1. Inspired-Interpretation-of-SriRudram-in-English

Inspired interpretation of

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Namakam & Chamakam

Mantras and Meaning

For Learning and Contemplation

Mee. Rajagopalan

Aum Namah Śivaya

V2 24th April 2023 www.meenalaya.org

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

ॐ गणेशाय नमः

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

शृङ्गेरी गुरुपरम्परा

Sringeri Guru Parampara

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

ॐ नमो भगवते श्री रमणाय

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

CONTENTS

Blessing - Sri Dravidācharya Swamiji

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Foreword

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Review Commentary

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Preface

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Śrī Rudram - Namakapraśnah

5

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

7

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

59

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

103

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

121

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

141

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

157

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

181

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

201

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

227

Śrī Rudram - Chamakapraśnah

255

|| Anuvākam 1 ||

259

|| Anuvākam 2 ||

265

|| Anuvākam 3 ||

269

|| Anuvākam 4 ||

272

|| Anuvākam 5 ||

276

|| Anuvākam 6 ||

279

|| Anuvākam 8 ||

282

|| Anuvākam 8 ||

284

|| Anuvākam 9 ||

287

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

290

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

294

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||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Blessing - Sri Dravidācharya Swamiji

(Shastra Nethralaya)

(Āshram at: 39/9 Śrī Āchārya Nagar, Theerthamalai Village, Tamil Nadu 636906)

Aum Gurubhyo Namah

Namakam - 'na ma + kam' which roughly translates as not mine, that is, the attitude of surrenderer, it is all yours and you are everything. And Camakam - 'ca ma + kam' - and also for me, this teaches the system of asking the Īśwara the desired. We do not even know what is good for us, and what to ask and how to ask. This teaches the method for us to ask.

Why should it teach us? People are so ignorant due to their ego and other cause do not even know to pray to Īśwara. You can see in temples, people doing archana to Īśwara, in the name of Īśwara for his wellbeing, instead of praying for their family. And if they ask for others, they will have a long list of extended family. The list is long, and at the end through the arithmetic and geometric progression there is a list of things that are asked that belong to that

particular number of items. This does not mean, that I need all of them, we are asking Bhagavān to decide which is good among all these and provide it for us.

If Īśwara is omniscient and omnipresent, does he not know it even before asking? Yes, he definitely knows, but only the kid which cries for milk is fed, and only the person who asks the other for the direction is shown. There is a rule in the Shastra 'na aprstham kasyacid vadet janato api medhavi jadavat lokam acaret' - without being asked should not say, even when the wise man knows, should act like an inert object.

If so, then why is Īśwara teaching me this, as I didn't ask him for this? Yes, Īśwara due to being causeless compassionate, and since you are reading this, which shows that you are interested in knowing

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

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||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

are really not needed for me, but will be useful for my family or community or village prosperity. As said in the beginning, we should not shy away from asking Īśwara. If we do not ask him, who will and to whom will we.

The translation done by Śrī Rajagopalan is to the point and the notes are from the heart. The traditionalist commentary will be full of understanding the words in many different possible ways, sometimes loosing the sight of the job in hand, the meaning of the text.

Though we advise everyone to be immersed in this truth-seeking path, by listening, reading, writing, meditating and all the other possible methods we can put to use, not everyone listens to it. And even if some one listens, they find it hard to find time among the many other unimportant things that top their priority list.

I am happy that Mee. Rajagopalan, has taken the advice to heart and follows it up.

When the Vedas are studied, they do not give importance to understand the meaning. Sometimes because they are not necessary for the rituals, and many other times because of the lack of Sanskrit knowledge. But this translation removes that obstacle by doing justice to the text, by not only giving a precise translation to the words therein but also through the notes, that are very useful from the seekers point.

As it is often repeated in the commentary, we should pray Īśwara for getting rid of our Ahamkāra and Mamakāra. Let Rudra bring all the auspiciousness to one and all.

Paripūrṇa Aashirvāda!

Shaastra Nethralaya

24 April 2023

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

FOREWORD

Dr. M. B. Athreya, Ph.D. (Harvard)

Padma Bhushan (Gol), Bhishma Pitamah of HRD (NHRDN & NDIM), Icon of Costing Profession (ICMA), Dharma Pracharak (Sringeri)

Email: [email protected]

To be invited to write a Foreword is an honour. It is also a great responsibility. One has to place before the prospective reader the Ātma, soul, of the book, and enhance his motivation to read it more thoughtfully. I always add a section on how the main learnings from the book can be put into action. Fortunately, the author, Śrī Mee. Rajagopalan (Rajja), has written such a meaningful book from his heart and mind, that I can well discharge the above responsibility.

First, about Śri Rudram. Most of us would have heard it recited. It is usually said at Pradosham time, in the late afternoon/evening. It is also part of pujas, homas and vaibhavams like Vivāham, Upanayanam, Shashti-abdha-poorthi, etc. Many of us may have gone beyond listening, to reciting it. I have heard it recited not only in many temples and halls in India, but also in temples around the world, wherever there is a Hindu community.

Indian youth started going abroad in ever larger numbers, since the 1960's, mostly to North America, but also to other English speaking countries, and Europe. In the 1970's, my parents' generation used to express doubts whether our traditional prayers will survive for long. In recent years, I have heard, with joy, samashti Rudram, by young people, in India and abroad. Most of them are professionals in IT, Management, Medicine, Academia etc. Rudram is alive and well. Its future is in safe hands. Technology could have been a threat. But, it has been harnessed for easier and wider access.

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||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

who was a great devotee of Bhagavan Ramana, and also a scholar and poet, with hundreds of verses and keertanas to his name. Learning from his school teacher and the parents, Rajagopalan's early roots in bhakti grew into a tree of Vedānta. Side by side, he has had a rich modern education and career. Mathematics; Operations Research; Space Communications; MBA. He has worked in India, Singa pore and Europe and now living in London, as a senior execute in the Aero Space industry. He also mentors and guides young managers and start-ups. He is devoted to seva, along with His sahadharmini, Uma, both enjoying in the service to community.

Intrigued by Sri Rudram, Rajagopalan offers an "inspired" translation of the text to his readers. N o b l e of him to want to share his inspiration with his readers. He has gone beyond the intent. He has worked hard at it with a 300 plus page book. As readers, are we ready to receive his inspired offering? Let us do so with yogyata, patratvam, jigyāsa, shraddha and vinayam. Not so much to Rajja. But, to Rudra Bhagavan. Rajja says, in all humility, that his version is not his own, but based on the teachings of great Achāryas, some of whom have written bhāshyams on Rudram. The interpretation is from the perspective of a Rudra bhakta.

Most of us see both sukham and dukham in life. Sukham tends to be more transient. The scars and memories of dukham last longer. These are part of worldly life. Samsāram sāgaram dukham.

The author recalls the lessons of the Bhagawad Gita - Karma Yoga, sharanāgati etc. He goes past the Bhāvartam, the literal meaning of the Rudra mantras, to explore their Tattvārtam, the underlying import. Rudra is part of Saguna Brahmam, God with Form. We should keep in mind the Nirguna Brahman, Formless Brahman, behind all Saguna forms. Samatvam, equanimity should be cultivated.

As humans, with buddhi, potential for wisdom and discrimination between dharma and adharm a, we should take full responsibility for our karma and its phalam. Not dump our bad karma and its phalam on Rudra or any other Saguna God or Goddess. We should pursue the prescribed Purushārthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

The author has reminded us of the number of items we are praying for in Chamakam - 347! We may acquire some or more of them. But, all Artha should be both earned; and also spent, according to Dharma. We should recite Rudram with a clear conscience that we are enjoying only "dharma aviruddha Kaman", those desires which are not against Dharma.

The author cites the samāsam for Rudra. - Rudram dravayati iti Rudrah. One who cuts the root of grief. A long spell of sukham tends to induce boredom and complacency. Each experience of dukham can cleanse and spur us to corrective action. As Kunti told Krishna - "Let me have problems in life. Only then, I will remember you!" -- The Vedic declaration that karma alone will not lead to moksham, is emphasised by Bhagavān Adi Sankara - na karmaṇa, tyagena eva. Not just by good work, but by sacrifice. I have faced the question on incentives, from leaders, administrators, managers and others. - Why would anyone work without rewards? -- My answer, partly, has been that 100% focus on the task, without the distraction of anxiety on rewards, will lead to higher quality of work and better output. It is then the dharma of the organisation or community to appreciate and reward such work.

Our prayers to Rudra are not for protection and benevolence only to oneself, but to the whole world. - Sarve janāḥ sukhino bhavantu. - Lokah samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu. In the Rudra mantra to Him as the Healer, and Protector, we all may have memories. May I share two? Our kula daivam is Vaidheeswaran Kovil, where the Lord is present as Vaidyanātha Swami. My name Mrityunjaya refers to Śiva kicking Yama, to save Mārkandeya.

I end this Foreword with a suggested Action Plan for readers to get more benefit from Gopalan's book, with creative, inspired translations of all the mantras of Rudram. First, read the book till the end. You may need a few sittings to complete it. Second, while reading, mark those mantras of particular interest, meaning and relevance to you. This may differ from person to person. Third, go back and dwell deeper into the marked mantras. Derive their action implications for you. Start implementing those insights in your total behaviour --- mānasa, vācha, karmaṇa --- thoughts, words and deeds. Fourth, after having stabilised the above

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||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

improvements in your life, go back and mark the second set of mantras next most relevant to you. Follow the above cycle. Fifth, now move on to Dhyānam, Meditation. Pick one mantra from your short list, daily, and meditate on it for 10 to 15 minutes. Review your past failures in practising that mantra. Resolve to do better. Sixth, invite your spouse and children to read the full text. Discuss. Clarify. Guide them through the above process of reflection, meditation and action. Seventh, share it in all your different Satsang groups. Eighth, help your interested relatives and close friends, in other towns, to start their

Rudram Satsangs, and benefit from the above process. All the while, continue your Rudram chanting, at all available venues and opportunities.

The author has invested a marathon effort in his creative translation. The return to him is not economic, but spiritual. As more groups read and discuss it, his ānanda will increase. The reader will also have to invest his time and energy on the above Action Plan, to get high personal spiritual returns. Our prārthanās for the wide dissemination of the Rudra Vidya in this book.

New Delhi April 2023

Dr. Mrityunjjay Athreya Institutional Mentor

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

REVIEW COMMENTARY

Sri E.R. Balaji

(Sanskrit Scholar, Retired Executive, now conducts various classes

on spiritual texts, London, email: [email protected])

Śri Rudram is universally considered to be the most important component of Yajurveda, occupying as it does a central part in the middle canto (4th out of the 7 cantos). The Śiva panchākshara mantram is embedded therein as the core and heart of Śri Rudram. So is the Rudra trishati incorporating the three hundred different names of Lord Rudra (starting with नमो हिरण्यबाहवे नमः and ending with नम आमिवात्क्षयो नमः) which is a very popular medium of archana with flowers after the main chanting of Śri Rudram either as a Japam or as an Abhishekam or as a Homam. Śri Rudram is considered a very important prayer for daily worship and study along with Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu Sahasranāmam and Purusha Suktam as per the traditional stanza:

स्वशाखोপনिषत्प्रीता विष्णोनामसहस्रकम् ।

रुद्रं च पौरूपं सूक्तं नित्यमावर्तयेद् बुधः ॥

Śri Rudram is a powerful mantra for bestowing on the devotee all the four Purushārthās, the four ultimate pursuits of all living beings. Śri Rudram is thus elevated to the status of an Upanishad and termed as Rudropanishad. Describing as it does, the hundreds of forms of Rudra, it is also known as Shata Rudriyam, a text of hundreds of manifestations of Bhagavan Rudra.

It is said in Kaivalyopanishad:

यः शतरुद्रियंधीते सोऽग्रिपूतो भवति

सुरापानात्पूतो भवति

स ब्रह्महत्यात्पूतो भवति

स सुरर्षभस्नेऽत्पपतो भवति

स कृत्याकृत्यात्पूतो भवति

तस्माद् विमुक्तमाश्रितो

भवत्याश्रमी सर्वदा सकृद्रुद्रां जपेत् ॥

अनेन ज्ञानमाप्रोति

तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं

संसरार्णवतारनं

कैवल्यं पदमाश्रुते ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

This idea is expressed succinctly by Śrī Rajja 'Vedas are not in Sanskrit, but Sanskrit, as everything else, was born out of the sounds of Vedas only.' So trying to understand the meaning as a mechanical process of reverse engineering of turning the word to meaning by translation is not easy and can even be dangerous by giving false trails! We need expert guidance. Luckily there are a number of commentaries which exist to help us in the process of finding out the true meanings and their implications in taking us to the Truth.

The early commentaries were written by eminent scholars such as Sayanācharya, Bhatta bhāskara, Abhinava Śankara and Vishnu Suri. All these are in Sanskrit. Bhatta bhāskara's commentary is more like a commentary on Sayanācharya's commentary. There have been recent commentaries in other languages. Swami Dayānanda Sarasvati has published one in English and 'Anna' Subramania Iyer in Tamil. Of these, the Bhatta bhaskara commentary contains many rare ritualistic aspects not found in others.

Though the whole of Śrī Rudram is recited under the single envelope of "अस्य श्री रुद्राध्याय प्रश्न महामन्त्रस्य, अघोर

ऋषि:, अनुष्टुप् छन्द:, सङ्करः पण मृति स्वरूपो योगसावित्य: परमपुरुष: स एष रुद्रो देवता"

with the two standard Dhyana shlokas 'आपातालनभ' and 'ब्रह्माण्डव्यास',

Bhatta bhaskara propounds a system wherein the contents of Śrī Rudram are contemplated as many mantras, and for each such mantra invocation, there are specified Ríși, Chandas, Dēvata and Dhyāna shloka. For each mantra, he has prescribed a system of mastery called Purashcharanam which helps to attain some set goals. Though this system does not appear to be in active use now, some of the Dhyāna shlokas are breathtaking and graphically conducive in facilitating meditation on Lord Rudra. Those interested can look them up in Dayananda Sarasvati's book or Anna's book mentioned before.

The current work by Rajja is monumental and takes us through the word by word meaning in English, summarised contextual meaning and an inspired interpretation in the light of Advaita Vedānta. This is in fact what Rudram is all about; you start with chanting, learn the word meanings, contextual meanings, deeper meanings and use it as a means to the understanding of the Supreme Brahman.

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Bhatta bhāskara says:

"अनया च रुद्रोपनिषदा ब्रह्मविद्या प्रतिपाद्यते । ब्रह्मणश्च त्रीणि रूपाणि सन्ति । एकं कार्यरूपं सर्वोपादानतया सर्वोत्तमकं । इतर्तपुरुपाख्यं सृष्टिस्थितिसंहारनिमित्तं । द्वयमपि आविद्यकमन्यत्परं रूपं निर्गुणं निरञ्जनं सत्यज्ञानानन्दलक्षणं ।

By this Rudram which is an Upanishad, Brahmavidyā is taught. There are three forms of Brahman: One is the kārya rupam, which is the upādāna (material cause) of all creation and sarvatmakam (all inclusive). The second is the nimittam (instrumental cause) of srishti, sthiti and samhara (taTastha lakshanam - Secondary characteristics). These two together are in the realm of ignorance, avidya. The third, Supreme, form of Brahman is Nirguna, Niranjana, Satyam, Jnanam, Ananda (svarupa lakshanam - definitive)."

Thus Śrī Rudram is a great source of Vedāntic knowledge. Contemplating on the myriad forms of Rudra you grasp his Vishvarūpam in the mode of Saguna Brahman and then move on to experience him as just a formless radiation in the Nirguna mode.

Śrī Rajja is very quick to derive Vedantic imports in many parts of Śri Rudram. For instance in नमः श्शोक्याय च कुव्स्थान्याय च, he sees the Lord Paramēśwara Who is beseeched by the Veda Mantras and Vedic rituals that are expounded in the foremost part of Veda, 'Veda pūrva' or the Karma-kāṇḍa and also as the Truth that is elucidated in the 'Upanishad' the Jnāna-kāṇḍa or Vedānta. In explaining पथीनां पतये, he refers to the seemingly different paths (which) complement each other to prepare the aspirant to qualify for the most divine inquiry, namely, 'Atma-vicāram', ultimately leading to the inevitable unitary path to liberation, 'Atma Jnānam'.

On the whole he is able to give lessons in Vedānta vichāram using Śrī Rudram as the medium and in a simple contemporary style with minimum verbosity and without any condescension towards the readers.

I do hope the Rudra devotees all over will take advantage of this remarkable work and get help in strengthening their faith and devotion by getting a deeper understanding of the text.

E.R. Balaji

London, (Apr. 2023)

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

PREFACE

Mee. Rajagopalan

Aum Śrī Gurubhyo Namah

Veda Mantras are divine and beyond all human comprehension. Therefore, decoding the mantras to derive their inferences are only a learning exercise to pacify our thirst for knowledge.

In fact, not knowing the meaning of the Veda Mantras is a blessing as any interpretation may distort our, otherwise plausible, 'Śraddhā' or unshakeable faith and commitment to the efficacy of the mantras.

To dissect and discriminate the word and the meaning may rise many questions in our inquiring mind, often leading to the imposition of flawed interpretation and doubts. If any pursuit, no matter how intelligent the efforts be, and how noble the objectives be, dilutes the most fundamental of nature - the faith - then such a pursuit is useless.

Veda Mantras are synthesised form of divine resonance, the 'Śabda' of God as heard or seen by the Seers. The encoding into letters and words are meagre human efforts and therefore instead of seeing the Veda Mantras as a construct in a language, we must see the Veda Mantras as the compilation of sound that gives birth to all, including the language of encoding.

In other words Vedas are not in Sanskrit, but Sanskrit, as everything else, has born out of the sounds of Vedas only. Therefore, if you do not know the meaning of the Veda mantras, consider yourself blessed, as long as your faith in the chanting and hearing of the Veda Mantras is steadfast and unshakeable. If you promise to yourself such a commitment, then go ahead and study the interpretations of Vedas by many scholars. I too have pursued the same path, with my faith kept absolute for the perpetual learning.

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Limited is my understanding as a careful reader of this text may very quickly come to such conclusion, nevertheless, it is my intent to share my inspired translation of Śrī Rudram, based on the teachings of great Ācārya, as an aid for contemplation to the fellow learners and spiritual aspirants. All mistakes in the interpretation are entirely mine and all merits to the great scholars who teach.

Śrī Rudram is at the heart of the Vedas and supremely revered as in it enshrined is, as the core of all Vedas, in the middle of Krishna Yajurveda, and in the centre of Taittirīya Samhita, the Śiva Pañcākṣari Mantram, 'Namah Śivāya'. Though it forms part of Karma-Kānda, it is revered as an Upanishad, and hailed as 'Rudropanishad'. Also, as it appears in all the one hundred and one Śākhā of the Yajurveda, it is called 'Satarudriyam'.

Śrī Rudram refers to the main text known as 'Namakam' and also the accompanying text to be chanted, called the 'Chamakam'. Both these texts have 11 Anuvāka or paragraphs. The name 'Namakam' is so, as the in that text, the word 'Namah' meaning prostration is repeated many times. The name 'Chamakam' is also alike, for the conjugate 'cha' meaning 'and' is repeated many times, as the Chamakam text is a long enumeration of boons that are beseeched from the Lord.

The proper way of reciting Namakam and Chamakam, like of any Veda Mantra, must be learnt under the qualified Ācārya.

Simply put, there are primarily three types of chanting styles of Vedas namely, 'Rik', 'Yajus' and 'Saman' The Rik is defined as: when there is a division into 'pada' or the word, which brings with it the illumination to the chanter and the listener. The Saman is when a Rik is set to music and sung, whereas the Yajus as the residuary one, guides the sacrificial action and worship in accordance with the Rik.

Forming part of the Yajur Veda, Namakam consists of thirty-seven (37) Riks set in various Vedic Meters and found in Anuvāka 1, 10, and 11, and one-hundred and thirty-seven (137) Yajus in Anuvāka 2 to 9 and the last line of Anuvāka 11. These are variously invoked as 169 Upāsana Mantra, which are to be done under the initiation of a learned Guru.

||Namakam||

1 PREFACE

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

2 PREFACE

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

incidental, and by the compassionate grace of such Seers.

I prostrate forever to His Holiness, Jagadguru Śrī Śankarāchārya of Śrī Kamakoti Peetam, Kancheepuram and place this text at His divine feet!

My pranāms to Swami Śrī Dravidāchārya Swamiji, who tirelessly works in spreading Vedic knowledge and graciously blessed this work. My profound gratitude for his words and a lucid introduction.

My sincere thanks to Padma Bhushan Śrī Dr Mrityunjay Athreya, who is erudite both as a Professor of Management Science and as a scholar and promoter of Sanatana Dharma, for which he was awarded the title ‘Dharma Prachārak’ by His Holiness Jagadguru Śrī Śankarāchārya of Śringeri.

I also place my gratitude to Sri Balaji, who is a great Sanskrit scholar and a dear friend in London, for his efforts and kindness to review this text and offer his valuable commentary.

I remain humbled by the generosity of the readers for pardoning my mistakes and guiding me in the right direction.

Aum Gurubhyo Namah|

Mee. Rajagopalan

London, 24 April 2023

||Namakam||

PREFACE

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

4

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Śrī Rudram - Namakapraśnah

||Namakam||

5 Śrī Rudram - Namakapraśnah

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

6

Śrī Rudram - Namakapraśnah

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

|| Namakam ||

7

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

8

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाकः १||

कृष्ण यजुर्वेदीय तैत्तिरीय संहिता

चतुर्थ-काण्डे पञ्चमः प्रपाठकः

ॐ नमो भगवते रुद्राय ।।

नमस्ते रुख़ मु॑न्यवं॒ उत॒ त इ॒ष॑वे नमः॑ । नम॑स्ते अ॒स्तु॑ धन्व॒ने बा॑हु॒भ्या॒मु॑त ते नमः॑ ।।

या॒ त॒ इ॒षुः॑ शिव॒त॒मा शिवं॒ ब॒भू॒व॒ ते॒ धनुः॑ । शिवा॒ श॒रव्या॒ या॒ तव॒ त॒या॒ नो॒ रु॑द्र मृडय ।।

या॒ ते॒ रु॒द्र॒ शिवा॒ त॒नू॒रघो॑रा॒ड॒पां॑प॒क॒शि॒नी॒ । तय॑ न॒स्त॑नुव॒ शान्त॒म॒या॒ गिरि॑श॒न्ता॒भि॑च॒ाक॒शी॒हि॒ ।।

या॒मि॒षुं॑ गिरि॒श॒न्त॒ ह॒स्ते॒ वि॒भर॑य॒स्त॒वे । शिवां॒ गिरि॑त्र॒ तां॒ कु॒रु॒ मा॒ हि॒ङ्सीः॑ पु॒रु॒ष॒ञ्ज॒गत् ।।

शि॒वेन॑ वच॒सा॒ त्वा॒ गिरि॑शाच्छा॒ वदा॑मसि । यथ॑ नः॒ सर्व॑मिज्ज॒गे॒द॑य॒क्षम॒ङ्ग॒ सु॒म॒ना॒ अ॒स॒त् ।।

अध्या॑वोच॒दधि॑व॒क्ता॒ प्रथ॑मो॒ दे॒व्यो॒ भि॒ष॒क् । अही॑न॒गु॒ङ्गः॒ सर्वा॒न्भेष॑ज॒न्ध॒स॒स्व॒श्श्र॒यात॑धान्यः॑ ।।

असौ॒ य॒स्ता॒म्रो अ॒रु॑ण॒ उत॒ ब॒भ्रुस्सु॑म॒ङ्ग॒लः॑ । ये॒ चेमां॒ रु॒द्रा॒ अभि॑तो॒ दिक्षु॒ श्रि॒ताः॒ सह॑स्रशो॒डवै॑पा॒ङ्गा॒ हेड॑ ईमहे ।।

असौ॒ यो॒ऽव॑स॒र्प॒ति नी॑लग्री॒वो॒ विलो॑हितः । उतैनं॒ गोपा॑ अ॒दृ॑श॒तदृ॑श॒श्च॒रु॒द॒र्यः॑ । उत॑न॒ँ विश्वा॑ भू॒तानि॒ स॒ द्र॒ष्टो॒ मृड॑याति नः ।।

||Namakam||

9

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||Namakam||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| anuvākah 1||

ōm namō bhagavatē rudrāya ||

namástē rudra manyavá ūtōtá iṣávē namáḥ | namástē astu dhanvánē bāhubhyā́muta tē namáḥ ||

yā tē iṣuḥ śiśviṣatā́mā śiva-mbābhūvá tē dhanúḥ | śivā śáravyā yā tava tayā́ nō rudra mṛḍaya ||

yāmiṣu-ṅgiriśanta hastē bibharṣyastavē | śivā-ṅgiritra tā-ṅkuru mā hiṅsiṣīḥ purūṣa-ṅjagát||

śivēna vachásā tvā giriśā́chChā vadāmasí | yathā na-ssaṛvamijjagádyakṣmagṁ sumanā́ asát ||

adhyávōchadadhivaktā prathamō daivyò bhiṣak | ahī́gścha sarvā́mjambhayan-thsarvā́ścha yātudhā́nyāḥ ||

asau yastā́mrō árūṇa uta babhrussúmaṅgalāḥ | yē chēmā́gṁ rudrā abhitó díkṣu śrítā-ssaḥasraśō-'vaiṣā́gṁ hēdā ī́mahē ||

asau yò-'vasarpáti nílāgrīvō vilōhitáḥ | utainā́-ṅgōpā́ adṛ́śannudāharyáḥ | utainam viśvā bhūtāní sa dṛṣṭó mṛḍayāti naḥ ||

namò astu nílāgrīvāya sahasrākṣā́yā mīḍhuṣē | athō yē ā́syā satvā́nō-'ha-ntēbhyò-'karaṇnamáḥ ||

||Namakam||

11

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रशः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 1||

ॐ नमो भगवते रुद्राय॥

ōṁ namō bhagavatē rudrāya|| (Rik 1.1)

Aum! Obeisance to Lord Śri Rudra!

Note:

In this first Anuvākam (paragraph) are seventeen Riks and each Rik is deemed as one Mantra, thus there are 17 Mantras in this first paragraph.

Here the aspirant prays to pacify Śri Rudra Who appears to be full of rage.

In the second to ninth Anuvākam, the aspirant pays tribute to the Lord, offering obeisance in so many ways. Finally, in the last two Anuvākam are the prayers to Śri Rudra.

The Seer who visioned the Veda Mantras have no fear of God; they have desire to acquire in life here or here-in-after. Yet, by revering the anger of the Lord, and praying to pacify Him, with manifold prostration and the plea for peace and prosperity in the embodied life, and the eventual liberation, the Seer is guiding us to devotedly worship Śri Rudra for our emancipation. Therefore, we will study the text from the perspective of a devotee, who is suffering and fearing the ordeals of life, hence driven to the divine feet of the Lord as the only refuge..

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

@meenakshi

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

ॐ नमस्ते रुद्र मन्यव उतोत इषवे नमः। नमस्ते अस्तु धन्वने बाहुभ्यामुत ते नमः॥ १ ॥ (Rik 1.2)

ōṃ namástē rudra manyavá utóta iṣávē namáḥ | namástē astu dhanvánē bāhubhyā́mṛta tē namáḥ||

(रुद्र rudra) Oh Parameśwara! (ते मन्यवे ते manyava) to Thine anger, (नमः namah) prostration, (उत उत utō) Further, (ते इषवे ते isavē) to Thine arrow, (नमः namah) prostration. (ते धन्वने ते dhanvanē) to Thine bow, (नमः namah) prostration. (ते बाहुभ्यां ते bāhubhyām) to Thine two arms, (नमः namah) be my prostration.

Note:

It is interesting to note the order in which the devotee prays. To him, the anger of Lord is in the forefront. So, at first, he prostrates to Lord's anger, then to the tip of arrow pointing towards him as the result of His anger, followed by the bow on which the arrow is readily mounted and finally at the hand that holds!

'Bhāvana'. the immersive role-play, is an important requirement to get the best experience of any undertaking. It is the technique often recommended in spiritual progress and that is why all forms of worship in our 'Sanātana Dharma' inculcates some sort of imagination to orient our minds towards higher goals. As we recite Śri Rudram, may we assume the role of the spiritual aspirant as a devotee, and in front of us, the infinite form of Śri Rudra as depicted in the mantra; we see His anger, the arrow, the bow and the arching arms of the Lord, thus progressively letting ourselves totally absorbed in the supreme contemplation! How could there be anger in Lord Parameśwara, the Paramātma, Who is adored by the Vedas as eternally blissful!

॥ Namakam ॥

॥ Anuvākam 01 ॥

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

16

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

for making those to be blunt and useless, with the prayer for the vision of Lord's benign and compassionate form.

This is the core import of the 1st Anuvākam of Śrī Rudram.

As we surrender to the Lord, His grace triggers the gentle and luminous revelation within us! Anger cannot be Lord's innate quality Who is forever blissful and loving! Reasonable is the Lord so the reasons for His rage need to be scrutinized. If 'Karma-phala' are the tormenting arrows of the Lord, then the Karma or actions of ours must be the triggers for Lord's fury! Śrī Rudra's anger is, therefore, not His making but our doing! Very revealing indeed is this understanding! It is my karma that sharpen the arrows of Śrī Rudra and draw His wrath towards me! It is my actions that provoke His bows to dispatch the tormenting arrows towards me! That would mean, I hold the key for Lord's anger as I am the one who decides on what I do, and I am the one who is burdened with the resulting Karma-phala.

This reasoning, when not fully developed and understood, could bring some risk, making us to wonder: If Karma-phala is the sole cause of pleasure and grief, and God is the mere dispatcher of Karma-phala, why then is a need to worship God! Vedas provide the details about actions that lead to sukha in this life and life-herein-after, then why am I to waste my time in paying obeisance to the Lord! Why not simply focus on doing those karmas that deliver sukham?

Such views of few rationalists are also mentioned in the scriptures! Take the example of Daksha, the son of Lord Brahma. Having mastered the Vedas, but basing his conclusion upon the inquiry of the first part of Vedas only, Daksha, as a Pūrva-Mīmāṁsika, reasoned out that his actions of performing rituals supersede the need for the seeking the grace of Lord! Lo, how miserable and ruined he was in the end! Such examples in the 'Purāṇa' are only to draw our attention to further sharpen our understanding of our scriptures through reasoning.

Our lives are determined by our actions, be those of body, mind or words! Embodied life, as Vedas declare, is the transient period on the land of manifestation, for the

|| Namakam ||

17

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

19

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

20

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

After praying to the anger of Lord and His weapons, in this mantra the devotee prays to the weapons of the Lord to become auspicious and bring happiness instead of grief. How could sharp arrow that could pierce us bestow happiness? Here the understanding should be, if the Lord's arrows carry the Karma-phala, then may those carry only the punya-phala or good things to us! That would mean the true goal of the prayer is the request to Lord: "May I do only virtuous deeds in my life! May the Lord steer me towards such virtuous path in my life!"

तयां नस्तनूवा शन्तमया गिरिशन्ताभिचाकशीहि॥

(Rik 1.4)

yā te rudra śivā tanūr aghṛorā'pāpakāśinī | tayā nas tanuvā śantamayā giriśamtābhicakāśihi ||

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In 4th mantra, the devotee is praying for the enchanting and compassionate form (aghōra) of Śri Rudra, without any weapon, like the auspicious form in the Kailāsh, Who is within the essence of Veda and Who is in the 'Omkāra' as all-pervading force (giriśanta), to bestow worldly virtues and pleasures (Śiva), and also the luminous knowledge of the Self that destroys the sins (apāpa-kāshini), thus removing 'Avidya' the root cause of all grief. Praying to Śri Rudra gives both, prosperity and peace in the embodied life and liberation.

शिवां गिरित्र तां कुरू मा हिग्मसी: पुरुपं जगत्॥

(Rik 1.5)

yāmiṣúm giriśamtā hastē bibharṣyastávē|

śivāṁ giritrā tám kùru mā hiṅmsīḥ purùṣam jagát||

Oh Lord, Who is dwelling in the mountain and giving protection to all, may the arrow that which You hold in the hand for tormenting the sinners, be made auspicious (as a blessing) to all my people and to all (moving and non-moving things) in the world. Do not harm!

