Rudra

(Devanagari: ) is a Rigvedic God, associated with wind or storm,For Rudra as the Storm God, see: Basham (1989), p. 15. and the hunt. The name has been translated as "The Roarer",Zimmer (172), p. 181. Majumdar, p. 162.Griffith, p. 75, note 1. or "The Howler".Zimmer (1972), p. 181. 
The theonym Shiva originates as an epithet of Rudra, the adjective shiva "kind" being used euphemistically of the god who in the Rigveda also carries the epithet ghora "terrible".For Rudra as a Vedic form of Shiva, see: Zimmer (1972), p. 181. Usage of the epithet came to exceed the original theonym and by the post-Vedic period (in the Sanskrit Epics), the name Rudra is taken as a synonym for the god Shiva and the two names are used interchangeably.
==Etymology==
The etymology of the theonym Rudra is somewhat uncertain.For etymology of rudra being uncertain, see: Chakravarti, p. 4. It is usually derived from the root rud- which means "to cry, howl."For the usual derivation from root rud- meaning "to cry" see: Chakravarti, p. 4.For rud- meaning "cry, howl" as a traditional etymology see: Kramrisch, p. 5. 
According to this etymology, the name Rudra has been translated as "the Roarer".For root rud- as the basis of translation of the name Rudra as "the Roarer" see: Majumdar, p. 162. 
An alternate etymology suggested by Prof. Pischel derives Rudra ("the Red, the Brilliant") from a lost root rud-, "to be red" or "to be ruddy",For the Pischel etymology as "ruddy" see: Chakravarti, p. 4. or according to Grassman, "to shine".For Grassman's hypothetical rud- meaning "to shine" see: Chakravarti, p. 4. 
Stella Kramrisch notes a different etymology connected with the adjectival form raudra, which means wild, of rudra nature, and translates the name Rudra as "the Wild One" or "the Fierce God".Citation to M. Mayrhofer, Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary, s.v. "rudra", is provided in: Kramrisch, p. 5. R. K. Sharma follows this alternate etymology and translates the name as "Terrible" in his glossary for the Shiva Sahasranama.Sharma, p. 301. 
The commentator suggests six possible derivations for rudra.For suggesting six possible derivations see: Chakravarti, p. 5. However, another reference states that Sayana suggested ten derivations.see: Sri Rudram and Purushasukram,by Swami Amiritananda, pgs. 9-10, Sri Ramakrishna Math .
The adjective shivam in the sense of "propitious" or "kind" is applied to the name Rudra in RV 10.92.9.Kramrisch, p. 7.For text of RV 10.92.9 see: Arya and Joshi, volume 4, p. 432. According to Gavin Flood, Shiva used as a name or title (Sanskrit , "the kindly/auspicious one") occurs only in the late Vedic Katha AranyakaFlood (2003), p. 73. Axel Michaels says Rudra was called Shiva for the first time in the Śvetāśvatara Upanishad.Michaels, p. 217. 
Rudra is called "The Archer" (Sanskrit: )For as a name of Shiva see: Apte, p. 910. and the arrow is an essential attribute of Rudra.For archer and arrow associations see Kramrisch, Chapter 2, and for the arrow as an "essential attribute" see: Kramrisch, p. 32. This name appears in the Shiva Sahasranama, and R. K. Sharma notes that it is used as a name of Shiva often in later languages.Sharma, p. 306. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root - which means "to injure" or "to kill"For root - see: Apte, p. 910. and Sharma uses that general sense in his interpretive translation of the name as "One who can kill the forces of darkness". The names ("Bowman")Chidbhavananda, p. 33. and ("Archer", literally "Armed with arrows in his hands")For translation of as "Armed with arrows in his hands") see: Sharma, p. 294. also refer to archery.
In other contexts the word rudra can simply mean "the number eleven".Apte, p. 804
The word "rudraksha" (Sanskrit: = rudra + "eye"), or "eye of Rudra", is used as a name both for the berry of the Rudraksha tree, and a name for a string of the prayer beads made from those seeds.For compound rudra + and two meanings of the compound term, see: Apte, p. 804.
==Rigvedic hymns==
The earliest mentions of Rudra occur in the Rigveda, where three entire hymns are devoted to him.For three RV hymns devoted to Rudra, see: Chakravarti, p. 1.For citation of the four Rigvedic hymns (1.43, 1.114, 2.33, and 7.46) see: Michaels, p. 216 and p. 364, note 50. There are about seventy-five references to Rudra in the Rigveda overall.For seventy-five RV mentions, see: Chakravarti, p. 1.E.g., Rudra is included in a litany given in RV 7.40.5.
===Epithets as fierce or frightening===
In the Rigveda Rudra's role as a frightening god is apparent in references to him as ghora ("terrible"), or simply as asau devam ("that god").Flood (2003), p, 73. 
He is "fierce like a formidable wild beast" (RV 2.33.11).For translation of RV 2.33.11 as "fierce like a formidable wild beast" see: Arya and Joshi, vol. 2, p. 81. Chakravarti sums up the perception of Rudra by saying:
RV 1.114 is an appeal to Rudra for mercy, where he is referred to as "mighty Rudra, the god with braided hair."Doniger, pp. 224-225
In RV 7.46, Rudra is described as armed with a bow and fast-flying arrows. As quoted by R. G. Bhandarkar, the hymn says Rudra discharges "brilliant shafts which run about the heaven and the earth" (RV 7.46.3), which may be a reference to the destructive power of lightning.For RV 7.46.3 as symbolic of lightning, see: Bhandarkar, p. 146.
Rudra was believed to cause disease, and when people recovered from them or were free of them, that too was attributed to the agency of Rudra.For association between Rudra and disease, with Rigvedic references, see: Bhandarkar, p. 146. He is asked not to afflict children with disease (RV 7.46.2) and to keep villages free of illness (RV 1.114.1). He is said to have healing remedies (RV 1.43.4), as the best physician of physicians (RV 2.33.4), and as possessed of a thousand medicines (RV 7.46.3). This is described in Shiva's alternative name Vaidyanatha (Lord of Remedies).
===Epithets of supreme rule===
The verse RV 6.49.10 calls Rudra as " The Father of the Universe" (bhuvanasya pitaraṃ)
The verse RV 2.33.9 calls Rudra as "The Lord or Sovereign of the Universe" (īśānādasya bhuvanasya)
===Relation to other deities===
Rudra is used both as a name of Shiva and collectively ("the Rudras") as the name for the Maruts.For the terms "Maruts" and "Rudras" as equivalent, see: Flood (1996), p. 46. Gavin Flood characterizes the Maruts as "storm gods", associated with the atmosphere.Flood (1996), pp. 45-46. They are a group of gods, supposed to be either eleven, thirty-three or a hundred and eightyFor the number of Maruts as either 11 or 33 see: Macdonell, p. 256. in number. The number of Maruts varies from two to sixty (three times sixty in RV 8.96.8.).
 
