Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates 鈥楻udra in the Atharvaveda-samhita (Introduction)鈥� 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
4. Rudra in the Atharvaveda-sa峁僪it膩 (Introduction)
There are so many references in the Atharvaveda 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, through which it can be known that, god Rudra is further developed and he occupies a higher platform in the Atharvaveda. The study of the origin and development of Rudra艢iva worship is most importantly based on the position of Rudra in the Atharvaveda.
In the Atharvaveda 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, it is mentioned that Rudra stands in the 补苍迟补谤颈办峁.[1]
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya states that:
yo 谤耻诲谤补岣� antarik峁 膩k膩艣e nir膩dh膩raprade艣e vi峁ａ弓abhita岣� vi艣e峁峁嘺 蝉迟补尘产丑颈迟补岣� 苍颈谤耻诲诲丑补驳补迟颈蝉迟颈峁ａ弓丑补迟颈.[2]
It means Rudra resides in the 腻办腻艣补 or 补苍迟补谤颈办峁sth膩na.
In the Atharvaveda 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya remarks Rudra is:
箩惫补谤腻产丑颈尘腻苍颈 诲别惫补岣�;
鈥淧residing god of fever.鈥�
And also derives the term rudra 补蝉鈥�
rudr膩ya rodayati upat膩pena a艣ru峁噄 mocayat墨ti rudro jvar膩bhim膩n墨 诲别惫补岣�.[3]
It is defined as Rudra makes everybody cry by increasing heat of the body temperature.
In another two mantras, S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya derives the term rudra as one who makes enemies weep[4] and 谤耻诲谤补岣� rodayit膩 艣奴larog膩bhim膩n墨 诲别惫补岣� or he is the presiding god of diseases.[5] routi [roti/rauti?] 艣abd膩yate 迟腻谤补办补峁� brahma upadi艣at墨ti 谤耻诲谤补岣�.[6] Here the word rudra denotes who explores the knowledge of 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲.
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya remarks that:
谤耻诲谤补岣� pa艣奴n膩峁� abhimant膩 p墨岣嵞乲aro 诲别惫补岣�.[7]
It means Rudra is one who gives pain to all beings.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
yo鈥檔antarik峁 ti峁ａ弓hati vi峁ａ弓abhitoyajvana岣� pram峁涐箛an devap墨y奴n | tasmai namo da艣abhi岣� 艣akvar墨bhi岣� || Atharvaveda-sa峁僪it膩, 11.2.23
[3]:
厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid., 6.20.2
[4]:
谤耻诲谤补岣� rodayati 艣atr奴n iti 谤耻诲谤补岣� | 厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid., 7.92.1
[5]:
厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid., 6.90.1
[6]:
厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid., 2.27.6
[7]:
厂腻测补峁嘺, Ibid., 6.141.1