(गिरीशन्त girīśamta) Oh Lord! (यामि युम yāmiṣúm) which arrow, (अस्तवे astavē) for tormenting the sinners, (हस्ते hastē) in the hand, (विभर्षि bibharṣi) being held, (गिरित्र giritra) Residing in Kailasha and protecting all, (तां tāṁ) that arrow, (शिवां कुरु śivāṁ kuru) May Thou make auspicious, (पुरुपं puruṣam) people belonging to me, (जगत् jagat) as well as all in the world, (मा हिग्मसी: mā hiṅmsīḥ) do not harm.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

शिवेन वचसा त्वा गिरिशाच्छा वदामसि ।

यथा नः सर्वमिज्जगदयक्ष्मं सुमनाः असंत् ।

शिवेना वचसा त्वा गिरिशाच्छावदामसि ।

यथा नः सर्वमिज्जगदयक्श्मग्ं सुमनाः असत् । (Rik 1.6))

Oh Lord of the mountain, to attain Thine benevolence, we sing Thine auspicious glory and in such auspicious way, may those belong to us in this world, and all in this world be free from (all sorts of) ailments and be blessed with good thoughts and live in harmony! May it be so, we pray!

(गिरिश giriśa) O Lord residing in Kailasa! (अच्छा acchā) to attain, (त्वा tvā) you, (शिवेन वचसा śivēnā vacasā) with auspicious words (of praise), (यथा yathā) in such (auspicious manner), (नः naḥ) our, (सर्व जगत् इदं sarvamijjagàd) these moving objects like men and animals, (अयक्ष्मं ayakśmagṁ) free from disease, (सुमनाः sumanāḥ) with good minds, i.e. being comfortable, (असत् asát) will become, in that manner, (वदामसि vadāmasil) we pray.

Note:

In this 6th mantra, the devotee is extending the plea that he has made in the 5th mantra on behalf of everyone and everything. Fulfilment of desires and also the protection and freedom from all sorts of illness, ailments and setbacks are now asked for.

True wellbeing is not only the goodness of physical health. Emotional wellbeing is equally important and for it, the mind needs to be calm, filled only with good thoughts. Physical and emotional well-being are essential but true peace and happiness are possible only when the surrounding is also harmonious. This requires harmony in the society and therefore, peace, prosperity and wellness to the community and all in this world are sought.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

अध्यवोचदधिवक्ता प्रथमो देव्यों भिषक् । अहौगंस्र सर्वां जंभयन-थ्सर्वाश्र यातुधान्यः ॥

adhyāvōcadadhivaktā prathamō daivyō bhiṣak। ahīgścā sarvāñjambhayantsarvāśca yātudhānyāḥ ॥

Note:

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

ये चेमागं रुद्रा अभितो दिक्षु श्रिता: सहस्रशोऽवैषां हेड ईमहे ।

असौ यस्ताम्रो अरुण उत बभ्रुः सुमङ्गलः ।

yē cēmāgṁ rudrā abhitō dikṣu śritāḥ sahasraśō'vaiṣāṁ hēḍa īmahē (Rik 1.8)

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

All our actions that violate such divine order draw the wrath of Rudras and that is why we need to repent and make amends in our ways of life. The anger of those Rudras must also be appeased and hence is the plea and the prostration to them by the devotee. That is why in the Śrī Rudra Japa Yajñam rituals, there are eleven or more Rudra Ganas (groups) are worshiped. Śri Rudram thus brings the importance of Dharma in the world and our mandated duty to sustain and nourish.

असौ योंडवस्पति नीलग्रीवो विलोहितः । उतैनं गोपा अंद्रशन्नदृशन्नुदहार्यः । उतैनं विश्वा भूतानि स दृष्टो मृडयाति नः॥

asau yō'vasarpáti nīlágrīvō vilōhitáḥ । utaináṃ gōpā ādr̥śannadr̥śannudahāryāḥ । utaináṃ viśvā bhūtāni sa dr̥ṣṭō mŕ̥dayāti naḥ (Rik 1.9)

(यं: yaḥ) Who is, (नीलग्रीवः nīlagrīvaḥ) with dark-blue neck due to the retention of Kalakuta poison, (विलोहितः: vilōhitah) of deep red complexion, (असौ asau) directly visible as Sun, (अवस्पति avasarpati) travels across the sky. (गोपा uta gōpā uda) even the cowherds, (अदृशन् adṛśan) see, (एनम् enam) this Rudra in the form of Surya, (उदहार्यः udahāryaḥ) even naive mainds, who bring water, (अदृशन adṛśan) see, (एनम् enam) this Rudra, (विश्वा भूतानि viśvā bhūtāni) all creatures (also see), (सः saḥ) He (in the form of Aditya, (दृष्टः: dr̥ṣṭaḥ) being seen by, (नः naḥ) us, (मृडयाति mŕ̥dayāti) may give us happiness!

॥ Namakam ॥

29

॥ Anuvākam 01 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In this 9th mantra, the devotee adores the Lord in the most visible power that is in front of all of us, the Sun. The Lord who retained the poison in His neck, thus making it appear as dark blue (of the night), raises as the crimson Sun, traversing across the sky to spread light and energy to all. Who does not recognize the Sun and His glory in this world, which is ready for direct perception! Any one, from uneducated cowboys to simple maidens who carry water pots see the Sun and rejoice! So are all the animals and creatures in this world!

We only have to press the pause button of our daily chores for a while and look around the enormity of nature and how all things happen to move perfectly in the perpetual wheel of time! Sun is the centre of our limited world and there are billions of Suns in the Universe for the billions of life-forms.

The eternal Sun that lights up all is Lord Paramēśwara, as His spark is all pervading and all indwelling. So, there is no question of invisible God! God is right in front of us, as the Sun and in everything that the Sun lights up for us to see, and not see! Seeing divinity in all is the most profound vision that we should pray for!

नमोऽस्तु नीलग्रीवाय सहस्राक्षाय मीढुषे॥

अथो ये अस्य सत्वानोऽहं तेभ्योऽकरन्नामः॥

namō astu nīlāgrīvāya sahasrākśāyā mīḍhuṣē|

athō yē āsya sattvānō'haṃ tēbhyō'karaṇnamāḥi (Rik 1.10)

My obeisance to the Lord with a blue neck and thousands of eyes, omnipresent and all seeing, Who grants what His devotees desire! My obeisance also to the assembly of gods who are present near the Lord - to all I offer my prostration.

||Namakam||

||Anuvākam 01||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(सहस्राक्षाय sahasrākśāyà) with thousands of eyes, (मीढुषे mīḍhuṣē) granting the desires of the devotees, (नीलग्रीवाय nīlagrīvāya) to the blue-throated (Lord Paraméśwara), (नमः अस्तु namō astu) may my obeisance be. (अथो athō) Moreover, (अस्य asya) to this (Lord), (सत्त्वान: sattvān) the nearby assembly of gods, (ये yē) who are present, (तेभ्य: tēbhyah) to them, (अहं aham) I, (नमः namah) prostration, (अकरम् akaram) do.

Note:

In this mantra, Śri Rudra is worshipped as the omnipresent and omniscient Lord surrounded by the thousands of ganas or demigods praising the Lord's glory and serving Him.

The devotee pays salutations to the Lord as well as to all ganas who are nearby.

प्रमुञ्च धन्वनस्त्वमुभयोरार्त्नि योर्ज्याम् । याश्च ते हस्त इषवः परा ता भगवो वप ॥

pramṝncá dhanvānastvamubhayōrārtnī yōrjyāṁ । yāścá tē hastā iṣāvaḥ parā tā bhágavō vapa। (Rik 1.11)

(भगवः bhagavḥ) Oh Bhagavan Śri Rudra! (त्वं tvam) Yourself, (ज्यां jyāṁ) the bowstring, (उभयोः ārtniyōḥ) (tied) in the two ends, (धन्वनः dhanvan) of your bow, (प्रमुञ्च pramuñca) loosen or untie. (ते tē) iṣ your, (इषवः iṣavaḥ) arrows, (या: yāḥ) which, (हस्ते hastē) are in the hand, (ता: च tā ca) those also, (परावप parāvapa) keep away!

|| Namakam ||

31

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In this mantra, a gentle reminder is offered that the Lord must keep His weapons out of our sight. Even then, before putting those away, may the Lord, out of compassion, untie the bow-strings, drop the arrows and empty the quiver, for us to be totally at peace and to pray to the compassionate form of Śri Rudra..

अवतत्य धनुस्त्वगं सहस्राक्ष शतेषुधे । निशीर्य शल्याना᳚मुखा᳚ शिवो नः सुमना᳚ भव ॥ avaṁtatya dhanustvam் sahasrākṣa śatēṣudhē| niśīryā śalyānā᳚m mukhā᳚ śivō nāḥ sumanā᳚ bhava|| (Rik 1.12)

Oh Lord, (सहस्राक्ष sahasrākṣa) Who has thousands of eyes. (शतेषुधे śatēṣudhē) hundreds of quivers! (धनुः dhanuh) bow, (अवतत्य avatatya) unstrung, (त्व᳚ tvam᳚) Thou, (निशीर्य niśīryā) blunt, (शल्यानां᳚ śalyānā᳚m) of the arrows (of all those quivers)! (सुमना᳚:sumanāḥ) With compassionate mind, (भव bhava) May Thou be; (शिवः śivah᳚) in the auspicious form;, (नः nah᳚) to us!

Note:

In the last mantra, the devotee prayed that the weapons of the Lord be kept away out of sight, after unstringing the bow. But what about the innumerable arrows that are stacked up in the hundreds of quivers of the Lord! Those must be blunted too so to make those harmless and literally useless. Since the devotee

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

32

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

knows, Lord Paramēśwara is the first to speak for the devotees, and do anything to grant the wishes of the devotees, in this mantra, he is asking for the tips of Lord's arrows be blunted and kept inside the quivers that are out of sight. Lord's compassionate mind and auspicious form vouch for this plea!

विज्यं धनुः कपर्दिनो विशल्यो बाणवागं उत । अनेशन्नस्येषव आभुरस्य निषङ्गथिः ॥

Oh Lord, let your bow be without string, may your quiver become empty, let your arrows lose the power to strike, may your scabbard be without sword.

(धनुः dhanuh) bow, (कपर्दिने kapardinē) of Śri Rudra, (विज्यं vijyam) be unstrung. (बाणवान् उत bāṇavāgṁ uta) also the quiver, (विशल्यः viśalyaḥ) be bereft of arrows. (अस्य asya) Lord's, (इषवः iṣāva) arrows, (अनेशन anēśan) be destroyed with no powers to harm, (निषङ्गथिः niṣaṅgathiḥ) sheath of sword, (आभुः ābhuh) be bereft of sword.

Note:

The import of this mantra could be said as the core of this Anuvākam. The Bow of Śri Rudra be unstrung and the arrows be blunt and useless, the sheath of the sword be empty. With all weapons thus removed and made in vain, the Lord is not going to hurt us. Although the literal meaning is thus made clear, having seen the context in the 2nd Mantra, the devotee knows that the weapons of Śri Rudra are what the Jīvā are generating and drawing towards them, by the course of action in their lives.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

33

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

So emptying the quivers and unstringing the bow or throwing the sword all mean only one thing: "May the devotee forever be free of Karma-phala which torments in the cycle of Samsāra. May the devotee perform all karma as Karma-yoga! May the devotee forever sing the glory of the Lord! May the devotee be illumined with the Truth about the indwelling Ātma, Which is non-different to Paramāatma!".

So emptying the quivers and unstringing the bow or throwing the sword all mean only one thing: "May the devotee forever be free of Karma-phala which torments in the cycle of Samsāra. May the devotee perform all karma as Karma-yoga! May the devotee forever sing the glory of the Lord! May the devotee be illumined with the Truth about the indwelling Ātma, Which is non-different to Paramāatma!"

या तेँ हेतिर्‌मिडष्टं हस्तेँ बबूवँ ते धनुः ।

तयाऽ‌ड्‌स्मान्, विश्वतस्त्वमयक्ष्मया परि‌भुज ॥

yā tē hētirmīḍhuṣṭamaṁ hastē babhūvá tē dhanuḥḥ

tayā'smāṁ viśvatastvamayakṣmayā paribbhujaḥ । (Rik 1.14)

Oh Lord, Who shower blessings upon Thine devotees, with weapons and the bow in Thine hand, which are all now made harmless towards me, may guard us against miseries!

(mīḍhyam mīḍhuṣṭamaṁ) One who grants the desires of devotees! (tayā tayā) with those weapons and bow, (yā yā) which, (hētiḥ hētiḥ) exist (dhanuḥ dhanuḥ) the bow, (babhūva babhūva) present, (tē hastē) in Your hand, (tvam- tvam) May You, (paribbhujā paribbhujā) protect always in all respects, (āsmān āsmān) us, (viśvataḥ viśvataḥ) from all types of dangers, (āyakṣmayā āyakṣmayā) leading to trouble-free state of existence,

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Note:

The nuances of the prayers are really exhilarating. Having asked the Lord to come unarmed, in His compassionate form, the devotee now requests the Lord to keep His weapons to guard against the impediments that may come in the way of the devotees! Lord needs His weapons to ward off any danger to us! May He therefore bless us with the assurance of such protection!

नमस्ते अस्त्वायुधायानातताय धृष्णवे । उभाभ्यामुत ते नमो वाहुभ्यां तव धन्वने ॥

namástē astvāyúdāyānā̄nātatāya dhrṣṇavē| ubhābhyā́muta tē namō bāhubyā́m tava dhanvanē (Rik 1.15)

Oh Lord! To Thine weapons that are rendered harmless yet remain potent to cause harm, I offer my prostrations! Also to Thine two arms and the Bow, May my prostrations be!

(ते आयुधाय tē āyudhāya) Lord, to Your weapons, (अनातताय ānātatāya) that are now harmless, (धृष्णवे dhrṣṇavē) but potent to harm, (नमः अस्तु namō astu) may my prostration be! (उत uta) also, (ते tē) your, (उभाभ्यां ubhābhyā́m) both, (वाहुभ्य bāhubhyā́m) to the hands, (तव tē) your, (धन्वने dhanvanē) to the bow, (तव् tava) your, (नमः nama) prostration.

Note:

Starting with the prostrations to the Lord's anger and His pointed weapons at the beginning of the Anuvākam, the devotee is now repeating the prostrations to the weapons that are appeased and made totally harmless, and to the compassionate Lord. The shiver of seeing Lord's fury is now gone and the devotee beseech the Lord.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

benign and the compassionate form of Śri Rudra, Whose pointed weapons are all turned away and kept only for the protection of the devotee.

Interesting is to note how the devotee assigns another role for Lord's weapons in the next mantra.

परि॑ ते धन्वनो॒ हेतिर॑स्मान् वृण॑क्तु वि॒श्वत॑ः॥ अथो॒ या इ॒षुधिस्त॑व॒रे अस्म॑न्निध॒ेहि॒ तम्॥

pari tē dhanvánō hētirasmānvrṇaktu viśvataḥ | athō ya iṣudhistavārē asmannidhēhi tam || (Rik 1.16)

Oh Lord! May the arrows of Thine bow pass away, far from us (without harming us). May Thine quiver be kept ready only in the midst of our enemies (i.e. confronting the pile of our sins)

Oh Load, (ते tē) Your, (हेति: hēti) weapons of arrow, (धन्वनः dhanvanah) of the bow, (परिवृणक्तु pari vrṇaktu) pass by. (अस्मान् asmān) us! (अथो athō) Moreover, (तव tava) your, (य: इषुधि: ya iṣudhi) quiver, which is there, (तम- tam) that, (निधेहि nidhēhi) be in place, (आरेः ārē) in the group of enemies (अस्मत् asmāt) of ours.

Note:

In the last mantra, the devotee was praying and prostrating to the Lord saying that the weapons be made harmless and kept away, yet those may be kept ever ready to protect the devotees from peril. In this mantra, the devotee suggests that the weapons of the Lord be placed in the midst of the enemies that torment the devotee. The literal meaning may sound that the prayer is for the protection

|| Namakam || 36 || Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

of the self and the annihilation of enemies in this world. The inference is about

the evil tendencies that inhibit our progress. Our enemies are all those which

steer us away from righteousness and the path of perfection. Those are the 'sins'

and 'sinful acts' and the root-cause which is the darkness of ignorance and false

knowledge. These enemies to be controlled and driven away. So, the devotee

is praying for Lord's weapons to be amidst those evil tendencies and clear those

for good.

Thus ends the first anuvākam of Śri Rudram, with the

inclusion of a shlōka that praises the Lord as follows.

नमस्ते अस्तु भगवान् विश्वेश्वाराय महादेवाय

त्र्यम्बकाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय त्रिकाग्निकालाय कालाग्निरुद्राय

नीलकण्ठाय मृत्युञ्जयाय सर्वेश्वराय सदाशिवाय

श्रीमन्महादेवाय नमः॥

namástē astu bhagavan viśvēśvarāyá mahādēvāyà

tryambakāyá tripurāntakāyá trikāgnikālāyá kālāgnirudrāyà

nīlakaṇṭhāyá mrtyuñjayāyá sarvēśvarāyá sadāśivāyà

śrīmanmahādēvāyá namaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

37

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends the 1st Anuvākam of Śri Rudram - Namakam, comprising of 16 Riks.

||Namakam||

||Anuvākam 01||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

Anuvākam 02 ||

||Namakam||

39

||Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

40

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

आनुवाकः २

नमो हिरण्यबाहवे सेनान्ये दिशां च पतये नमो

नमो वृक्षेभ्यो हरिकेशेभ्यः पशूनां पतये नमो

नमः सस्पिञ्जराय त्विषीमते पथीनां पतये नमो

नमो बभ्लुशाय व्याधिनीढ्रानां पतये नमो

नमो हरिकेशायोपवीतिनें पुश्तानां पतये नमो

नमो भवस्य हेत्यै जगतां पतये नमो

नमो रुद्रायातताविने क्षेत्राणां पतये नमो

नमस्सृतायाहन्त्याय वनानां पतये नमो

नमो रोहिताय स्थपतये वृक्षाणां पतये नमो

नमो मृगृणां वाणिजाय कक्षाणां पतये नमो

नमो भुवन्त्रय वारिवस्कृता-यौषधीना पतये नमो

नम उग्रेभ्योऽषिाक्रन्दद्यते पत्तीनां पतये नमो

नमः कृत्स्नवीताय धावते सत्त्वनां पतये नमः || 2 ||

|| Namakam ||

41 || Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

anuvāka: 2

śambhávē namāḥ | namástē astu bhagavan-viśvēśvarāyā mahādēvāyā

tryambakāyá tripurāntakāyá trikāgnikālāyá kālāgnirudrāyá nīlakanṭhāyá

mrtyuñjayāyá sarvēśvarāyá sadāśivāyá śrīma-nmahādēvāya namáḥ ||

namō hirāṇya bāhávē sēnānyē diśā-ñchā patáyē namō

namō vṛkṣēbhyō harikēśēbhyah paśūnā-mpatáyē namō

namá-s-saspiñjārāyá tviṣīmatē pathīnā-mpatáyē namō

namō babhluśāyá vivyādhine-'nnānā-mpatáyē namō

namō harikēśāyōpavītinē puṣṭānā-mpatáyē namō

namō bhavasyá hētayai jagātā-mpatáyē namō

namō rudrāyātatāvinē kṣētrāṇā-mpatáyē namō

namāssūtāyāhántyāya vanānā-mpatáyē namō

namō rōhitāya sthapatáyē vṛkṣāṇā-mpatáyē namō

namō mantriṇē vāṇijāya kakṣāṇā-mpatáyē namō

namo bhuvantāye vārivaskṛta-yauṣadhīnā-mpatāyē namō

namá uchchairghōṣāyākrandayātē pattīnā-mpatáyē namō

namáḥ kṛtsnavītāyá dhāvátē sattvānā-mpatáyē namáḥ || 2 ||

|| Namakam ||

@meenalaya 42 || Anuvākam 01 ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 2||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

In this part of the mantra, Lord Paramēśwara is adored as the protector of all directions; He does so by presiding over an army of gods who are appointed to reign in every direction. In other words worship of any form of god ultimately pertains only to Lord Paramēśwara Who is the controller of all.

नमो वृक्षेभ्यो हरिकेशेभ्यः पशूनां पतये नमः

namō vṛkṣēbhyō harikēśēbhyah paśūnāṁ patayē namō (Yajus 2. 2)

To the Lord Whose hair is of the lush green leaves of Cosmic-Tree is sustained, Who is the Lord of all-beings that are nourished by the Cosmic-Tree, may my obeisance be!

(वृक्षेभ्यो vṛkṣēbhyō) To the Lord Who is in form of Cosmic-Tree, (हरिकेशेभ्यः harikēśēbhyah) Who has dark-green leaves of the Cosmic-tree as the hair, (पशूनां पतये paśūnāṁ patayē) Who is the Lord of all Jīvā, the beings that are nourished by the Cosmic-Tree, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

After hailing the supremacy of Lord Paramēśwara, in this line, His glory is worshiped. In Him is the Cosmic-Tree which represents the Universe that perpetually subjected to changes, and in which all beings exist and get nourished. Therefore, He is the Lord of all beings (Paśupathi). The word 'paśū' refers to cow and such animals, and also in general, all life-forms. Therefore, Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped as "paśūnā patayē", the Lord Who is presiding over all beings.

Lord Paramēśwara is also described having dark-green hair, that represents the

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

45

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(सस्पि॑ञ्जराय saspïñjarāya)

To the Lord shining like a tender grass of Red and Yellow hue, (तृप्तीमत॑ त्विषी॑मतॆ tṛpīmatē tviṣīmatē)

Who is luminous with Supreme Knowledge, (पथीनां᳚ पत॑ये pathī­nā᳚ patay)

as the Lord of the pathway that leads all to perfection, (नमो᳚ नमो॑ namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Having surrendered to Lord Parameśwara Who sustains the Universe and all the beings, in the cycle of Samsāra, the devotee now prays that the Lord, Who shines tenderly like the soft-grass of Red and Yellow hue, bestow grace with the illumination of Truth, revealed in the Vedas, to guide the devotee out of Samsāra.

The varying colours of the Lord that are enumerated represent Him as being the substratum of all ‘Guna-vyāpāra’, the transactions triggered by the ‘Tamō’, ‘Rajō’ and ‘satva-guna’, federated by the nature of His Māyā. Only the grace of the Lord bestows the right pathway for the pursuit to perfection, that is the inquiry and the realization of the supreme Truth.

Great scholars translate the word ‘पथीनां᳚ pathī­nā᳚m’ to mean the path of Veda, including the recital of Veda mantras, performing Vedic Rituals, inquiry into the Vedānta as well as the application of ‘tantra’, ‘yoga’ etc. All those seemingly different paths complement each other to prepare the aspirant to qualify for the most divine inquiry, namely, ‘Ātma-vicāram’, ultimately leading to the inevitable unitary path to liberation, ‘Ātma-Jnānam’.

By offering prostrations to Lord Parameśwara, the ruler of such luminous pathway to perfection, the devotee gains salvation.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

नमो बभ्रुशुये विय्याधिनेऽन्नानां पतये नमो नमो बाबह्लुशाय विय्याधिनेऽन्नानां पतये नमो (Yajus 2. 4)

(बभ्रुशुये babhluśāya) To the Lord Who is mounted on the Bull of Righteousness, (विव्याधिने vivyādhinē) Who torments by the food consumed, (अन्नानां पतये annānāṁ patayē) as the Lord of Food that nurtures, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

How does the Lord rule over all-beings in the Universe?

The Lord does so by being seated on the Bull, the 'vrishabhah' which represents Dharma, the Righteousness. Lord Parameśwara is the controller of everyone's Karma-Phala and the governing 'Law of Dharma' is His implement.

He is, first of all, the One Who nourishes all beings. As everything is sustained in the Lord, His benign grace is what makes all to survive. To survive, one needs food, 'Annam' and therefore, food is deemed as 'Īśvara-Prasād', as He is the provider of all.

Food gives life! Food is not just what we eat but everything that we consume to feed our body, senses and mind. Even the air that we breath, the light that we see, the sound that we hear, the touch we sense - everything that we consume by our body, mind and all sensory faculties are to be known as 'annam'. In this mantra, the devotee praises Lord Parameśwara as the Lord of Food that nurtures all.

॥ Namakam ॥

॥ Anuvākam 01 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

~ नमो हरिकेशायोपवीतिने पुष्ठानं पतये नमो~

namō harikēśāyōpavītinē puṣṭānāṁ patāyē namō (Yajus 2. 5)

Note:

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

49 || Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमों भवस्य हेत्यै जगतां पतयै नमो

namō bhavasyā hētyai jagatāṁ patayē namō (Yajus 2. 6)

To the Lord Who is the cause of the Universe (for its existence and eventual dissolution cycle, and so, Who is the Lord of Universe (for granting prosperity and relief), may my obeisance be!!

(भवस्य हेत्यै bhavasya hētayai) To the Lord Who is the cause of the Universe (or) Who has the instrument to cut asunder the illusory nature of the Universe, (जगतां पतयै jagatāṁ patayē) Who grants the World and worldly prosperity, (नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

This Yajus 2.6 is considered to be one of the most important mantras.

If we consider हेतु, the means or the cause, then Īśvara is both the instrumental cause and efficient cause of the Universe. But if the Universe and all appearance therein are temporal and insentient only yet sustained on the eternal and unchanging cause the Parabrahman, then the grace of That Parabrahman only could cut asunder the cycle of Samsāra.

Thus, the word हेतु could be taken to mean both the cause and the instrument, to fix as well as dismantle the Universe. So, the Lord is 'bhavasya hētuh'. One Who controls the Universe must be the Lord of the Universe. Hence the devotee prays to Paramēśwara as the Lord of the Universe, Whose grace bestow both the world of prosperity for the embodied existence as well as the freedom from the cycle of embodied existence, set in eternal bliss.

This is the import of this line.

|| Namakam ||

50 || Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमो रुद्रायातताविने क्षेत्राणां पतये नमो नमः (Yajus 2. 7)

namō rudrāyāatatāvinē kṣētrāṇāṁ patayē namō

To the Lord Who removes our grief, for which, holds the bow with mounted arrow, Who is the indwelling effulgence in all being, may my obeisance be!

(रुद्राय rudrāya) To the Lord Who removes grief of Samāsara for all beings, (आतताविने ātatāvinē) for which, He holds the arrow-mounted-Bow, (क्षेत्राणां kṣētrāṇāṁ patayē), Who is the Lord indwelling in all beings, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Literal meaning confirms Śrī Rudra as the Lord Who holds the bow and the arrows for protecting His devotees and removing their grief is bestowing grace to all by reigning at many holy 'kṣētrā' or pious places.

A greater insight would be to consider the word 'kṣētrāṇam' to mean all the embodiments. Lord Paramēśwara Who is all-pervading is also indwelling within every being as 'Ātma', the eternal effulgence and witness. The very 'awareness of existence' in a person is only due to the light of consciousness that is within. That light of consciousness or Ātma is not the intelligence or the ignorance, but That which sees both the intelligence and ignorance. It is the pure awareness. Śrī Rudra, the form of Lord Paramēśwara Who removes our grief, is in fact within us as the indwelling Ātma. With this understanding, the very nature of grief is questioned: What is joy? What is sorrow? Are these mere emotions or some real states of existence? Surely our joy and grief are not because those are in the objects of our desire or distaste, but those are what our minds formulate!

When we understand that mind is inert and it attains sentience only because of the effulgence of Ātma, then how could grief, that the temporal mind perceives

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

be real! Such inquiry, and the eventual realization of our true state of bliss, are only by the bestowing grace of Śri Rudra. His tormenting arrows are there only to steer our journey towards the path of Self-inquiry! His golden rays of grace then grant the revelation.

नमः सूतायाहन्त्याय वनानां पतये नमो

namáḥ sūtāyáhàntyāya vanānāṁ patáyē namō (Yajus 2. 8)

(सूताय sūtāya) To the Lord Who is the charioteer of the Universe and all embodiments, (हन्त्याय hantyāyā) Who is untouchable, being beyond all cause and effect, (वनानां पतये vanānāṁ patayē) Who lords over the impenetrable forest, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Īśvara, in Whom the Cosmic-Tree is sustained, Who is all pervading and all indwelling, is the force that makes all there is! The effulgence of the consciousness lights the life in the embodiment. In Its lustre, the mind attains sentience and this the life thrives!

Thus, upon gaining sentience under the light of consciousness, when the aroused mind with all its sensory faculties run wild, only the witnessing consciousness offer the course-corrections by reflecting righteous thoughts in the mind and triggering discerning intellect to analyse. Like a charioteer who steers the Chariot in the right course, Īśvara, indwelling as Ātma in all beings, drives and directs!

|| Namakam ||

52

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Īśvara Indwelling in us as the Ātma is the Knower of all- to-be-known and the Seer of all-to-be-seen! Yet He is not knowable and un-seeable! He transcends all perception and comprehension. He is beyond all causes and efforts!

The literal meaning of the phrase "vanānām pati" gives the idea that Śri Rudra is like the King of the Forest, as the Chief Hunter. It also gives another insight. The forest refers to the vast scriptures, 'Veda Aranyam' and Lord Paramēśwara is the Lord of that forest. Like the impenetrable forests are the Vedas that are infinite and beyond anyone's full comprehension. Even in the limited scriptural texts that are nourished by Sages to this date, there are many secrets, forever enticing and challenging that the keen aspirants forever inquire and seek. Such of potency in the Vedas and the darkness of our ignorance make the domain of supreme knowledge a vast impenetrable forest. Who else, other than Lord Paramēśwara be the Emperor of that forest!

नमो रोहिताय स्थपतये वृक्षाणां पतये नमः

To the Lord Whose colour is Red (owing to the apparent activities of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and grace - Yet), Who is stable (eternally unmoving), Who is the Lord of Cosmic-Tree, may my obeisance be!

(रोहिताय रōhitāya) To the Lord Who is red in colour, (स्थपतये sthapatayē) Who is eternally stable everywhere, (वृक्षाणं पतये vṛkśāṇaṁ patayē) Who is the Lord of Tree (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

॥ Namakam ॥

53

॥ Anuvākam 01 ॥

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

|| Namakam || 54 || Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

patayē) Who is the Lord of impenetrable forest of great secrets of Vedas,

(नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

As Lord Paramēśwara is the Lord of Vedāranya, the innumerable secrets therein,

which are beyond human-intellect, are only revealed at His divine command. He

is therefore the Lord of all mantras and beyond. As the eternally stable witness.

He is eternally omniscient..

नमो भुवंतयै वारिवस्कृतायौषधीनाᳶ पतयै नमो

namō bhuvamtayē vārivaskṛtāyauṣadhīnāᳶ patáyē namō (Yajus 2. 11)

To the Lord Who nourishes the Earth and all beings therein, Who is in the water,

and in the form of water, Who is the Lord of all vegetation (trees, creepers, plants

etc that from part of the food-chain to sustain life), may my obeisance be!

(भुवंतये bhuvamtayē) To the Lord Who nourishes the Earth and all therein,

(वारिवस्कृताया vārivaskṛtāy) Who is in the Water, and Who is n the form of

Water, the source of life, (औषधीनाᳶ पतये auṣadhīnāᳶpatayē) Who is the Lord

of all vegetation, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this line, the devotee comes direct to the point. Being embodied on the Earth,

we need the grace of the Lord Who nourishes all life forms on the Earth! The

most important of' power of nature that breeds and sustains life is water. So

the word 'vārivaskṛtāya' is taken to mean both: the Lord dwelling in the water,

Śrī Mahā Viṣnu, the saviour of the world and the Lord in the form of Water, the

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

55

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

As the succour of His devotees, Lord Paramēśwara intervenes to make those enemies dread and cry as He remove them and help the devotees in their righteous pursuits. Is not fear, particularly, the fear of death, a major enemy to our peace and tranquillity? Even then for our rescue is the benign grace of the Lord; didn't the Lord intervene to stop and even scold His foot solider, the Lord of Death, to stay away from His devotee, Śrī Mārkantēyar!

