Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates 鈥楶hysical appearance of Shiva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.
2. Physical appearance of 艢颈惫补
Lord 艢颈惫补鈥檚 physical appearance is very delightfully depicted in the Pur膩峁噄c literature. In the 艢颈惫补 Pur膩峁嘺, he is depicted as a great yogi and always sits in a yogic posture closing his eyes[1] and he is surrounded by his 驳补峁嘺蝉.[2] His right leg is kept over the knee of the left and his hands are placed over the legs.[3] In another reference, it is stated that lord 艢颈惫补 sits placing his left foot on the right lap and his left hand is placed on his left knee. A rosary of beads is wrapped around his right wrist.[4] In another context, it is stated that 艢颈惫补 holds tiger鈥檚 skin as his upper cloth.[5] In another reference, it is mentioned that he is the wearer of hide of an elephant as his upper garment. He is arrayed in a serpent as his sacred thread.[6] He is the one whose heads, feet, eyes, mouths, hands and ears are everywhere. He is present everywhere of the world.[7]
The colour of his matted hair is red. It is called as kaparda also. Hence, he is known as 碍补辫补谤诲墨.[8] 艢颈惫补 holds a skull in his hand as well as serpents around his limbs.[9] He is clad in skin.[10] His neck is blue in colour.[11] 艢颈惫补 swallowed the poison that emerged at the churning of the milk ocean. As a result of this he became blue-throated and was called 狈墨濒补办补峁囜弓丑补.[12] The crescent moon adorns his forehead[13] and three lines of ashes mark his forehead.[14] He has five faces. His four faces are in the four quarters and the fifth face is in the middle.[15] His upward face is white in colour, eastern face is saffron, northern face is deep red, southern is blue and his western face is as white as cow鈥檚 milk.[16] Because of his five-faces, 艢颈惫补 is regarded as 笔补帽肠腻苍补苍 [笔补帽肠腻苍补苍a?].[17] The brightness of his face is like the brilliance of ten million moons.[18] He is depicted as possessing ten hands and holds a skull in one of them.[19] He has hundred tongues,[20] three eyes.[21] He has an eye in the middle of his forehead. It is said that when he becomes angry, fire is emitted from this middle eye.[22] This third eye becomes the beautiful ornament on his forehead.[23] This eye usually remains closed. But when it is opened its glance causes devastation.[24] The 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, puts forward beautifully the reason behind the origin of the third eye. According to the story, one day 笔腻谤惫补迟墨, the wife of 艢颈惫补 playfully covered the eyes of 艢颈惫补 with her hands. As soon as his eyes were covered thus, the entire world falls in darkness. All beings became depress and scared. Suddenly a massive flame of fire came out from his forehead. A third eye had appeared there and gave brightness to the world.[25] In another reference, it is mentioned that he has eyes, faces and feet all around.[26] He wears black snakes.[27] In another context, it is mentioned that he wears a garland of bones and a sacred thread of a serpent. The light from the crescent moon on his head illuminates his face.[28] He wears snakes as his ornaments and his body is smeared with ashes.[29]
