The real nature of Lord Siva in Vedas and Puranas

The real nature of Lord Siva in Vedas and Puranas [vedesu puranadisu ca bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasyam ca] / By Dr. N. N. Chaudhury; U.G.C. Professor in Sanskrit, College of Indology, B.H.U. / 259-270

vedesu puranadisu ca bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasyam ca narendranatha sarma caudhuri . [In this article the learned author has dealt with God Siva and his worship. From the hoary Vedic period up to the later literature God Siva has been much glorified. The Vedas, the Puranas, the Mahabharata and other texts contain praises and deeds of God Siva. The three gods-Brahma, Visnu and Rudra are the most favoured gods in the Puranas. Among these three also Visnu and Siva are worshipped all over India. The author has explained the meaning of the word Rudra and Siva, which denote the bounteous as well as the auspicious nature of the God. Some people put forth certain arguments with regard to the identity of the Vedic Rudra and the Puranic Rudra: In the Veda Ambika is said to be the sister of God Rudra, but in the Puranic period she is known as the wife of Rudra. More-over, in the Puranas Rudras are different from Siva that is why we well as with Siva at the of Daksa Prajapati. In the said as the leader of Anaryas. The Phallic worship is connected with But phallic the Saiva-sect, worshippers are condemned in the Veda. Here, the learned author tries to refute all these objections and proves that both Rudra and Siva are identical. The importance of Siva and his worship has also been explained.] meet with Rudras as time of the sacrifice Skanda Purana Siva is bhagavatah sivasya mahima sastresu sutaram varnito vartate | vedesu prayena 'rudrah ' iti namnayam samamnayate | puranesu sarvasu devatasu brahma visnuh sivasca 5

260 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VIII, No. 2 nitaram prasidhyanti | asu tisrsvapi devatasu, bharate varse, sarvatra, bahulyena tantresu sivasya gudham tattvam vispastikrtam vidyate | rudra eva ca sivah ' iti paryavasyati | uktam ca visnuvat sivasya puja bhavati | atah samasatah 'siva eva rudrah bhagavata vyasena -- " sa vai rudrah sa ca sivah | " ( mahabharatam, dronaparva, 202, 102 ) ittham veda-purana-tantresu bhagavatah sivasya mahatmyam sutaram prakasamusa- paditam | syati nasayati duhkhamiti va, sete sarire iti va sivasabdasyartho vidyate | bhagavan sivah prasannah san bhaktanam saranamapannanam jnana-sukha- dhanadivardhanena sarvatra sivam karotiti sarthakena 'sivah ' iti namnayam sada vyapadisyate | atra srutih - "namah sambhavaya ca mayobhavaya ca, namah samkaraya ca mayaskaraya ca, namah sivaya ca sivataraya ca | " atra smrtirapi - ( suklayajurvedah, satarudriyam, 16, 41 ) "samedhayati yannityam sarvarthan sarvakarmasu | sivamicchan manusyanam tasmadesa sivah smrtah || " OM ( mahabharatam, dronaparva 202, 1, 31 ) rgvede tavadanekani rudrasuktani vilasanti | tesu devasya rudrasya samyag varnanam vidyate | 'rud ' rodanam duhkham dravayatiti va, ravanam stu jnanam rati dadatiti va, papino duhkhabhogena rodayatiti va rudrapadasyartho vartate | rgvedasya dasame mandale visvadevasukte sdramantre bhagavan rudrah 'sivah ' iti sruyate | tathahi- " stomam vo adya rudraya sikvase ksayadviraya namasa didistana | yebhih sivah svavam evayavabhirdivah sipakti svayasa nikamabhih | ( rgvedah, 10, 12, e)