नमः कृत्स्नवीताय धावते सत्त्वनां पतये नमः॥

namáḥ kṛtsnavītāya dhāvátē sattvānāṁ patáyē namáḥ ॥ (Yajus 2. 13)

To the Lord Who is all pervading, Who runs everywhere to protect His devotees, Who is the succour for the virtuous seekers may my obeisance be!

(कृत्स्नवीताय kṛtsnavītāya) To the Lord Who is omnipresent, (धावते dhāvátē) Who is running to protect his devotees, (सत्त्वनां पतये sattvānāṁ patay) Who is the succour for the virtuous, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

The Lord is omnipresent. As worshiped before, Lord is forever 'stable' and 'unmoving'. Naturally That which is all pervasive cannot move anywhere as there can be no place where That is not already there! Yet, here, in the first phrase, the devotee adores the Unmoving Parabrahmam as omnipresent, then sees the Lord as Īśvara, Who, with the control on His Maya, rules the Universe and saves all creations. Like the tireless movement of a Mother Cow in search of Her calves to nourish and protect them, Lord Who is compassionate, forever runs everywhere to protect His devotees.

|| Namakam ||

57

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

Thus ends the 2nd Anuvākam of

Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 13 Yajus.

||Namakam||

58

|| Anuvākam 01 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||Namakam||

59

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

60

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ३

नमः सहमानाय निव्याधिनां आव्याधिनीं पतये नमो नमः ककुभाय निषङ्गिणे स्तेनानां पतये नमो नमो निषङ्गिण इषुधिमते तस्कराणां पतये नमो नमो व्राताय परिव्रातते स्तायूनां पतये नमो नमो निचेरवे परिचरायारण्यानां पतये नमो नमः सृकाविभ्यो जिघांसद्भ्यो मुष्णतां पतये नमो नमोऽसिमद्भ्यो नक्तं चारेभ्यः प्रकुन्तानां पतये नमो नम ऊर्ध्वमानो गिरिचराय कुलुञ्चानां पतये नमो नम इषुमद्भ्यो धन्वाविभ्यश्च वो नमो नम आतन्वानेभ्यः प्रतिदधाने भ्यश्च वो नमो नम आयच्छद्भ्यो विसृजद्भ्यश्च वो नमो नमोऽस्यद्भ्यो विध्यद्भ्यश्च वो नमो नम आसीनेभ्यः शयानेभ्यश्च वो नमो नमः स्वपद्भ्यो जाग्रद्भ्यश्च वो नमो नमः स्थितिभ्यो धावद्भ्यश्च वो नमो नमः सभाभ्यः सभापतिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमो अश्वेभ्योऽऽश्वपतिभ्यश्च वो नमः || 3 ||

|| Namakam ||

61

@meenakshiaya

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

anuvāka: 3

nama-ssahámānāya nivyādhiná āvyādhinīnā-mpatāyē namō

namāḥ kakubhāyá niṣaṅginē stēnānā-mpatāyē namō

namō niṣaṅginā́ iṣudhimatē taskārāṇā-mpatāyē namō

namō vañchátē parivañchátē stāyūnā-mpatāyē namō

namō nichērāvē paricharāyā-rānyānā-mpatāyē namō

namá-ssṛkāvibhyō jighāṅmsadbhyō muṣṇatā-mpatāyē namō

namō-'simadbhyō naktāñcharādbhyah prakṛntānā-mpatāyē namō

namá uṣṇiṣiṇé girichārāyá kuluñchānā-mpatāyē namō

namá iṣūmadbhyō dhanvāvíbhyāścha vō namō

namá ātán-vānēbhyāḥ pratidadhānēbhyāścha vō namō

namá āyachChādbhyō visṛjadbhyāścha vō namō

namō-'ssādbhyō vidyādbhyaścha vō namō

namá āsinēbhyā-śśsayānēbhyāścha vō namō

namá-ssvapadbhyō jāgrādbhyaścha vō namō

namastisthādbhhyō dhāvādbhyaścha vō namō

namá-ssabhábhyā-ssabhá-pátibhyaścha vō namō

namō aśvēbhyō-'śvápatibhyaścha vō namáḥ || 3 ||

||Namakam||

62

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 3||

The entire Anuvāka 03, containing 17 Yajus, is considered as one Mahā-mantra.

नमः सहंमानाय निव्याधिनं आव्याधिनींनां पतये नमो

namaḥ sahámānāya nivyādhiná āvyādhinī́nā̀m patáyē namō (Yajus 3. 1)

To Lord Paramēśwara Who establishes peace by forgiving the mistakes of the devotees, Who punishes the enemies, Who as the Lord presiding over the valiant gods who torment all sort of enemies (evil), may my obeisance be!

(sahámānāya sahamānāya) To the Lord Who instils peace, (nivyādhin nivyādhina) Who punishes those in the wrong, (āvyādhinī́nā̀m patayē āvyādhinīnā̀m patayē), Who is the Lord of valiant gods Who remove the enemies, (namō namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara is compassionate and forgiving the errors of the devotees and establishes peace. Yet for the enemies, which we saw in the last Anuvāka as impediments that destroy peace and drive us towards evil, are severely punished by the Lord, Who has in his command many valiant gods as His divine army to protect all beings.

In this Yajus, Lord is both forgiving the errors of the devotees and also punishing the enemies that are evil. This seemingly contradictory idea is resolved in the next Yajus.

|| Namakam ||63|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमः ककुभाय निषङ्गिणे स्तेनानां पतये नमः

namāḥ kakubhāya niṣaṅgiṇō stēnānāṁ patáyē namaḥ (Yajus 3. 2)

To Lord Paramēśwara Who is the most prominent, the wielder of the sword and the Chief of Thieves, may my obeisance be!

(ककुभाय kakubhāyaa) To the Lord Who is excellent, (निषङ्गिणो niṣaṅgiṇō) Who wields the sword, (स्तेनानां पतये stēnānāṁ patayē), Who is the Lord of Thieves who steal our possessions without out knowledge, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this, and the following three Yajus, Śrī Rudra is adored as someone Who takes away our possessions by all means of trickery.

In this, Śrī Rudra is seen as a Thief, referring to a person who steals our possession without our knowledge. That too, expertly, as He is the best among the thieves and also the Chief among all such thieves. To that supreme Thief, we offer our prostrations.

As Lord is all pervasive and all indwelling, surely, He is also in the hearts of those who steal other's possessions. Although the act of stealing is evil, divinity is indwelling even in the thief. With this comprehension, we learn to revere all beings, seeing divinity in everything. Yet, the action that is unrighteous is to be curbed. Simply put, treat the wrong action with contempt and not the actor!

Another key insight is that there is a blessing in disguise!

Lord Paramēśwara takes away the possessions of His devotees, without their knowledge! Does it mean that He would make us impoverished in this world?

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

॥ Namakam ॥

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो निषङ्गिण इषुधिमते तस्कराणां पतये नमो नमः

namō niṣaṅgiṇā iṣudhimatē taskárāṇāṃ patáyē namō (Yajus 3. 3)

(निपङ्गिण niṣaṅgiṇa) To the Lord Who has the bow tied-up with the dart ready to be mourned (इषुधिमते ṣudhimatē) Who has the quiver of arrows, (तस्कराणां पतये taskarāṇāṃ patayē), Who is the Chief of Robbers, who threaten and rob of our possessions directly, (नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Keeping the inference from the last Yajus as the context helps in understanding here, the insight of adoring Śrī Rudra as an armed robber, that too, as the Chief of such armed robbers!

Lord Who was worshipped as a thief, taking away secretly all our possessions to relieve us from the clutches of worldly attachments and the entrapment of Samsāra, is adored in this Yajus as a threatening robber to make us give away with our full knowledge, our possessions of burden.

Threats scare us! That too, when Lord threatens with the sharp-arrows that torment, we dread and oblige. We have gained in the first Anuvāka the true understanding of Śrī Rudra's arrows and His apparent rage. Those are to discipline the erring devotees to steer clear off evil. However, the Seekers of the Truth who venture into the dark forests of Vedic secrets would surely meet Śrī Rudra, Who, as we have learnt, is in the impenetrable forest, The chance encounter with Him, i.e. His blessings, would mean, His weapons posing as threats to the Seekers and they losing of their possessions of burden.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो निषङ्गिण इषुधिमते तस्कराणां पतये नमो नमः

namō niṣaṅgiṇā iṣudhimatē taskárāṇāṃ patáyē namō (Yajus 3. 3)

(निपङ्गिण niṣaṅgiṇa) To the Lord Who has the bow tied-up with the dart ready to be mourned (इषुधिमते ṣudhimatē) Who has the quiver of arrows, (तस्कराणां पतये taskarāṇāṃ patayē), Who is the Chief of Robbers, who threaten and rob of our possessions directly, (नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Keeping the inference from the last Yajus as the context helps in understanding here, the insight of adoring Śrī Rudra as an armed robber, that too, as the Chief of such armed robbers!

Lord Who was worshipped as a thief, taking away secretly all our possessions to relieve us from the clutches of worldly attachments and the entrapment of Samsāra, is adored in this Yajus as a threatening robber to make us give away with our full knowledge, our possessions of burden.

Threats scare us! That too, when Lord threatens with the sharp-arrows that torment, we dread and oblige. We have gained in the first Anuvāka the true understanding of Śrī Rudra's arrows and His apparent rage. Those are to discipline the erring devotees to steer clear off evil. However, the Seekers of the Truth who venture into the dark forests of Vedic secrets would surely meet Śrī Rudra, Who, as we have learnt, is in the impenetrable forest, The chance encounter with Him, i.e. His blessings, would mean, His weapons posing as threats to the Seekers and they losing of their possessions of burden.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

@meenalaya

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

To such spiritual seekers, those threats are coming from the realization of the temporal nature of this material life and the perpetual cycle of birth and death, and the weariness of Samsāra. Alarmed by those threats, the Seeker gives away what he held so far as real, the ahamkāra, mamakāra and the underlying Avidya. The chance encounter happens in so many ways, the most tangible one being the meeting of a Sadguru.

नमो वश्चते परिवश्चते स्तायूनां पतये नमो नमो वञ्चते परिवञ्चते स्तायूनां पतये नमो

namō vañcāte pari vañcatē stāyūnāᶦ patayē namō (Yajus 3. 4)

To Lord Paramēśwara Who gains (our) confidence and cheats now and then, Who cheats at all times, in all (our) tasks, Who is the Chieftain of all who steal our things, may my obeisance be!

(वञ्चते vañcatē) To the Lord, Who is worming into the confidence of a master, cheats him occasionally. (परिवञ्चते parivañcatē) Who cheats at all times, in all tasks, (स्तायूनां पतये stayūnāᶦ patayē), Who is the Chieftain of robbers who steal at all times, (नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Continuing with the same allegory, in this Yajus, the devotees see the Lord in all forms of stealing away the possessions of the devotee, coming as someone who gains the devotee's confidence and steals his possessions, now and then, or someone who perpetually cheats the devotee and that too, as the master of cheating. Typical translations that convey the essence of this Yajus to see divinity even in those who cheat us, but this may be not be greatly convincing. So we must continue in the same context of previous Yajus and the one that follows.

॥Namakam॥

67

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

To such spiritual seekers, those threats are coming from the realization of the temporal nature of this material life and the perpetual cycle of birth and death, and the weariness of Samsāra. Alarmed by those threats, the Seeker gives away what he held so far as real, the ahamkāra, mamakāra and the underlying Avidya. The chance encounter happens in so many ways, the most tangible one being the meeting of a Sadguru.

नमो वश्चते परिवश्चते स्तायूनां पतये नमो नमो वञ्चते परिवञ्चते स्तायूनां पतये नमो

namō vañcāte parivañcatē stāyūnāṁ patayē namō

(Yajus 3. 4)

To the Lord, Who is worming into the confidence of a master, cheats him occasionally. (परिवश्चते parivañcatē) Who cheats at all times, in all tasks, (स्तायूनां पतये stayūnāṁ patayē), Who is the Chieftain of robbers who steal at all times, (नमो नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Continuing with the same allegory, in this Yajus, the devotees see the Lord in all forms of stealing away the possessions of the devotee, coming as someone who gains the devotee's confidence and steals his possessions, now and then, or someone who perpetually cheats the devotee and that too, as the master of cheating. Typical translations that convey the essence of this Yajus to see divinity even in those who cheat us, but this may be not be greatly convincing. So we must continue in the same context of previous Yajus and the one that follows.

॥Namakam॥

67

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

नमो निचेरवे परिचरायारण्यानां पतये नमो

|| Namakam || 68 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

69

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

नमः सृकाविभ्यो जिघांसद्भ्यो मुष्णतां पतयेँ नमो नमः

namāḥ sṛkāvibhyō jighāṃ́sadbhyō muṣṇatāṃ patayē̄ namō namō (Yajus 3. 6)

(सृकाविभ्यो sṛkāvibhyō) To the Lord, Who protects the Self with His armour, (जिघांसद्भ्यो jighāṃ́sadbhyō) Who is keen to cause distress in others, (मुष्णतां पतयेँ muṣṇatāṃ patayē̄), Who wishes to steal the crops of the field, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus, we look at the deeper meaning of the Lord's thieving action. By loitering near the devotees, and escorting them in all the places of their transactions and pick-pocketing off their possessions, as we saw in the previous Yajus, a doubt may arise in us. Is the Lord also contaminated by us, with His closers association with us and the interventions?

No! The Paramātma is pure and untouched. As Bhagavān says in Śrī Bhagavad Gita, Ātma, forever remains as 'asangah' or unmixed with anything! As 'nithya-Śuddhaḥ', Ātma is in such state of pure existence. Ātma, protects Itself from the armour of Truth.

Then there is a literal meaning implying that the Lord is keen to cause distress to others. This contradicts the very definition of the name 'Rudra', the One who removes distress! Therefore, the import should be about the compassion of the Lord Which keenly looking for the ways to cause positive impact on the devotee, so that the devotee is able to shed the falsehood and the impediments to spiritual progress.

॥ Namakam ॥

70

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

(असिमद्भ्यः asimadbhyah) To the Lord, Who is in the form of Sword-wielder the Swordsman, (नक्तंररद्भ्यः naktamcaradbhyah) wandering in the night, (प्रकृन्तानां पतये prakṛntānāṁ patayē), Who kills and seize things. (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

This Yajus continues with the notion that Śri Rudra is in the form of armoured power that roams about in the darkness and kill those who are encountered in the darkness to seize their things. This frightening imagery when rightly understood illumines our mind with joy. Darkness is nescience, the sheath of ignorance the power of Māyā-Śakthi of Iśvara that cause the duality of nature, resulting in the multitude of perceived universes and objects. Duality causes fear, likes and dislikes, which are the ingredients for perpetual grief. In that darkness, as the spark of light is the glittering sword wielding Iśvara, looking for the distressed wanders who yearn for help. With His divine armour of grace, He kills them and cut asunder their veil of darkness. Thus, the darkness of the devotee is killed and bereft of nescience, only to be eternally alive in the light of Truth.

नमः उष्णीषिणे गिरिचराय कुलुज्चानां पतये नमो

namá uṣṇīṣiṇē giricarāyá kulyuñcānāṁ patáyē namō (Yajus 3. 8)

To Lord Paramēśwara Who wears the ornamental cap and wanders about the mountains,as the Lord of those who grab the lands, may my obeisance be!

(उष्णीषिणे uṣṇīṣiṇē) To the Lord, Who wears the head-gear, (गिरिचराय giricarāyá) wanders about the mountains, (कुलुज्चानां पतये kulyuñcānāṁ patayē), Who is the leader of those who grabs the lands, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

72 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

Like the Chief of the village, Lord wears a 'turban', the ceremonial head-gear to signal His absolute authority. He wanders in Mountains, the high places that are beyond the reach for the ordinary and He lords over those who grab the lands or the fields of action and outcome. Grabbing the land denotes taking the possession of domain of dwelling and actions. Embodiment is the fist-land that we all naturally take for granted as our own. Then are our habitual traits to own every field of action and the results as if those are ours, only to realize at the ends, those embodiments and those fields of actions are temporal lease to us as nothing belongs to us. The Master of all Land-grabber is the Lord as everything is His creation. Being both the efficient-cause and the instrumental-cause of all, what all we try to own, the Lord has the right to grab, and He does grab.

नम॑ इषुम॑द्भ्यो धन्वा॑विभ्य॒ᳶ वᳶ नम॑ᳶ

namā iṣumadbhyō dhanvāvibhyākśavō namō (Yajus 3. 9)

To Lord Parameśwara Who bears the darts and wields the bow, Unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(इषुमद्भ्यो iṣumadbhyō) To the Lord, Who bears the darts, (धन्वाविभ्यक्ष्र धन्वाविभ्यक्श्र dhanyāvibhyakśca) Who wields the bow, (वᳶ vah) Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Now knowing the divine purpose of Lord's armour, His rage and His dwelling in the darkness as the Chieftain of Thieves for seizing our possessions, and all for granting us the redemption and freedom, we happily adore and prostrate to the Lord.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Lord of armour. With the word 'vah', from this Yajus onwards, two prostrations are offered to the 'Gora-svarupa', the terrifying form of Śrī Rudra.

नमं आतन्वानेभ्यः प्रतिदधानेभ्यश्चवो नमः

To Lord Paramēśwara, ruling the innumerable Rudras Who tie the strings of the bows and mounting the arrows on the bows, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(आतन्वानेभ्यः ātanvānēbhyah) To the Lord, Who ties the string of the bow, (प्रतिदधानेभ्यश्च pratidadhānēbhyā ca) and Who mounts the arrows on the bow, (वः vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Innumerable form of Rudras are seen, all hoisting Their bows, with those strings tied and arrows mounted, remaining under the Lordship of Paramēśwara, unto Him our prostrations.

नम आयच्छद्भ्यो विसृजद्भ्यश्चवो नमः

To Lord Paramēśwara, ruling the innumerable Rudras, Who pull the string of their bows and shooting the mounted arrows, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

|| Namakam ||

74

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(आयच्छ॑द्‌भ्यः āyacchadbyaḥ)

To the Lord, Who pulls the string of the bow,

(विमृज॑द्‌भ्यश्चावह ca) and Who shoots the arrows from the bow,

(वः vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Every action of Lord Parameśwara is adored. Having worshipped the Lord who tied His bow strings, then mounted the arrows, now as He pulls the sting and releases the arrows. Innumerable form of Rudras are seen, all hoisting Their bows and shooting the arrows. Lord Parameśwara, the divine leader of all, to Him our prostrations.

नमो‌ऽस्येभ्यो विध्येभ्यश्च वो नमो

namō'syādbhyō vidhyādbhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 3. 12)

To Lord Parameśwara ruling the innumerable Rudras, Who know the targets for their grace and Who hit them with their darts, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(अस्य॑द्‌भ्यः asyadbhyah) To the Lord, Who marks the targets, (विध्य॑द्‌भ्याश्च vidhyadbhya ca) and Who hits the target with the arrows, (वः vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Parameśwara knows the target for His bestowing grace and accordingly, at appropriate time, sets the targets and lets the arrows of His benign grace to hit upon those targets. May we therefore prostrate with absolute commitment, 'Śraddhā' to receive His compassionate grace upon us!

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नम् आसीनेभ्यः शयानेभ्यश्चवो नमः

nama āsīnēbhyah śayānēbhyaścaṽō namō (Yajus 3. 13)

(आसीनेभ्यः āsīnēbhyah) To the Lord Who is seated (in the form of innumerable Rudras). (शयानेभ्यश्चवः च śayānēbhyah ca) and Who is reclining, (वः vaḥ), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

After praying to Śri Rudra as the War-Lord so far, now the devotees adore the Lord Who is compassionate and of benign beautitude, in the seated and reclining form of divinity, .

नमः स्वपद्यो जाग्रद्भ्यश्चवो नमः

namáḥ svapadbhyō jāgrādbhyaścaṽō namō (Yajus 3. 14)

(स्वपद्भ्यः svapadbhyah) To the Lord Who is asleep (in the form of innumerable Rudras). (जाग्रद्भ्यश्चवः जāgrādbhyah ca) and Who is awake, (वः vaḥ), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

76 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

Lord is both asleep and awake at the same time! His divine slumber is the omniscience in silent eloquence as the pure and sole witness of everything!

His state of awakening is the supreme articulation of His Māyā-Śakti, resulting in the perpetual cycle of creation, sustenance dissolution of the Universe, with His power of concealment and liberating grace.

नमस्तिष्ठद्भ्यो धावद्भ्यश्चवो नमः

namaśtiṣṭhadbhyō dhāvàdbhyaścaṽō namō

(Yajus 3. 15)

To Lord Parameśwara, ruling the innumerable Rudras Who are standing still, and Who are running. unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(तिष्ठद्भ्यः tiṣṭhadbhyāḥ) To the Lord Who stands (in the form of innumerable Rudras). (धावद्भ्यश्च dhāvàdbhyaḥ ca) and Who runs, (च vᴀḥ), Unto Him, (नमो नमः namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord is both inactive and active at the same time! His inaction, by standing still, sets the axis for all to evolve upon Him. His action of running everywhere, represents His pervasive and indwelling nature at all directions and at all things.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

77

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमः सभाभ्यः सभापतिभ्यश्च वो नमो

namāḥ sabhābhyāḥ sabhāpātibhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 3. 16)

(सभाभ्य: sabhābhyah) To the Lord Who is in the assembly (of innumerable Rudras). (सभापतिभ्यश्च: ca sabhāpatibhyah ca) and Who presides over the assemblies, (व: vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara presides over the assembly of gods Who all are His divine manifestations only. He is 'Mahādēva', the God of gods and all forms of worship to any form of God only go to Lord Paramēśwara! Thus, the chanting of Śri Rudram amounts to pacifying all forms of God and receiving the supreme grace!

नमो अश्वेभ्योऽश्वपतिभ्यश्चवो नमः।

namō aśvēbhyo'aśvapatibhyaśca vō namāḥ । (Yajus 3. 17)

(अश्वेभ्य: aśvēbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of horses (of innumerable Rudras). (अश्वपतिभ्यश्च: ca aśvapatibhyah ca) and Who lords over the horses, (व: vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our

|| Namakam ||

78 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends the

3rd Anuvākam of Śrī Rudram,

comprising of 13 Yajus.

||Namakam||

||Anuvākam 03||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 04 ||

|| Namakam ||

81

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

82

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ४

नमः काव्येभ्यो विविध्यन्तीभ्यश्च वो नमो नम उगणाभ्यस्तृग्-हूतीभ्यश्च वो नमो नमो गुष्टेभ्यो गुष्टपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमो व्रातेभ्यो व्रातपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमो गणेभ्यो गणपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमो विरूपेभ्यो विश्वरूपेभ्यश्च वो नमो नमो महद्भ्यः क्षुल्लकेम्यश्च वो नमो नमः सिकतेभ्यः सकथांश्यश्च वो नमो नमो रथेभ्यो रथपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमः सेनाभ्यः सेनानिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमः क्षत्रभ्यः सङ्घरहितेभ्यश्च वो नमो नमस्तक्मभ्यो रथकारिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमः कुलालेभ्यः कुमारिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमः पुञ्जिष्ठेभ्यो निषादेभ्यश्च वो नमो नम इडपुकेभ्यो धन्यकृद्भ्यश्च वो नमो नमो मृगयुभ्यः श्वनिभ्यश्च वो नमो नमः श्वभ्यः श्वपतिभ्यश्च वो नमः

|| Namakam ||

83

@meenilaya

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

anuvāka: 4

namā āvyādhinībhyō vividhyantībhyāścha vō namō

nama ugánābhyastrgm-hatībhyāścha vō namō

namō grtṣēbhyō grtsapátibhyāścha vō namō

namō vratēbhyō vratāpatibhyāścha vō namō

namō ganēbhyō ganapátibhyāścha vō namō

namō virūpēbhyō viśvarūpēbhyāścha vō namō

namō mahadbhyáh, kṣullakēbhyāścha vō namō

namō rathibhyō-'rathēbhyāścha vō namō

namō rathēbhyō rathāpatibhyāścha vō namō

namā-ssēnābhyāssēnānībhyāścha vō namō

namáḥ, kṣattrbhyāssaṅgrahītṛbhyāścha vō namō

namastakṣébhyō rathakārēbhyāścha vō namō

namaḥ kulālēbhyáḥ karmārēbhyāścha vō namō

namáḥ puñjiṣṭēbhyō niṣādēbhyāścha vō namō

namā iṣukrdbhyō dhanvakrdbhyāścha vō namō

namō mrgayubhyá-śśvanibhyāścha vō namō

nama-śśvabhya-śśvapátibhyāścha vō namáḥ || 4 ||

||Namakam||

84

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Anuvākam 04 ||

नम आव्याधिनीभ्यो

namā avyādhinībhyō vividhyántībhyáśca vō namō

Yajus 4. 1

(आव्याधिनीभ्यः āvyādhinībhyah) To the Lord Who can attack and pierce from all four directions, (विविध्यन्तीभ्यः : v vividhyantībhyah ca) and Who can pierce and torment in so many ways, (वः vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Anuvāka, the power of Śri Rudra is revered and His divine forms adored. He is omnipresent, observing all, from all directions and as the Supervisor and Controller, He delivers the piercing arrows of Karma-Phala from all directions.

नम उग्रणाभ्यस्तृंहतीभ्यश्च वो नमो

namā ugrāṇābhyastrṁhaṇatībhyāśca vō namō

Yajus 4. 2

|| Namakam || 85 || Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

(उगणाभ्य: uganābhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of 'Saptamātā', the seven Goddesses. (तृंहतीभ्यश: ca trṃhatībhyah ca) and in the form of fierce deities like Śrī Durga Who torments (the evil), (वः vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

The 'Saptamātā' or 'Saptamātrikā' are the seven forms of 'Parāśakti', the power of Lord Parameśwara, Who are protecting the Universe by their motherly compassion. They are adored as 'Brahmi', 'Maheshwari', 'Kaumari', 'Vaishnavi', 'Varāhi', 'Indrāni' and 'Chamundeshwari'.

In this Yajus, Śrī Rudra is seen in those manifestations of Parāśakti. Śrī Durga Parameśwari, the divine escort of the Lord is also revered as none than Śrī Rudra.

नमों गृत्सेभ्यो गृत्सपति‌भ्यश्च वो नमो

namō grtsēbhyō grtsapatībhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 3)

(गृत्सेभ्य: grtsēbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of those who rely on the knowledge of the Supreme, (गृत्सपतिभ्यश: ca grtsapatibhyah ca) and Who bestows the divine knowledge upon them, (वः vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

॥Namakam॥

86

॥Anuvākam 03॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara is seen specially in the form of great Seers and Sages, Ācārya and Gurus who lead their embodied lives driven by their knowledge of the Supreme. Such Jīvān-Muktas are to be worshipped as To Lord Paramēśwara. It is also the benign grace of To Lord Paramēśwara, that those seekers attain the 'Brahma-Jnānam'. Therefore, To Lord Paramēśwara is the 'Ādiguru'. Unto Him we prostrate.

नमो व्रातेभ्यो व्रातपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो

namō vrātēbhyō vrātápatibhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 4)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in innumerable forms as those Who are engaged in variety of activities for the sustenance of the Universe, and Who bestows grace upon all for their activities, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(व्रातेभ्य: vrātēbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of all engaged in variety of activities to sustain their dharma, (व्रातपतिभ्यश्च: vrātapatibhyah ca) and Who bestows grace upon those, (व: vah) for their activities, unto Him, (नमो नमो नमो: namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

In the last Yajus, Lord Paramēśwara is in the form of Supreme Human-beings who guide all other beings in the world towards progress. In this Yajus, Lord Paramēśwara is also seen in the form of everyone and everything that performs their respective duties in the sustenance of Universal order. The Sun shines, the Moon cools, the Stars twinkle, the Cloud rains, the Trees blossom and such,

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

every part of Mother Nature is engaged in the respective tasks. So are the beings, by their divine vow to Dharma and in their chosen life-style, engage in various divisions of labour, only to sustain the world-order. In all, the devotee should see divinity. In all such righteous actions, the devotee should see the divine grace of the Lord, which is the key import.

नमो गणेभ्यो गणपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो

namō gaṇēbhyō gaṇapátibhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 5)

(गणेभ्यः: gaṇēbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of many groups of Gana that follow, (गणपतिभ्यश्च: ganapatibhyah ca) and Who bestows grace upon those followers, (वः: vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो: namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus, the assembly of celestial beings, who attained such status by the virtue of their righteous duties in their embodied lives (Yajus 4.5) and progressively attained the state of Sainthood (Yajus 4.4), perpetually follow the Lord as His 'Gana' or the servants of Lord Paramēśwara.

Therefore, they are also seen as the manifestations of the Lord only, and prostration is offered to the Lord Who bestows grace upon them.

॥ Namakam ॥

88

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमो विरूपेभ्यो विश्वरूपेभ्यश्च वो नमो

namō virūpēbhyō viśvarūpēbhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 6)

(विरूपेभ्य: virūpēbhyah) To the Lord Who has no form, (विश्वरूपेभ्यश्च : viśvarūpēbhyaś ca) and Who has infinite form and, in every form, (व: vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Although in the last 3 Yajus, many fold manifestations of To Lord Paramēśwara are adored, in this Yajus 4.6, a summary is made. God has no form yet He is in every form.

How do we understand this dichotomy?

By the assertions of Vedas and aided by reasoning, we see that any creation needs a creator. All creations, nay, any creation is possible only by God. Although we use the word 'creation' for what we produce in this world, be it gross or subtle, we only make use of what are already created by God, as we cannot create anything on our own. All material objects that we put together, ultimately uses the fundamental particles that are the creations of the Lord. Even the subtle creations that we claim as our own turn out to be only a 'discovery' of what is already existing. Newton did not create or invent 'gravitational force' but only discovered its eternal existence and postulate some theories. So, the creator role is exclusive to God.

Is then the Lord using Himself as the particles of His creation?

|| Namakam || 89 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

90 || Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

who possess enormous powers such as eight-fold siddhis, ( शूलकेश्यश्रः च kśullakēbhyah ca) and Who is in the form of limited intelligence and devoid of such siddhis, (वः vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

For the aspirant, Who is seeking prosperity and freedom, the power of great sages who control the eight-fold 'siddhis' is awe-inspiring and highly desirable. There are others, like us in the world, who do not have such supreme powers and the underling supreme knowledge of the Truth.

All siddhis or miraculous powers seem illogical to our rational mind, but the rational mind which depends on 'logic', in turn rely on the 'facts' which the mind factors in the waking-state of affairs. Dream world is not a rational thing for us as it is not real according to the waking-state. Then what is there to say about deep-sleep! The experience of being in deep-sleep offers nothing to the logical scrutiny, even though dream and deep sleep represent more than our waking life experience. Yet our life is normally conditioned by the physical laws of the waking-state. How could then, as we witness the miracles of the Sages, comprehend the reality of those miracles!

We use the term 'illusion' to anything that we don't understand to our rational mind! But if we take 'reasoning' as the means for our scrutiny, which is not constrained by the bounds of logic, but takes also the intuition, the faith and the child-like enthusiasm to welcome anything as a possibility, then we see miracles as not illusions but a sort of truth, real to the context of experience, but is void in absolute term.

Vedānta uses the term 'mithya' to represent such empirical truth, only valid in certain space, time and experience in contrast to 'satyam', the absolute truth, yet a force to live with.

॥ Namakam ॥

91

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

If this is understood, then the possession of such powers of Siddhi is no different, except in scale, to the possession of ordinary powers that we have in our walks of life. This Yajus triggers such contemplation, while seeing the divinity in both great beings and ordinary beings in the world.

नमों रथिभ्योंऽरथेभ्यश्च वो नमो

namō rathibhyō'rathēbhyāśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 8)

(रथिभ्यः rathibhyah) To the Lord Who rides in chariots, (अरथेभ्यश्च: arathēbhyah ca) and and Who has no such conveyance, (वः vah), unto Him, (नमो नमः namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

The literal meaning of this Yajus is clear. Divinity is not differentiated just because one has the luxury of conveyance and the other without. Rich and poor, all have the same divinity as the indwelling Ātma, is one. Another inference is possible by taking the 'Chariot' to mean the 'embodiment'.

