Lord Rudra in SriRudram.

Sri Rudraprasna is a Yajurvedik Hymn to Lord Rudra. The Hymn seems to be an ordinary one for ignorant brains. But those who are well versed in Vedanta literature can understand the importance of Sri Rudram. The Hymn Begins with invocation

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE RUDRAYA.

This opening verse makes very clear that Rudra is 'Bhagavan'.

The following are some of the important attributes of Lord Rudra which makes clear that Lord Rudra is the Supreme Being.

Namo hiranyabahave senanye
dishan cha pataye namo ( Lord of all directions) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.a)
pathinam pataye namo ( Lord of all paths) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.c)
annanam pataye namo ( Lord of Food ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.d)
pushhtanam pataye namo ( Lord of prosperity/Grace ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.e)
jagatam pataye namo ( Lord of entire creation ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.f)
kshetranam pataye namo ( Lord of Body or Holy places) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.g)
vananam pataye namo namah ( Lord of Forests) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.h)
vrikshanam pataye namo ( Lord of Trees ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.i)
aushhadhinam pataye namo ( Lord of Medicines )
satvanam pataye namah ( Lord of pious devotees or warriors in samsara )
ganapatibhyashcha vo namo ( Lord of all Ganas or Groups ) (Yaurveda iv.5.4.d)
vishvarupebhyashcha vo namo ( Lord who assumes universal form or vishvaroopam ) (Yaurveda iv.5.4.f)
namo girishaya cha shipivishhtaya cha ( Lord who dwells in mount Kailas and assumes the Visnu form ) (Yaurveda iv.5.5.f)

namo brihate cha varshhiyase cha ( Lord whose form is Brihat (great or massive) (Yaurveda iv.5.5.i)
nama staraya ( Homage to Rudra who is in form of Pranava, OM ). (Yaurveda iv.5.8.h)

devana hridayebhyo namah (Yaurveda iv.5.9.p)
Homage to Rudra who is the sparkling hearts of the gods. (Yaurveda iv.5.9.p)

nama anirhatebhyo (Yaurveda iv.5.9.s)
Homage to Rudra who is unconquerable


Namo hiranya bhahave senanye dishan cha pataye namo ( Lord of all directions) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.a)

Lord Rudra is referred here as the Lord of all directions. Generally, Each direction has its own master who is incharge of that particular direction. But Lord Rudra is the master of all those 'Dhikpalakas'. All the 'Dhikpalakas' ( incharges of directions) are infinitesimal potency of Lord Shiva.


pathinam pataye namo ( salutations to [Rudra],the Lord of all paths) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.c)

Here, Lord Rudra is called as "Lord of paths". All the paths ie., good,bad..etc are governed by Lord shiva only. There are several paths like Bhakti, jnana, karma...etc to reach our destination but Lord Shiva is the Lord of all these paths. He is even Lord of the paths followed by demons because there is no second . sarvam sivamayam jagat.

Annanam pataye namo ( Salutatons to [Rudra],The Lord of Food ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.d)


Here, Rudra is referred as "Lord of the food". Food is the source of life. According to Bhagavad-Gita, the total creation of the world is backed with the force from 'Annam'(food): “annād bhavanti bhutāni …” (III - 15).
Even Taittiriya Upanishad proclaims: ‘Annam Anné pratishthitam’ and ‘Annam Brahma éva
bhavati’. In other words, Annam is the basic principle that underlies the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe. Thus, from the individual to the cosmic realms Annam has its impact and influence. Lord Shiva is the Lord of Annam(food)

pushhtanam pataye namo ( Lord of prosperity/Grace ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.e)


Lord Shiva is the lord of Grace.‘Pushti’ means "Posanam tadanugrahah" ie., ‘Pushti’ means the grace of Bhagavan. So, Pushti-Marga is a path of dedication, which could be achieved and followed only by the grace of the Bhagavan.


jagatam pataye namo ( Lord of entire creation ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.f)

Here, Lord shiva is called as lord of entire creation. He is 'Jagapati'. It is very evident that Lord shiva is the supreme personality of Godhead.

kshetranam pataye namo ( Lord of Body or Holy places) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.g)

The word 'Kshetra' means field or body or Holy place. Here, shiva is referred as lord of holy places or lord who is indweller of body. In Bhagawad Gita krsna says " idam sariram kaunteya
ksetram ity abhidhiyate" ( BG 13:2) , which means : " This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field (kshetra) " . Lord Rudra is Maheswara who resides in kshetra ( body). Hence, Krsna says in the same chapter of Bhagavad gita that:

" Yet in this body ( deha / kshetra ) there is another, a transcendental enjoyer who isMAHESHWARA (Shiva), the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as Paramatma,the Supreme soul of universe”. ( BG 13:23)

Hence, it is ample clear that Maheswara as mentioned in Bhagavad gita (13:23) is none other than Lord Shiva. because vedas explicitly states that Lord Shiva is kshetra pati.


vananam pataye namo namah ( Lord of Forests) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.h)

Lord shiva is the lord of all 'vanas' including 'Brinda vana' or Vrindavana


vrikshanam pataye namo ( Lord of Trees ) (Yaurveda iv.5.2.i)

Lord shiva is referred here as the Lord of Trees. The entire creation in depicted as Tree. Even in bhagavad Gita krsna talks about this 'inverted Aswatha Tree' .

urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham
asvattham prahur avyayam ( BG 15:1).

"There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down."