July, 1966] bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasyam ca 261 3. 'suklayajurvedasya sodase'dhyaye satarudriye bhagavato rudrasya siva-bhava-sarva- pasupati - nilagriva-sitikantha-samkara- nilalohitaprabhrtini namani sruyante | kaivalyopanisadi narayanopanisadi atharvasikhopanisadi sarabhopanisadi, skandopanisadi, yogasikhopanisadi, anyasvapi upanisatsu bhagavan sivah khalu 'umasahaya ' iti, 'mahadeva ' iti, 'rudra ' iti, 'isa ' iti, 'sadasiva ' iti ca samamnayate | nakulisa pasupatadarsana- saiva darsana-pratyabhijnadarsanadisvapi bhagavatah sivasya satyam svarupam vicaritam | mahabharate, siva-skanda - linga-bhagavata-matsya-kurma-vamana - kalikapuranadi- svapi sivasya rudradinamabhih samyag varnanam samupalabhyate | rudrayamala-todala-lingarcana - sivaditantresvapi bhagavatah sivasya mahatmyam devadevasvarupatvam ca susthu prakatikrtam | atha bhagavatah sivasya tattvam tasya dhyanebhyah stotradibhyasca sukhena sutaram parijnayate | bhagavatah sivasya sastresu bahuni dhyanani, stava-kavacadini mantrasca samupalabhyante | tatra pancaksaramantrasya sadaksaramantrasya ca yad dhyanam dattam tadeva nitaram prasiddhimupagatam | - tad dhyanam yatha sivapurane (1, 68, 17 ) - dhyayennityam mahesam rajatagirinibham carucandravatamsam, ratnakalpojjvalangam parasu- mrgavarabhitihastam prasannam | padmasinam samantat stutamamaraganairvyaghrakrttim vasanam, visvadyam visvabijam nikhilabhayaharam pancavaktram trinetram || dhyanadasmadavagamyate yad bhagavanayam mahesvarah, padmasanasthascandrakalavatamsa- scaturbhujo, vyaghracarmambaro devaganastutah, pancananastrinetrasca vidyate | bhunacatustayenayam parasum jnanamudram varamudramabhayamudram ca bibharti | visvasrsteh pragayameva kevala asit | visvamasmadeva prajayate | devo'yam prasannah san bhaktanam sakalam bhayam nasayati, vanchitam varam va vitarati | atra bhagavato hastacatustayam tasya karmajatameva prakasayati | tathahi-

262 puranam -- PURANA [ Vol. Vill, No. 2 M varamudra tavat srstikartrtvam, abhayamudra sthitikartrtvam, parasuh samharakartrtvam, mrgamudra ( jnanamudra ) jnanadatrtvam, mahayogitvam casya prakatikaroti | bhagavatah sivasya saparyayam pradhanyena tasya murtinamastanam puja bhavati | astasu murtisu ca panca mahabhutani, candrasuryau, yajamanasca santi | iyameva bhagavatah sivasyapara prakrtirvartate | para tu jivabhuta sivarupa cakasti | idameva tattvam srimad- bhagavadgitayam - "bhumirapo'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhireva ca (7, 4 ) ityadina bhagavata srikrsnenapi pradarsitam | atha sivastamurtisu yajamanasyapi parigananena suddhasya sivarupasyaiva yajamanasya sivapujayamadhikaro nanyasyeti sucyate | evam ca- "deva eva yajed devam nadevo devamarcayet | " ( gandharvatantram, 8 .1) iti sastrenayamevartho bhagavata sivenapi pratipaditah | bhagavatah sivasya puranadisu pathitah puspanjalipradanamantrastu rgvede yajurvede ca rudradaivatah khalu sruyate | sa mantro yatha- | "tryambakam yajamahe sugandhi pustivardhanam | " urvarukamiva bandhanan mrtyormuksiya mamrtat || " ', ( rgvedah 7, 56, 12 ; suklayajurvedah 3, 60 ) asmadapi mantrat bhagavatah sivasya trinetratvam divyagandhopetatvam martyadharma- vihinatvam, pustivardhanatvam, mrtyunasakatvamamrtatvapradayakatvancavagamyate | atha bhagavatah sivasya devadibhiraradhyamanaya lingamurtestattvam tu nitaram guhyam, gurugamyam, sadhanavijneyam ca varivarti | samasata etadadhuna nigadyate yat linga-pithika, lingam ca dyavaprthivyau, jagatah pitarau ca stah | sarvametadagre sphutam bhavisyati | evanca sarvaiscaturvargaphalapraptaye sada sevyo'yam bhagavan bhutapatirmahesa ityeva sastranam hrdayam vibhati | athatra kascit 'kautso ' mahata kanthena saghosam bhasamano vivadate | sa evamaha- ayi bhoh, kimucyate bhavata ? netat sarvam samgacchate | vaidiko rudrah

