Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘Rudra as Sharva’ 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.
2.3. Rudra as Śarva
In the Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, Mahīdhara derives the term śarva as:
śṛṇāti hinasti pāpamiti śarva
“He who destroys the sins is called Śarva.”[1]
Sāyaṇācārya construes the term śarva as—
It can be cleared thus—
“At the time of dissolution, one who destroys everything, i.e. the entire universe, is called Śarva.”
In another mantra of the Atharvaveda, the derivation of the word śarva is enumerated by Sāyaṇācārya as śṛṇāti hinastīti śarvaḥ.[3] It means one who kills or injures is called as Śarva. Śarva’s body colour is brown and he is called Nīlaśikhaṇḍa or blue locked.[4] In this context, Sāyaṇācārya remarks that Nīlaśikhaṇḍa is one who has locks which are blackish blue in colour.[5] He has spotted-arms.[6] Śarva is delineated as an archer.[7] Bhava and Śarva are addressed as the lords of two-footed and four-footed beings.[8]
In the Purāṇic literature, Bhava[9] and Śarva[10] are used as names of lord Śiva. There is a reference to the locations where the different forms of lord Śiva reside. According to the Purāṇic literature, Śarva resides in the cosmic egg, Bhava is stationed in waters, Rudra in fire, Ugra in wind, Bhīma in ego, Īśa in intellect and Parameśvara in everywhere.[11]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 16.28
[3]:
Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.93.1
[5]:
nīlaśikhaṇḍaḥ nīlāḥ kṛṣṇavarṇāḥ śikhaṇḍāḥ śikhā yasya sa tathoktaḥ | Sāyaṇa, Ibid.
[6]:
[8]:
yāvasyeśāthe dvipado yau catuṣpadastau naḥ muñcatamaṅhasaḥ || Ibid., 4.28.1
[9]:
Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa, 52.7; Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.27.8; Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.18.31; Bhāgavata-purāṇa, 3.12.12; Viṣṇu-purāṇa, 1.8.6; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa,1.10.8
[10]:
Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa, 52.7; Vāyu-purāṇa, 2.35.170; Liṅga-purāṇa,1.65.55; Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.2;Viṣṇu-purāṇa, 1.8.6; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa, 1.10.10
[11]:
śarvaścāṇḍakapālastho bhavaścāṃbhasi suvratāḥ | rudrognimadhye bhagavānugro vāyau punaḥ smṛtaḥ || bhīmaścāvanimadhyastho hyahaṅkāre maheśvaraḥ | buddhau ca bhagavānīśaḥ sarvataḥ parameśvaraḥ || Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.70.57-58