Lord Rudra is the master of this Aswatha Tree because, he is the root cause for this tree.


bhuva.ntaye vArivaskR^itAyaushhadhInAM pataye namo ( Lord who is the extender of the world, the offspring of the maker of room, lord of plants ) ( Yajurveda iv.5.2.l )

Here, Lord Shiva is described as one who created the world and spread it broad and made the room for further creation.

prathamo daivyo bhishhak.h ( First divine physician )( Yajurveda iv.5.1.f)

Lord Shiva is also called Vaidhyanatha. He is lord of medicines which cures the ills of samsara. He cures the illness caused due to kama,krodha,lobha,moha,madha and mastyarya.


"I will now tell you about Dhyana (meditation) which destroys sorrow. Dhyana should be
done of that Maheswara, who is the medicine for problems arising out of birth cycle" ( Jabala
darshana upanishad)


satvanam pataye namah ( Lord of pious devotees or warriors in samsara )

Here Lord Shiva is called as " satvanam pataye" which means lord of pious devotees who fights
bravely against the evils caused due to samsara.


ganapatibhyashcha vo namo ( Lord of all Ganas or Groups ) (Yaurveda iv.5.4.d)

Here, Lord shiva is called as "Ganapati" which means lord of Ganas(groups). Anything which can be grouped is called Gana. for example , Trees are Gana , Humans are another gana. Animals are another gana. similarly, Devas are another Gana. There are several sub ganas in each such gana. like that, There are infinite number of Ganas. But Lord of all these ganas is Shiva himself.


vishvarupebhyashcha vo namo ( Lord who assumes universal form or vishvaroopam ) (Yajurvada iv.5.4.f)

Here Lord shiva is described as one whose form is Universe(vishvam). Hence, Lord shiva has infinite forms and infinite names. The same is confirmed once again in svetasvatara upanishad.

"All faces are His faces; all heads, His heads; all necks, His necks. He dwells in the hearts of all
beings. He is the all— pervading Bhagavan. Therefore He is the omnipresent and benign Lord. " ( 3.11 svetasvatara upanishad)

namo girishaya cha shipivishhtaya cha ( Lord who dwells in mount Kailas and assumes the Visnu form ) (Yaurveda iv.5.5.f)

Here, Lord Rudra is referred as shipivista. shipivista is an epithet of visnu in yaurveda. this sounds clear that visnu is also a part of lord shiva's form. and it is Lord Rudra who manifests as visnu (shipivista).


nama staraya ( Homage to Rudra who is in form of Pranava, OM ). (Yaurveda iv.5.8.h)

Lord shiva is described as omkara swaroopa. He is the Deliverer from all bondages.


devana hridayebhyo namah (Yaurveda iv.5.9.p)

Homage to Rudra who is the sparkling hearts of the gods. (Yaurveda iv.5.9.p)


Lord Shiva is the ultimate reality. He is the self of all beings including Gods. He abides in the heart of all beings. Hence, he is called as the sparkling heart of gods. This confirms the supremacy of Lord Shiva.


nama anirhatebhyo (Yaurveda iv.5.9.s)
Homage to Rudra who is unconquerable

Lord shiva is called as 'Anirhata'. Which mean The unconquerable one. The same is confirmed from other vedik verses.

imā rudrāya sthiradhanvane ghiraḥ kṣipreṣave devāya svadhāvne
aṣāḷhāya sahamānāya vedhase tighmāyudhāya bharatā śṛṇotu naḥ ( Rig veda 7:46:1 )

Meaning:
"To Rudra bring these songs, whose bow is firm and strong, the SELF DEPENDENT God with swiftly-flying shafts,The Wise, the Conqueror WHOM NONE MAY OVERCOME, armed with sharp-pointed weapons: may he hear our call." ( Rig veda 7:46:1 )


bhuvanasya pitaraṃ ghīrbhirābhī rudraṃ divā vardhayā rudramaktau
bṛhantaṃ ṛṣvamajaraṃ suṣumnaṃ ṛdhagh ghuvema kavineṣitāsaḥ ( Rig veda 6 :49:10 )

Meaning:
Rudra by day, Rudra at night we honour with these our songs, the UNIVERSE'S FATHER. HIM GREAT AND LOFTY, BLISSFUL, imperishable, LET US CALL SPECIALLY AS THE SAGE IMPELS US". ( Rigveda 6:49:10 )

NOTE : UNIVERSES FATHER (bhuvanasya pitaraṃ)


sthirebhiraṅghaiḥ pururūpa ughro babhruḥ śukrebhiḥ pipiśehiraṇyaiḥ
īśānādasya bhuvanasya bhūrerna vā u yoṣad rudrādasuryam ( Rig veda 2:33:9 )

Meaning:

"With firm limbs, MULTIFORM, the strong, the tawny adorns himself with bright gold decorations: THE STRENGTH OF GODHEAD NEVER DEPARTS FROM RUDRA, HIM WHO IS SOVEREIGN OF THE UNIVERSE, THE MIGHTY. "( RigVeda 2:33:9 )

Note : īśānādasya bhuvanasya ( Ruler of universe )

Sahasrani sahasradha bahuvostava hetayah Tasamishano bhagavah parachina mukha kridhi ( Yajurveda iv.5.10.m )

In your arms exist thousands of kinds of weapons in thousands of numbers.But Bhagavan, You art Lord and master of them. Turn their hurtful faces awayfrom us.

Ye bhutanam adhipatayo (Yajurveda iv.5.11.f)

The overlord of all creatures

Here Lord Rudra is called as "Bhutanam Adhipati" which signifies that he is the overlord of all beings.