As we have already seen, God is indwelling in all embodiments, therefore, God is riding on all chariots. What about the beings without the tangible embodiments! They too are divine. Beings that are like subtle energies, either because of their state of being as celestial-angels and gods or being in the transition between different embodiments in the cycle of Samsāra, like 'pitru' are all divine too as in them, the indwelling effulgence is Ātma,.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

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||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो रथेभ्यो रथपतिभ्यश्च वो नमो

namō rathe̎bhyō rathāpatibhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 9)

(रथेभ्यः rathe̎bhyah̥) To the Lord Who is in the form of Chariot, (रथpatibhyash̥: ca rathapatibhyah̥ ca) and Who is in the form of the Lord of the Chariot, (वः vah̥), unto Him, (नमो नमो नमो namō namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Continuing with the context of the last Yajus 4.8, this Yajus 4.9 reinforces the import of Yajus 4.6. Chariots, the embodiments, although inert in nature and dissolve into the 'Prakrti', those are of 'God-particle' only, as Lord is the both the instrumental and efficient causes of all creation. Having created the bodies, the Lord chooses to indwell within the bodies to give sentience to the bodies, to drive those towards the life of embodied experience. Therefore, He is the chariot and the One Who lords over the chariot.

नमः सेनाभ्यः सेनानिभ्यश्च वो नमो

namaḥ sēnā̎bhyah̥ sēnānibhyaśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 10)

|| Namakam || 93 || Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

(सेनाभ्यः sēnābhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of armies. (सेनानिभ्यश्च senaanibhyaśh ca) and Who is the Lord of the armies, (वः vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो नमः namo namō namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

The Yajus 4.10 brings back the attention to the form of Śri Rudra that the devotee starts to visualize at the beginning: The Warrior Lord Who commands the army of gods! The multiplicity of soldiers is not a digression to the focus on God, because, Lord Paramēśwara is both the army and its esteemed Leader!

नमः क्षत्रभ्यः संगृहीतृभ्यश्व वो नमो

namaḥ kṣattṛbhyāḥ samgrahītṛbhyāśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 11)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the form of Owner-Controller of the Chariot and Who is in the form of driver of the Chariot, steering the horses that pull, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(क्षत्रभ्यः: kṣattṛbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of the Chariot-owner and controller, (संगृहीतृभ्यश्च samgrahītṛbhyah ca) and Who is in the form of the Chariot-driver who steers the horses that pull the Chariot, (वः vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो नमः namo namō namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus, a subtle difference between pure consciousness, the ‘Ātma’ and the pure intellect, the ‘Buddhi’ or ‘Jīvā’ is indicated to evoke contemplation.

॥ Namakam ॥

॥ Anuvākam 03 ॥

@meenalayā 94

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमस्तकश्भ्यो रथकारेभ्यश्च वो नमः

namastakṣabhyō rathakārēbhyáśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 12)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the form of Carpenters and builders of the Chariot and Who is in the form of fashioners of the Chariot, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(नमस्तकश्भ्य: namastakṣabhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of carpenters of the Chariot, (रथकारेभ्यश्च: rathakārēbhyah ca) and Who is in the form of the fashioners of the Chariot, (व: vaḥ), Unto Him, (नमो नमः namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

The gross and subtle nature of all embodiments (chariots) are now reiterated. How wonderful is every creation! Right from a mono-cellular life-from to the humans, each body when analysed for its architecture and build, amazes us! Science is at awe at all the times, and while aping the nature in building the tools for our endeavour still at its infancy.

In this Yajus, the marvel of the body and the excitement are revealed. The builder of the body-chariot is the Lord Himself. Every cell that constantly changes our embodiments is the power of God.

Also is the subtle nature of the embodiment. The sensory faculties and the mind, which are also inert unless blessed by the effulgence of pure consciousness, make us all wonder! How different the beings are, by the way everyone's sensory and mental capacities change! Who fashions these to create the diverse forms of body-chariots other than the God!

|| Namakam || 96 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः कुलालेभ्यः कर्मारेभ्यश्च वो नमो

namaḥ kulālēbhyāḥ karmārēbhyāśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 13)

(कुलालेभ्यः kulālēbhyāḥ) To the Lord Who is in the form of potters, (कमारेभ्यश्च: karmārēbhyāśca) and Who in the form of metal workers, (वः vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

The literal meaning is to assert that all forms of work is divine and all sorts of people who follow their line of work sincerely are divine.

In the context of body-chariot allegory, potters and metal workers of the embodiments could mean the 'panca-bhūta' or the five primordial elements that convolutes to generate all bodies, both subtle and gross. Known as 'Prakriti', it is the power of the Lord, that is highlighted here, as the divine form of Śrī Rudra.

नमः पञ्जिष्ठेभ्यो निषादेभ्यश्च वो नमो

namaḥ puñjiṣṭēbhyō niṣādēbhyāśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 14)

|| Namakam || 97 || Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(पुङ्जिष्टेम्य: puñjiṣṭēbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of horses (of innumerable Rudras). (अश्वपतिभ्यश्व्र: ca niṣādēbhyaḥ ca) and Who lords over the horses, (व: vah), Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

The literal meaning is straight forward as it simply highlights the divinity of even those who hunt.

An inference could be catching the high-flying birds of ideals in the space of intellect and getting the deeply hidden fish of truth within the waters of mind are two inevitable things that the spiritual aspirant must do. The import of Vedic truth and the realization of the Self within, is like seeking the invisible fish in the depth of mind, that is always tormented with the waves of thoughts.

An ace fisherman chooses the calm water to fish! Similarly, the high ideals of life is to attain our true nature of perfection, which makes us to rise far above all, like the birds of flight. Such an inference aids in our contemplation.

नम इषुकृद्भ्यो धन्वकृद्भ्यश्च वो नमो

namá iṣukŕdbhyō dhanvakŕdbhyáśca vō namō (Yajus 4. 15)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the form of those making sharp arrows, and Who is in the form of bow-makers, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(इपुकृद्भ्य: iṣukŕdbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form those making sharp arrows. (धन्वकृद्भ्य: ca dhanvakŕdbhyah ca) and Who is in the form of bow-maker, (व: vah), unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

98

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

With the reference to hunting of birds and fish in the previous Yajus, from now on, the focus is on hunting and hunting-aids, where we should infer hunting to mean the spiritual process of self-realization. Hunting requires the hunter to be equipped with the right tools. Bow and arrows, as examples, are to be acquired and the devotee as the hunter of perfection, must seek the mercy of the 'bow and arrow maker' to gain those aids. Bow is the 'mind', bow-string is the 'Śraddhā' or the commitment and the 'arrow' is the discerning intellect for this spiritual hunter. Only God, Who is the maker, can grant those aids through His agents for salvation - the Gurus!

नमो मृगयुभ्यः श्वनिभ्यश्च वो नमो

namô mṛgayubhyàḥ śvanibhyáśca vô namô (Yajus 4. 16)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the form of Hunter, and Who preside over the hounds, unto Him, may my obeisance be!

(मृगयुभ्यः mrgayubhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of the Hunter.

(श्वनिभ्यश्च śvanibhyaḥ ca) and Who presides over the hounds, (वः vah),

Unto Him, (नमो नमो namō namō) are our prostrations!

Note:

Continuing with the inference of 'spiritual hunting', we consider the devotee who is seeking spiritual progress as the 'spiritual hunter'. But in this Yajus, Lord Himself is seen as the 'Spiritual Hunter'.

What does He hunt? He is hunting for the 'spiritual seekers' only. As the One

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 03 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Continuing with inference of Yajus 4.16, we take the hounds that are aiding in search of the target of hunting as the scripture, the Vedas. Lord Paramēśwara with the aid of the Vedas, and leading the Vedas perform His hunting for the spiritual seeker.

Here Lord Paramēśwara is also in the form of Vedas. That is to say, Vedas are not different from God. The very sound of Veda mantra is therefore the sound of God. The eternal Vedas are nourished and protected by God, meaning, like God, Vedas are eternal.

|| Namakam ||

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|| Anuvākam 03 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Thus ends

the 4th Anuvākam of Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 17 Yajus.

||Namakam||

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|| Anuvākam 03 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

|| Namakam || 103 || Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

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|| Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ५

नमो भवाय च रुद्राय च

नमः शर्वाय च पशुपतये च

नमो नीलग्रीवाय च शितिकण्ठाय च

नमः कपर्दिने च व्युप्तकेशाय च

नमः सहस्राक्षाय च शतधन्वने च

नमो गिरिशाय च शिपिविष्टाय च

नमो मीढुष्टमाय चेषुमते च

नमो हुस्वाय च वामनाय च

नमो बृहते च वरपौषाय च

नमो वृद्धाय च संज्ञानाय च

नमो अग्नियाय च प्रथमाय च

नम आशवे चाजिराय च

नमः शूराय च शिप्याय च

नम ऊर्म्याय चावस्वन्याय च

नमः स्रोतस्याय च द्वीप्याय च || ५ ||

||Namakam||

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|| Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

anuvākah 5

namō bhavāyā cha rudrāyā cha

namā-śśarvāyā cha paśupatāyē cha

namō nīlagrīvāyā cha śitikaṇṭhāya cha

namaḥ kapardhinē cha vyūptakeśāya cha

namā-ssahrasrākṣāyā cha śatadhānvane chā

namō giriśāyā cha śipiviṣṭāyā cha

namō miḍhuṣṭamāyā chēśumatē cha

namō hrasvāyā cha vāmanāyā cha

namō brhatē cha varṣīyasē cha

namō vṛddhāyā cha samvṛddhāyāne cha

namō agriyāyā cha prathamāyā chā

namā āśavē chājirāyā cha

nama-śśīghrīyāyā cha śībhyāyā cha

namā ūrmyāyā chāvasvanyāyā cha

namā-ssrotrasyāyā cha dvīpyāyā cha || 5 ||

||Namakam||

106

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

नमों भवायं च रुद्रायं च

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is the cause and source of all existence, and Who removes the grief of Samsāra and leads to liberation, may my obeisance be!

(भवाय च bhavāya ca) To the Lord Who is the source of all existence and, (रुद्राय च rudrāya ca) Who removes all ills, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

From this Yajus onwards until the mantra starting with 'drāpē andhāsapatē' in the 10th Anuvākam, there is only one नमः in each Yajus. The text between two consecutive नमः is to be taken as a mantra and the learned call these as 'anyadho namaskāra mantra:'

The double occurrence of the conjugate 'cha' in each line is only for emphasising the prostration for each divine name. For example, in Yajus 5.1,there are two namaskāra: 'भवाय namah' and 'रुद्राय namah'.

In this mantra, Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped as the cause of creation, 'srishti-kāranam', and the cause of liberation, 'Mōksha-kāranam by the respective divine names, 'Bhāvāya' and 'Rudrāya'.

|| Namakam ||

107

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमः शर्वाय च पशुपतये च

namaḥ śarvāya ca paśupatayē ca (Yajus 5.2)

(शर्वाय च śarvāya ca) To the Lord Who absorbs all and, (पशुपतये च paśupatayē ca) Who protects all in their existence and sustenance, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this mantra, with the divine name, 'śarvāya', Lord Paramēśwara is adored as the annihilator of all 'samsāra-kāranam' and with the divine name 'paśupati', He is worshipped as both 'sthithi-kāranam', the cause of sustenance and 'bhanda-kāranam' or 'thirōdanam', the cause of bondage in the Samsāra. Thus, in these first two mantras, the five divine-activities of Lord Paramēśwara are worshipped.

नमो नीलग्रीवाय च शितिकण्ठाय च

namō nīlāgrīvāya ca śitikānṭhāya ca (Yajus 5.3)

(नीलग्रीवाय च nīlāgrīvāya ca) To the Lord Whose throat is dark and, (शितिकण्ठाय च śitikānṭhāya ca) Whose throat is white, (नमः namaḥ) are our

|| Namakam || 108 || Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

॥ Namakam ॥

110

॥ Anuvākam 05 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In this Yajus, Lord Parameśwara is praised as the 'omniscient who knoweth all things'. He is also holding many bows (i.e. weapons) for those to disseminate the due Karma-phala to all. He is thus 'omnipotent'. To see all, to know all, and to impact all, He must also be 'omnipresent', pervading everywhere and indwelling in all.

नमों गिरिशाय च शिपिविष्टाय च

namō giriśāyá ca śipiviṣṭāyá ca (Yajus 5.6)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who dwells in the Kaliāsh Mountains and Who is in the form of Viṣnu, may my obeisance be!

(गिरिशाय च giriśāyá ca) To the Lord Who dwells in the (Kailash) mountains and, (शिपिविष्टाय च śipiviṣṭāyá ca) Who is in the form of Viṣnu, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus, Lord Parameśwara is adored as the king of mountains, Who protects and nourishes the mountains that provide all prosperity to the earth. Mountains bring rain and generates plants, minerals and all such resources for all beings. Lord Parameśwara is also indwelling within the hearts of all beings, and therefore all pervasive - Viṣnu.

The word 'sipi' refers to sacrificial-beings and 'sipivishta' is the One Who is indwelling within all beings.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

112

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः ||

|| Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ ||

The word 'sipi' also refers to the luminous rays of the Sun and thus 'sipivishta' is the One Who is spreading His grace everywhere, bringing and nourishing lives.

नमों मीढुष्टमाय चेषुमते च

namō mīḍhuṣṭamāyā cēṣumatē ca (Yajus 5.7)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in form of Cosmic Being, the Brahmadēva or Hiranyagarbha and Who is in the form of darts that impact all beings, may my obeisance be!

(मीढुष्टमाय mīḍhuṣṭamāyā) To the Lord Who is the Cosmic Being (Hiranyagarbha) bringing nourishing showers and, (चेषुमते च cēṣumatē ca) Who is in the form of arrows, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The devotee, who worshipped Lord Parameśwara as both Giriśa and Viṣnu in the previous Yajus 5.6, in Yajus 5.7, hails Him as the Cosmic-being, bringing the showers of grace that generates lives. So He is Brahmadēva too thus Lord Parameśwara is the One Who takes the three-fold form of Śiva, Viṣnu and Brahma. The devotee now sees Lord's weapons as His blessings that bestow happiness to all!

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो ह्रस्वाय च वामनाय च

namō hrasvāyā ca vāmanāyā ca

(ह्रस्वाय च hrasvāya ca) To the Lord Who assumes the small size and, (वामनाय च vāmanāya ca) as a dwarf, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

As God is residing inside the heart-space, the subtle core of every being, He deliberately assumes the smallest and the subtlest form to indwell in all.

He also manifests as dwarf and such forms like Lord Vigneśwara.

नमो बृहते च वर्षी़यसे च

namō bṛhatē ca varṣīyasē ca (Yajus 5.8)

(बृहते च bṛhatē ca) To the Lord Who assumes the small size and, (वर्षीयसे च varṣīyasē ca) Who comes as a dwarf, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam || 114 || Anuvākam 05 ||

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara, Who takes minute forms also assumes the greatest and awe-inspiring cosmic form. So, His glory is indescribable. He is full of excellence the extent of which is beyond the scope of all our understanding and comprehension.

नमों वृद्धाय च संवृद्धने च

namō vṛddhāyá ca samvṛdhvánē ca (Yajus 5.9)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is the oldest (to mean the unborn) and Who is greatly adored by the Vedas, may my obeisance be!

(वृद्धाय च वृद्धाया ca) To the Lord Who is the oldest and, (संवृध्वने च संवृधान ca) Who is greatly revered by the Vedas, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara, Who is seen both in the minute as well in the majestic forms of manifestation, and also in all other forms in between, and being such, at all times, He must be the oldest, meaning the first born, nay, the unborn!

How could His glory be described by us, as our limited intellect can never grasp the infinite potential of the Lord. This is how the Vedas too proclaim and nervously exclaim at the infinite powers of the Lord. Although Vedas declare the ‘svarūpa-lakshanam’ or the innate nature of the Lord by the three words, ‘satyam-jnānam-anantam’ or ‘sat-chit-ānanda’ - to mean the eternal and universal consciousness that is blissful, trembling submit the impossibility of describing the Lord by any means.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

115

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः आशवे चाजिराय च

namā āśavē cājirāyā ca (Yajus 5.11)

(आशवे āśavē) To the Lord Who pervades all, and, (चाजिराय च cājirāyāca) Who swiftly moves, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In the previous Yajus 5.10, Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped as the Power that transcends time. In this Yajus 5.11, He is worshipped as the Power that transcends space.

He is all-pervasive, meaning that there is no space where He is not! But then how could the devotee adore Him as the One Who moves rapidly in all directions! Here we are stumped as our meagre knowledge, limited by the space-time constraints, does not help. Vedas guide us by portraying the Lord as both: the dormant power and the dynamic nature, manifesting in whatever form required at whichever place and at whatever time.

नमः शीघ्रियाय च शिभ्याय च

namaḥ śīghrīyāya cā śībhyāya cā (Yajus 5.12)

|| Namakam || 117 || Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(श्रीत्रियाय च śīghrīyāya cā) To the Lord Who is the current of all that is moving fast and, (शिभ्याय च śībhyāya cā) Who is in the running cascade of all, (नमः namaha) are our prostrations!

Note:

The dichotomy of seeing the Lord as both dormant and dynamic in Yajus 5.11 is resolved in this Yajus 5.12, as He is the embellished power in all dynamic forces of nature. He is the unmoving force of the cascade, Śriman Nārāyana, dwelling on the milky ocean!

नम ऊर्म्याय चावसन्याय च

namā ūrmyāya cāvasvanyāya cā (Yajus 5.13)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is (silent) in the Sounding waves, and Who is the eloquence of the silent waters, may my obeisance be!

(ऊर्म्याय ūrmyāya) To the Lord Who is in the sounding waves, and (चावसन्याय cāvasvanyāya cā) Who is in the silent waters, (नमः namaha) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Parameśwara is the witnessing consciousness of the vacillating mind, like is Śriman Nārāyana Who is in the all-knowing sleep on the roaring milky ocean! Lord Parameśwara is the 'Pranava', the primordial sound, the silence of which breeds all resonance, all movements. The devotee thus draws his mind to the sound of the Veda mantras and the silence therein, seeing the Lord in both.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

118

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः स्रोतस्याय च द्वीप्याय च॥

namaḥ srōtasyāya cā dvīpyāya ca|| (Yajus 5.14)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is (silent) in the Sounding waves, and Who is the eloquence of the silent waters, may my obeisance be!

(स्रोतस्याय च srōtasyāya cā) To the Lord Who is in the gentle stream, and (द्वीप्याय च dvīpyāya ca) Who is in divided flow making islands, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this last Yajus 5.14 of the 5th Anuvāka, the devotee prays to Lord Parameśwara Who is eternally flowing as the gentle stream, undivided and unique.

He also appears as flow of streams that divide, creating diversity and islands of varied size and shapes. The non-dual Brahmam, with Its power of Māyā, and at will, creates all diversity as if, such created universe is for Its divine-play.

|| Namakam ||

119

|| Anuvākam 05 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

Thus ends

the 5th Anuvākam of Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 14 Yajus.

||Namakam||

120

||Anuvākam 05||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

||Namakam||

121

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

122

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ६

नमो ज्येष्ठाय च कनिष्ठाय च

नमः पूर्वजाय चापरजाय च

नमो मध्यमाय चापगल्भाय च

नमो जगध्न्याय च बुभुक्ष्याय च

नमः सोभ्याय च प्रतिसर्याय च

नमो याम्याय च क्षेम्याय च

नम उर्व्याय च खल्याय च

नमः श्वोत्र्याय चाडवसान्याय च

नमो वन्याय च कक्ष्याय च

नमः श्रवाय च प्रतिश्रवाय च

नमं आशुषेणाय चाशुरथाय च

नमः शूराय चावभिन्दते च

नमो वर्मिणे च वृरुधिने च

नमो बिल्मिने च कवचिने च

नमः श्रुताय च श्रुतसेनाय च || 6 ||

||Namakam||

123

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

anuvākah 6

namō jyēṣṭhāyā cha kanisṭhāyā cha

namāḥ pūrvajāyā chāparājāyā cha

namō madhyamāyā chāpagalbhāyā cha

namō jaghanyāyā cha budhnīyāya cha

namā-ssōbhyāya cha pratisaryāyā cha

namō yāmyāyā cha kṣēmyāyā cha

namā urvaryāyā cha khalyāyā cha

namaś-ślōkyāyā chā-'vasānyāyā cha

namō vanyāyā cha kakṣyāyā cha

namaś-śravāyā cha pratiśravāyā cha

namā āśuṣēṇāyā chāśurāthāyā cha

namaś-śūrāyā chāvabhindatē cha

namō varminē cha varūdhine cha

namō bilmē cha kavachinē cha

namaś-śrutāyā cha śrutasēnāyā cha || 6 ||

|| Namakam ||

124

@meenalaya

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

नमों ज्येष्ठाय च कनिष्ठाय च

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the form of elder, endowed with all merits and Who is in the form of younger yet to be nurtured into greatness, may my obeisance be!

(ज्येष्ठाय च jyeṣṭhāya ca) To the Lord Who is senior, greatly endowed with all riches and knowledge and, (कनिष्ठाय च kanisṭhāya ca) Who is junior and not so endowed, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Having hailed the glories of Lord Paramēśwara in the 5th Anuvāka, in this 6th Anuvāka, the devotee continues to worship Lord's pervasiveness, and therefore the divinity in everything, those that are well endowed with greatness as well as those that are not so great. Such a view brings dispassionate view of the world in the devotee's mind, an important quality needed for spiritual progress.

In this Anuvāka, each Yajus is considered as a mantra. Since each Yajus has only one 'namah,' at the beginning, these prostrations are to be taken as the devotee's submission to the 'agora' or the compassionate form of Śri Rudra.

This Yajus 6.1 worships the Lord in the form all that are great and well-endowed with merits as well as the young and yet to be nurtured into greatness.

|| Namakam ||

125

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः पूर्वजाय चापरजाय च

namaḥ pūrvajāyā ca aparajāyā ca (Yajus 6.2)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who was the first-born and Who will be the last born, may my obeisance be!

(पूर्वजाय pūrvajāya) To the Lord Who was born first and, (अपरजाय च aparajāyā ca) Who will be born last, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

By worshiping Lord Paramēśwara as the first-born, the devotee is contemplating on the existence of the Lord before everything else manifests. Similarly, seeing the Lord as the last born, the devotee is appealing to the 'Paramātma', who remains when all else is absorbed into the dissolution.

Learned interpreters also give the rise of 'Hiranyagarbha', the first Cosmic-being as the first-born and the 'Kalāgni', the manifestation of Fire in the form of 'Samhāra Murthy' Who consumes all at the end of the cycle of the Universe.

Another inference is that the first-born refers to the 'Kāraṇa-rupam', the causal-form and the later-born to the 'Kārya-rupam', the effect. Effect follows the cause and in turn effect becomes another cause. But the causeless-cause as well as the ceaseless effect is Paramātma only,

The important import is that Ātma, is eternal and Ātma, alone remains in the beginning and in the end.

|| Namakam ||

126

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमों मध्यमाय चापगल्भाय च

namo madhyamāyā cāpagalbhāyā ca (Yajus 6.3)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who appears in the middle and Who is yet to blossom, may my obeisance be!

(मध्यमाय madhyaMāyā ca) To the Lord Who appears in the middle and, (अपगल्भाय च apagalbāya ca) Who is in the infancy, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Although the general interpretation of this Yajus is that the Lord appears as both the young and as the child yet to be developed, we use the context of our inference from the previous Yajus,

In the previous Yajus 6.2, Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped as the One born before all as the beginning and born after all as the end, implying that the Lord is unborn, unchanged and eternal. In this Yajus 6.3, the devotee adores Lord Paramēśwara also as the One Who comes in the middle to mean that He manifests as the Cosmic-being as the Universe and all beings therein, every time in the perpetual cycle of creation, change and destruction. The Universe and all therein, therefore come and go. They eternally change, and their manifestations being only in the middle, they have a beginning and end. As the Universe, being the instrumental cause of the Universe Lord Paramēśwara comes in the middle as the Universe, although as the efficient cause, He is forever unborn!

The second adoration in this Yajus 6.3, ‘apagalbhāya’ refers to the young and yet to be matured. It implies the next cycle of Universe with all potency that is yet to blossom. Thus, the eternal Lord is also the mid-term Universe and all therein.

|| Namakam || 127 || Anuvākam 06 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

|| Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ ||

नमो जगघन्याय च बुद्धनीया च

namō jaghanyāya ca budhniyāya ca (Yajus 6.4)

(जघन्याय च jaghanyāya ca) To the Lord Who appears from the rear and, (बुध्र्नियाय च budhniyāya ca) Who is sprouting from the root (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 6.4, the devotee sees the Lord in all forms of life. As per the Sanātana Dharma, life-forms manifest through the vagina 'yōnijam', from eggs 'andajam', from sweat 'svedhajam' and from seeds and roots 'udhbiddhajam'. Although in this Yajus 6.4, animals that deliver their off-springs from their rear and the vegetations from their root, we should take these as 'upa-lakshanam' or the indicator to mean all life-forms. Of course, in the following Yajus, the devotee does make specific case for human life-forms.

नमः सोभ्याय च प्रतिसर्याय च

namāḥ sōbhyāya ca pratisaryāya ca (Yajus 6.5)

|| Namakam || 128 || Anuvākam 06 ||

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(सोऽभ्याय च sōbhyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the form of human beings and, (प्रतिसऱ्याय च pratisaryāya ca) Who is moving about (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Following the context of previous Yajus, in this Yajus 6.5, the devotee sees divinity in all human-beings in the world, where both good and bad are mixed. The word 'sōbhyāya' refers to a particular personification that are conditioned by the good and bad. We take this to mean the earth, the 'Karma-bhūmi' and the human-beings whose embodiments are based on their Karma-phala. Although some interpretations take the literal meaning of 'amulet' or 'raksha-bhandhan' for the divine name 'pratisaryāya', a better inference is the reference to that which move. Connecting with the name 'sōbhyāya', we can deduce that the intended meaning of 'pratisaryāya' is the human-beings who are able to move about their worlds of embodiments, based on their Karma-phala. The Vedas declare that the Jīvā that took the human-birth, upon death, goes to the Lord of Death, Who decides the next world and embodiment for the Jīvā based on its merits.

नमो याम्याय च क्षेम्याय च

namō yāmyāya ca kṣēmyāya ca (Yajus 6.6)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who rules over the Word of Death and Who grants the World of Safety, may my obeisance be!

(याम्याय च yāmyāya ca) To the Lord Who presides the World of Death and, (क्षेम्याय च kṣēmyāya ca) the World of Safety, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam || 129 || Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara Who is in the form of Lord of Death reigns the Kingdom of Yama. and under His grace, the Jīvā takes embodiment in some world according to the merits earned through Karma-phala: may be the Heaven that offers happiness and safety, lasting until the Punya-phala runs out or the domain of distress for removing the sins.

Yet, the protection of Jīvā is always under the loving embrace of the Lord, as He grants the ultimate safety of 'Mōksha' or the Liberation. Thus, in this Yajus, Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped as the Power that grants both relative comforts and safety upon 'Videha-mukti' as well as absolute safety and freedom upon 'Jīvān-mukti'.

नम उर्व॒र्या॒य च खल्॒याय च

namā urvạryāya ca khalyāya ca (Yajus 6.7)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the riches of the fertile fields and in the threshing stones that precipitates the fruition of the crops, may my obeisance be!

(उर्व॒र्या॒य च urvaryāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the fertile fields and, (खल्॒याय च khalyāya ca) Who is in the threshing fields of fertile crops, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Now the devotee is seeing Lord Paramēśwara as the bountiful riches of fertile fields. To him, all resources are the grace of the Lord. The riches of both cultivated and natural fields are only due to the presence of divinity.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

130

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

In agriculture, the harvested crops are brought and then to recover the precious grains, sorted at the threshing stones. Separating the grains from the husk is a key process to accumulate the useful harvest. God is seen as the threshing stone, separating the essence of importance. Our harvest from all walks of our lives and deeds is what the fruition of our Karma-phala be. It is in the presence of God, we sort out life, to weed out the husks and gather the precious riches of spiritual progress. This Yajus lends itself to such a divine contemplation.

नमः श्लोक्याय चाऽवसान्याय च

namaḥ ślōkyāya cā'vasānyāya ca (Yajus 6.8)

(श्लोक्याय च ślōkyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the form of Veda mantra and the Vedic rituals, and, (अवसान्याय च avasānyāya ca) Who is the essence of the Vedānta, (नमः namahaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In Yajus 6,8, the devotee see the Lord Parameśw Who is beseeched by the Veda Mantras and Vedic rituals that are expounded in the foremost part of Veda, 'Veda pūrva' or the Karma-kāṇḍa and also as the Truth that is elucidated in the 'Upanishad' the Jnāna-kāṇḍa or Vedānta.

The Karma part of the Vedas impart 'Dharma-Śāstra', the injunctions and recommendations for righteous living and to attain the first three of the four goals 'Puruṣārtam' attributed to human-birth: namely 'Dharma', 'Artha' and 'Kāma'.

॥ Namakam ॥

131

॥ Anuvākam 06 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

132

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो वन्याय च कक्ष्याय च

namō vanyāya ca kakśyāya ca (Yajus 6.9)

(वऽन्याय च vanyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the form of forest and, (क्ष्याय च kakśyāya ca) Who is in the form of creepers, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In Yajus 6.9, the devotees see the forests, the aggregate of vegetation, as well as the creepers or specific plants, all the form of Lord Paramēśwara. To the blessed devotee, divinity is everywhere.

Following the previous Yajus 6.8, we could also infer that the forest refers to 'Veda-Āranya', the impenetrable knowledge of everything and the rising creeper as the Upanishad that blossoms the divine knowledge. Lord is in both forms: in the mantras and rituals contained in the Veda-pūrva as well as in the inquiry and import of Vedānta.

नमः श्रवाय च प्रतिश्रवाय च

namaḥ śravāya ca pratiśravāya ca (Yajus 6.10)

|| Namakam || 133 || Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(श्रवाय च श्रवाया च) To the Lord Who is in the form of sound and, (प्रतिश्रवाय

च pratiśravāya ca) Who is in the form of reverberation (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Following the precious two Yajus 6.8 and 6.9, in this Yajus 6.10, the devotee

hails the 'Śabda-brahman', the divinity in the Sound.

Vedas represent the sound of Lord. Sound is the foremost expression of Lord

that caused all to manifest. The devotee prays to Lord Paramēśwara Who is in the form of the primordial and eternal sound, the subtle and gross form we scribe as the sound and symbol 'Aum'.

Only from this 'Omkāra', all sounds and from which, all things manifest. The

reverberations of 'Aum' therefore refer to all things that are in the Cosmic-cycle. The primordial 'Aum' is Lord! All reverberations is Lord! It is so, because, Lord is both the instrumental and efficient cause of all!

नमः आशुषेणाय चाशुरथाय च

namá āśuṣéṇāya cāśuráthāya ca (Yajus 6.11)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Whose army moves swiftly and Who moves on a swift

chariot, may my obeisance be!

(आशुषेणाय āśuṣéṇāya ca) To the Lord Who has the army that moves very fast

and, (आशुरथाय च āśuráthāya ca) Who rides on a chariot that moves swiftly, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

134 || Anuvākam 06 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

In this Yajus 6.11, the devotee reorients his mind to the form of Śri Rudra as the Warrior-Lord, Who hath under His divine commands, the army of gods to protect all manifestations. His army of gods, ruling in all quarter, protecting in all directions move fast on their trajectories that are propelled by the pace of Time. But the concept of Time is relatively varied and beyond the grasp of the human mind.

Also is the Chariot of the Lord that moves swiftly. In the macrocosm, Lord's chariot is the Universe itself that moves swiftly and perpetually. In the microcosm, Lord's Chariot is the 'mind', the field of thoughts, which also moves swiftly, the course of which is not ordinarily comprehensible by the human intellect. Who knows that thought 'vritti' comes next and where our mind goes!

