṣavṛkṣakāḥ...bhaktānāṃ dhāraṇātpāpaṃ divārātrikṛtaṃ haret | Rudrākṣajābāla-upaniṣad, 2-4

[64]:

rudrasya nayanādutpannā rudrākṣā iti loke khyāyante | atha sadāśivaḥ saṃhārakāle saṃhāraṃ kṛtvā saṃhārākṣaṃ mukulīkaroti || tannayanājjātā rudrākṣā iti hovāca | Ibid., 47

[65]:

divyavarṣasahasrāṇi maheśānipunaḥ purā | tapaḥ prakurvatastrastaṃ manaḥ saṃyamya vai mama || … līlayā parameśāni cakṣurunmīlitaṃ mayā || puṭābhyāṃ cārucakṣurbhyāṃ patitā jalabindavaḥ | tatrāśrubindavo jātā vṛkṣā rudrākṣasaṃjñakāḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 1.25.5-7

[66]:

sarvadevātmako rudraḥ sarve devāḥ śivātmakāḥ | rudrasya dakṣiṇe pārśve ravirbrahmā trayo’gnayaḥ || vāmapārśve umā devī viṣṇuḥ somo’pi te trayaḥ | yā umā sā svayaṃ viṣṇuryo viṣṇuḥ sa hi candramāḥ || Rudrahṛdaya-upaniṣad, 4-5

[67]:

rudrātpravartate bījaṃ bījayonirjanārdanaḥ | yo rudraḥ sa svayaṃ brahmā yo brahmā sa hutāśanaḥ || Ibid., 8

[68]:

brahmāviṣṇumayo rudra agnīṣomātmakaṃ jagat | puṃliṅgaṃ sarvamīśānaṃ strīliṅgaṃ bhagavatyumā || Ibid., 9

[69]:

umārudrātmikāḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ sthāvarajaṅgamāḥ | vyaktaṃ sarvamumārūpamavyaktaṃ tu maheśvaram || Ibid., 10

[70]:

umāśaṅkarayogo yaḥ sa yogo viṣṇurucyate… | Ibid., 11

[71]:

antarātmā bhaved brahmā paramātmā maheśvaraḥ | sarveṣāmeva bhūtānāṃ viṣṇurātmā sanātanaḥ || Ibid., 13

[72]:

asya trailokyavṛkṣasya bhūmau viṭapaśākhinaḥ | agraṃ madhyaṃ tathā mūlaṃ viṣṇubrahmamaheśvarāḥ || Ibid, 14

[73]:

kāryaṃ viṣṇuḥ kriyā brahmā kāraṇaṃ tu maheśvaraḥ | prayojanārthaṃ rudreṇa mūrtirekā tridhā kṛtā || Ibid., 15

[74]:

dharmo rudro jagadviṣṇuḥ sarvajñānaṃ pitāmahaḥ || Ibid., 16

[75]:

rudro nara umā nārī tasmai tasyai namo namaḥ || rudro brahmā umā vāṇī... rudro viṣṇurumā lakṣmī…rudraḥ sūrya umā chāyā…rudraḥ soma umā tārā…rudro divā umā rātri…rudro yajña umā vedi…rudro vahnirumā svāhā…rudro veda umā śāstraṃ…rudro vṛkṣa umā vallī…rudro gandha umā puṣpaṃ…rudro’rtha akṣaraḥ somā…rudro liṅgamumā pīṭhaṃ…|| Ibid., 17-23

[76]:

mahātmā sarvabhūtaśca virūpo vāmano naraḥ | Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.65.59

[77]:

(a) Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.54.67 (b) tamoharo mahāyogī goptā brahmā ca dhūrjaṭiḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.7

[78]:

(a) Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.54.67 (b) tatvaṃ tatvavidekātmā vibhurviṣṇurvibhūṣaṇaḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.63

[79]:

(a) Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.65.61 (b) candraḥ sūryaḥ śaniḥ keturvarāṅgo vidrumacchaviḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.35

[80]:

sahasrākṣo viśālākṣaḥ somo nakṣatrasādhakaḥ | Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.65.61

[81]:

viṣṇuḥ prasādito yajñaḥ samudro vaḍavāmukhaḥ || Ibid., 1.65.79

[82]:

vṛkṣaḥ srimālakarmā ca sarvabandhavimocanaḥ | Ibid., 1.65.85

[83]:

namo rūpāya gandhāya śāśvatāyākṣatāya ca || Ibid., 1.21.49

[84]:

virūpākṣāya liṅgāya piṅgalāya mahaujase | Ibid., 1.21.43

[85]:

Ibid., 1.18.30

[86]:

viviktadeśe ca sukhāsanasthaḥ śuciḥ samagrīvaśiraḥ śarīraḥ …|| Kaivalya-upaniṣad, 5

[87]:

hṛtpuṇḍarīkaṃ virajaṃ viśuddhaṃ vicintyaṃ madhye viśadaṃ viśokam | acintyamavyaktamanantarūpaṃ śivaṃ praśāntamamṛtaṃ brahmayonim || Ibid., 6

[88]:

sa brahmā sa śivaḥ sendraḥ so’kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāt | sa eva viṣṇuḥ sa prāṇaḥ sa kālo’gniḥ sa candramāḥ || Ibid., 8

[89]:

tamādimadhyāntavihīnamekaṃ vibhuṃ cidānandamarūpamadbhutam | umāsahāyaṃ parameśvaraṃ prabhuṃ trilocanaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ praśāntaṃ... || Ibid., 7

[90]:

Ibid., 12

[91]:

svapne sa jīvaḥ sukhaduḥkhabhoktā svamāyayā kalpitajīvaloke | suṣuptikāle sakale vilīne tamo’bhibhūtaḥ sukharūpameti || Ibid., 13

[92]:

etasmājjāyate prāṇo manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca | khaṃ vāyurjyotirāpaḥ pṛthivī viśvasya dhāriṇī || Ibid., 15

[93]:

so’bravīdahamekaḥ prathamamāsaṃ vartāmi ca bhaviṣyāmi ca nānyaḥ kaścinmattto vyatirikta iti | so’ntarādantaraṃ prāviśat diśaścāntaraṃ prāviśat so’haṃ nityānityo’haṃ vyaktāvyakto brahmābrahmāhaṃ prāñcaḥ pratyañco’haṃ dakṣiṇāñca udañco’haṃ adhaścordhvaṃ cāhaṃ diśaśca pratidiśaścāhaṃ pumānapumān striyaścāhaṃ… jyeṣṭho’haṃ śreṣṭho’haṃ variṣṭho’ha...|| Atharvaśira-upaniṣad, 1

[94]:

yo vai rudraḥ sa bhagavānyaśca brahmā tasmai vai namo namaḥ || yo vai rudraḥ sa…viṣṇu… skanda…indra…agni…vāyu…sūrya…soma…yama…mṛtyutasmai vai namo namaḥ… || Ibid., 2

[95]:

yatparaṃ brahma sa ekaḥ ya ekaḥ sa rudro yo rudraḥ sa īśāno ya īśānaḥ sa bhagavān maheśvaraḥ || Ibid., 3

[96]:

Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa, 52.7; Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.35.190; Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.18.5; Viṣṇu-purāṇa, 1.8.6; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa, 1.10.11

[97]:

(a) Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.30.138; Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.65.73 (b) śmaśānanilayaḥ sūkṣmaḥ śmaśānastho maheśvaraḥ ||Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.13

[98]:

atha kasmāducyate paraṃ brahma yasmātparamaparaṃ parāyaṇaṃ ca bṛhadbṛhatyā bṛṃhayati tasmāducyate paraṃ brahma | Atharvaśira-upaniṣad, 4

[99]:

atha kasmāducyate rudraḥ yasmādṛṣibhirnānyairbhaktairdrutamasya rūpamupalabhyate tasmāducyate rudraḥ | Ibid.

[100]:

na tasmātpūrvaṃ na paraṃ tadasti na bhūtaṃ nota bhavyaṃ yadāsīt | sahasrapādekamūrdhnā vyāptaṃ sa evedamāvarīvarti bhūtam | Ibid., 6

[101]:

prabhuṃ vareṇyaṃ pitaraṃ maheśaṃ yo brahmāṇaṃ vidadhāti...prabhuṃ pitaraṃ devatānāṃ...viṣṇorjanakaṃ devamīḍyaṃ yo’ntakāle sarvalokānsaṃjahāra || sa ekaḥ śreṣṭhaśca sarvaśāstā sa eva variṣṭhaśca | Śarabha-upaniṣad, 2-3

[102]:

yo ghoraṃ veṣamāsthāya śarabhākhyaṃ maheśvaraḥ | nṛsiṃhaṃ lokahantāraṃ saṃjaghāna mahābalaḥ || Ibid., 4

[103]:

Śiva-purāṇa, 7.1.30.20

[104]:

...bhagavānviṣṇuṃ vidadāra nakhaiḥ kharaiḥ | carmāmbaro mahāvīro vīrabhadro babhūva ha || sa eko rudro dhyeyaḥ sarveṣāṃ sarvasiddhaye | yo brahmaṇaḥ pañcamavaktrahantā tasmai rudrāya namo astu || yo visphuliṅgena lalāṭajena sarvaṃ jagadbhasmasātsaṃkaroti | punaśca sṛṣṭvā punarapyarakṣadevaṃ svatantraṃ prakaṭīkaroti tasmai rudrāya namo astu || Śarabha-upaniṣad, 6-8

