Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Rudra included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).
Story of Rudra
A form of Ś.
General information.
The birth of Rudra is from . Even before the creation of the ʰ貹پ, had created Sanandana, Sanaka, ٲԲ and Բٰܳ. These four were not desirous of mundane pleasures and were not prepared to beget children. They were great sages and scholars, of abstinence and without any discord and animosity. When these four showed no interest at all in the creation of the world, became angry to such an extent that he was prepared to destroy the three worlds. At that time the whole of the three worlds shone in the radiance that emanated from the fire of the fury of . Then from his shining eyebrows which were curved with fury, a figure of unbearable radiance like the mid-day sun came out. That figure was Rudra. Half of the fierce body of that Rudra who was very furious, was a woman and the other half was a man. , saying, "Divide body", disappeared. Instantly Rudra split himself into the figure of a man and the figure of a woman. He again divided the body of the man into eleven parts. These eleven figures are the eleven Rudras.
The names of the eleven Rudras are given differently in different ʳܰṇa. In a text it is said that the eleven Rudras are, Manyu, Manu, Mahīnasa, Ѳ, Ś, ṚtܻᲹ, Ugraretas, Bhava, 峾, 峾𱹲 and ٳṛtٲ. According to some other ʳܰṇa, the eleven Rudras are Aja, 첹岹 (첹), Ahirbudhnya, ձṣṭ, Rudra, Hara, Ś, Tryambaka, 貹ᾱٲ, ĪśԲ and Tribhuvana. apportioned to the eleven Rudras the eleven positions of the heart, the five organs of senses and the organs of action and to Rudra the eight positions of life, ether, air, fire, water, earth, the sun and the moon. It was said before that Rudra was divided into man and woman. From the womanportion eleven ܻṇīs came into being. They were Dhī, ṛtپ, ś, Umā, Niyutā, Sarpis, Ilā, , 屹ī, ܻ and īṣ�. The eleven Rudraṇīs became the wives of the eleven Rudras. (վṣṇ ʳܰṇa, ṃśa 1. Chapter 7).
Other information regarding Rudra.
Details about the orgin, life, character etc. of Rudra which occur in other ʳܰṇa are given below.
(i) Thirtythree children were born to ʰ貹پ śⲹ貹, by his wife Aditi, as Ā徱ٲⲹ, Vasus, Rudras and śԲ. (ī쾱 峾ⲹṇa, ṇy ṇḍ, Sarga 14).
(ii) From the fury of , Rudra was born; from the lap of , 岹 was born; from the right thumb, ٲṣa; from the mind, Sanaka and the others; and from the left thumb, a daughter named īṇ� was born. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 7).
(iii) In the beginning of Kalpa (Age of ) meditated upon getting a child like himself and a child of blue complexion appeared on his lap. He ran here and there crying aloud. asked him "Why are you crying?" He replied: "I must be named." Because he was crying (doing rodana) named him Rudra (He who cries). He cried seven times more. gave him seven more names. They were Bhava, Ś, ĪśԲ, ʲśܱ貹پ, ī, Ugra and Ѳ𱹲. Thus there were eight Rudras. To each of them, gave a position and wives and children. The Sun, water, earth, air, fire, ether, Brahmin who has taken vow and the moon were allotted to them as their positions and figures. Their wives were ܱ, Uṣ�, վśī Ś, , Dīśā, īṣ� and dzṇ�. This world is filled by the sons and grandsons and so on of these wives. Their sons respectively were ŚԲś Śܰ, dzṅg, Manojava, Skanda, Sarga, ԳԲ and Budha. This Rudra who is described above, married ī the daughter of ʰ貹پ ٲṣa. (վṣṇ ʳܰṇa, ṃśa 1, Chapter 8). (For further information see under ŚIVA also).