नमः शूरोय चावभिन्दते च

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is valiant and Who accurately pierces His targets, may my obeisance be!

(शूराय śūrāya) To the Lord Who is Valiant and, (अवभिन्दते च avabhindatē ca) Who pierces the targets, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 6.12, the devotee exclaims the supreme bravery of the Lord. To his awe, is the very idea that Lord alone exists!

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 06 ||

135

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

139

||Anuvākam 06||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends

the 6th Anuvākam of Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 15 Yajus.

||Namakam||

140

||Anuvākam 06||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

|| Namakam ||

141

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

142

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ७

नमो दन्दुभ्यो नमो द्रंह्णवे च प्रमृशाय च नमो दतूभ्यां च प्रहृताय च नमो निषङ्गिभ्यां चेषुधिमते च नमस्त्रिकक्षेपवे चायुधिने च नमः स्वायुधाय च सुघ्न्वने च नमः सृत्याय च पथ्याय च नमः काठ्याय च नीप्याय च नमः सूद्याय च सरस्याय च नमो नाद्याय च वैशन्त्याय च नमः कृष्ण्याय चावरट्याय च नमो वर्ष्याय चावरष्याय च नमो मेध्याय च विद्युत्याय च नम इन्द्रियाय चातप्याय च नमो वात्याय च रेभ्याय च नमो वास्तव्याय च वास्तुपाय च || ७ ||

||Namakam||

143

@meenilaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

anuvākah 7

namō dundubhyāya chāhananyāya cha

namō dhrṣṇavē cha pramrśāya cha

namō dūtāya cha prahitāya cha

namō niśaṅginē chēṣudhimatē cha

namāstīkṣṇēṣavē chāyudhinē cha

namā-svāyudhāyā cha suḍhanvanē cha

nama-ssrutyāya cha pathyāya cha

namaḥ kāṭyāya cha nīpyāya cha

nama-ssūdhyāya cha sarasyāya cha

namō nādyāya cha vaisantāya cha

namaḥ kūpyāya chāvatyāya cha

namō varṣyāya chāvarṣyāya chāya

namō mēghyāya cha vidyutyāya cha

nama īḍhriyāya chātapyāya cha

namō vātyāya cha rēṣmiyāya cha

namō vāstavayāya cha vāstupāya cha || 7 ||

||Namakam||

144

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

|| Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

In 7th Anuvāka, there are 16 Yajus which are all together deemed as one mantra.

नमों दन्दुभ्याय चाहनन्याय च

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the kettle drums and Who is in the sticks that beat the drums, may my obeisance be!

(दुन्दुभ्याय च dundubhyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the kettle drums and, (आहनन्याय च āhananyāya ca) Who is in the sticks that beat the drums, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 7.1, Śrī Rudra is worshipped as the root of all sounds, i.e. 'Veda-mūlam' and also the sound itself. This is indicated by seeing the Lord in the kettle-drums and the sticks that beat the drums causing the majestic sound.

नमों धृष्णवे च प्रमृष्णाय च

To Lord Parameśwara, Who never backs away from the battle-field, and Whose knowledge of the field and those in the field are superior, may my obeisance be!

|| Namakam ||

145

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमों दूतायं च प्रहिताय च

namō dūtāyà ca prahitāya ca (Yajus 7.3)

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमस्ती᳕᳒ष᳒वे चाय᳒धिने च

namástīkṣṇéṣáve cāyudhiné ca (Yajus 7.5)

(ती᳕᳒ष᳒पवे च tīkṣṇéṣavē) To the Lord Who hath sharp shafts and, (चाय᳒धिने च āyudhinē ca) weapons, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord's weapons are sharp and this is recalled again and again, as the devotee is worshiping those weapons, seeking their powers to be used only for his protection, rather than hurt.

For that reasons, the devotee sees Lords Weapons as supremely virtuous.

नमः स्वाय᳒धाय च स᳒धन्वने च

namáḥ svāyudhāyā̀ ca sudhanvánē ca (Yajus 7.6)

(स्वाय᳒धाय᳴ च svāyudhāyā̀ ca) To the Lord Who has supremely virtuous weapons and, (स᳒धन्वने च sudhanvanē ca) Who holds excellent bow, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

148 || Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

The sharp weapons of the Lord are supreme in nature, as those are meant for the divine purposes, to disperse Karma-phala and to ward-off the evil in the world and to sustain righteousness.

The Bow of Lord is specially mentioned again in this Yajus 7.6.

नमः सृत्याय च पथ्याय च

namaḥ srutyāya ca pathyāya ca (Yajus 7.7)

(सृत्याय च srutyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the narrow path and, (पथ्याय च pathyāya ca) Who is in the wider roads, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

This Yajus 7.7 adores Lord Paramēśwara as the unique, single-track towards the Truth, the ultimate realization of the Self with Īśvara. At the same time, Lord Paramēśwara is also in the broadest road that allows many chariots of different sizes to go.

Many are the ways to pursue spiritual progress and thus many are the vehicles or approaches in its pursuit. So all religions and their moral ways of leading life on the earth are deemed virtuous, as long as those are embellished in divinity.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

149

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

However, in this Yajus, we contemplate upon the inevitability of all such broad-ways to merge into one solitary track of 'Ātma-Jnānam' as the last mile to reach the Truth, the Oneness with Lord!

नमः काठ्याय च नीप्याय च

namáḥ kāṭyāya ca nīpyāya ca (Yajus 7.8)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in small pools of water, and Who is in majestic waterfalls, may my obeisance be!

(काठ्याय च kāṭyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in small pools and, (नीप्याय च nīpyāya ca) Who is in giant waterfalls, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Following the context of previous Yajus, in this Yajus 7.8, the devotee is looking at the water-ways in his contemplation, and adores the divinity in those water-ways, irrespective of their size and quality.

नमः सध्र्याय च सरस्याय च

namáḥ sūdyāya ca sarasyāya ca (Yajus 7.9)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in marshy ferns and muddy pools, and Who is in great lakes, may my obeisance be!

|| Namakam || 150 || Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(सूद्याय च sūdyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in marshy ferns and muddy pools

and, (सरस्याय च sarasyā̀ya ca) Who is in grate lakes, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

The glory of Lord is seen even in muddy waters as well as in teh great lakes of tranquil waters.

नमों नद्यायं च वैशन्तायं च

namo nādyā̀ya ca vaiśantā̀ya ca (Yajus 7.10)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the river-flow and in the still mountain tarns, may my obeisance be!

(नद्याय च nādyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the flow of rivers and,

(वैशन्ताय vaiśantāya ca) Who is in the mountain tarns (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

नमः कूप्याय चावट्याय च

namaḥ kūpyā̀ya cāvatyā̀ya ca (Yajus 7.11)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the wells, and Who is in the pits, may my obeisance be!

(कूप्याय च kūpyā̀ya ca ) To the Lord Who is in the wells, and, (आवट्याय च āvatyā̀ya ca) Who is in the pits, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

151 || Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमो वष्याय चावष्याय च

namō varṣyāya cāvarṣyāyā́ ca (Yajus 7.12)

(वष्याय च varṣyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the rain water and, (अवष्याय च avarṣyāyā́ ca) Who is in arid place of no rain, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In these Yajus (7.8 to 7.12), the devotee is adoring the divinity in many different forms of water - in marshy land, muddy pool, water fall, wells, pits, flowing rivers, still tarns on the hills, rains etc., and in this Yajus 7.12, the devotee also looks at the arid places where there is no rain and therefore no water, yet with divinity as life-forms do exist there too.

नमो मेघ्याय च विद्युत्याय च

namō mēghyā́ya ca vidyutyā́ya ca (Yajus 7.13)

(मेघ्याय च mēghyā́ya ca) To the Lord Who is in the clouds and, (विद्युत्याय च vidyutyā́ya ca) Who is in the lightning, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

||Namakam||

152 ||Anuvākam 07||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

Now the devotee contemplates at the source of the water, the life-granting elixir. Rain water is dispersed by the clouds and therefore, in the clouds he sees the Lord. The glittering lightnings that tear the clouds and pour the rain are also the form of Śri Rudra and therefore, the devotee meditates on these powers of nature as Lord Parameśwara Himself.

नमं इᳫध्रियाय चातᳫप्याय च

namā idhriyāya cātapyāya ca (Yajus 7.14)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the luminous rain bearing clouds and Who is in the Sun shine, may my obeisance be!

(ईᳫध्रियाय च īdhriyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the rain-clouds shined by the rays of the Sun, (तᳫप्याय च ātapyāya ca) Who is in the glowing shine of Sun (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In the previous Yajus 7.13, the devotee adored the Lord as the divinity in the rain-bearing dark cloud and the lightnings, in this Yajus 7.14, he views the luminous silver cloud that is pregnant with water and shining in the bright sunlight as Lord Parameśwara.

It is the light of the Sun that drives the clouds to draw the water from the ocean and make those to move over different part of the land to outpour their contents. The devotee focuses on the light of the Sun as the grace bestowing Lord Parameśwara.

|| Namakam ||

153

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो वात्योँय च रेप्नियाय च

namō vātyā̃ya ca rēṣmiyāya ca (Yajus 7.15)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the wind that brings the rainy clouds and Who is in the power of wind that brings hails and storms, may my obeisance be!

(वात्याय च vātyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the winds that blow along with the raining-clouds, and, (रेप्नियाय च rēṣmiyāya ca) Who is in the power of wind that accompany the hail and storm, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The Sun light powers the wind which in turn directs the rain-bearing clouds to pour the rain. The power of wind is such that, while directing the raining-cloud for gentle pour, it could also accompany the hail and storms. In the power of the wind is Śri Rudra, as the devotee contemplates on the glory of Lord Parameśwara in this Yajus 7.15.

नमो वास्तव्याय च वास्तुपाय च॥

namō vāstavyãya ca vāstu pāyá ca|| (Yajus 7.16)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is the goodness in all that is good, and Who is the protector of our wealth, may my obeisance be!

(वास्तव्याय च vāstavyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the objects of wealth and, (वास्तु पाय च vāstu pāya ca) Who is the lord of nourishing and protecting the wealth, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam ||

154 || Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In this last Yajus 7.16, the devotee sees the grace bestowing Lord present in all objects of wealth that we all seek. Wealth that the Rain creates, and by implication, all natural wealth that we consume and enjoy are divine as those are embellished in Lord's grace. Therefore, Lord Parameśwara is the authority and the guardian for all objects of wealth, for their nourishment and protection.

|| Namakam ||

155

|| Anuvākam 07 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends

the 7th Anuvākam of Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 16 Yajus.

||Namakam||

156

||Anuvākam 07||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||Namakam|| 157 || Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

158

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ८

नमः सोमाय च रुद्राय च

नमस्ताम्राय चारुणाय च

नमः शङ्गाय च पशुपतये च

नम उग्राय च भीमाय च

नमो अग्निवद्भ्यो च दूर्वाधाय च

नमो दूताय च हनीयेसे च

नमो वृक्षेभ्यो हरिकेशेभ्यो

नमस्ताराय

नमश्शम्भवे च मयोभवे च

नमः शङ्कराय च मयस्कराय च

नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च

नमस्तीर्थ्याय च कुळ्याय च

नमः पौर्याय चावर्याय च

नमः पूतरणाय चोत्तरणाय च

नम आतार्याय चालाद्याय च

नमः शष्प्याय च फेन्याय च

नमः सिकत्याय च प्रवाह्याय च || ८ ||

||Namakam||

159

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

anuvākah 8

nama-ssōmāya cha rudrāyā cha

namāstāṃryāya chārurṇāyā cha

namā-śśaṅgāyā cha paśupatāyē cha

namā ugrāyā cha bhīMāyā cha

namō agrevadhāyā cha dūrevadhāyā cha

namō hantre cha hanīyasē cha

namō vrkṣēbhyaḥ harikēśebhyaḥ

namāstāraya

namāśśambhavē cha mayōbhavē cha

namā-śśaṅkarāyā cha mayaskarāyā cha

namā-śśivāyā cha śivatārāya cha

namastīrthyāya cha kūlyāya cha

namáḥ pāryāya chāvāryāya cha

namáḥ prataráṇāya chōttaraṇāya cha

namá ātāryāya chālādhyāyā cha

namā-śśaspyāya cha pheṇyāya cha

namā-ssikatyaāya cha pravāhyāya cha || 8 ||

||Namakam||

160

@meenalaya

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

|| Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 8 ||

नमः सोमाय च रुद्राय च

namaḥ sōmāya ca rudrāyā ca (Yajus 8.1)

To Lord Parameswara, Who is with His divine escort Uma, and Who is in the form of Śri Rudra, the destroyer of grief, may my obeisance be!

(सोमाय च sōMāyā ca) To the Lord Who is with His consort Uma and, (रुद्राय च rudrāya ca) Who is Śri Rudran, the annihilator of misery, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

This 8th Anuvākam is of significance as it contains the Mahā-Mantra, ‘Namah Śivāya’. Sir Rudram being at the centre of the Vedas (in the middle of Yajur Veda), and this 8th Anuvākam appears as the heart of the Vedas. At the centre of the heart is the Śiva Panchāksharam, making this 8th Anuvākam more special.

Appearing with Mother Uma, Lord Parameswara is the ‘Jagad-pitā’, the father of the Universe and together, the divine parents nourish and protects all with their compassion.

The divine name ‘Uma’ is ‘Aum’, the ‘Pranava’, the eloquence of the divine silence of Lord Parameswara. Śri Lalithā Sahsranāma adores Mother Pārvati as ‘vimarsa-rūpini’, the One Who elucidates the Lord Parameswara, Who is the essence of ‘Brahma-jnānam’, the lustre of Which cut asunder the darkness of nescience, the root cause of Samsāra.

|| Namakam ||

161

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः उग्राय च भीमाय च

namā ugrāyā ca bhīMāyā ca (Yajus 8.4)

(उग्राय च ugrāya ca) To the Lord Who is supremely benevolent (as well as) fierce to enemies, and (भीमाय च bhīMāyā ca) Who strikes terror, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 8.4, the devotee sees Lord Paramēśwara as both supremely compassionate as well as fierce, bringing the vision of both 'ághōra' and 'ghōra'.

The term 'ugrā' means both: One who is superior in all aspects, as well as One who is fierce. By the term 'bhīmā', His awesome and formidable powers are indicated.

नमोऽग्रेवधाय च दूरेवधाय च

namō agrēvadhāyā ca dūrēvadhāyā ca (Yajus 8.5)

|| Namakam ||

164

@meenalaya

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(अग्रेवधाय च agrēvadhāya ca) To the Lord Who destroys the enemies in front,

and (दूरेवधाय च dūrēvadhāya ca) Who destroys the enemies who are far and remote, (नमः namahaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

For this Yajus 8.5, the commentators refer to Śri Rudra as the 'Samhāra-murthi' who fronts all annihilation, by citing from Mahabharata, in which Lord Krishna imparts the knowledge about Śri Rudra to Arjuna. In the battle-field, Śri Rudra appeared as the luminous figure that preceded each dart that Arjuna had fired. Lord Krishna showed Arjuna this, and reminded him it was Śri Rudra Who is the sole authority of death, as He is the One who frees from all embodiments,

In the pursuit for freedom, the spiritual aspirant faces many impediments both direct and indirect, both near and far. Such impediments, both gross and subtle in nature are to be controlled and vanquished. The discerning intellect, the dispassion, the devotion and all such virtues which are the protective armour needed for the spiritual aspirant are bestowed by the Lord. That is why, the Lord Himself is in the front to defend us and defeat our enemies, thereby freeing us to serenely pursue the divine goal for salvation.

नमो हन्त्रे च हननीयसे च

namō hantrē ca hanīyasē ca (Yajus 8.6)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who destroys the enemies (impediments to spiritual progress) that are driven by vain ego, and Who destroys (impediments to spiritual progress) that are driven by hatred, neglect and evil tendencies, may my obeisance be!

|| Namakam ||

165

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(हन्त्रे च hantrê ca) To the Lord Who destroys the impediments caused by vain ego and (हनीयसे च hanīyasē ca) Who destroys the impediments caused by hatred and evil tendencies, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The enemies of the devotees who are destroyed by Lord, is further qualified in this Yajus 8.6.

With the term 'hanta', the enemy is indicated as 'ahamkāra'.

The vanity of vain ego is a terrible source that causes all sorts of problems to Oneself and to others. Those driven by such vanity, irrespective of their knowledge and wealth, end up in darkness as they cause harm to all. Commentators give the example of Rāvana, born to a pious brahmin, who grew up to be a great scholar of Vedas and ardent devotee of Lord Parameśwara yet failed miserably owing to his vain ego and ego-driven evil deeds.

With the 'hanīyasē', yet another form of enemy is indicated.

It is due to 'mamakāra', which gives rise to 'dvesha' or hatred and associated evil-tendencies. Such bad qualities may habitat even in the hearts of the learned, if they do not take care of curtailing the source of grief, 'Avidya'. An example often cited is the case of 'Daksha' who, in spite of his great knowledge and deeds on Vedic rituals, drew the wrath of Lord, culminating in his annihilation.

We infer, therefore from this Yajus, surrendering to Śri Rudra and reciting Śri Rudram grants us the relief from these two enemies, "ahamkāra" and 'mamakāra'.

|| Namakam || 166 || Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रशः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमों वृक्षेभ्यो हरिकेशेभ्यो

namō vṛkṣēbhyō harikēśēbhyō (Yajus 8.7)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the form of tress and of hair that are lush green, may my obeisance be!

(वृक्षेभ्य: vṛkṣēbhyah) To the Lord Who is in the form of trees and (हरिकेशेभ्य: harikēśēbhyah) Whose hair is lush green (of the trees), (नम: namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

This Yajus 8.7 brings the same idea given in the Yajus 2.1.

To the devotee, who is able to see divinity in all, the lush green trees are all representing only the Lord. The indwelling Lord therefore looks like having the head full of green leaves. Is not the head of Lord Parameśwara holds the mighty Ganga, the source of water, the life-giving elixir!

Trees are like silent mothers, nurturing so many creatures by offering shelter, shade and food with their blossoms and fruits, exactly as the Lord offers the refuge to all creatures at His divine feet. The devotee has been adoring the Lord for His various hues, like the copper-red, orange white, gold etc. in the previous mantra.

Here green colour is attributed to Lord's hair, to trigger contemplation of the divinity of fertile land and the booming vegetation.

|| Namakam ||

167

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमस्ताराय

namástārāyā (Yajus 8.8)

(ताराय tārāyaḥ) To the Lord Who is Pranava, the primordial sound, the ferry that carries the Jīvā to transcend the ocean of Samsāra, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 8.8, Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped as the 'Pranava' the primordial sound from which all manifests and in which all subsides. The commentators take the word 'tārāyaḥ' to imply 'Omkārā', in addition to the 'tāraka mantra', which is uttered by Śrī Rudra into the ears of the disembodied Jīvā, to escape the entrapment of Samsāra.

नमश्शंभवे च मयोभवे च

namáśśaṃbhavē ca mayōbhavē ca (Yajus 8.9)

(शंभवे च śaṃbhavē ca) To the Lord Who is source for all happiness in life-here and, (मयोभवे च mayōbhavē ca) Who is source for all happiness in life-here-in-after, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam || 168 || Anuvākam 08 ||

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

After worshipping the Lord as the Pranava and the grace granting 'Mukti' in the previous Yajus, in this Yajus 8.9, the devotee asserts that for the Jīvā, who are not yet ready for the absolute redemption and still need to have embodied lives here and here-in-after, can secure happiness and peace by surrendering to Lord Paraméśwara because He is the source of all happiness, at all times!

नमः शङ्कराय च मयस्कराय च

namáḥ śaṅkarāyā ca mayaskarāyā ca (Yajus 8.10)

To Lord Paraméśwara, Who is in the form of Parents, gives peace by the cessation of miseries and Who grants peace by the generation of happiness, may my obeisance be!

(शङ्कराय च śaṅkarāya ca) To the Lord Who, as our parent, gives peace by the cessation of miseries and (मयस्कराय च mayaskarāya ca) Who gives peace by the generation of happiness, (नमः namaha) are our prostrations!

Note:

The root 'śam' in the name 'śaṅkarā' means end of miseries and therefore peace and happiness. So, by the very name 'śaṅkarā', Lord is our Parent, as the solace for our miseries and the source of joy.

The root 'mayo' in the name 'mayaskarāyā' means the abundance of positive happiness. Here the happiness is not because of the cessation of miseries but joy.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Therefore, the Yajus is not repeating the same idea but a more powerful one. Taken together, the devotee prays to Lord Paramēśwara as the source of all happiness, cure for all miseries and in that way, reconfirming the import of Yajus 8.8 and 8.9, as the Lord who bestows happiness in life here and here-in-after as well as eternal liberation.

नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च

namaḥ śivāya ca śivatārāya ca (Yajus 8.11)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is the auspicious One, and Who is Who is the most auspicious, bestowing more auspiciousness than all other forms of gods, may my obeisance be!

(शिवाय च śivāya ca) To the Lord Who is the auspicious, and (शिवतराय च śivatārāya ca) Who is more auspicious than all, (नमः namahaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

This Yajus 8.11 is seen as the heart of Śri Rudram, giving the core of all its teaching. The commentator Abhinava Śankara says that this Yajus is the sum and substance of all the Upanishads and this is the greatest Mahāmantra, the central gem of the Rudropaniśad.

A beautiful stōtra) says that among all Vidyas or learning, the Vedas are supreme and, in the Vedas, the eleven Anuvākams of Rudropaniśad are supreme; and within, is the Panchākshari, 'Namah Śivaya' which is supreme; in that the two syllable ' Śiva' is the most supreme, which is known as 'Jeevarathnam' or the gem of life, as quoted by Śrī Śrī Mahā Periyavāl of Śrī Kānchi Kāmakoti Peetam.

॥Namakam॥

॥Anuvākam 08॥

170

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

The word 'Śiva' comes in many places in the Vedas. Wherever and whenever the word 'Śiva' is used, it denotes 'auspiciousness' only. Therefore, auspiciousness in various measures may be attained by various ways, but the supreme auspiciousness, upon which nothing else to be attained or realized is only by the grace of Lord Parameśwara.

That is why in this Yajus, there is a second name of adoration, 'śivatárāya', the One Who is the most auspicious, bestowing more auspiciousness than all other (forms of gods).

नमस्तीर्थ्याय च कूल्याय च

namastīrthyāya ca kūlyāya ca (Yajus 8.12)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is forever present in the holy places and at the banks of holy rivers, may my obeisance be!

(तीर्थ्याय च tīrthyāya ca) To the Lord Who is ever present in the holy rivers, holy places, and (कूल्याय च kūlyāya ca) Who is at the banks of the holy rivers, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 8.12, the devotee adores Lord Parameśwara, as the divinity present in the holy rivers, holy river banks and such holy places.

Rivers are always worshiped as they nourish all and also takes away the blemishes. Whoever reaches the bank of the river, get their blemishes washed as they enter. Samsāra is like the flowing water as it carries all our good and bad to merge with the ocean of bliss, ultimately.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

171

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमः पार्याय चावार्याय च

namāḥ pāryāya cāvāryāya ca (Yajus 8.13)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the near side of the river-bank, and Who is at the far-side of the river-bank, may my obeisance be!

(पार्याय च pāryāya ca) To the Lord Who is on the far-side of the river-bank, and (वार्याय च vāryāya ca) Who is on the near-side of the river-bank, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 8.13, the context of previous Yajus 8.12 is continued.

The devotee sees the Lord at all holy places, and at the gateways, the river-banks, of such divine sites. A river has two banks, one near-side and the other on the far-side or the opposite side. In which side of the shore does the Lord wait for the devotee? After the hard journey, if the devotee reaches the shore of the river that is opposite to where the Lord is, he would be upset. This fear is removed in this Yajus.

Lord is on both sides of the river-banks. Obviously, the near-side is easier to reach and the near-side is where we all normally dwell. Therefore, Lord is amongst us, near us, as the Divine force to steer our life of 'pravṛtti-mārga' or worldly-life. The far-side is beautiful, but it requires some hardship on our part to reach as the far-side represents the 'nivṛtti-mārga', the life-style of absolute renunciation.

At either banks we have the grace of Lord Paramēśwara, and therefore no matter what our chosen life-style be, surely we can attain the grace of the Lord!. This is comforting import from this mantra.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

174

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः प्रतराणाय चोत्तराणाय च

namāḥ pratarāṇāya cōttarāṇāya ca (Yajus 8.14)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the form of Vedic mantras and worships that help to surpass the Karma-phala, and Who is in the form of supreme knowledge of the Brahmam that helps to transcend the ocean of Samsāra, may my obeisance be!

(प्रतराणाय च prataranāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the form of Veda mantras that help to transcend the river of Karma-Phala, and (उत्तराणाय च uttaraṇāya ca) Who is in the form of supreme knowledge to transcend the ocean of Samsāra, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The Lord awaits on both sides of the river-banks, as told in the previous Yajus 8.13. If we consider, the near-side of the 'Jīvā-nadhi', where we dwell in this life of Karma, then His presence in the near-side shore is in the form of remedial mantras and rituals that are in the Vedas.

By following the prescribed rituals, worships and recitation of mantras, we get salvation from the clutches of Karma, slowly but surely, enabling us to perform our Karmas as Karma-Yoga. As we have seen before, only by doing every actin as a Karma-Yoga, we get the liberation from the clutches of Karma, and the qualification to seek liberation. This is the goal that we must seek first as the attainment of such pure mind and focused intellect. Then we can start to attract the Lord Who awaits in the far-end of the river-bank. This we do easily as we are able to swim across the river, without drowning in its tides and whirlpools of Karma. On the far-end, the Lord awaits to grants us the Jnānam, the supreme knowledge about Ātma, and the ultimate import of the Veda Mahā-Vākyam 'aham brahmāsmi'.

|| Namakam ||

175

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नम॑ आतार्याय चालयद्याय च

namá ātāryā̀ya cālādyā̀ya ca (Yajus 8.15)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is comes again again into the world (to protect the Jīvā who suffer in the Samsāra) and Who is the witness to the consumption of Karma-Phala (of the Jīvā, in which the Lord indwells), may my obeisance be!

(आतार्याय च आतार्याया ca) To the Lord Who comes again and again and (अलाद्याय च alādyāya ca) Who consumes the Kama-Phala, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The literal meaning of the Yajus 8.15, on its own may mislead as it says, that the Lord is born again and again and is subjected to the joy and miseries of the embodied life. But if we interpret with the context of the previous four Yajus, a comforting meaning is available for our contemplation.

For the Jīvā, Who is able to cross the river of Karmas and reach the far-side of the shore and surrender to the awaiting Lord, 'mukti' is the reward. Liberation means, the Jīvā attains the Oneness with the Lord and there is no duality and all the associated anxieties and grief.

But what about others, who are not able to reach the other shore! What about those who do not even reach the near-shore and surrender to the awaiting-Lord! When thy die, and come back to the world again, is there a recourse!

Yes, says this Yajus. It is because, Lord is also 'born' again to meet us in every birth that we take. As the 'Jīvā-nadhi' is perpetual, so are its shores and so is the divinity at its shores. If we miss the opportunity to pursue and attain spiritual progress, there is always another life and another opportunity! The more intense

|| Namakam ||

176

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenakaya

||Namakam||

179

|| Anuvākam 08 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends

the 8th Anuvākam of Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 17 Yajus.

||Namakam||

180

||Anuvākam 08||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||Namakam||

181

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

182

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ९

नमः इरिण्याय च प्रपथ्याय च

नमः किङ्किराय च क्षयणाय च

नमः कपर्दिने च पुलस्त्याय च

नमो गोष्ट्र्याय च गृह्याय च

नमस्तलप्याय च गेह्याय च

नमः काठ्याय च गह्वरेष्ट्याय च

नमौ हृद्याय च निवेष्याय च

नमः पांर् सव्याय च रजस्याय च

नमः शुष्क्याय च हरित्याय च

नमो लोण्याय चोलुप्याय च

नमं ऊर्व्याय च सूम्र्याय च

नमः पूण्याय च पर्णशद्याय च

नमोऽपगुरुमाणाय चाभिघ्रते च

नमं आखिखदते चं प्रखिखदते च

नमौ वः किरिकस्यो देवानागमूर्ं हृदयेभ्यो

नमो विक्षिणकेभ्यो नमो विचिन्वत्केभ्यो

नमं आनिर्हतेभ्यो नमं आमीवृत्केभ्यः: || 9 ||

|| Namakam ||

183

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

anuvākah 9

namā irinyāya cha prapathyāya cha

namaḥ kigṃśilāya cha kṣayāṇāya cha

namaḥ kapardinē cha pulastayē cha

namō gōṣṭhyāya chā grhyāya chā

namastalpyāya chā gēhyāya chā

namaḥ kātyāya cha gahvarēṣṭhāya chā

namō hradayyāya cha nivēṣpyāya chā

namaḥ pāgṃ savyāya cha rajasyāya chā

namā-śśuṣkyāya cha harityāya chā

namō lōpyāya chōlapyāya chā

namā ūrvyāya cha sūrmyāya chā

namaḥ parṇyāya cha parṇaśadyāya chā

namō-'pagurumāṇāya chābhighṇatē chā

namā akhkhiḍatē cha prakhkhiḍatē chā

namō vaḥ kirikēbhyō dēvānāgṃ hrdāyēbhyō

namō viksīṇakēbhyō namō vichinvatkēbhyō

namā ānir hatēbhyō namā āmīvatkēbhyáḥ || 9 ||

||Namakam||

184

||Anuvākam 09||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 9 ||

The 9th Anuvāka consists of 19 Yajus constituting the last 35 divine names of Śri Rudra Trisathi. Learned have instructed that the first 12 Yajus of this Anuvāka to be considered as one group as a mantra and the rest, from 13 to 19 as another.

नमं इरिण्याय च प्रपथ्याय च

namá iriṇyāya ca prapathyāya ca (Yajus 9.1)

(इरिण्याय च irinyāya ca) To the Lord Who abides in saline tracts and (प्रपथ्याय च prapathyāya ca) Who is in the untrodden pathways, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The compassionate and peaceful Lord, Who awaits the devotees at the holy river-banks and holy places, as told in the 8th Anuvāka, is now augured with a different perspective.

He is also in the form of untrodden saline tracts and difficult pathways. This is to further develop the devotee's spiritual progress, and prepares him to cope with all walks of life, seeing only the divinity in all.

|| Namakam || 185 || Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमः कि᳒शिलाय च क्षयणाय च

namāḥ kigm̌śilāyā ca kṣayāṇāya ca (Yajus 9.2)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the rocky and unhabitable places and Who is the comfortable and habitable places, may my obeisance be!

(किग्मशिलाय च kigm̌śilāyā ca) To the Lord Who is in rocky and unhabitable tracts and (क्षयणाय च kṣayaṇāya ca) Who is in the comfortable and habitable places, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In Yajus 9.2, the devotee see the Lord in places that are rough, filled with rocks of and generally unhabitable.

For the term ‘kigm̌śilāya’, the commentators imply both uneven rocks as well as gems-like rocks yet indistinguishable from the stones. Life is like that, as it brings so many challenges, both and good and bad, as ordeals and opportunities and we have to deal with those. It is generally difficult for us to know if an ordeal or a challenge is an opportunity or a threat. Yet we need to cope with those, respect the situations, as in those too, is the divine presence of the Lord.

We normally think of God only when we face challenges or misery. When our life is comfortable, like living in a habitable and convenient place, we don’t normally seek the intervention of God. Why see a doctor when we are doing well is our attitude. But this Yajus reminds us that both in comfortable and miserable conditions of life, God should be in all our thoughts, deeds and words as is His grace that fills all.

|| Namakam || 186 || Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमः कपर्दिने च पुलस्तयें च

namaḥ kapardinē ca pulastayē ca (Yajus 9.3)

(कपर्दिने च kapardinē ca) To the Lord Who binds His matted locks like a crown and (पुलस्तये च pulastayē ca) Who appears in front of the devotees with the freely flowing hair, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara Who is majestic with His matted locks that are tied into an elegant tiara, sometimes appears playfully with His wavy and curly hair freely flowing. The devotee thus sees the Lord for both His formal majesty and great condescension, as He is both formal and informal to our approach.