[105]:

Śiva-purāṇa, 3.8.2-53

[106]:

yo vāmapādena jaghāna kālaṃ ghoraṃ pape’tho hālahalaṃ dahantaṃ tasmai rudrāya namo astu || Śarabha-upaniṣad, 9

[107]:

Śiva-purāṇa, 3.10.32-35

[108]:

yo dakṣayajñe surasaṅghānvijitya viṣṇuṃ babandhoragapāśena vīraḥ | tasmai rudrāya namo astu || Śarabha-upaniṣad, 11

[109]:

yo līlayaiva tripuraṃ dadāha viṣṇuṃ kaviṃ somasūryāgninetraḥ | sarve devāḥ paśutāmavāpuḥ svayaṃ tasmātpaśupatirbabhūva | tasmai rudrāya namo astu || Ibid., 12

[110]:

yo matsyakūrmādivarāhasiṃhānviṣṇuṃ kramantaṃ vāmanamādiviṣṇum | viviklavaṃ pīḍyamānaṃ sureśaṃ bhasmīcakāra manmathaṃ yamaṃ ca | tasmai rudrāya namo astu || Ibid., 13

[111]:

tasmai mahāgrāsāya mahādevāya śūline | maheśvarāya mṛḍāya tasmai rudrāya namo astu || Ibid., 23

[112]:

tāpatrayasamudbhūtajanmamṛtyujarādibhiḥ | nānāvidhāni duḥkhāni jahāra parameśvaraḥ || Ibid., 14

[113]:

eka eva śivo nityastato’nyatsakalaṃ mṛṣā… śiva eva sadā dhyeyaḥ sarvasaṃsāramocakaḥ | tasmai mahāgrāsāya maheśvarāya namaḥ || Ibid., 30-31

[114]:

...sa śivaḥ saccidānandaḥ so’nveṣṭavyo mumukṣubhiḥ|| ayaṃ hṛdi sthitaḥ sākṣī sarveṣāmaviśeṣataḥ| tenāyaṃ hṛdayaṃ proktaḥ śivaḥ saṃsāramocakaḥ| Pañcabrahma-upaniṣad, 40-41

[115]:

Vide, Rath, P.M., Rudra-Śiva in the Vedas, pp. 93-94

[116]:

sarvalokaikasaṃhartā sarvalokaikarakṣitā | sarvalokaikanirmātā pañcabrahmātmakaḥ śivaḥ || Liṅga-purāṇa, 2.14.3

[117]:

sarveṣāmeva lokānāṃ yadupādānakāraṇam | nimittakāraṇaṃ cāhussa śivaḥ pañcadhā smṛtaḥ || Ibid., 2.14.4

[118]:

Ibid., 2.14.6-10

[119]:

tridhā rekhā bhavatyālalāṭādācakṣuṣorāmūrdhnorābhruvormadhyataśca || Kāl. U., 5

[120]:

yāsya prathamā rekhā sā gārhapatyaścākāro rajo bhūrlokaḥ svātmā kriyāśaktirṛgvedaḥ prātaḥ savanaṃ maheśvaro devateti || yāsya dvitīyā rekhā sā dakṣiṇāgnirukāraḥ sattvamantarikṣamantarātmā cecchāśaktiryajurvedo mādhyandinaṃ savanaṃ sadāśivo devateti || yāsya tṛtīyā rekhā sāhavanīyo makārostamo dyaurlokaḥ paramātmā jñānaśaktiḥ sāmavedastṛtīyasavanaṃ mahādevo devateti || Ibid., 6-8

[121]:

evaṃ tripuṇḍravidhiṃ bhasmanā karoti yo... sa mahāpātakopapātakebhyaḥ pūto bhavati... sa sakalabhogānbhuṅkte dehaṃ tyaktvā śivasāyujyameti na sa punarāvartate na sa punarāvartata...|| Ibid., 9

[122]:

bhasmasnānaṃ paraṃ tīrthaṃ gaṅgāsnānaṃ dine dine || bhasmarūpī śivaḥ sākṣādbhasma trailokyapāvanam || Śiva-purāṇa, 1.24.78

[123]:

evaṃ tripuṇḍraṃ yaḥ kuryārnityaṃ niyatamānasaḥ || śivabhaktaḥ savijñeyo bhuktiṃ muktiṃ ca vindati || Ibid., 1.24.81