July, 1965] bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasya ca 263 khala pauranikata tantrikacca rudrat bhinna eva | nastyatra sandehaleso'pi | kutah sruyatam esa te rudra bhagah saha svakha'mbikaya tvam jusasva svahaipa te rudrabhaga akhuste pasuh | " ( suklayajurvede 3, 57 ) iti mantro virajate | mantradasmadavagamyate yadambika vaidikasya rudrasya bhagini evasti, na tu patni | parantu puranesu tantresu ca ambika rudrasya patniti varttate | atah khalu vaidikat rudrat pauranikastantrikasca rudro bhinna eveti sidhyati | evanca srimahabharatamapyatra pramanam vartate | tathahi tatra santiparvani daksayajne samiritam vyasadevena yat daksena sarve rudra deva nimantrita asan, parantu rudro mahesvaro nahutah, yatastasya rudratve satyapi vaidikarudresu daksena na parigananam, krtam | uktam ca- "santi no bahavo rudrah sulahastah kapardinah | ekadasasthanagata naham vedmi mahesvaram || ( mahabharatam, 12, 184, 20 ) api ca- srisivapurane'pi ayamevartha itthameva varnito vidyate | evanca - skandapurane kedarakhande mayaksetramahatmye daksayajne sivo hi daksena 'anaryah ', anaryasangasceti, sutaramadhiksiptah | atah khalu sivasyanaryatvameva gamyate | aparanca - rgvedasya saptame mandale, astadase sukte, ye dasa rajanah samitah sudasena yudhyamana varnitastesu panca aryah, panca ca anarya rajana asan | tesu ca anaryesu rajasu dvayornamani 'visaninah ', 'sivasa ' sceti sruyete | atah khalu etasmadavagamyate yat tada anarya rajana eva sivabhaktah, sivasya visanena, namna cabhihita asan, na tvaryah | tena ca sivasya anaryasevyatvamevayati | api ca vamanapurane catuhsastitame'dhyaye sivasya 'rudrah ' 'skandah ' 'naigameyah ' 'pasupatah ' 'vrsadhvanina 'scetyevamvidha bahavo gana varnitah | sivasya tu sarvaganadhipesvaratvam darsitam | tatasca etasmad ganavarnanadavadatametad yat pura himalayoddese bahuni ganarajyani asan | ganesadhipasca tatra sivo

264 puranam - PURANA 1 [Vol. VIII, No. 2 rarana | param tadaryanam madhye khalu rajatantrasasanameva labdhapadamavartata | tena hi karanena rajatantradhipaladaksasya yajne ganesadhipalasya sivasya na nimantranamabhut | kintu sivena balat gananam gauravam rajatantrapratisthane'pi pratisthapitam | atah khalu daksayajno ganatantra-rajatantradhikarinormadhye vidvesa, yuddham, sandhi, sivasya anaryopasyatvam ca spastam darsayatiti sidhyati | kinca puranadipathadavagamyate yat sivah khalu sutaram daityaih raksasairanaryaisca sevyamana asit | punastavat sivapujayam lingarcanasyaiva pradhanyam daridrsyate | idam hi lingarcanam vedavidvistamasti | lingopasakasca yajnavatagamane'pyadhikaram nalabhanta, ahanyanta ca devendrena | tatha hi sruyate rgvede - "ma sisnadeva api gur rtam nah | " iti ( 7, 21, 5 ), "ghnacchisnadevam abhivarpasabhut | " iti ca (10, 99, 3 ) | - evanca - sindhupradese mahenjadada़ोsthane bhumikhananadina yalingadikam praptam tasmadapi sivasya, sivalingasya, sivalingapujanasya ca anaryatvamevavagamyate | itthamanyanyapi bahuni karanani santi | athasmat sarvasmat karanat sivasya anaryadevatvam vaidikarudrabhinnatvam ca susiddhamevastiti matameva suslistam pratibhati - iti | athatra viruddhavadina evamukte sati, tam prati ittham pratyuttaram diyate 'smabhih | ayi bhoh, nanatyeva bhavan - "naisa sthanoraparadho yadyenamandho na pasyati, purusaparadhah sa bhavati | " (niruktam 1, 16 ) ato yadduruktam bhavata tatra sastram naparadhyati | kintu bhavatah sastratattvanabhijnatvameva karanam pratiyate | kim bhavata na srutah ime mantrah ? yatha- "mayet sa te yani yuddhanyahurnadya satru na nu pura vivitse | " iti | (rgvedah, 10, 54, 2 ) atra mantro'yam darsayati yat indrasya vrtrena saha yad yuddham varnitam tattu rupakamatram | indrasya na satrurvartate, na va bhavisyati | atah khalu vedesu