नमो गोष्ट्याय च गृह्याय च

namō gōṣṭhyāya ca grhyāya ca (Yajus 9.4)

(गोष्ठ्याय च gōṣṭhyāya ca) To the Lord Who resides in the cattle-barn where cows are kept and ( गृह्याय च grhyāya ca) Who resides in the homesteads, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

|| Namakam || 187 || Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Note:

No matter, what the place is, Lord Parameśwara is there. As He is the indwelling light in all, He is in the nests, caves, barns, yards and households alike.

नमस्तलप्याय च गेह्याय च

namaḥtalpyāya ca gēhyāya ca (Yajus 9.5)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who rests in the sofa-bed and Who dwells in high-raised residence, may my obeisance be!

(तल्प्याय च talpyāya ca) To the Lord Who rests in the sofa and (गेह्याय च gēhyāya ca) Who resides in high-towered residence, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.5, the devotee sees divinity in the comforts of living, be it the pleasures of sofa or the residence at homes of tall structures.

नमः कृत्याय च गहरेष्ठाय च

namaḥ kātyāya ca gahvarēṣṭhāyá ca (Yajus 9.6)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who rests in the sofa-bed and Who dwells in high-raised residence, may my obeisance be!

|| Namakam || 188 || Anuvākam 09 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

(काठ्याय च kāṭyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the thorny and impenetrable woods, and ( गह्वरेष्ठाय च gahvarēṣṭhāya ca) Who is in inaccessible mountain-caves, (नमः namahaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.6, the devotee sees the pathway to reach the Lord may be in the impenetrable forest and inaccessible cave. Veda is compared to forest for its dense content and not so easily understandable text of esoteric knowledge. As the core of Veda is the Lord, to reach Him through the study and understanding of Vedic texts and performing the rituals, is like trying to navigate in the vast forest of impenetrable woods. Lord is also indwelling within every being. So, the devotee thinks, instead of searching through the 'Veda-Āranyam', why not seek through the caves of the mountains, the cave being the depth of devotee's heart. That proves to be a challenge too, as the cave is so deep and dark, and whenever the devotee tries to enter, the impediments of desires and the 'vritti' or thoughts rise to inhibit progress. This, Yajus 9.6 leads the devotee to contemplate upon the need of Guru and His guidance that shed the light of knowledge to steer.

नमो हृद्याय च निवेष्याय च

namō hṛdayyāya ca nivēṣpyāya ca (Yajus 9.7)

To Lord Paramēśwara, Who is in the deep waters and Who is in the dew drops, may my obeisance be!

(हृद्याय च hṛdayyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the deep waters, and ( निवेष्याय च nivēṣpyāya ca) Who is in the dew drops, (नमः namahaḥ) are our prostrations!

॥ Namakam ॥

189

॥ Anuvākam 09 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

The devotee continues to adore the pervasiveness of the Lord. He sees the Lord in the waters of the deep cave. Continuing the context of previous Yajus, the devotee when he penetrates the dense woods and the deep caves, he sees the unspoilt, still water that is deep.

The deep water that is calm and not stirred is the pure mind, without blemish, upon which the devotee is able to see his true self, resolving his quest for knowing who really, he is. That eternal water, serene and deep is the place of Lord.

The devotee also sees the same divinity in a miniscule dew-drop. Momentary for its existence, yet reflecting the whole world within its bubble of light, a dew-drop is also the residence of the Lord, in the view of virtuous devotee.

नमः पांङ् सव्याय च रजस्याय च

namāḥ pāgṃ savyāya ca rajasyāya ca (Yajus 9.8)

(पांङ् सव्याय च pāgṃ savyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the subtle particle of dust, and ( रजस्याय च rajasyāya ca) Who is in the gross particle of dust, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

Lord Parameśwara is beyond all dimensions as He is omnipresent, yet at His will of manifestations, He is in every minute particle of the Universe. The devotee

|| Namakam ||

190

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

therefore adores, every dust particle that he can sense as gross form as divine, and worships the subtle nature of the Lord Who is in everything that is sub-atomic level, beyond all common as well scientific scrutiny.

नमः शुष्क्याय च हरित्याय च

namah śuṣkyāya ca harityāya ca (Yajus 9.9)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the dried leaves and woods and Who is in the green fertile things, may my obeisance be!

(शुष्क्याय च शुष्क्याया च) To the Lord Who is in the dried things, and (हरित्याय च harityāya ca) Who is in the green or fertile things, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.9, the devotee sees the Lord both in the lush green leaves and such fertile things as well in the dried leaves and woods that are no more capable of fruition. The keen aspirant contemplates on this Yajus as it refers to both 'Pravṛtti-mārga', the life style of worldly pursuits and 'Nivṛtti-mārga', the life style of renunciation.

In both paths, God is the centre and His divinity is the driver.

|| Namakam ||

191

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नमो लोपीयाय चोलपीयाय च

namō lōpyāya cōlapyāya ca (Yajus 9.10)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the arid land that sustains no vegetation and Who is in the few sparse and coarse grasses, may my obeisance be!

(लोपीयाय च लोपीयाय ca) To the Lord Who is in the arid land and (उलपीयाय च ulapyāya ca) Who is in the coarse and sparse grasses, (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.10, the devotee adores the Lord for His divinity that is present even at the arid places of no vegetations. The desert too is divine. In such harsh places, one could see the coarse grasses here and there, sustaining life! In them too, the devotee sees the Lord.

Thus, without the grace of Lord, no life can exist and even where there is no conceivable life, there is God! Is not our vain search so far, for life in other planets giving the most awe-inspiring views and utter submission of our efforts to the unseen divinity!

नम ऊर्व्याय च सूर्म्याय च

namā ūrvyāya ca sūrmyāya ca (Yajus 9.11)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the land and Who is in the water, may my obeisance be!

||Namakam||

192

||Anuvākam 09||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(ऊर्व्याय च ūrvyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the earth, and (सूर्याय च sūrmyāya ca) Who is in the fair waves, (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.11, the devotee worships the Lord as the divinity filling the land as well as the water. Perhaps, the devotee's contemplation is moving towards seeing the Lord in the 'panca-bhūta', the five natural elements.

In this Yajus, the devotee see the Lord both in the land and the water, the two of the five elements.

नमः पर्ण्याय च पर्णशद्याय च

namàḥ parṇyāya ca parṇaśadyāya ca (Yajus 9.12)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is in the pile of green leaves and Who is in the pile of dried leaves, may my obeisance be!

(पर्ण्याय च parnyāya ca) To the Lord Who is in the pile of green leaves, and (पर्णशद्याय च parṇaśadyāya ca) Who is in the pile of dried leaves (नमः namaḥ) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.12, the devotee recalls again the divinity that is present in the pile of green leaves as well as in the pile of dried-leaves. Both piles represent different states of the leaves and their different potencies. Yet, both are sustained by the constituent particles that made them, which in turn is the incomprehensible divinity - shall we call the 'God-Particle'!

|| Namakam ||

193 || Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Perhaps this Yajus fits after 9.9, logically to support our limited interpretation, nevertheless lends itself for our contemplation.

नमोऽपगुरमाणाय चाभिघ्नते च

namō’paguramāṇāya cābhighnatē ca (Yajus 9.13)

To Lord Parameśwara, Who commands the army of Rudras who are upholding their weapons, and Who strike at their targets from the front, may my obeisance be!

(अपगुरमाणाय च apaguramāṇāya ca) To the Lord of army of Rudras who are upholding the weapons, and (अभिघ्नते च abhighnatē ca) Who strike from the,

(नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.13, the devotee goes back to the form of Śri Rudra Who rules the army of Rudras in all directions, at all times, holding the weapons of immense grace readily poised, and when required to strike at the target, from the front. We have seen already the purport of Rudra's anger and the weapons. In this Yajus, the key inference is that the devotee accepts the essentiality and the divinity of army of gods at the service of the Lord to protect and nurture the Universal-order. Interesting to note that the attack of Rudra's weapon is always from the front, meaning, that it is not by stealth or trickery that His weapons effect changes in our lives.

Why do we concur to this as we do not know what is coming in the future! Is not all impact to our lives are unexpected and therefore catching us unguarded! It may appear to be only until we learn and accept that what we draw towards us

|| Namakam ||194|| Anuvākam 09 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमो वः किरिकेभ्यो देवानाख़ं हृदयेभ्यो

namō vaḥ kirikēbhyō dēvānāgṁ hṛdāyēbhyō (Yajus 9.15)

(किरीकेभ्यो kirikēbhyō) To those Rudras Who strike at their will, (देवानाख़ं dēvānāgṁ hṛdayēbhyō) Who are known only to gods i.e. beyond our perception (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

In this Yajus 9.15, the devotee pays obeisance to those many invisible forces of Śrī Rudra, who all are beyond human-perception but only known by the gods! This is an important mantra conveying that the Supreme Lord executes His commands through innumerable Rudras as the forces of nature, and therefore oblations and obeisance to all such invisible forces be done by all, at all times.

This includes not only the prayers and rituals as per the Vedas, but also the righteous conduct in our life that nurture harmony and in line with the nature,

नमो विक्षीणकेभ्यो

namō vikśīṇakēbhyō (Yajus 9.16)

||Namakam|| 196 ||Anuvākam 09||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

(किरिकिःभ्यो viksīṇakēbhyō) To those Rudras Who afflict in so many ways + (देवानांगँर्दयेभ्यो dēvānāgṁ hṛdayēbhyō) Who are known only to gods i.e. beyond our perception (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

Note:

The phrase ‘dēvānāgṁ hṛdāyēbhyō’ is applicable to the rest of the Yajus in this Anuvākam, as instructed by the commentators.

नमों विचिन्वत्केभ्यो

namō vicinvatkēbhyō (Yajus 9.17)

(विचिन्वत्केभ्यो vicinvatkēbhyō) To those Rudras Who find and scrutinize all (to bestow equitable grace or afflictions) + (देवानांँ हृदयेभ्यो dēvānāṁṁ hṛdayēbhyō) Who are known only to gods i.e. beyond our perception (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

नमं आनिरहते᳚भ्यो

namā ānirhaṭēbhyō (Yajus 9.18)

॥ Namakam ॥

197

॥ Anuvākam 09 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(आनिऱ्हते᳚भ्यो ānirhatēbhyō) To those Rudras Who administers equitable punishments for the evil-doers + (देवाना᳚गं हृ᳚दये᳚भ्यो dēvānāgḿ hrdayēbhyō) Who are known only to gods i.e. beyond our perception (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

नम॑ आमी॑व॑तके᳚भ्यः॥

namá āmīvátkēbhyáḥ॥ (Yajus 9.19)

To the innumerable Rudras, Who surround and push the evil-doers, and Who are known only by the gods (as they are beyond human-perception) may my obeisance be!

(आमीवतके᳚भ्यः āmīvatkēbhyah) To those Rudras Who surround and put pressure on the evil-doers + (देवाना᳚गं हृ᳚दये᳚भ्यो dēvānāgḿ hrdayēbhyō) Who are known only to gods i.e. beyond our perception (नमः namah) are our prostrations!

||Namakam||

198

||Anuvākam 09||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

199

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends

the 9th Anuvākam, Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 19 Yajus.

||Namakam||

200

|| Anuvākam 09 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||Namakam|| 201 || Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

202

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

अनुवाकः १०

द्रापे॒ अन्यंसस्पते॒ दरिं॒द्रत्री॒लल॒ोहित ।

एषा॑ पुरुषणा॒मेषा॑ प॒शूनां॒ मा भे॒र्मो॒ड॒रो मा ए॒षा॒ कि॒न्नाम॒म॒त् ।

या॒ त॒ꣳ॒ रुद्र॒ शिवा॒ त॒नूः॒ शिवा॒ विश्वा॒ह॒भे॒षजी ।

शिवा॒ रुद्र॒स्य॒ भे॒षजी॒ तया॒ नो॒ मृड॒ जीव॒से॒ ॥

इमाꣳ॑ रु॒द्राय॒ तव॒से॒ क॒प॒र्दिने॒ क्ष॒य॒द्वीराय॑ प्र भ॒राम॒हे म॒तिम् ।

यथा॒ न॒श्शं॒स॒ꣳ॒ह॒प॒दे चतु॒ष्पदे॒ विश्वं॒ पुष्टं॒ ग्रामे॒ अ॒स्मि॒न्न॒न॒त॒र॒म् ।

मृड॒ा नो॒ रु॒द्रोत नो॒ म॒य॒स्कृधि॒ क्ष॒य॒द्वीराय॑ नम॒सा वि॒धे॒म ते ।

यच्च॒ च॒ यो॒ष॒त् म॒नु॒राय॒जे पि॒ता त॒द॒श्य॒म् त॒व॒ रु॒द्र प्रणी॒त॒ौ ।

मा नो॒ महा॒न्त॒म॒त मा नो॒ अ॒र्भकं॒ मा न॒ उ॒क्ष॒न्त॒म॒त मा न॒ उ॒क्षित॒म् ।

मा नो॑ व॒धीः॒ पि॒तरं॒ मोत मा॒तरं॒ प्रि॒या मा न॑स्त॒नू॒वो॒ रु॒द्र री॒रि॒षः ।

मा न॑स्तो॒के त॒न॒ये मा न॒ आयु॒षि मा नो॒ गो॒षु मा नो॒ अश्वे॑षु री॒रि॒षः ।

वी॒रान्मा॒ नो॒ रु॒द्र भा॒मि॒तो॑डव॒धीर॑ह॒विष्म॒तां॒ नम॒सा वि॒धे॒म ते ।

आरा॒त॒ ग॒द्र उत॒ पू॒रुष॒घ्ने॒ क्ष॒य॒द्वीराय॑ सु॒म॒न॒सम्स॒मे ते॒ अस्तु ।

रक्ष॒ा च नो॒ अधि॒ च दे॒व ब्रू॒हि॒ च नः॒ शर्म॒ यच्छ॒ द्वि॒बर॒हा᳚ः ।

स्तु॒हि श्रु॒तं॒ ग॒र्त॒सद॑न्यू॒वानं॒ मु॒ग॒त्रं॒ भी॒म॒मु॒प॒ह॒त॒नु॒मु॒ग्र॒म् ।

मृ॒ड॒ा जी॒रि॒ते रु॒द्र स्तवा॒नो अ॒न्य॒न्त॒म॒स्मि॒न्नि॒प॒तु॒ से॒नाः᳚ ।

परी॑णो॒ रु॒द्र॒स्य॒ हे॒ति॒र॑वृण॒क्तु॒ परि॑ त्वे॒ष॒स्य॒ द॒र्मु॒ति॒र॑ङ्ग॒योः ।

अव॒ स्ति॒रा म॒घव॑द्भ्यः-स्त॒नुष्व॒ मी॒ढुष्टो॒काय॒ त॒न॒याय॒ मृड॒य ।

प॒र॒मे वृ॒क्ष॒ आयु॒धन्नि॒धाय॒ कृ॒त्ति॒व॒सान॒ आ॒चर॒ पि॒नाक॒ं॒ बिभ्र॑द॒ग॒हि ।

मी॒ढुष्ट॒मꣳ॒ शि॒व॒त॒मꣳ॒ शिवो॒ नः॒ सु॒म॒न॒ा भ॒व ।

|| Namakam ||

203

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

विकिरिदु विलोहित नमस्ते अस्तु भगवान् ।

यास्ते सहस्रं हेतयोन्यमस्मत्निवपन्तु ताः ।

सहस्राणि सहस्रधा बाहुवोस्तवं हेतयः ।

तासामीशानो भगवान् पराचीनामुखा कृधि ॥ 10 ॥

@meenalaya 204 || Namakam || || Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

anuvākah 10

drāpē andhásaspatē daridṛannīlālōhita |

ēṣā-mpurúṣāṇāmēṣā-mpáśūnā-mmä bhērmā-'rō mō ēṣā-ñkiñchanāmāmat |

yā té rudra śivā tanūḥ śivā viśvāhābhēṣajī |

śivā rudrásyā bhēṣajī tayā nō mṛḍa jīvásē ||

imāṁ rudrāyá tavasē kapardínē kṣayadvírāyā prabhárāmahē matim |

yathā naśśamasáddvipadē chatúṣpadē viśvá-mpuṣṭa-ñgrāmē asminnānāturam |

mṛḍā nō rudrōta nō mayáskṛdhi kṣayadvírāyā namásā vidhēma tē |

yachCha-ñcha yóścha manúrāyayē pitā tadásyāma tava rudra praṇītáu |

mā nō mahāntámuta mā nō arbhaká-mmā nā ukṣántamutá mā ná ukṣitám |

mā nō-'vadhīḥ pitara-mmōta mātarā-mpriyā mā nāstanuvō rudra rīriṣaḥ |

mā nástōkē tanayē mā na āyúṣi mā nō gōṣu mā nō áśvēṣu rīriṣaḥ |

vīrān-mā nō rudra bhāmitō-'vadhīrhaviṣmaṇtō namásā vidhēma tē |

ārāttē gōghna utá pūruṣaghnē kṣayadvírāyā sumnamasmē tē astu |

rakṣā cha nō adhi cha dēva brūhyathā cha na-śśarmá yachCha dvibárhāḥ |

stuuhi śruta-ñgártasadạṃ yuvānam-mṛganna bhīmámupahántumugram |

mṛḍā jarítrē rúdra stávānō anyántē asmán-nivapantu sēnāḥ |

pariṇō rudrásya hētír-vṛṇaktu pari tvēṣásyá durmatí rághāyōḥ |

avá sthīrā maghávadbhyā-stanuṣvá mīḍhvástōkāyā tanayāya mṛḍaya |

mīḍhuṣṭamaṃ śivátamaṃ śivō nā-śsumanā bhava |

paramē vṛkṣa āyúdhannidhāyā kṛttím vasāná āchára pināka-mbibhradāgáhi |

||Namakam||

205

||Anuvākam 10||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

vikiriḍā vilōhitā namāstē astu bhagavaḥ |

yāstē sahasragṁ hētayōnyāmasmannivāpantu tāḥ |

sahasrāṇi sahasradhā bāhuvōstavā hētayaḥ |

tāsāmiṣāṇō bhagavaḥ parācīnāṁ mukhā kṛdhi || 10 ||

@meenalaya

|| Namakam ||

206

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

|| Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 10 ||

द्रापे ऽन्थसस्पते दारिद्रन्नीललोहित। एषां पुरुषाणामेषां पशूनां मा भर्म्माडरो मो एषां किम्चनाममत्॥

drāpē andhásaspatē daridraṇṇīlālōhital| ēṣāṁ purùṣāṇāmēṣāṁ paśūnāṁ mā bhērmā'rō mō ēṣāṁ kiṁcāṇā'mmat| (Rik 10.1)

O Lord Paramēśwara! (with Your punishment for our sins), You make our life miserable (or) drive us towards dispassion, You are the Lord of food that nourishes all, (Yet) as if poor, You remain unattached to any possession! You are dark (throated) and luminous red! May my kith and kin and the cattle be all unafraid of Thine form! May none of them perish or suffer from sickness!

(द्रापे drāpē) Thou shun the sinners in contemptible life (or) drive the devotees towards dispassion! (अन्थससस्पते andhásaspatē) Thou art the Lord of food! (दारिद्र daridra:) Unattached to any possession as if impoverished, (नीललोहित nīlālōhita) Who is dark and red, (एषां पुरुषाणामेषां ēṣāṁ puruṣāṇāmēṣāṁ) these my kith and kin, (पशूनां paśūnāṁ) cattle (मा माेभे: mā bhēh) be not afraid, (एपां किचन ēṣāṁ kiṁcan) even one among them, (मो आममत मोंरो mō ā'mmat mā'rō) may not suffer from illness or death.

Note:

After offering prostrations to the Lord from the 2nd to 9th Anuvākam, now the devotee prays for the wellbeing of him and all his friends and families, and possessions. Lord Paramēśwara, in the form of Śri Rudra is both the Tormenter and the Comforter of all beings; He torments to punish for the misdeeds and

|| Namakam ||

207 || Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

curb unrighteousness and He comforts as the loving parent at times of needs. Therefore, He is the solace. He owns all yet He is unattached thus showing the inherent dispassion to 'vishayānanda' the temporal pleasures of worldly objects. He is therefore the source for our true happiness.

या तें रुद्र शिवा तनूः शिवा विश्वाहभेषजी। शिवा रुद्रस्य भेषजी तया नो मृड जीवसे॥

yā te rudra śivā tanūḥ śivā viśvāhábheṣajīṅ śivā rudrasya bhēṣajīṅ tayā nō mr̥ḍa jīvasēṅ (Rik 10.2)

O Śri Rudra, Whose body is auspicious, Who is revered as Lord Paramēśwara, Whose form is the all-time cure for all sorts of our miseries and the ultimate medicine to end the entrapment of Samsāra, with that gracious form, make us lead a peaceful and prosperous life!

(रुद्र rudra) O Rudra! (या ते तनूः yā tē tanūḥ) Whose body is, (शिवा śivā) auspicious, (शिवा śivā) Whose form is revered as 'Lord Siva', (विश्वाह् भेषजी viśvāhà bhēṣajīṅ) Which is the all-time-cure for all sorts of ailments, dread and miseries, (रुद्रस्य भेषजी rudrasya bhēṣajīṅ) the medicine that removes the entrapment of Samsāra, (शिवा तया śivā tayā) by that gracious (नः मृड जीवसे nah mr̥ḍa jīvasē) make us lead a blissful life.

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara appears as 'Ghōra', the terrific form of Śri Rudra as the protector and controller of all beings. He also appears as 'Agora', the most compassionate form which is 'Śiva' auspiciousness. That gracious form heals all our grief. This is indicated by the two graceful forms of 'Śiva'.

||Namakam||

208

||Anuvākam 10||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

O Lord, (रुद्राय rudrāya) Who removes the entrapment of Samsāra, (तवसे tavasē) Who is all powerful, (कपर्दिने kapardinē) Who has the tirana of matted locks, (क्षयद्वीराय kśayadvīrāya) Whose enemies are annihilated instantly, (यथा मतिम् yathā matim) by which method, (इमाम् imām) these penance of Śri Rudra Japam and Yajnam are to be done for, (नः naḥ) our, (द्विपदे dvipadē) two-legged life forms, (चतुष्पदे catuṣpadē) four-legged life-forms, (शम्-असद्-शम्-asad) be well, (विश्वं viśvam) everyone and everything, (अस्मिन् ग्रामे asmin grāmē) in our village or the place of dwelling, (पुष्टं puṣṭam) be well-nourished, (अनातुरम् nanāturam) be free of sickness, (प्रभरामहē prabharāmahē) in that special methods, these are done!

Note:

Lord Paramēśwara is worshipped in this Rik (10.3), adoring His special grace. He is Śri Rudra, 'rudrāya', removing us from the clutches of Samsāra. Therefore, He is all powerful 'तवः' and His supremacy is shown by the raised matted locks 'kśayadvīrāya'.

To Him, we offer our contemplative meditation, by reciting the Śri Rudram, in the specified way, so that our welfare in life-here and here-in-after is blessed. Not only that, all our people, animals and plants, and everything in the vicinity of our residence stay blessed.

Two key insights are given here: One is the importance of performing 'Śri Rudra Japa Yajnā' in full adherence to the method advocated by the Seers. The other is that Second, the benefit of such penance brings welfare and blessing, not only to the devotee, but to his entire community.

It is imperative, therefore, the whole community should revere and support whenever 'Śri Rudra Japa Yajnā' is organized and performed by the devotees.

|| Namakam ||

210

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

मृडा नो रुद्रोत नो मयस्कृधि क्षयद्वीराय नमसा विधेम ते। यच्च॑ च यो॒श्च॑ मनुरायजे पिता तद॑श्याम॒ तव॒ रुद्र॒ प्रणी॑तौ॥

mṛḍā nō rudrōta nō mayāskṛdhi kṣayadvīrāya namasā vidhēma tē| yacchaṁ cā yōścaṁ manurāyajē pitā tadāsyāmaṁ tavaṁ rudraṁ praṇītau| (Rik 10.4)

O Śri Rudra! Make us live happily in this world and also grant us 'Mukti', the freedom from 'Samsāra'. To Thee, Who removed the onslaught of ferocious miseries at an instant, we offer our obeisance.

Whatsoever the material pleasures and the pure happiness without the mix of blemish (i.e. Liberation) which our forefather Manu had obtained when Thine grace fell upon Him, by that divine grace, may all those be secured by us!

(रुद्र rudra) O Śri Rudra! (मृडा नः mṛḍā naḥ) Make us live happily; (उत नः uta naḥ) moreover to us, (मयःकृधि maya:kṛdhi) grant liberation, (ते tē) To Thee, (क्षयद्वीराय kṣayadvīrāya) Who removed the ferocious onslaught at an instant, (नमसा विधेम namasā vidhēma) we offer our obeisance!

(यच्च॑ yacchaṁ) Whatever the material pleasure, (च ca) and, (यो॒श्च॑ yōścaṁ) the unblemished bliss of Liberation, (पिता pitā) that our father, (मनु आयजे manu: āyajē) Manu had learned, (तव प्रणीतौ tava praṇītau) by the Thine grace, (तत् - आश्याम tat-āsyāma) may we attain those by Thine grace! ||

Note:

In this Rik 10.4, the devotee is direct and with absolute clarity asking the Lord, for His grace to live happily in this world and upon death, attain liberation. This he does together with a gentle reminder: Is not Lord Paramēśwara known for His grace that instantly remove all miseries! Didn't the grace of Lord grant all such blessings to Manu, the forefather of Mankind!

|| Namakam ||

211

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Therefore, the devotee, who is performing the Śri Rudra Jap Yajna as prescribed in the Vedas, to the best of his abilities, must also be blessed with all such favours! This is his conviction on the strength of his 'Śraddhā'.

मा नो महान्तमुत मा नो अर्भकं मा न उक्षन्तमुत मा न उक्षितम् । मा नोऽवधीः पितरं मोत मातरं प्रिया मा नस्तनुवो रुद्र रीरिपः॥

mā nō mahāntámuta mā nō arbhakáṃ mā nā ukṣántamuta mā nā ukṣítam mā nō'vadhīḥ pitaráṃ mot mātaráṃ priyā mā nāstánuvō rudra rīriṣaḥ (Rik 10.5)

(रुद्र rudra) O Śrī Rudra! (नः nah) māhāntam) to our old people, (उत uta) also, (नः nah) to our, (अर्भकं arbhakam) children, (नः nah ukṣántam) to our youngsters, (उत uta) also, (नः nah ukṣítam) to our unborn babies that are in the wombs, (मा रीरिपः mā rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt with ailments and alike! (नः nah) to our, (पितरं pitaram) father, (मा अवधीः mā avadhīḥ) do not cause harm, (उत uta) also, (नः nah) to our, (मातरं mātaram) mother, do not cause harm, (नः nah) to our (प्रिया:तनुः priyāḥ tanuḥ ) beloved bodies, (मा रीरिपः mā rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt!

॥ Namakam ॥

212 ॥ Anuvākam 10 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In Rik 10.5 also, the devotee is direct and with absolute clarity on his plea.

May the Lord protect him and all in his family and community. Old and young,

children and even unborn babies to be protected from all harm. Our parents

should be free from ailments. The devotee also makes a sweeping statement:

Whoever and whatever he loves, may all those be protected from all sorts of

miseries.

The import of the Rik is the clear assurance of the efficacy of Śri Rudram in

resolving the devotees fear, anguish and grief and rejuvenating for progress.

मा नस्तोके तनये मा न आयुषि मा नो गोशु मा नो अश्वेषु रीरिषः।

वीरान्मा नो रुद्र भामितोऽवधीरहविष्मन्तो नमसा विधेम ते॥

mā n̥stōkē tanayē mā na āyúṣ̣i mā nō gōṣu mā nō aśvēṣu rīriṣaḥ

vīrānmā nō rudra bhāmitō’vadhīrḥaviṣmántō namásā vidhēma tē॥ (Rik 10.6)

O Śri Rudra, Who is angry at our misdeeds! May You not cause hurt to our

children and sons! May You not cause hurt to our full life-span! May You not

cause hurt to our cattle, horses and such riches! May You not cause hurt to our

work force! Praying for such welfare, we are devotedly performing the Śri Rudra

Japa Yajnam, offering appropriate oblations and our service.

(रुद्र rudra) O Śri Rudra! (भामितः bhāmitaḥ) Who is full of rage (towards our

misdeeds), (नः naḥ) to our, (तोके tōkē) children, (तनये tanayē) sons, (मा रीरिपः mā

rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt! (नः naḥ) to our, (आयुषि āyuṣ̣i) life-span, (मा

रीरिपः mā rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt! (नः गोषु naḥ gōṣu) to our cows,

|| Namakam ||

213

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(मा रीरिप: mā rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt! (न: अश्वेपु nah aśvēṣu) to our horsess, (मा रीरिप: mā rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt!

(नः वीरान् nah vīṛān) to our work-force, (मा रीरिप: mā rīriṣaḥ) May You not cause hurt! (हविष्मन्तः haviṣmántah) As devotees offering the appropriate oblations in the Śri Rudra Japa Yajnam, (ते ते) to Thee, (नमसा vidhēma) we pay our obeisance and offer our services!

Note:

In this Rik 10.6, the devotee reiterate the plea to protect his children, lineage, life-span and his possession as well as the employees. In short, he is cementing the guarantee with the Lord to live a long happy life in this world with the happy surroundings.

He is also pointing out to the Lord, as he is asking for blessings in this life and life-here-in-after, he is performing the Śri Rudra Japa Yajna, with all that is possible for him to follow the prescribed method, including the oblations or the sacrifices.

Although the 'dravya-yajna', the sacrifice of material objects as the oblations is a commanded procedure, the supreme sacrifice is the giving up the 'ahamkāra' and 'mamakāra' only; thus, no matter how poor we are with the material possessions, Śri Rudra Japa Yajnam is in all our reach and therefore must be in our resolve!

आरात्ते गोग्न उत पूरुषघ्ने क्षयद्वीराय सुम्नमस्मे ते अस्तु। रक्षांच नो अधि च देव ब्रूहि च न: शर्म यच्छ द्विबर्हा:॥

ārāttē gōghna uta pūruṣaghne kṣayadvīrāya sumnamasmē tē astu rakśā ca nō adhi ca dēva brūhyadhā ca naḥ śarmā yaccha dvibarhāḥ (Rik 10.7)

|| Namakam ||

214

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Lord Paramēśwara is known for His unlimited mercy and easily moving heart for His devotees. So may He come to advocate my case, says the devotee. That request is not just for the ordeals of life in this world, but also for the removal of Samsāra and to gain liberation.

स्तुहि श्रुतं गर्त्सदं युवानं मृगन्न भीममुपहत्नुमुग्रम्‌ ।

मृडा जरित्रे रुद्र स्तवानो अन्यन्तो‌अस्मन्निवपन्तु सेनाः॥

May we praise Lord Paramēśwara Who is renowned for His compassion and omniscient, Who is the effulgent of indwelling Ātma, in all beings, yet unaffected by changes, as He is only the witness, Who is forever youthful, Who is powerful and majestic like Lion, ferocious in destroying the evil! O Śri Rudra, Who is worshipped by us, May Thee grant happiness to us, who are trapped in perishable embodiment! May Thine army of gods, Who torment, strike at those who are different from us, i.e. do not bring miseries to us.

(स्तुहि stuhi) Praise The Lord, (श्रुतं śrutam) Who is renowned and omniscient (गर्त्सदं gartasadam) Who indwells in the cave of the heart (युवानं yuvānam) Who is ever youthful, (मृगन्न mrganna) like the Lion, (भीमं bhīma) Who is majestic, (उग्रं ugram) the ferocious (उपहत्नुम् upahatnum) in destroying the evil

(रुद्र rudra) O Śri Rudra, (स्तवान: stavānaḥ) Who is thus praised by us, (मृडा mṛdā) grant happiness to, (जरित्रे jaritrē) us who are in the perishable embodiment, (सेना: sēnāḥ) the army of Thine guards Who torment, (ते tē) may they, (निवपन्तु nivapantu) strike, (अस्मत् अन्यं asmat-anyam) those who are different than us!!