The Rudras are sometimes referred to as "the sons of Rudra".Flood (1996), p. 46. Rudra is referred to as "Father of the Maruts" in RV 2.33.1.For "Father of the Maruts" in RV 2.33.1 see: Arya and Joshi, vol. 2, p. 78.For Shiva as the head or father of the group see: Apte, p. 804.For Rudra as the head of a host of "storm spirits, the Maruts" see: Basham (1989), p. 14.
Rudra is mentioned along with a litany of other deities in RV 7.40.5. Here is the reference to Rudra, whose name appears as one of many gods who are called upon:
This , the leader of the rite, and the royal Mitra and Aryaman, uphold my acts, and the divine unopposed Aditi, earnestly invoked: may they convey us safe beyond evil.
I propitiate with oblations the ramifications () of that divine attainable , the showerer of benefits. Rudra, bestow upon us the magnificence of his nature. The have come down to our dwelling abounding with (sacrificial) food.RV 7.40.4 - 7.40.5 as translated in Arya and Joshi, pp. 243-244.
One scholiast interpretation of the Sanskrit word , meaning "ramifications" or "branches", is that all other deities are, as it were branches of Vishnu,For the scholiast interpretation of as "ramifications" or "branches" see: Arya and Joshi, p. 244. but Ralph T. H. Griffith cites Ludwig as saying "This... gives no satisfactory interpretation" and cites other views which suggest that the text is corrupt at that point.See: "This, Ludwid remarks, gives no satisfactory interpretation; but I am unable to offer anything better at present. Grassman alters into : 'we with our offering approach the banquet of this swift-moving God, the bounteous ; i.e. come to offer him sacrificial food.'" in: Griffith, p. 356, note 5.
==Post-Rigvedic hymns==
 
In the various recensions of the Yajurveda is included a litany of stanzas praising Rudra: (Maitrāyaṇī-Saṃhitā 2.9.2, Kāṭhaka-Saṃhitā 17.11, Taittirīya-Saṃhitā 4.5.1, and Vājasaneyi-Saṃhitā 16.1–14). This litany is subsequently referred to variously as the Śatarudriyam, the Namakam (because many of the verses commence with the word namaḥ [`homage`]), or simply the Rudram. This litany was recited during the agnicayana ritual ("the piling of Agni"), and it later became a standard element in Rudra liturgy.
A selection of these stanzas, augmented with others, is included in the Paippalāda-Saṃhitā of the Atharvaveda (PS 14.3—4). This selection, with further PS additions at the end, circulated more widely as the Nīlarudram (or Nīlarudra Upaniṣad).See Lubin 2007For an overview of the Śatarudriya see: Kramrisch, pp. 71-74.
==In Sikhism==
The 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh describes the incarnation of Lord Shiva in his book the Dasam Granth, the canto is titled Rudra Avatar
==See also==
*Rudras
*Rudra Sampradaya
==External links==
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==Notes==
==References==
* (fourth revised & enlarged edition).
* Second revised edition. Set of four volumes (2003 reprint). This revised edition updates H. H. Wilson's translation by replacing obsolete English forms with more modern equivalents, giving the English translation along with the original Sanskrit text in Devanagari script, along with a critical apparatus.
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* Third AES reprint edition, 1995.
* (Second Revised Edition; Reprint, Delhi, 2002).
* (Third edition). The version provided by Chidbhavananda is from chapter 17 of the Anuśāsana Parva of the Mahābharata.
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* New Revised Edition
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* Lubin, Timothy (2007). “The Nīlarudropaniṣad and the Paippalādasaṃhitā: A Critical Edition and Translation of the Upaniṣad and Nārāyaṇa's Dīpikā,” in: The Atharvaveda and its Paippalāda Śākhā: Historical and Philological Papers on a Vedic Tradition, ed. A. Griffiths and A. Schmiedchen, pp. 81–139. (Indologica Halensis 11). Aachen: Shaker Verlag. ISBN 978-3-8322-6255-6
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* This work compares eight versions of the Śivasahasranāmāstotra. The Preface and Introduction (in English) by Ram Karan Sharma provide an analysis of how the eight versions compare with one another. The text of the eight versions is given in Sanskrit.
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Category:Aspects of Shiva
Category:Hindu gods
Category:Rigvedic deities
Category:Sky and weather gods
Category:Hunting gods
Category:Death gods
Category:Nature gods
Category:Sanskrit words and phrases
Category:Hindu tantra