July, 1966] bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasyam ca 265 vihitasya varnanasya na sarvatra vacikatvam grahyam, rupakatvamapi tasya vartata iti sidhyati | itthameva rudravisaye'pi mantavyam | evanca - "eka eva rudro na dvitiyo'vatasthe | iti, (taittariyasamhita, 1, 8, 6, 1 ) "sahasrani sahasraso ye rudra adhibhumyam | " (taittariya samhita, 4, 5, 11, 5 ) iti ca sruyate | yatha rudrasya svamahimna sahasramurtisvikarat etasya mantra- dvayasya nasti parasparavirodhastathaiva anyatrapi rudravisaye anaya disa virodhasya pariharo bhavatyeva | api ca- " vajinivati suryasya yosa | " iti "maturdidhisumabravam svasurnarah srnotu nah | " (rgvedah, 7, 75, 5 ) (rgvedah, 6, 55, 5 ) | iti ca srutau bhagavati usa devi tattvata ekasyaiva devasya mata, svasa patni ceti sruyate | param mahabhagyat karmaprthakatvacca ekasya evam devataya nanasambandha- kalpanasambhavat nasti kacidasangatih ittham rudramadhikrtyapi jneyam | ambikam prati karmaprthaktvat tasya sambandhadvayam na viruddhamasti | ato natra kascid yatharthato virodhah | yattu punarbhavata darsitam - daksena sivasya rudratvam na svikrtam, na va sivo yajne nimantritah, na ca yajnabhago dattah, tattu bhavato granthaikadesadarsitvameva sutaram pratipadayati | kutah ? akarnyatam | yadi sarvesu granthesu daksayajnasya yad yad varnanam dattam tat sarvam adito'ntam yavat susthu vicaryate, samyagavabudhyate ca tarhi etadavasyamevangikartavyam bhavati yat sivasya tada rudratvam, mahadevatvam ca vidyata eva | visisto yajnabhago'pi tasmai dattah | ka kathanyasya, daksenapi bhagavatah sivasya sahasranama mahastutirvihita, lingapujanam ca krtam | kimanyat, vedesu yad gudyatamam tadeva saivamate prakasam nitam | saivamatam khalu padangasahitad vedadu- dusdhrtam | ayam saivadharmastavat siddhantanugatah, sanatanah, saralah, svalpasamayasadhyah