॥ Namakam ॥

216

॥ Anuvākam 10 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

217

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

परिणो रुद्रस्य हेतिर॑णक्तु परि त्वेषस्य॑ द॒र्म॑ति र॒घायोः|

अव॑ स्थिरा॒ म॒घव॑द्भ्यस्त॒नुष्व॒ मी॒ढ्व॑स्तो॒काय॑ त॒नयाय॑ मृडय|

(Rik 10.9)

May Śri Rudra's weapons that are blazing with rage all around with the intent to cause harm to the sinners and to reorient them, move far away from us! O Lord, May Thine strong bow and the strong will to cause hurt to us, who are performing the 'Śri Rudra Japa Yajnam', be withdrawn and change the course! May Thine shower of grace be upon our children, specially to our lineage, bestowing happiness!

(रुद्रस्य हेति: rudrasya hētīḥ) May Śri Rudra's weapons, (त्वेषस्य tvēṣasya) blazing with rage, (परि pari) all around, (दुर्म॑ति durmati) the intent to cause hurt (आघायोः āghāyōḥ) for the sins of and to correct the sinners, (परिवृ॑णक्तु parivṛṇaktu) by pass, (नः naḥ) us,|

(स्थिरा sthirā) Thine strong will and the weapons, (मघव॑द्भ्यः maghavadbhyah) intended towards us who are performing the yajna. (अव॑स्त॒नुष्व avatanuṣva) be changed or withdrawn, (मी॒ढ्वे: mīḍhaḥ) May the shower of Thine grace, (तो॒काय tōkāya) to our children, (त॒नयाय tanayāya) specially to our lineage (मृडय mṛdaya) bestow happiness|

Note:

In Rik 10.9, the devotee submits that he is fully aware of the imminent wrath of the Śri Rudra for the sins that he commits. As the devotee has taken the vow to keep good company and do good things, especially after taking the Śri Rudra Japa Yajnam to please the Lord and seek His compassion, he is sure of protection. To reinforce his goal, he prays to the Lord that His arrows which are coming from all directions with the rage to hurt him, be redirected away from

|| Namakam ||

218

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

परमे वृक्ष आयुधानि निधाय कृतिं वसान आचर पिनाकं बिभ्रदागंहि।

मीढुष्टम शिवतम शिवो नः सुमनाः भव।

May Lord Paramēśwara Who rains the shower of grace on the devotees, Who is supremely auspicious be auspicious towards us, with pleasing goodwill. May the Lord leave behind His tormenting weapons on the supreme (unreachable) divine tree, and approach us, clad in the delegate skin of the elephant, and bearing only His divine bow 'Pinākam' as a ceremonial weapon only!

May Lord Paramēśwara - (मीढुष्टम mīḍhuṣṭama) Who bestows the supreme shower of grace, (शिवतम śivatama) Who is supremely auspicious, (शिवो śivō) be auspicious (सुमना भव sumanā bhava) bearing the pleasing goodwill, (नः naḥ) towards us!

(परमे वृक्षे paramē vṛkṣē) On the supreme tree, (निधाय nidhāya) having left-behind, (आयुधं āyudham) the weapons, (कृतिं वसानः kṛttiṃ vasāna:) clad in the skin of elephant, (आचर ācara), May Thee come, (पिनाकं बिभ्रदागहि pinākaṃ-bibhradāgahi) bearing only Thy Pinākam as the ceremonial bow!

Note:

Having already requested the Lord to withdraw His anger, change His intent to hurt and redirect the weapons to pass far away from the vicinity of himself, the devotee, in this Rik 10.10, confirms that he likes to have the presence of the compassionate form of Lord only, that too by his side, at all times. He therefore pleads with the Lord that the Lord leaves behind the tormenting weapons, on the

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रशः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

॥ Namakam ॥

221

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

|| Namakam ||

222

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

सहस्राणि सहस्रधा बाँहुवोस्तव हेतयः।

तासामीशानो भगवः पराचीन॑ मुखा॑ कृधि॥

saḥasrāṇi sahasradhā bāhuvōstavā hētayaḥ|

tāsāmīśānō bhagavaḥ parācīnā mukhā kṛdhi||

Rik 10.12

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

223

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(बाह्वोस्तव bāhuvōstava) In Thine two hands, (सहस्राणि sahasrāṇi) thousands of, (हेतयः hētayaḥ) weapons, (सहस्रधा sahasradhā) are held ||

(भगवः bhagavaḥ) O Lord, (ईशानः īśānaḥ) As the Lord and Master, (तासां tā sā m) of those weapons, (क्रुधि kṛdhi) May You make, (मुखा mukhā) the tips of those weapons, (पराचीनā parācīnā) be turned away from us || (Rik 10.12)

Note:

In this last Rik 10.12 of the 10th Anuvākam the devotee calls for Lords kind attention, as the thousands of weapons that are held in His pair of hands may send tormenting darts in all directions. May the compassionate Lord, Who is the Master of all and therefore the Controller of His weapons, reprogram those to go far away from the vicinity of the devotee, thus protecting him and his community.

With that plea, the devotee, along with his community pay obeisance to the Lord and perform the Śri Rudra Japa Yajnam.

|| Namakam ||

224

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Namakam||

225

||Anuvākam 10||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Thus ends

the 10th Anuvākam Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 12 Yajus.

||Namakam||

226

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

NAMAKAM

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||Namakam|| 227 || Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Namakam||

228

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

अनुवाकः ११

सहस्राणि सहस्रशो ये रुद्रा अधि भू्म्याम् ।

तेपा॑ग॒ᳶ सह॑स्रयोजनेऽव॒धन्वा॑नि तन्म॑सि ।

अ॒स्मि॒न्म॒ह॒त्य॒ᳶऽन्त॑रिक्षे भवा अधि॑ ।

नी॒लग्री॒वाᳶ शि॑तिकण्ठाᳶ श॒र्वा अध॑ᳶ क्ष॒माच॑राᳶ ।

नी॒लग्री॒वाᳶ शि॑तिकण्ठा दिव॒ᳶ रु॒द्रा उप॑श्रिताᳶ ।

ये वृ॒क्षेᳶ स॒स्पि॒शङ्गाᳶ नी॒लग्री॒वाᳶ वि॒लो॒हि॒ताᳶ ।

ये भू॒तानाम॑धि॒पत॒यो वि॒शिखाᳶᳶ क॑प॒र्दि॑नाᳶᳶ ।

ये अन्नेᳶषु वि॒वि॒ध्य॒न्ति पा॒त्रे॒षु पि॒ब॒न्तो जा॒न॒न् ।

ये प॒थांᳶ प॒ᳶथि॒र॒क्ष॒य॒ᳶ ए॒ᳶल॒वु॒ᳶद॒ᳶ य॒व॒यु॒ᳶ ।

ये ती॒र्था॑नि प्र॒चर॒न्ति सृ॒काव॑न्तो नि॒प॒ᳶषि॑ᳶ ।

य॒ आ॒त॒व्य॒ᳶन्त॒ᳶᳶ भू॒याᳶङ्ग॑स॒ᳶᳶ दि॒शो॒ रु॒द्रा वि॒न्त॑सि॒ᳶᳲ ।

तेपा॑ग॒ᳶ सह॑स्रयोजनेऽव॒धन्वा॑नि तन्म॑सि ।

न॒मो॒ रु॒द्रेभ्योᳶ ये पृ॒थि॒व्याञ्च॒ᳶᳶऽन्त॑रि॒क्षेᳶ ये दि॒विᳶ ये॒षा॒म॒न्नᳶ-वाᳶᳶतो॒ᳶ व॒र्‌षु॒पि॒ᳶᳶव॒स्तेᳶᳶᳲभ्योᳶ दश प्रा॒चीᳶ-

द॒ᳶश द॒ᳶक्षि॑णा द॒ᳶश प्र॒ती॒चीᳶ-द॒ᳶशोᳶ-द॒ᳶचीᳶ-द॒ᳶशो॒ᳶर्ध्वाᳶᳶᳲस्त॒ᳶभ्योᳶ नम॑स्तेᳶ नो॒ मु॒ᳶड॒ᳶयन्तुᳶ तेᳶ य॒ᳶᳶᳲ द्र॒ᳶष्ट्राᳶ य॒ᳶᳶᳲश्र॒ᳶᳶᳲ नोᳶᳶᳲ द्वेᳶष्टिᳶ त॒ᳶᳶᳲ-वाᳶᳶᳲᳶ ज॒ᳶम्मᳶᳶᳲ द॒ᳶधा॒ᳶमिᳶᳶᳲ ।। 11 ।।

|| Namakam ||

229

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

anuvākah 11

sahasrāṇi sahasraśō yē rudrā adhī bhūmyām | tēṣāṃgṁ sahasrayajanē-'vadhān vāni tanmasi |

asmin mahatyáṁnavám-'tarikṣē bhāvā adhī | nīlāgrīvā-śśitikaṇṭhā-śśarvā ādhaḥ, kṣāmācharāḥ |

nīlāgrīvā-śśitikaṇṭhā divaṁ rudrā upāśritāḥ | yē vṛkṣēṣú saspinjará nīlāgrīvā vilōhitāḥ |

yē bhūtā nā madhipatayō viśikhāsáḥ kapardináḥ | yē annēṣu vividhyánti pātrēṣu pibátō janā́n |

yē pāthā́-m pāthirakṣá́ya ailabrā́ yavyudhā́ḥ | yē tīrthā́ni pracharánti sṛkāvántō niṣaṅginā́ḥ |

ya ētā́vantaścha bhūyā́gmsaścha diśō rudrā vitasthirē | tēṣāṃgṁ sahasrayajanē-'vadhān vāni tanmasi |

namō rudhrēbhyō yē pṛthivyā́m yē-'ntarikṣē yē divi yēṣā́mnnáṃ vātō varṣámiṣāvastēbhyō daśa práchiṛdásā dakṣiṇā́ daśa prátīchi-rdaśō-dīchī-rdaśōrdhvā́stēbhyō namastē nō mṛḍayantu tē ya-ndviṣmō yaśchá nō dvēṣṭi taṃ vō jambhē dadhāmi || 11 ||

||Namakam|| 231 || Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Anuvākah 11 ||

In this 11th Anuvākam, the devotee is paying obeisance to the innumerable Rudras of innumerable kinds, Who all are appointed by Lord Parameśwara to protect, correct and grace all beings in the earth, according to their Karma-phala.

सहस्राणि सहस्रशो ये रुद्रा अधि भूम्याम्। तेषाम् सहस्रयोजनेऽवधन्वानि तन्मसि॥

sahasrāṇi sahasraśō yē rudrā adhi bhūmyām। tēṣāṁ sahasrayōjanē'vadhanvāni tanmasī

Rik 11.1

sahastrāṇi sahasraśō yē rudrā adhi bhūmyām। tēṣāṁ sahasrayōjanē'vadhanvāni tanmasī (Rik 11.1)

Those thousands of Rudras of thousands of kinds Who rule the earth, we shall cause their bows to be loosened and unstrung, and be left behind thousands of yojanas, i.e. far away from us.

(सहस्राणि sahasrāṇi) Thousands of, (ये रुद्रा: yē rudrāḥ) those Rudras, (सहस्रशो sahasraśō) in thousand types (भूम्याम् अधि bhūmyām adhi) as the rulers of the earth, ।

(तेषाग्᳼ tēṣāṁ) their, (धन्वानि dhanyāni) bows, (अवतन्मसि avatanmasi) we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind, (सहस्र-योजनेऽप sahasra-yōjanē) thousands of yojana far away from us!!

Note:

The devotee asserts that through his prayers and penance, and by doing only righteous and virtuous things in the world, he and his people shall make those

|| Namakam ||

233

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Rudras, to leave their bows, loosened and left behind, far away from the vicinity of the devotees. The only way to be free from the tormenting arrows of the Rudras is to pray and be good in our conduct. The power of Lord Parameśwara manifesting as Rudras are many of many kinds, appropriate to the type of Jīvā they protect, correct and nourish. Therefore, all forms of gods and nature are included in these prayers. Also, the vow and assertions are made as 'bahu-vacana' or plural, to indicate that these are not just by the devotee but his entire community. The part of the Rik, 'tēṣāṅm sahasrayōjanē'vādhanvāni tanmasi' - "we shall make those loosened bows to be left far behind" is implied in the following eight Riks too to complete their import.

अस्मिन्महृत्यर्णवेऽन्तरिक्षे भवा अधि ।

asmimmahátyárṇavē'ntarikśē bhavā adhi

(अस्मिन् asmin) In this, (महत् máhat) enormous (अर्णवे arṇavē) ocean, (अन्तरिक्षे antarikśē) and the expanse of space, (भवा अधि bhavā adhi) dwelling as the Lords: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

Note:

In this Rik 11.2, the devotees sing the glory of the innumerable Rudras, who are not only ruling the earth as they dwell in the vast ocean and the infinite space that fills between the earth and the heavens. Yet, through prayers and righteous living, the devotees wish to make those Rudras to remain unarmed.

|| Namakam ||

234

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नीलग्रीवा: शितिकण्ठा: शर्वा अधः, क्षमाचरा: |

nīlāgrīvāḥ śitikaṇṭhāḥ śarvā adhah kṣámācarāḥ (Rik 11.3)

Those Rudras Whose throats are darkened due to the poison which was consumed to protect all beings, which are otherwise luminous white like rest of Their forms, Who wander in the nether regions as the Lords, we shall cause their bows to be loosened and unstrung, and be left behind thousands of yōjanas, i.e. far away from us.

(नीलग्रीवा: nīlāgrīvāḥ) Those Rudras Whose throat are darkened, (शितिकण्ठा: śitikaṇṭhāḥ) yet Whose throat are intrinsically white, (शर्वा: अधः śarvāḥ adhaḥ) Who all are as the Lords of the nether regions, (क्षमाचरा: kṣámācarāḥ) wander about: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us! |

Note:

In this Rik 11.3, the prayer is repeated after praising the Rudras for their immense goodwill towards all beings, by inferring to their darkened throats.

Is not the most compassionate Lord Paramēśwara Who came forward to save all by taking the most venomous poison that came out while the Dēvas and Asuras churned the milky-ocean in search of many riches! Then how could Rudras, the manifestations of Lord Paramēśwara be cruel to us! The darkness of fury is only the outer layer as He is intrinsically full of luminous white, that is of great beatitude and benevolence.

|| Namakam ||

235

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

नीलग्रीवा: शितिकण्ठा दिवगं रुद्रा उपश्रिता:

nīlāgrīvāḥ śitikaṇṭhā divaṅṁ rudrā upáśritāḥ (Rik 11.4)

Those Rudras Whose throats are darkened due to the poison which was consumed to protect all beings, which are otherwise luminous white like rest of Their forms, Who rule the Heavens, we shall cause their bows to be loosened and unstrung, and be left behind thousands of yōjanas, i.e. far away from us.

(नीलग्रीवा: रुद्रा: nīlāgrīvāḥ rudrāḥ) Those Rudras Whose throat are darkened, (शितिकण्ठा: śitikaṇṭhāḥ) yet Whose throat are intrinsically white, (दिवगं उपश्रिता: divaṅṁ upaśritāḥ) Who are the Lords of the Heavens: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

Note:

The innumerable Rudras Who are described in the previous Riks as Those dwelling in the earth, ocean and the space, here in Rik 11.4 are adored as the Lords of the Heavens.

The inference is that there are many heavens too. After all, the 'world' or 'lōka' of a Jīvā is the field of experience that the Jīvā endures, is it not! The root of the Sanskrit word 'lōka' is 'luk' which refers to perception. The worlds of 'hell' and 'heaven' are therefore the domains of experiences that the Jīvā attains and hence those can be as innumerable as the Jīvās are.

|| Namakam ||

236

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

ये वृक्षेषु सस्पिंजरां नीलग्रीवां विलोहिताः।

yē vṛkṣēṣu saṣpiñjarāṃ nīlāgrīvāṃ vilōhitāḥ (Rik 11.5)

(यē) Those Rudras, (सस्पिंजरā saspiñjàrā) of the colour of tender grass,

(नीलग्रीवā nīlagrīvā) Who are blue-thorated, (विलोहितāḥ vilōhitāḥ) Red-bodied

(वृक्षेषु vṛkṣēṣu) dwelling on the trees: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

ये भूतानामधिपतयो विशिखासः कपर्दिनः।

yē bhūtānāmadhipatayō viśikhāsáḥ kapardináḥ (Rik 11.6)

(यē yē) Those Rudraas, ( भूतानाम् अधिपतयो) Who are the Masters of Bhūtā,

(विशिखासः viśikhāsah) Who are bald, (कपर्दिनः kapardinaḥ) Who have matted locks: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

ये अन्नेषु विविध्यन्ति पात्रेषु पिबतो जनान्‌

yē annēṣu vividhyànti pātrēṣu pibatō janā́n‌ (Rik 11.7)

(yē) Those Rudras, (annēṣu pātrēṣu) Who are by dwelling in the food and drinks, (vividhyánti) and cause hurt to, (pibatō janā́n) those who eat and drink: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

Note:

In this Rik 11.7, the infection caused by food and drinks are also considered to be the effect of Śri Rudra's arrows, delivering the Karma-phala in the form of sickness and miseries. The devotees pray that such calamities may not occur as their penance would make the weapons of Rudras to be shunted far away from the vicinity of the devotees.

ये पथां पथिरक्षय ऐलबृदा यव्युधः‌।

yē pathā́m páthiraksá́ya ailabrdā́ yavyudhā́ḥ‌ (Rik 11.8)

॥Namakam॥

238 ॥Anuvākam 11॥

@meenalaya

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(ये येँ) Those Rudras (पथो पथिरक्षय pathāṃ páthirakśáya) Who are the protectors of the pathways, (आलभ्र्दा ailabrdā) the bearers of food, (ययुधः: ) Who fight against the enemies: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

Note:

In the previous Rik 11.7, the devotees prayed to Rudras Who cause harm through food-poison; in contrast, in this Rik 11.8, Rudras are seen as the bearers of food nourishing and protecting all along their life-paths. This covers both Vedic ways in pursuing spiritual enrichment as well as worldly ways that are righteous and in compliance to the Dharma. Rudras protect those who are righteous.

ये तीर्थानि प्रचरन्ति सृकावन्तो निषङ्गिणः।

yē tīrthāni pracarānti sr̥kāvánto niṣaṅgiṇaḥ (Rik 11.9)

Those Rudras, Who are wielding sharp knifes and long swords, and wandering in the sacred places, we shall cause their bows to be loosened and unstrung, and be left behind thousands of yōjanas, i.e. far away from us!

(ये येँ) Those Rudras, (प्रचरन्ति pracaranti) Who wanders in, (तीर्थानि tīrthāni) sacred places, (सृकावन्तो sr̥kāvantō) wielding short sharp-knives (निषङ्गिणः: niṣaṅginaḥ) and swords: their bows, we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind thousands of yōjana far away from us!

Note:

In this 11.9, the devotees see the Rudras as the guardians of the sacred places so that no evil is done.

|| Namakam ||

239

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

In both Riks11.8 and 11.9, it is clearly stated that the weapons of Rudras are for fighting the enemies that are evil and to protect the pathways of devotees and the holiness of sacred places. Then, is it appropriate to say that we pray for the weapons of Rudras to be unstrung and kept far away? Here we should take that the weapons to be put away are those what may hurt us! The devotee has already prayed to the Lord, that He must use His divine weapons to hurt all that is evil. So there is no misalignment.

य एतावन्तश्च भूयाग्मसश्च दिशों रुद्रा वितस्थिरे। तेषाग्म सहस्रयोजनेऽवधन्वानि तन्मसि॥

ya ētāvántaśca bhūyāğmsaśca diśō rudrā vitasthirē| tēṣāğm sahasrayōjanē'vadhanvā́ni tanmasii (Rik 11.10)

Those (thousands of) Rudras that have are mentioned and over and above them, there are innumerable Rudras entered in all directions and positioned for ruling the quarters: we shall cause their bows to be loosened and unstrung, and be left behind thousands of yōjanas, i.e. far away from us!

(य एतावन्तश्च रुद्रा ya ētāvántaśca rudrā) Those (thousands of) Rudras so far mentioned and, (भूयाग्मसश्च bhūyāğmsaśca) many more than them, and (दिशों वितस्थिरे diśō vitasthirē) Who have entered the quarters and rule them, (तेषाग्म tēṣāğm) their, (धन्वानि dhanvā́ni) bows, (अवतन्मसि avatanmasi) we shall cause to be unstrung and left behind, (सहस्र-योजन sahasra-yōjanē) thousands of yojana far away from us! ||

Note: In this mantra, the devotees reiterates his plea for the compassion of Rudras.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

240

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमों रुद्रेभ्यो ये पृथिव्यां येऽन्तरिक्षे ये दिवि येषामन्नं वातों वर्षमिषवस्तेभ्यो दश प्राचीरदश दक्षिणा दश प्रतीचीर्दशोदीचीर्दशोर्ध्वास्तेभ्यो नमस्ते नों मृडयन्तु ते यं द्विषो यश्र्च नों द्वेष्टि तं वों जम्भे दधामि॥

namō rudrēbhyō yē pṛthivyāṃ yē'ntarikṣē yē divi yēṣāmannaṃ vātō varṣamiṣavastēbhyō daśā prācīrdasā dakṣiṇā daśā pratīcīrdasōdīcīrdasōrdhvāstēbhyō namastē nō mṛḍayantụ tē yaṃ dviṣmō yaścā nō dvēṣṭi taṃ vō jambhē dadhāmi॥ (Yajus 11.11)

The learned have decomposed this Yajus 11.11 into three mantras and in each, the devotee is perceiving the all-pervading Rudras, turing the forces of nature, which nourish all beings, as their weapons against the evil tendencies of all beings. These three parts are outlined below.

To those Rudras, the devotee offers obeisance, by prostrating in each direction.

|| Namakam ||

241

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमों रुद्रेभ्यो ये पृथिव्यां-चैडनंतरिक्षे ये दिवि येषामन्नं-वातों वृषुमिषवस्तेभ्यो दश प्राचोदश दक्षिणा दर्श प्रतोची-दर्शो-दीची-दशोर्ध्वास्तेभ्यो नमस्ते नो मृडयन्तु ते यं द्विष्मो यश्रं नो द्वेष्टि तं-वों जम्भे दधामि || 11 ||

namō rudrēbhyō yē pṛthivyāṃ yēṣāmāmannam iṣavaḥ

tēbhyaḥ daśa prācīrdāśā dakṣiṇā daśā

pratīcīrdāśā udīcīrdāśā daśōrdhvāḥ tēbhyaḥ namaḥ

tē nō mṛDayantu tē yaṃ dviṣmō yaścā nō dvēṣṭi taṃ vō jambhē dadhāmi||

(Yajus 11.11.1)

To the Rudras dwelling on the earth (pervading in all directions) and turning our food into Their tormenting arrows, I offer my obeisance, with my ten fingers joined (folded hands) towards East, South, West and North (in all directions)! May the Rudras make me happy, as I consign those who hate me and those who I hate into the mouths of Rudras that are kept ajar!

(ये ये) Those Rudras, (पृथिव्यां pṛthivyāṃ), on the earth, (येषां yēṣāṃ), to whom, (अन्नं annam) food, (इषवः iṣavaḥ) turns into arrows, (तेभ्य: tēbhyaḥ rudrbhyah ) for those Rudras, (दश प्राची daśa prācī) with the ten fingers towards the east, (दश दक्षिणा daśa dakṣiṇā) with the ten fingers towards the south, (दश प्रतोची daśa pratīcī) with the ten fingers towards the west, (दश उदीची daśa udīcī) with the ten fingers towards the north, (तेभ्यः नमः tēbhyaḥ namahaḥ) I offer obeisance! (ते tē) May They, (मृडयन्तु नः mṛDayantu naḥ) make us happy! (ते tē) Those Rudras, (नमः namaḥ) thus we worshipped, (वः vaḥ) in Their, (जम्भे jambhē) opened-mouth, (तं tam) those both, (यं द्विष्मः yaṃ dviṣmaḥ) who I dislike, (नः द्वेष्टि naḥ dvēṣṭi) and who dislike me, (दधामि dadhāmi) May I deposit!

Note:

As the Rudras, the guardians of all quarters are pervading everywhere, the devotee offers prayers by prostrating towards each direction, with his folded

|| Namakam ||

242

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

तेभ्यो वशं नमो रुद्रेभ्यो येडन्तरिक्षो येषां वातो इषवः

वश प्राचीरदश दक्षिणा वश प्रतीचीर्दशोदचीर्दशास्तेभ्यो

नो मृडयतु ते यं द्विष्मो यश्च नो द्वेष्टि तं वो जम्भे दधामि||

(Yajus 11.1.2)

To the Rudras dwelling on the middle region betwen the earth and the heaven,

and turning the wind into Their tormenting arrows, I offer my obeisance, with my

ten fingers joined (folded hands) towards East, South, West and North (in all

directions)1 May the Rudras make me happy, as I consign those who hate me

and those who I hate into the mouths of Rudras that are kept ajar!

(ये यē) Those Rudras, (अन्तरिक्षो antarikṣō), dwelling in the outer space,

(येऽम् yēṣāṁ), to whom, ( वातः vātaḥ) the wind, (इषवः iṣavaḥ) turns into their

arrows, (तेभ्यः rudrebhyaḥ ) for those Rudras, (दश प्राची daśa prācī) with the ten fingers towards the east, (दश दक्षिणा daśa dakṣiṇā) with

the ten fingers towards the south, (दश प्रतीची daśa pratīcī) with the ten fingers towards the west, (दश उदीची daśa udīcī) with the ten fingers towards the

north, (तेभ्यः नमः tēbhyaḥ namaḥ) I offer obeisance!

(ते tē) May They, (मृडयन्तु नः mr̥ḍayantu naḥ) make us happy! (ते tē) Those

Rudras, (नमः namāḥ) thus we worshipped, (वः vaḥ) in Their (जम्भे jambhē)

opened-mouth, (तं taṁ) those both, (यं द्विष्मः yaṁ dviṣmaḥ) who I dislike, (नः

द्वेष्टि naḥ dvēṣṭa) and who dislike me, (दधामि dadhāmi) May I deposit!

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

नमों रुद्रेभ्यो ये दिवि येषां वर्षमिषवः:

तेभ्यो वर्षा प्राचोर्देश दक्षिणा दशां प्रतीचोर्देशौर्द्ध्वास्तेभ्यो

नमस्ते नो मृडयन्तु ते यं द्विष्मो यश्रं नो द्वेष्टि तं वों जंभे दधामि॥

namō rudrēbhyō yē divi yēṣāṁ vaṛṣamiṣavaḥ

tēbhyōr vaśā prācīrdáśā dakṣiṇā daśā pratīcīrdáśōdīcīrdáśōrdhvāstēbhyō

namāstē nō mṛḍayantu tē yaṁ dviṣmō yaścā nō dvēṣṭi taṁ vō jambhē dadhāmi ॥

(Yajus 11.11.3)

To the Rudras dwelling in the heaven, and turning the nourishing rain into Their tormenting arrows, I offer my obeisance, with my ten fingers joined (folded hands) towards East, South, West and North (in all directions)1 May the Rudras make me happy, as I consign those who hate me and those who I hate into the mouths of Rudras that are kept ajar!

(ये yē) Those Rudras, (दिवि divi), dwelling in the heaven, (येषां yēṣāṁ), to whom, (वर्षांपं varṣam) the nourishing rain, (इषव: iṣava:) turns into their arrows, (तेभ्य: rudrebhyaḥ tēbhyaḥ rudrbhyaḥ ) for those Rudras, (दश प्राची daśā prācī) with the ten fingers towards the east, (दश दक्षिणा daśā dakṣiṇā) with the ten fingers towards the south, (दश प्रतीची daśā pratīcī) with the ten fingers towards the west, (दश उद्धची daśā udīcī) with the ten fingers towards the north, (तेभ्य: नम: tēbhyaḥ namaḥ) I offer obeisance!

(ते तē) May They, (मृडयन्त नः mrḍayantu naḥ) make us happy! (ते tē) Those Rudras, (नम: namaḥ) thus we worshipped, (वः vaḥ) in Their, (जंभे jambhē) opened-mouth, (तं taṁ) those both, (यं द्विष्म: yaṁ dviṣmaḥ) who I dislike, (नः द्वेष्टि naḥ dvēṣṭi) and who dislike me, (दधामि dadhāmi) May I deposit!

|| Namakam ||

245

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

Thus, the Yajus (11.11) offers prostrations to the Rudras, Who are in the earth, in the outer space and in the heavens when we look externally, as well as Who are in the body, in the mind and in the witnessing consciousness when we look internally!

Thus ends

the 11th Anuvākam Śri Rudram - Namakam,

comprising of 10 Riks and 1 Yajus.

||Namakam||

246

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Special Mantras

Though the following text are not within Śrī Rudram, the following mantras are also recited as part of Śri Rudra Pārāyanam, especially in South India.

(Mantra 1)

त्र्यंबकं यजामहे सुगंधिंं पुष्टिवर्धनम्। उर्वारुकमिव बंधनान्मृत्योमुक्षीय माऽमृतात्॥

To Lord Parameśwara, Who is three-eyed, Who is of divine fragrance, Who nourishes all beings, we pay our obeisance! May He, Śrī Rudra, release us from the perils of death (i.e. from the entrapment of Samsāra) seamless as the release of ripened melon from its stock! May He not take us away from immortality, the supreme Truth!

To Lord Parameśwara, (त्र्यंबकं tryambakam) Who hath three eyes, (सुगंधिं sugandhim) Who is of divine fragrance, (पुष्टिवर्धनम् puṣṭivardhanam) Who bestows nourishment and prosperity, (यजामहे yajāmahe) we pay our obeisance! (उर्वारुकमिव urvārukamiva) like the ripen melon, (मुक्षीय mukṣīya) freeing, (बन्धनात् bandhanāt) from the binding-stock, (मृत्योमुक्षीय mṛtyōmukśīya) May I be be released from death, (मा अमृतात् mukśīya mā amṛtāt) not from the immortality.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

247

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Note:

Popularly known as Śrī Mrutyunjaya Mantra, this Mahā-mantra prays for freedom from death, and therefore from the cycle of birth and death, and such freedom to occur seamless without causing any pain or strenuous effort.

Freedom is to be free of all fears! Fear of death is the deepest of all fears, which in turn drives our desires and the desire-driven actions. So, to be free means, to be deathless, to be immortal! How is it possible! Don't we see all beings perish! All things change and vanish at some time! Even the great incarnations of God die, shedding the moral bodies! So how can there be deathlessness!

This we need to understand in two perspectives.

As Bhagavān says in Śrimad Bhagavad-Gītā , in the beginning there is only the Brahmam as the unmanifest. In the end too, there is only the Brahmam as unmanifest. Yet in the middle are all the 'vyaktam' or manifestations!

All that manifest must be coming out of the unmanifest (avyaktam) and going back into the unmanifest and in between exist as the ever-changing objects. So even in the case of objects that are temporal, death is only a change to their state or form of manifestations. All continue to exist in some form or abide into the formless as unmanifest. All that are not in the beginning and not in the end thus must be deemed as temporal and not eternal. Therefore, the question is, are we eternal or temporal?

To understand this, we need to understand the life itself.

Vedānta defines life as a chain of experiences or 'anubhava-dhāra'. But experience imply, the existence of a subject who experiences and an object of experience. When this duality does not exist, then there is unity and that is known as 'anubhūti' of non-differentiated existence. That is 'Mōksha'. But for the embodied life, we have duality and therefore one says: "I see that I am the One

॥ Namakam ॥

॥ Anuvākam 11 ॥

248

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(Mantra 2)

यो रुद्रो अग्नौ यो अप्सु यो ओषधीषु यो रुद्रे विश्वा भुवना विवेश तस्मै रुद्राय नमो अस्तु॥

yō rudrō agnau yō apsu ya ōṣádhīṣu yō rudrō viśvā bhuvánā vivēśa tasmai rudrāya namō astu||

To Śri Rudra, Who is the essential core of all elements, the heat of fire, the coolness of water, the essence of all vegetation, and thus, indwelling and pervasive in all beings and in all worlds, unto Him are my obeisance!

