Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates 鈥楶rotective or benevolent activities 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.
5. Protective or benevolent activities of 艢颈惫补
Lord 艢颈惫补鈥檚 benevolent activities are depicted in the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉. 艢颈惫补 provided a boon to king Vena being satisfied by his austere prayer. 艢颈惫补 bestowed a boon to Vena that he will become an Asura king, Andhaka originated from his body and he (Andhaka) will defeat the gods by his strength. When king Vena in his Andhaka form will desire to unite with 笔腻谤惫补迟墨, then 艢颈惫补 will kill him and his (Vena) body will attain salvation. On his new birth, he will become a popular 驳补峁嚹乨丑颈辫补 or the commander of 驳补峁嘺蝉 addressed as 叠丑峁涐箙驳颈.[1] 艢颈惫补 is known as Varada or boon giver.[2] When 艢颈惫补 satisfied by 艢耻办谤补鈥檚 severe penance, gave him a boon. The boon was the benign 蝉补帽箩墨惫补苍墨 惫颈诲测腻.[3] Sage 痴颈艣惫腻苍补谤补 and 艢uci峁at墨 achieved lord 艢颈惫补 as their son with satisfying their austere penance on 艢颈惫补.[4]
艢颈惫补 gave 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 cakra as a boon to 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.[5] A legend regarding this boon has been depicted in the Pur膩峁噄c literature. According to this account鈥攚hen the Asuras troubled all world, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 performed worship of 艢颈惫补 seeking a weapon from him (艢颈惫补), so that he could destroy the demons with that very weapon. He performed reverence to 艢颈惫补 reciting the thousand names of him (艢颈惫补) with the offering of lotus flowers. In order to test 痴颈峁ａ箛耻鈥檚 devotion, 艢颈惫补 had kept hidden one of the thousand lotus flowers. 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 moved on the earth seeking the lotus. But he did not get it. When he was not able to find the lotus he decided to offer his eye to 艢颈惫补 instead of the lotus. 艢颈惫补 pleased by his worship and granted him the 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补 discus. Here, in this account, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 told 艢颈惫补 that there is no protector of the world better than 艢颈惫补.[6] 艢颈惫补 showered his grace over Arjuna, one of the five 辫腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉, by bestowing his unbeatable P膩艣upata astra (weapon) as a boon.[7]
One day 叠腻峁嚹乻耻谤补 started to praise 艢颈惫补. He performed 罢腻峁囜笉补惫补 dance for getting a boon from 艢颈惫补. 叠腻峁嘺 desired for the healing of his injury as a boon. Afterthat he begged forgiveness for his dishonesty in the war and the kingship for U峁Ｄ佲�檚 son at 艢辞峁噄迟补辫耻谤补. 艢颈惫补 pleased by his solemn prayer and fulfilled his desire. Then 叠腻峁嘺 gained immortality and became a follower of 艢颈惫补.[8] 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 cut off four hands of 叠腻峁嚹乻耻谤补 by the grace of 艢颈惫补.[9] 艢颈濒腻诲补, a sage achieved a son named 狈补苍诲墨 who was free from death and was not born from human contact as a boon from lord 艢颈惫补. That son was the form of 艢颈惫补.[10]
The son of Ghu艣m膩 regained his life by the grace of 艢颈惫补.[11] Ghu艣m膩 was the wife of 厂耻诲丑补谤尘腻, a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 of 叠丑补谤补诲惫腻箩补 race.[12] In ancient times, there was a prince named 叠丑补诲谤腻测耻. Becoming satisfied by his devotion, 艢颈惫补 bestowed him a divine conch as well as a sword as a boon. This divine sword could destroy his opponents.[13] Upamanyu earned 艢颈惫补鈥檚 blessing. The great lord granted him ten boons being satisfied by his austere penance.[14]
In order to help the Kauravas, 顿谤辞峁嘺 prayed to 艢颈惫补 to achieve a son. 艢颈惫补 granted him this boon and took birth as the son of 顿谤辞峁嘺 named 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘腻.[15] A reference has been found in the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 where a 肠腻峁囜笉腻濒补 girl is said to be the achiever of the grace of lord 艢颈惫补.[16]
艢颈惫补 is the possessor of numerous epithets. In the 艢颈惫补 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, the greatness of his thousand names is mentioned in various ways. Here, it is mentioned that the devotees who listen to the thousand names of 艢颈惫补, attain imperishable success and their desires are fulfilled.[17] One who reads and teaches his names, he never gets miseries even in dreams.[18] When a king falls in danger and utters his (艢颈惫补鈥檚) name for thousand times, he attains welfare.[19] The thousand names of 艢颈惫补 remove the diseases, give 惫颈诲测腻, wealth, charity, fulfill all wishes.[20] If a person recites his names, wishing something in his mind, his wishes will be fulfilled.[21] If a person recites the names of 艢颈惫补 early in the morning with full devotion, he attains success in his whole life.[22]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
痴腻尘补苍补-辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 48.3-6
[2]:
namo bhav膩ya 艣arv膩ya varad膩yograr奴pi峁噀 | andhak膩surahantre ca pa艣奴n膩峁� pataye 苍补尘补岣� || Ibid., 47.72
[3]:
Ibid., 62.42-43
[4]:
[5]:
[6]:
艢颈惫补-pur膩峁嘺, 4.34.1-30
[7]:
补蝉迟谤补峁� 辫腻艣耻辫补迟补峁� 蝉惫墨测补峁� 诲耻谤箩补测补峁� 蝉补谤惫补诲腻鈥檏hilai岣� | dadau tasmai mahe艣膩no vacana帽cedamabrav墨t || Ibid., 3.41.55
[8]:
Ibid., 2.5.56.10-33
[9]:
Ibid., 2.5.55.30
[10]:
tava putro bhavi峁膩mi nand墨 n膩mn膩 tvayonija岣� | 辫颈迟腻 bhavi峁asi mama piturvai jagat膩峁� mune || Ibid., 3.6.34
[11]:
Ibid., 4.33
[12]:
[13]:
avat膩re峁嘺 me yena bhadr膩yurn峁沺ab膩laka岣�...迟补迟补岣� sa 办补惫补肠补峁� 诲颈惫测补峁� 艣补峁卥丑补峁� 办丑补峁単补峁� ca bh膩svaram | dadau tasmai 辫谤补蝉补苍苍腻迟尘腻 sarva艣atruvin膩艣anam || Ibid., 3.4.40-43
[14]:
Ibid., 3.32
[15]:
Ibid., 3.36
[16]:
Ibid., 4.9
[17]:
[18]:
anye ca je pa峁環i峁anti p膩峁環ayi峁anti nitya艣a岣� | te峁Ｄ佱箖 诲耻岣丑补峁� na svapne鈥檖i j膩yate n膩tra sa峁吪沘ya岣� || Ibid., 4.36.21
[19]:
[20]:
rogan膩艣akara峁� hyetad惫颈诲测腻vittadamuttamam | sarvak膩maprada峁� 辫耻峁噛补峁� 艣ivabhaktiprada峁� 蝉补诲腻 || Ibid., 4.36.23
[21]:
测补诲耻诲诲颈艣测补 辫丑补濒补峁� 艣谤别峁ａ弓丑补峁� pa峁環i峁anti nar膩stviha | lapsyante n膩tra 蝉补苍诲别丑补岣� 辫丑补濒补峁� tatsatyamuttamam || Ibid., 4.36.24