Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘4b. Rudra in the Bali offering’ 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.
4b. Rudra in the Bali offering
Bali offering is offered to Rudra. A reference has been found in the Khādira Gṛhyasūtra, where the names of the deities are mentioned to whom the bali offering is sacrificed. The gods are—Pṛthivī, Vāyu, Prajāpati, Viśvedevā, Āpa, Oṣadhivanaspataya or the herbs and trees, Ākāśa or sky, Kāma or Manyu, the Rākṣasas, the fathers and Rudra.[1] Here, it is cleared that Bali offering is offered to Rudra along with other gods. The Bali offering is offered at the end of a sacrifice. Huta, Ahuta, Prahuta and Prāśita are four types of Pākayajñas.[2] The Sāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra, places the Bali offering in the category of Ahuta sacrifice.[3] When a dakṣiṇā has been made, the yajamāna must offer a Bali of husk, of the foam of boiled rice and of water to Rudra.[4] Bali means gift, offering. This is a rite of offering the remnant of the sacrificial food to the gods, domestic deities, men, birds and other animals.[5]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
S.G.S., 1.5.1
[3]:
huto’gnihotrahomenā’huto balikarmaṇā | prahuta pitṛkarmaṇā prāśito brāhmaṇe hutaḥ || Ibid., 1.10.7
[4]:
(a) Gobhila-gṛhyasūtra, 1.4.30 (b) śeṣamadbhisārdhaṃ dakṣiṇā ninayet || phalīkaraṇānāmapāmācāmasveti viśrāṇite || Khādira-gṛhyasūtra, 1.5.32-33182 Vide, Sen, Chitrabhanu, A Dictionary of the Vedic Rituals, p.152
[5]:
Vide, Sen, Chitrabhanu, A Dictionary of the Vedic Rituals, p.152