266 puranam -- PURANA [Vol. VIII, No. sarva janagamyo visvajaninasca vartate | idameva prasiddham pasupatam matamasti | tatha coktam srimahabharate - "vedah sangopanisadah puranadhyatmaniscayah | yadatra paramam guhyam sa vai devo mahesvarah || " ( dronaparva, 202, 106 ) vedat padangaduddhrtya samkhyayogacca yuktitah | apurvam sarvato bhadram sarvato mukhamavyayam | maya pasupatam daksa subhamutpaditam pura || " iti ca - ( santiparva, 284, 162-195 ) anyacca - saivamate tavad dhyanayogasya saro vartate | yogasya param mahatmyamatra susthu prakatikrtam | "yogascittavrttinirodhah | " ( patanjalayoga- darsanam, 1, 2 ) "yogah karmasu kausalam " | ( srimadbhagavadgita, 2, 50 ) "samatvam yoga ucyate " | ( srimadbhagavadgita, 2, 48 ) ityadikam sarvamatra samyak pratipaditam darsitanca | atha punarlingapunamadhikrtya sisnadevadipadamrgvedaduddhrtya yad bhavata durvyakhyanam dattam tadapi sampradayagatasya tadapi sampradayagatasya mantrarthasyanadhigatatvameva bhavatah prakatikaroti | yatah khalu sisnadevasabdat lingapujake nasti tatparyam | kintu sisnena divyati kridatityarthadabrahmacaryamindriyaparayanam va janam srutiriyam bodhayati | tatasca ye khalu abrahmacarinah, indriyabhoganiratasca tesam yajnasalagamanam nisiddham | tatha krte, hatasca te bhavanti | ato nasti kascid virodhah | evanca linga- pujanasya varnanam vedavyasenapi srimahabharate krtam | lingasya ca gudha़ाrthatvamakasa- rupatvanca bhangya pradarsitam | tatha coktam tena- "rsayascaiva devasca gandharvapsarasastatha | lingamasyarcayanti sma taccapyurdhvam samasthitam || " ( dronaparva, 202, 125 ) ittham srisivasya lingamurte rahasyamatigahanamevasti | lingati gacchati prapnoti, janati, vyapnoti veti lingasabdasyarthah sampradayat sruyate | tattvatastavat

July, 1966] bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasyam ca prthivi lingapithika, akasasca lingam | 267 asmadeva sarvam nayate, atraiva sarvamavatisthate, viliyate ca | ata eva lingasya lingatvam susiddham | atra skandapuranam, pranatosanitantradhrta- pancamakandastha-linga sabdavyutpa- tyadikanca- akasam lingamityahuh prthivi tasya pithika | alayah sarvadevanam layanallingamucyate || " ayamevartho vedasastre'pi bhanagyantarena pratipaditah | tathahi tatra dyauspiteti, prthivi ca mateti varnitam | sruyate ca- - " uruvyacasa mahini asascata, pita mata ca bhuvanani raksatah | " iti, (rgveda 1,160, 2 ) "dyauspitah prthivi mataraghugange bhratarvasavo mrdata nah | " iti ca | (rgvedah, 6, 51,5 ) atah spastamidam yat prthivya akasasya ca matapitrtvena dhyanamupasananca nitaram pracinamasti | na kevalam pracinesvaryesu, api ca praticyesvapi nanesu dyavaprthivyo mata- pitrtvena dhyanasya samyak nidarsanamupalabhyate | iyameva dhyanabhangi lingapithikayam linge ca drsyate | atra lingapitika khalu saktirupini jagato mata, lingam ca srisivo jagatah pita vidyate | idameva tattvam lingapithikaya lingena ca prakatikrtam | ato nasti kincidatra dustam vidvistam va | api ca lingasya sastrasiddho visisto'rtho'pi vidyate | asya svarupam jyotirlingat samyagavagamyate | jyotirlingam khalu nabhahsprsam brhattamastambha iva pratiyamanam, jyotisamapi jyotirvidyate | jagati prasiddhaih siddhaih purusaih purvam sadhanabalad dvadasasu ksetresu drstamidam jyotih | sampratam tu tajjyotirna sarvaih sadharanairdrsyate | tathapi tajjyotirlingasthanamapi siddhaksetram jyotirlingamityucyate | 6