In another reference, he is said to be smeared with ashes of the cremation ground.[30] He holds 痴腻蝉耻办颈 苍腻驳补 on his neck.[31] Lord 艢颈惫补 has given shelter to 骋补峁単腻 in his matted hair.[32] He is shining on account of the white foams of the 骋补峁単腻.[33] 艢颈惫补 holds the skull in his hands and resides in the cremation ground with his goblins.[34] He is dazzling with the garland of human skulls.[35] 搁耻诲谤腻办峁 is a favourite bead of lord 艢颈惫补. The 谤耻诲谤腻办峁 is said to be originated from the drops of tears falling from the half-closed eyes of 艢颈惫补.[36] 艢颈惫补 is said to have dark-blue tuft.[37]
艢颈惫补 is described as fair-complexioned with long arms and wide chest.[38] The white colour points out the justice which is observed in the annihilation process.[39] It is said that 艢颈惫补 takes his seat under a banyan tree along with 碍腻濒墨 and his son.[40] He resides in 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 mountain.[41] His vehicle is a bull named 狈补苍诲墨.[42] 狈补苍诲墨 is the son of 艢颈濒腻诲补.[43]
In the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, it is depicted that the seven oceans are his (艢颈惫补鈥檚) cloths, the quarters are his long arms, the firmament is head, the sky is navel, the wind is nose, the fire, the sun, the moon are his three eyes, the clouds are his hair, the planet and stars are his ornaments.[44]
A reference has been found where lord 艢颈惫补 is mentioned as four-faced deity. He has four faces looking into the four directions. He manifests Indrahood with the help of his eastern face. He destroys the world by means of his southern face. With the help of his western face, he reveals his 痴补谤耻峁嘺-hood and his moon-hood is established by means of his northern face.[45] 痴颈艣惫补办补谤尘补苍 made a divine chariot for Rudra.[46] The name of his chariot is mentioned as 笔耻峁补办补.[47]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.3.12.13-14
[2]:
Ibid., 3.22.50-51
[3]:
savyottaretarapadantadarhitakar膩峁僢ujam || Ibid., 1.6.25
[4]:
k峁泃varau dak峁峁噀 蝉补惫测补峁� 辫腻诲补辫补诲尘补峁� ca j膩nuni | 产腻丑耻峁� prako峁ａ弓he鈥檏峁m膩l膩m膩s墨na峁� tarkamudray膩 || 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 4.6.38
[5]:
vy膩ghracarmottariya帽ca pin膩kavarap膩峁噄nam | 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.3.43.60
[6]:
ghanav膩hanak峁涐梗峁嚹亂a gajacarmaniv膩sine | k峁涐梗峁嚹乯inottar墨y膩ya vy膩layaj帽opav墨tine || 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.27.99
[7]:
蝉补谤惫补迟补岣� 辫腻峁噄辫腻诲补峁� tv膩峁� sarvatok峁艣iromukham | 蝉补谤惫补迟补岣� 艣rutimalloke sarvam膩v峁泃ya ti峁ａ弓hasi || 尝颈峁単补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.71.107
[9]:
v峁涐梗adhvajo mah膩devo bhasmadigdho 箩补峁乨丑补谤补岣� | vy膩ghracarm膩mbaradhara岣� sa峁僾墨to gajak峁泃tin膩 || 办补辫腻濒补诲丑腻谤墨 蝉补谤辫补耻驳丑补颈蝉蝉补谤惫补驳腻迟谤别峁 惫别峁ａ弓颈迟补岣� | vi峁digdho鈥檅hak峁abhak峁 vir奴p膩k峁 惫颈产丑墨峁峁嘺岣� || 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.3.27.12-13
[10]:
艣ipivi峁ａ弓膩ya bh墨m膩ya bh墨m膩k峁Ｄ亂a namo苍补尘补岣� || Ibid., 2.3.24.2
[11]:
艣iv膩ya n墨laka峁囜弓h膩ya cit膩bhasm膩峁単adh膩ri峁噀 || Ibid., 2.4.12.40
[12]:
[13]:
艣墨r峁 mand膩kin墨dh膩r墨 bh膩lacandrastrilocana岣� || Ibid., 2.1.6.25
[14]:
sarv膩峁単asundaro bhasmatripu峁囜笉r膩峁卥itamastaka岣� || Ibid., 2.1.9.3
[15]:
辫补帽肠补办峁泃测补尘颈诲补峁� 惫辞岣峢耻峁� mam膩sti mukhapa帽cakam || caturdik峁catur惫补办迟谤补峁� tanmadhye pa帽camammukham || Ibid., 1.10.9
[16]:
耻谤诲丑惫补峁� 惫补办迟谤补峁� 蝉颈迟补峁� dhy膩yetp奴rva峁� ku峁僰umasannibham || n墨l膩bha峁� 诲补办峁峁嘺峁� vaktramatirakta峁� tathottaram | 驳辞办峁Ｄ玶补诲丑补惫补濒补峁� 诲颈惫测补峁� 辫补艣肠颈尘补峁� 辫补谤补尘别峁ａ弓丑颈苍补岣� || 尝颈峁単补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.23.8-9
[17]:
(a) 辫补帽肠腻苍补苍补峁� pravalapa帽cavinoda艣ila峁� sa峁僢h膩vaye manisi艣a峁卥aramambike艣am|| 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.1.1 (b) 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.32.20
[18]:
mah膩l膩va峁噛adh膩m膩 ca ko峁璱candrasam膩nana岣� || 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.2.17.6
[19]:
办补辫补谤诲颈苍补峁� 肠补苍诲谤补尘补耻濒颈峁� da艣ahasta峁� kap膩linam | Ibid., 2.3.43.60
[21]:
stuty膩ya bh奴ribh膩s膩ya trinetr膩ya namo苍补尘补岣� || Ibid., 2.3.24.1
[22]:
samuddhara ca 艣腻苍迟补峁� 迟惫补峁� 办谤辞诲丑补峁� 苍补测补苍补箩补峁� kuru | tu峁ａ弓o bhava 尘补丑腻诲别惫补峁� p膩h墨ndra峁� 艣ara峁嚹乬atam || agnire峁 艣补尘补峁� y膩tu峁� bh膩lanetrasamudbhava岣� || Ibid., 2.5.13.40-41
[23]:
[25]:
迟补迟补岣� smayant墨 p膩峁噄bhy膩峁� nam膩rtha峁� 肠腻谤耻丑腻蝉颈苍墨 | haranetre 艣ubhe 诲别惫墨 蝉补丑补蝉腻 s膩 sam膩v峁涐箛ot || sa峁僾峁泃膩bhy膩峁� tu netr膩bhy膩峁� tamobh奴tacetana峁�...janasya 惫颈尘补苍腻岣� 蝉补谤惫辞鈥�bhavat tr膩sasamanvita岣� | tato vitimiro 濒辞办补岣� k峁峁噀na samapadyata | 箩惫腻濒腻 ca 尘补丑补迟墨 诲墨辫迟腻 lal膩峁乼tasya ni岣峁泃膩 || 迟峁泃墨测补峁� 肠腻蝉测补 蝉补峁僢丑奴迟补峁� netram膩dityasannibham | yug膩ntasad峁浥沘峁� 诲墨辫迟补峁� yen膩sau mathito 驳颈谤颈岣� || 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 13.140.26-30
[26]:
vi艣vata艣cak峁rev膩yamut膩ya峁� vi艣vatomukha岣� | tathaiva vi艣vatob膩hurvi艣vata岣� p膩dasa峁儁uta岣| 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 7.1.6.15
[28]:
Ibid., 2.3.30.32-34
[29]:
艣ma艣膩nav膩sine vy膩lagr膩hir奴p膩ya yogine... vy膩labh奴峁峁嘺dh膩ri峁噀 || Ibid., 2.3.31.44-45
[30]:
svaya峁� n墨la艣ikha峁囜笉膩ya 艣r墨ka峁囜弓h膩ya namo 苍补尘补岣� | n墨laka峁囜弓h膩ya dev膩ya cit膩bhasm膩峁単ar膩gi峁噀 || 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.27.78
[31]:
艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.4.5.35
[32]:
padm膩sanastha峁� 艣ivada峁単a峁単膩candrakal膩nvitam || Ibid., 1.17.38
[33]:
namastripatha g膩phenabh膩sig膩rdhandumauline | mah膩bhog墨ndrah膩r膩ya 艣iv膩ya param膩tmane || 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.25.11
[34]:
avak墨rya ja峁乥h奴tai艣ma艣膩ne sa 办补辫腻濒补诲丑峁沰 || 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.2.29.52
[35]:
namaste 艣ivam墨艣膩na峁� 惫颈产丑耻峁� vy膩pakamavyayam | bhuja峁単abh奴峁峁嘺峁� cogra峁� n峁沰ap膩lasragujjvalam || 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.32.25
[36]:
l墨lay膩parame艣膩ni cak峁runm墨lita峁僲ay膩 | pu峁乥hy膩峁僣膩rucak峁rbhy膩峁僷atit膩jalabindava岣� || 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.25.6
[37]:
svaya峁� n墨la艣ikha峁囜笉膩ya 艣r墨ka峁囜弓h膩ya namo 苍补尘补岣� | n墨laka峁囜弓h膩ya dev膩ya cit膩bhasm膩峁単ar膩gi峁噀 || 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.27.78
[38]:
mah膩产腻丑耻峁� 尘补丑辞谤补蝉办补峁� 驳补耻谤补峁� nayanabh墨峁峁嘺m || 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.5.13.8
[39]:
cf., Mani, Vettam, The Pur膩峁噄c Encyclopaedia, p.275
[41]:
kail膩sav膩sine 艣ambho sarvalok膩峁璦n膩ya ca | namaste parame艣膩ya l墨l膩k膩r膩ya 艣奴line || Ibid., 2.3.11.14
[42]:
cf., Shastri, J.L., 艢颈惫补 Pur膩峁嘺 (ed.), Vol.1, p.343
[43]:
艣il膩da tanayo nand墨 迟别箩补蝉惫墨 艣颈惫补惫补濒濒补产丑补岣� || 艢颈惫补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.2.26.29
[44]:
v膩s膩峁僺i s膩gar膩ssapta di艣a艣caiva 尘补丑腻产丑耻箩腻岣� | dyaurm奴rdh膩 te vibhorn膩bhi岣� 办丑补峁� v膩yurn膩sik膩 迟补迟补岣� || cak峁Ｅ箖峁agn墨 ravissoma岣� 办别艣腻 megh膩stava prabho | nak峁trat膩 rak膩dy膩艣cagrah膩艣caiva vibh奴峁峁嘺m || Ibid., 2.3.49.26-27
[45]:
p奴ve峁嘺 vadanena tvamindratva帽ca prak膩艣ase | dak峁峁噀na ca vaktre峁嘺 lok膩n sa峁僰峁Ｄ珁ase prabho || pa艣cimena tu vaktre峁嘺 varu峁嘺迟惫补峁� karo峁 vai | uttare峁嘺 tu vaktre峁嘺 saumyatva帽ca vyavasthitam || V膩yu-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.55.38-39
[46]:
[47]:
...诲补颈迟测补蝉迟谤颈苍别迟谤补岣� 辫耻峁补办补峁� yath膩 | yena yena mayo 测腻迟颈 辫谤补办耻谤惫腻峁嘺岣� 辫耻谤补峁� pur膩t || Matsya-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 130.13