268 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VIII, No. 2 idameva jyotirlingam paramatmeti varnyate | asya jyotirupasya paramatmano varnanam vede smrtau ca daridrsyate | tathahi- "angusthamatrah puruso jyotirivadhumakah " ( 2, 1, 13 ) iti kathaka srutya, iti mundakasrutya, "tacchubhram jyotisam jyotih " ( 2, 2, 9 ) "adityavarnam tamasah parastat ' (3, 8 ) iti svetasvatarasrutya, jyotisamapi tajjyotistamasah paramucyate | jnanam jneyam jnanagamyam hrdi sarvasya vistitam || " ( srimadbhagavadgita, 13, 17 ) iti smrtya ca param jyotih khalu paramatmano rupam samyak pratipaditam | etadeva kavina kalidasena kumarasambhave " sa hi devah param jyotistamasah pare vyavasthitam " ( 2, 58 ) ityudattavarnanaya sadhu samakalitam | ataeva drsyate yat tamasah parastat param jyotireva paramatma vibhati, sa eva punarjyotirlingam sivatvena dhyatavyah | tathahi uktanca sivapurane - "jyotirlingam tadotpannamavayormadhya adbhutam | jvalamalasahasradhyam kalanalacayopam || ksayavrddhivinirmuktamadimadhyantavarjitam anaupamyamanirdistamavyaktam visvasambhavam " || ( 1, 2, 63-64 ) "alinga lingatam yatam dhyanamarge'pyagocaram " | ( 1, 3, 6 )

July, 1966] bhagavatah sivasya tattvam rahasyam ca 269 asya jyotirlingasya dvadasabheda varnitah | tatra 'varanasyanca visvesah ' ityekam prakhyatam sthanam sampratamapi sutaram prasiddhim bhajate | ittham sivasya lingarupena jyotirmayasya paramatmatvameva sutaram sidhyati | atha bhagavatah sivasya mahima tattvato vacamagocara evasti | bhagavan sivah, bhagavati siva ca nagatam pitarau stah | uktam ca kavina kalidasena- " jagatah pitarau vande parvatiparamesvarau | " gitam ca srimacchankaracaryenapi (raghuvamsam, 1, 1 ) "jagajjananyai jagadekapitre namah sivayai ca namah sivaya | " ( hara gauryastakam stotram ) kinca bhaktidrstya evam satyapi bhagavanesa yatharthato na stri na va pumanasti | sruyate ca svetasvataropanisadi (5, 10 ) - "naiva stri na pumanesa na caivayam napumsakah | " kintu sadhakanam hitarthaya arupo'pi devo rupam dharayati | sa khalu eka eva na dvitiyo'vatisthate | parantu mahabhagyat karmaprthakatvacca "ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti | " (rgvedah, 1, 164, 46 ) | sadhakanam rucinam vaicitryacca murti bhedo bhavati | tena ca brahma-visnu-sivadisu vastuto nasti kascid bhedah | api ca sivasya para saktih sivadabhinna vidyate | uktam ca sutrasamhitayam kaulamarga rahasyadhrtayam - "sa siva parama devi sivabhinna sivamkari | " ayam bhagavan sivo mahakala iti samusavarnyate | ato'sya mahasakti- mahakaliti giyate | sivah saktya vivarjitah spanditumapi na prabhavati, savatam ca yati | tatha coktamanandalahari - stotre srimacchankarapadena- "sivah saktya yukto yadi bhavati saktah prabhavitum na cedevam devo na khalu kusalah spanditumapi | "

270 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VIII, No. 2 uktam ca devibhagavate - "sivo'pi savatam yati kundalinya vivarjitah | " atah "siva eva saktih, saktireva ca sivah | " iti paryavasyati | ayam bhagavan sivah, sarvasvarupah sarvasthah, sarvavyapakasca vartate | sruyate ca svetasvata- ropanisadi ( 3, 15 ) - "sarvananasirogrivah sarvabhutaguhasayah | sarvavyapi sa bhagavan tasmat sarvagatah sivah || ' uktam ca sivapurane- jnata jnanam tatha jneyam sarvam sivamidam jagat | ( 1, 76, 2 ) sarvah sivah sivah sarvam natra bhedo'sti kascana | ( 1, 78, 17 ) atha tattvasyasya vijnanena sadhako'pi sivatamupaiti | kimanyat- sarvam "satyam sivam sundaram ' sampadyate | ( ravindranathah ) "yada tamastanna diva na ratrirna san na casacchiva eva kevalah | " ( svetasvataropanisad 4, 18 ) parantu yasya deve para bhaktih saranagatisca tasya paramesah prasidati, prakasate sca | ato bhagavatah sivasya satyasvarupajnanaya para bhaktih saranagatisca paramam saranamasmakam pratibhati |