(यो रुद्रो yō rudrō) The Rudra Who (अग्नौ agnau) in the Agni, (विवेश viveśa) present as the power of heat, (यो अप्सु yō apsu) Who is present in the water, (य ओषधीषु ya ōṣadhīṣu) Who is present in the vegetation, (यो रुद्रो yō rudrō) The Rudra Who is, (विश्वा भुवना viśvā bhuvanā) pervading in all worlds, (तस्मै rudrāya tasmai rudrāya) unto that Rudra, (नमो अस्तु namō astu) is my salutation!

(Mantra 3)

तमुं ष्टुहि यः स्विषुः सुदhanvā यो विश्वस्य क्षयाति भेषजस्य।

yakṣvāmahē saumanasāyā rudraṃ namōbhir dēvamasuraṃ duvasyall

tamú ṣṭuhi yaḥ sviṣuḥ sudhanvā yō viśvásya kṣayáti bhēṣajasyál

yakṣvāmahe saumanasāyā rudram namōbhir dēvamasuráṃ duvasyall

May you pray to Śri Rudra, who holds the best arrows and the best bow, and Who is the domain of all cures (for all our miseries)!

|| Namakam ||

251

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(Mantra 4)

अयं मे हस्तो भगवानयं मे भगवत्तरः| अयं मे विश्वभेषजो’यगं शिवाभिमर्शनः||

||Nāmakam||

252

@meenalaya

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(अयं हस्त: ayam hastah) This hand of, (मे mē) mine, (शिवाभिमर्शन: śivābhimarśanaḥ) touching the auspicious Śiva linga (in the rituals), (अयं ayam) this hand is, (भगवान् Bhagavān) blessed; (अयं मे भगवत्तर: ayaṁ mē bhagavattaraḥ) this hand of mine is blessed!! (सदाशिवोम् sadāśivōm Obeisance to the ever auspicious!!)

(Mantra 5)

ये तै सहस्रमयुतं पाशा मृत्यो मृत्यो हन्तवे। तान् यज्ञस्य मायया सर्वानव यजामहे॥

yē tē sahasrāmayutaṁ pāśā mṛtyō martyāya hantávē | tān yajñasyā māyayā sarvānava yajāmahe |

(मृत्यो mṛtyō) Oh, Lord of Death, (हन्तवे hantavē), for afflicting (मत्योय martyāya) all mortal beings, ( ते tē), Thine, (सहस्रमयुतं sahasrāmayutam) thousands and tens of thousands of, (पाशा: pāśāḥ) nooses, (तान् सर्वान् tān sarvān) all of those, (यज्ञस्य मायया yajñasya Māyayā) by the efficacy of our prayers and contemplations, (अवयजामहे avayajāmahe) may we loosen.

|| Namakam ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(Mantra 6)

मृत्यवे स्वाहा। मृत्यवे स्वाहा॥

mṛtyāvē svāhā mṛtyavē svāhā!!

May I offer the oblations in the sacrificial rites to Lord of Death, the destroyer of Samsāra! May I do so again and again!

(मृत्यवे स्वाहा mrtyavē svāhā) May I offer this oblation in sacrifice to Śri Rudra, the destroyer of Samsāra! (मृत्यवे स्वाहा mrtyavē svāhā) May I offer this oblation in sacrifice to Śri Rudra, the destroyer of Samsāra!!

(Mantra 7)

प्राणानां ग्रन्थिरसि रुद्रो मा विशान्तकः। तेनाग्नेनाप्यायस्व।

prāṇānāṁ granthirasi rudrō mā viśāntakaḥ! tēnānnēnāpyāyasva!

May I offer the oblations in the sacrificial rites to Lord of Death, the destroyer of Samsāra! May I do so again and again!

( रुद्रः rudraḥ) Oh, Lord Rudra, (प्राणानां prāṇānāṁ) in the forces of life-energy and all sensory faculities, (ग्रन्थिरसि granthirasi) Thou art the like the चौसाल knot, (अन्तकः antakaḥ) Oh, the Finisher of All, (मा विशा mā viśā) May Thee indwell in me, ( तेन tēnā) so that, (अन्नेन annēna) with the food that I consume, (आप्यायस्व āpyāyasva) May You be gratified and graceful to me!

|| Namakam || 254 || Anuvākam 11 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Note:

The effulgent witness-consciousness the 'Ātma' is Śrī Rudram. He is also the cause of subtle and gross embodiments, and the devotee infers this by adoring the Lord Who is in the knots of subtle energies. The knots perceived are the places for contemplation by the devotee and are variably called such as 'cakra', 'granti' etc. according to the types of spiritual practices. The life-energy, 'Prāṇa' is like an invisible rope that ties the subtle-body with the gross-body during the embodied living state. The knots are the binding points, that are unwrapped at the time of death. The 'Prāṇa' continues to tie the subtle-body with the causal-body, the bearer of all Karma-phala. Only when that knot is also removed, the Jīvā is liberated.

(Mantra 8)

नमो रुद्राय भगवते विष्णावे मृत्युर्मे पाहि॥ सदाशिवोम् ।

namō rudrāya bhagavatē viṣṇavē mṛtyùrmē pāhi॥ sadāśivōm ।

I offer my obeisance to Śrī Rudra, Who is omniscient May He protect me from death, the cycle of Samsāra!

(नमो भगवते रुद्राय नमो भगवते रुद्राया) Obeisance to Bhagavan Śrī Rudra, (विष्णवे viṣṇavē) Who is omniscient, (मृत्युमें पाहि mṛtyurmē pāhi) Protect me from the death cycle, the Samsāra!

॥ Namakam ॥

255

॥ Anuvākam 11 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

ōm śāntiḥ śānti: śānti:

Thus ends Śri Rudram - Namakam.

||Namakam||

256

||Anuvākam 11||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Śrī Rudram - Chamakapraśnah

||Chamakam||

257

Śrī Rudram - Chamakapraśnah

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Chamakam||

258

Śrī Rudram - Chamakapraśnah

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Śrī Rudram – Chamakapraśnah

The Chamakam occurs in the 4th Kānda 7th Prapātaka of the Yajur Veda, forming part of Śri Rudram. It is customary to recite the Chamakam after the recital of Namakam, either as one continuous mantra, or just one Anuvākam of Chamakam at a time, after every completion of Namakam recital.

When the clarified butter into the sacred fire is poured with a specially made wooded ladle of Oudhumbarī wood, known as Vasōrdhara, in the Vedic ritual, the entire Chamakam is recited as one mantra and the splitting it up into eleven Anuvāka, as explained by the commentator Sayana, is for the use of reciting them in non-sacrificial rites.

Listening to the recital of Chamakam, like any Veda mantra, is pleasing to the ears and fulfilling our hearts. As the sound of the conjunction 'cha' that repeats, connecting 347 articles that the devotee is praying is emphatic and enchanting, the text is known as 'Chamakam'. The entire Chamakam is the prayer to the Lord, seeking His grace upon us to give what all we require to lead a healthy, happy embodied life in this world, to perform the Vedic sacrifices and to attain salvation.

||Chamakam||

259

Śrī Rudram - Chamakapraśnah

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

@meenalaya

||Chamakam||

260

Śrī Rudram - Chamakapraśnah

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाकः १ ||

|| Anuvākam 1 ||

ॐ अग्नाविष्णो सजोषसेमावर्धन्तु वां गिरः |

ōm agnāviṣṇō sajōṣásēmāvárdhantu vāṅgirāḥ |

dyumairvājēbhirāgátam |

dyumairvājēbhirāgátam |

Ōm, Oh Lord Parameśwara Who are in the form of Agni and Viśnu, May Ye in both forms, bestow goodwill towards me! Let these words of my prayers that sing Your glory flourish! May Ye come to me with abundance of riches and food!

(ॐ अग्नाविष्णो ōm agnāviṣṇō) ōm Agni and Viśnu, (युवां सजोषसे yuvāṃ sajōṣasai) May Thou both bestow goodwill towards me!

(इमां गिरः imam girāḥ) these words of praise, (वां vāṃ) upon You, (वर्धन्तु vardhantu) may flourish!

(द्युमैः dyumnaiḥ) with the abundance of riches, (वाजेभिः vājēbhiḥ) and food, (आगतम् āgatam) May You come!

Note:

The Vedas (Rik) begins with the worship of Agni both as the deity of the sacrifice and the ultimate Truth beseeched. In Vedānta, the elixir to Vedas, Agni is the indwelling and the all-pervading effulgence of Ātma. It is in the seen as well as in the unseen! Its omnipresence is indicated by the word 'Viṣnu'. So 'Agni-Viśnu' is

||Chamakam|| 261 || Anuvākam 1||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

॥Chamakam॥

॥Anuvākam 1॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

वाजश्रं मे प्रसवश्रं मे प्रयतिश्रं मे प्रसितिश्रं मे धोतिश्रं मे ऋतुश्रं मे स्वरश्रं मे श्लोकश्रं मे श्रावश्रं मे श्रुतिश्रं मे ज्योतिश्रं मे सुवश्रं मे प्राणश्रं मेऽपानश्रं मे व्यानश्रं मेऽसुश्रं मे चित्तं च मे आधीतं च मे वाक् मे मनश्रं मे चक्षुश्रं मे श्रोत्रं च मे दक्षश्रं मे बलं च मे ओजश्रं मे सहश्रं मे आयुश्रं मे जरा च मे आत्मा च मे तनूश्रं मे शर्मं च मे वर्मं च मेऽङ्गानि च मेऽस्थीनि च मे परूष्णि च मे शरीराणि च मे ॥ 1 ॥

May the following enumerated items be granted to us!

1. Food; 2. Permission to give and consume the food; 3. Purity of the food; 4. The capacity to relish the food; 5. Good digestion;

2. The opportunities to perform Vedic sacrifices during which food is given as oblation and taken as 'Prasād'; 7. The appropriate knowledge and understanding for the proper intonation of Vedic Mantras in such Vedic rites; 8. The ability to recite those Vedic mantras; 9. The captivating voice and skills in reciting the Vedic mantras; 10. The ability to listen well, learn and understand the deeper meaning of the Vedic texts; 11. The luminous mind that is capable for such learning; 12. The attainment of heavenly pleasures through such performance of Vedic rites;

3. The proper functioning of life-energies Prāṇa, Apāna and Vyāna etc. for the healthy embodiment; 14. The vital air-flow that sustains my embodiment in pristine conditions; 15. The capacity of my intellect to grasp the subtle import of

||Chamakam||

263

|| Anuvākam 1 ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(चित्तं च म chitta-ñcha ma) the faculty of mind, and (आधीतं च मे ādhīta-ñcha mē) the thoughts born of the mind, and, (वाक्च मे vākcha mē), the speech, and, (मनश्र मे manaścha mē), the mind, and, (चक्षुश्र मे chakṣuścha mē) the eyes, and, (श्रोत्रं च मे śrōtra-ñcha mē) the hearing faculties, and, (दक्षश्र मे dakṣaścha mē) the sensory powers, and, (बलं च म bala-ñcha ma) the vitality of all embodiments, and, (ओजश्र मे ōjaścha mē) the essence of such vitality, and, (सहश्र म sahaścha ma) the potent power of attacking the enemies, and, (आयुश्र मे āyuścha mē) long life-span, and (जरां च म jarā cha ma) reverend maturity, and (आत्मा च मे ātmā cha mē) clear personality, and, (तनूश्र मे tanūścha mē) beautiful embodiment, and, (शर्म च मे śarma cha mē) happiness, and, (वर्म च मे varma cha mē) armour of protection, and, (अङ्गानि च mē aṅgāni cha mē) faultless organs, and, (अस्थानि च मे asthāni cha mē) appropriately established bone structure, and, (परूष्णि च मे parūgṃṣi cha mē) the well-formed limbs, and (शरीराणि च मे śarīrāṇi cha mē) in such perfect condition all parts of body, and|| 1 ||

Note:

The phrase ' मे कल्पतां may kalpatām' means: "May the following enumerated items be granted to us", which occurs in the 10th Anuvākam, must be added at the beginning of each Anuvākam to complete the meaning. Also across the Chamakam, the repeating term 'मे mē' means 'to me' or 'for me' and the conjugate 'च cha' means 'and' or 'more over'.

In this 1st Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee is praying for his well-being with the well-endowed embodiments, both gross and subtle, that include the well-formed and well-functioning physical body, powered by the well-functioning respiration and the associated subtle forces of life-energy, along with the sensory and intellectual faculties of the mind that is luminous, availing the perfect support of both karma-indriyā (organs of action) and jnāna-indriyā (organs of knowledge), and such embodiments help with the long life, seeing past reverend old age, and be so at all births.

||Chamakam||

265

|| Anuvākam 1 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

@meenalaya

266

|| Anuvākam 1 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाकः २ ||

|| Anuvākam 2 ||

जैष्ठ्यं च म आधिपत्यं च मे मन्युं च मे भामं च मे ऽभं च मे ऽम्भं च मे जेमां च मे महिमा चं मे वरिमा चं मे प्रथिमा चं मे वर्ष्मा चं मे द्राघुया चं मे वृद्धं चं मे वृद्धिश्व मे सत्यं चं मे श्रद्धा चं मे जगचं मे धनं च मे वर्षश्व मे त्विषिश्व मे क्रीडा चं मे मोदश्व मे जातं चं मे जनिष्यमाणां च मे सूक्तं चं मे सुकृतां च मे वित्तं च मे वेद्यां च मे भूतं चं मे भविष्यचं मे सुगं चं मे सुपथ्यं च म ऋद्धं चां म ऋद्धिश्व मे कुत्सं चं मे ऋमिश्व मे मृतिश्व मे सुमतिश्वं मे || 2 ||

jaisthyā-ñcha ma ādhipatya-ñcha mē manyuśchā mē bhāmāścha mē-'māścha mē-'mbháścha mē jēmāñ chā mē mahimā chā mē varimā chā mē prathimā chā mē varṣmā chā mē drāghuyā chā mē vrddha-ñchā mē vrddhiścha mē satya-ñchā mē śraddhā chā mē jagāñchá mē dhanā-ñcha mē vaśāścha mē tviṣiścha mē krīḍā chā mē mōdāścha mē jāta-ñchā mē janiṣyamāṇā-ñcha mē sūkta-ñchā mē sukrta-ñchā mē viṭṭa-ñchā mē vēdyā-ñcha mē bhūtā-ñcā mē bhāviṣyachā mē suga-ñchā mē supathā-ñcha ma ṛddha-ñchā ma ṛddhiścha mē kLipta-ñchā mē kLiptiścha mē matiśchā mē sumatiśchā mē || 2 ||

1. Respect and prominence in the world, as a senior by the reasons of virtues and knowledge; 2. Leadership amongst all;

2. Positive Anger to effect goodness; 4. The ability to direct the anger towards establishing justice; 5. The ability to control Anger in its application outwardly and for the righteousness;

||Chamakam||

267

|| Anuvākam 2 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||Chamakam||

||Anuvākam 2||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

(मे कल्पतां may kalpatām) May the following enumerated items be granted to us!

(जैष्ठ्यं च म jaiṣṭhya-ñcha ma) for me the reverence and prominence among all, and, (आधिपत्यं च मे ādhipatya-ñicha mē) the leadership, and, (मन्युग्र्र मे manyuścha mē) the positive anger, and, (भामश्र्र मे bhāmaścha mē) transparency of fury for just and fairness, and, (अमश्र्र मे amaścha mē) depth of character that are beyond the manipulation of others, and, (अम्भश्र्र मे ambhaścha mē) cool water, (जैमा च मे jēmā cha mē) success in all endeavours, and, (महिमा च मे mahimā cha mē) the ability to enjoy the outcome of all endeavours, and (वरिमा च मे varimā cha mē), being looked-up to and revered, and (प्रथिमा न मे prathimā cha mē) having abundance of prosperity, and, (वरष्मा च मे varṣmā cha mē) children, and (द्राघुया च मे drāghuyā cha mē) healthy lineage, and (वृद्धं च मे vrddha-ñcha mē) plenty of worldly goods and prosperity, and (वृद्धिश्र्र मे vrddhiścha mē) greatness through superior knowledge and good conduct, and, (सत्यं च मे satya-ñcha mē) being truthful in thoughts, words and deeds, and, (श्रद्धा च मे śraddhā cha mē) unshakeable faith and commitment to Vedas, and, (जगच्च्र्र मे jagachcha mē) possession of cattle, and, (धनं च मे dhana-ñcha mē) money and such wealth, and, (वशश्र्र मे vaśaścha mē) the ability to attract others, (त्विषिश्र्र मे tviṣiścha mē) glorious and attractive personality, and (क्रीडा च मे krīḍā cha mē) playfulness or the ability to take all things without anxiety, (मोदश्र्र मे mōdaścha mē), true happiness within, and (जातं च मे jāta-ñcha mē) the goodness of inheritance from the past, and, (जनिष्यमाणं च मे janiṣyamāṇa-ñcha mē) the goodness of lineage in the future, and, (सूक्तं च मे sūkta-ñcha mē) the mastery over the Vedic Riks, and, (सुक्तश्र्र च मे sukta-ñcha mē) the glory of the recitation of those Vedic mantra, and, (वित्तं च मे vītta-ñcha mē) the virtues earned in the past through righteous karma, and (वैद्यं च मे vēdya-ñcha mē) the virtues to be earned by righteous actions in the future, and, (भूतं च मे bhūta-ñcha mē) the happy past, (भविष्यच्च्र्र मे bhāviṣyachcha mē) the happy future, (सुगं च मे suga-ñcha mē) serene paths to tread, and, (सुपर्थ च म supatha-ñcha ma) pleasing places to come and go or dwell, and (ऋद्धं च म ṛddha-ñcha ma) increase in my wealth and well-being, and, (ऋद्धिश्र्र मे ṛddhiśra mē)

||Chamakam|| 269 ||Anuvākam 2||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाकः ३ ||

|| Anuvākam 3 ||

शं चं मे मयस्क्र मे प्रियं च मेऽनुकामश्र मे कामश्र मे सौमनसश्रं मे भद्रं चं मे श्रेयश्र मे वस्यश्र मे यशश्र मे भगश्र मे द्रविणं च मे यन्ता चं मे धर्ता चं मे क्षेमश्र मे धृतिश्र मे विश्वं च मे महश्र मे संविंच मे ज्ञात्र च मे सृष्ट्र मे प्रसूष्ट्र मे सीरं च मे लयश्र म ऋतं च मे मृडयक्षम च मे नमायच मे जीवातुश्र मे दीर्घायुत्वं च मेऽमित्रं च मे मभयं च मे सुगं चं मे शयं च मे सुषा चं मे सुदिनं च मे || 3 ||

śa-ñchā mē mayāścha mē priya-ñchā mē-'nukāmāścha mē kāmāścha mē saumanasāśchā mē bhadra-ñchā mē śrēyāścha mē vasyāścha mē yasāścha mē bhagāścha mē draviṇā-ñchā mē yaṅtā chā mē dhṛtā chā mē kṣēmāścha mē dhṛtiścha mē viśvā-ñcha mē mahāścha mē saṃvichā mē jñātrā-ñcha mē sṛṣṭhā mē prasūṣṭhā mē sīrā-ñcha mē layāśchā ma ṛta-ñchā mē-'mṛtā-ñcha mē-'yakṣma-ñcha mē-'nāmaya'chcha mē jīvātùścha mē dīrghāyutva-ñchā mē-'namiṭra-ñchā mē-'bhaya-ñchā mē suga-ñchā mē śayāna-ñchā mē sūṣā chā mē sudinā-ñcha mē || 3 ||

||Chamakam||271||Anuvākam 3||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||Chamakam||

272

||Anuvākam 3||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

all ordeals, including the most testing-conditions, and, (विश्वं च मे viśva-ñcha mē) happiness through the earned good-will among others, and (महश्र mē mahaścha mē) happiness of being respected and revered by all, and, (सं vīñyu mē samvichcha mē) happiness through the scriptural knowledge, and, (ज्ञानं च mē jñātra-ñcha mē) imparting such scriptural knowledge to others, and thus, (सूश्र mē sūścha mē) the happiness of respect and love from those who learn from me, and, (प्रसूश्र mē prasścha mē) happiness through the capacity to command them and execute, and (सीरं च mē sīra-ñcha mē) happiness with the possession of all tools and implements in life-pursuits, and (लयश्र म layaścha ma) happiness from the absence of impediments in my endeavours, and, (ऋतं च mē rta-ñcha mē) happiness in the performance of rites and rituals as sacrifices, and (अमृतं च mē amrta-ñcha mē) happiness of the resulting immortality, and so, (अयक्ष्मं च mē ayakṣma-ñcha mē) happiness of freedom from deadly diseases, and, (अनामयत् mē anāmayachcha mē) the freedom from seasonal diseases, and, (जीवातुश्र mē jīvātuścha mē) happiness through the possession and use of remedial cure for all ailments, and so, (दीर्घायुत्वं च mē dīrghāyutva-ñcha mē) happiness of long, healthy life-span, and, (अनमित्रं च mē anamitra-ñcha mē) happiness from the absence of enemies and enmity, and, (अभयं च mē abhaya-ñcha mē) the ultimate happiness of fearlessness, and, (सुगं च mē suga-ñcha mē) the happiness of lasting peace, and, (शयनं च mē śayana-ñcha mē) happiness of restful sleep, and, (सूषा च mē sūṣā cha mē) happiness of glorious dawn, and to begin again, (सुदिनं च mē sudina-ñcha mē) happiness of a new fruitful day || 3 ||

Note:

In this 3nd Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee seeks happiness through 36 favours, to be bestowed by the Lord. If each day is peaceful, each night is peaceful leading to a beautiful dawn for the next day, what else one needs for the happy life in this world.

||Chamakam||

273

|| Anuvākam 3 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाक: ४ ||

|| Anuvākam 4 ||

ऊर्क् मे सुनृता च मे पयश् मे रसश् मे घृतं च मे मधु च मे सर्पिंश् मे सपीतिश् मे कृषिश् मे वृष्टिश् मे जित्र च म औद्धिद्यं च मे रयिश् मे रायश् मे पुष्टं च मे पुष्टिश् मे विभु च मे प्रभु च मे बहु च मे भूयश् मे पूर्ण च मे पूर्णतर च मे क्षितिश् मे कूयवाश् मेन्न च मे क्षुच् च मे व्रीहयश् मे यवश् मे माषांश् मे तिलांश् मे मुद्गांश् मे खल्वांश् मे गोधूमांश् मे मसुरांश् मे प्रियङ्गवश् मेड़णवश् मे श्यामाकांश् मे निवारांश् मे || ४ ||

ūrkchā mē sūnṛtā cha mē payāścha mē rasāścha mē ghṛta-ñchā mē madhù cha mē saghiṁścha mē sapītiścha mē kṛṣhiśchā mē vrṣṭiścha mē jaitrā-ñcha mā audbhidya-ñcha mē rayiśchā mē rāyāścha mē puṣṭa-ñcha mē puṣṭiścha mē vībhu chā mē prabhu chā mē baḥu chā mē bhūyāścha mē pūrṇa-ñchā mē pūrṇatāra-ñcha mē-'kṣitiścha mē kūyavāścha mē-'nnā-ñcha mē-'kṣùchcha mē vrīhayāścha mē yavāścha mē māṣāścha mē tilāścha mē mudgāśchā mē khalvāścha mē gōdhūmāścha mē masurāścha mē priyaṅgavāścha mē-'ṇāvaścha mē śyāmākāścha mē nīvārāścha mē || 4 ||

1. Good and healthy food and drinks that nourish my gross-body; 2. Kind and good words and sensory inputs that nourish my subtle-body;

2. Pure Milk, 4. The essence, and the by-products of milk 5. Ghee in particular;

3. Honey;

4. Company of good people who dine with me; 8. Company of good people who

||Chamakam||

274

|| Anuvākam 4 ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Chamakam||

|| Anuvākam 4 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(पूर्णतरं च मे पürṇatara-ñcha mē) their greater fulfilment, and, (अक्षितिश्र mē aksitiścha mē) their non-diminution at any time through perpetual renewal,

such as in the form of, (कूयवाश्र mē kūyavāścha mē) small grains, and, (अथं च mē anna-ñcha mē) primary grains, (अक्षुद्र mē aksuchcha mē) as the satisfying-healers of hunger, such as, (व्रीहयाश्र mē vrihayāścha mē) paddy, and, (यवाश्र mē yavāścha mē) barley, and, (माषाश्र mē māṣāścha mē) black gram, and,

(तिलाश्र mē tilāścha mē) sesame, and (मुद्गाश्र mē mudgāścha mē) green gram, and, (खल्वाश्र mē khalvāścha mē) castor seeds, and, (गोधूमाश्र mē gōdhūmāścha mē) wheat, and, (मसुराश्र mē masurāścha mē) white gram, and, (प्रियङ्गवाश्र mē priyaṅgavaścha mē) millets, and (अणवाश्र mē aṇāvaścha mē) soft and superior variety of paddy, and, (श्यामाकाश्र mē śyāmākāścha mē) aromatic grains, and,

(नीवाराश्र mē nīvārāścha mē) wild wood grains || 4 ||

Note:

In this 4th Anuvākam of Chamakam, the plea is for healthy consumables in the form of food and drink that nourish the physical body as well as the kind words and goodness of sensory feeds that nourish the physical the mind.

The devotee also seeks the capacity, the infrastructure and the implements needed for producing such consumables - be it the fertile land, helping rains, ploughing tools and the labour. He is also seeking good company in the consumption of all so he is not selfish! His enumerated list of food and drinks are simple and specific that help to sustain the life as well as aid his duties and sacrifices. The list is also straightforward to understand for their literal meanings.

What could be a deeper inference? This is triggered by the first two items: Food and kind-good-words that nourish. Clearly, the devotee is not just seeking to keep his physical body to be hunger-and-thirst-free as he is also keen in the nourishment of his mind. The subtle body, comprising of prana, sensory faculties and the mind is nourished by good thoughts, words and actions.

Such goodness-to-be-consumed are produced mainly in the company of good

||Chamakam||

276

|| Anuvākam 4 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Chamakam||

277

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाकः ५ ||

|| Anuvākam 5 ||

अश्मां च मे मृत्तिका च मे गिरयश्च मे पर्वताश्च मे सिकताश्च मे वनस्पतयश्च मे हिरण्यं च मेड़यश्च मे सीस च मे त्रपु च मे श्यामं च मे लोहं च मेड़श्रिं च मे आपश्च मे वीरुध-श्र मे ओषधयाश्च मे कृष्टपच्यं च मेड़कृष्टपच्यं च मे ग्राम्याश्च मे पशवं आरण्याश्च यज्ञेन- कल्पन्तां-वित्तं च मे वि्तिश च मे भूतं च मे भूतिश च मे वसु च मे वसुतिश्र मे कर्म च मे शक्तिश्र मेड़र्थाश्च मा एमाश्च मा इितश्र मे गतिश्र मे

aśmā cha mē mṛttikā cha mē girayaścha mē parvatăścha mē sikătăścha mē vanaspatayaścha mē hiraṇya-ñcha mē-yaścha mē sīsă-ñcha mē trapúścha mē śyāma-ñchá mē lōha-ñchá mē-'gníśchá ma āpāścha mē vīrudhāścha mā ōṣădhayaścha mē kṛṣṭapachya-ñchá mē-'kṛṣṭapachya-ñchá mē grāmyāśchá mē paśavā āraṇyāśchá yajñēnă kalpantāṃ vittă-ñchá mē vittíścha mē bhūtă-ñchá mē bhūtiścha mē vasù cha mē vasatiśchă mē karmă cha mē śaktiścha mē-'rthāścha mā ēmāścha ma itiścha mē gatiścha mē

1. The stones; 2. The Earth; 3. The reverential hills; 4. The mountain ranges that are the sources of rivers; 5. The Sandy river-beds; 5. The lofty trees that bear fruits without blossoming; 6. The Gold; 7. The Silver; 8. The Lead; 9. The Tin; 10. The Iron and; 11. Such metals and minerals; 12. The Fire; 13. The Water and such natural forces, and; 14. The creepers and such nourishing vegetations; 15. The herbs and such healing plants; 16. Such cultivated-crops; 16. The wild-crops; 17. The animals and other life-forms living in my place;18. Those living in remote places and in the woods;

||Chamakam|| 278 || Anuvākam 5 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः ||

|| Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ ||

|| अनुवाकः ६ ||

|| Anuvākam 6 ||

||Chamakam|| 281 || Anuvākam 6 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

Indwelling Ātma; 7. Mitra the power of light and the indwelling Ātma; 8. Varuna, the god of rain and the indwelling Ātma; 9. Tvaṣṭhā, the power of creation and the indwelling Ātma; 10. Dhātā, the god of health and the indwelling Ātma; 11. Viṣṇu, the all-pervading power and the indwelling Ātma; 12. Aśvin Dēvas, the twin forces of hearing and health, and the indwelling Ātma; 13. Marutha, the power of destruction and the indwelling Ātma; 14. Viśva the god of universe and the indwelling Ātma; 15. Prithvi, the Mother Earth, and the indwelling Ātma; 16. Antarikṣa, the inter-space and the indwelling Ātma; 17. Heavens and the indwelling Ātma; 18. All quarters and the indwelling Ātma; 19. Powers above all directions, and the indwelling Ātma; 20. Prajāpati, the creator BrahmaDēva and the indwelling Ātma!

(मे कलपतां may kalpatām) May the grace be upon us by the following enumerated forms of God, in the dual form (the manifest and the unmanifest):

(अग्निश्र म इन्द्रश्र मे agniścha ma indraścha mē) as Agni the god of heat and the indwelling Ātma, (सोमश्र म इन्द्रश्र मे sōmaścha ma indraścha mē) Soma, the god of cool moon-light and the indwelling Ātma, and, (सविता च म इन्द्रश्र मे savitā cha ma indraścha mē) Savitha, the power of pre-dawn Sun and the indwelling Ātma, and, (सरस्वती च म इन्द्रश्र मे sarasvatī cha ma indraścha mē) Saraswathi the power of knowledge and the indwelling Ātma, and, (पूषा च म इन्द्रश्र मे pūṣā cha ma indraścha mē) Pūṣā, the power of nourishment and the indwelling Ātma, and, (बृहस्पतिश्र म इन्द्रश्र मे bṛhaspatiścha ma indraścha mē) Bṛhaspati, the power of Guru and the indwelling Ātma, and, (मित्रश्र म इन्द्रश्र मे mitráścha ma indraścha mē) Mitra the power of light and the indwelling Ātma, and, (वरुणश्र म इन्द्रश्र मे varuṇaścha ma indraścha mē) Varuna, the god of rain and the indwelling Ātma, and, (त्वष्टा च म इन्द्रश्र मे tvaṣṭhā cha ma indraścha mē) Tvaṣṭhā, the power of creation and the indwelling Ātma, and, (धाता च म इन्द्रश्र मे dhātā cha ma indraścha mē) Dhātā, the god of health and the indwelling Ātma, and, (विष्णुश्र म इन्द्रश्र मे viṣṇuścha ma indraścha mē) Viṣṇu, the all-pervading power and the indwelling Ātma, and, (अश्विनौ च म इन्द्रश्र मे aśvinau cha ma indraścha mē) Aśvin Dēvas, the twin forces

||Chamakam||

||Anuvākam 6||

282

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

॥ अनुवाकः ७ ॥

|| Anuvākam 8 ||

अगंशुश्च मे रश्मिश्च मे ऽडाभ्यश्च मे ऽधिपतिश्च मे उपागंशुश्च मे ऽन्तर्यामश्च मे ऐन्द्रावायवश्च मे मैत्रावरुणश्च मे आध्वर्यवश्च मे प्रतिप्रस्थानश्च मे शुक्रश्च मे मथी च म आग्रयणश्च मे वैश्वदेवश्च मे ध्रुवश्च मे वैश्वानरश्च मे ऋतुगृहाश्च मे ऽतिग्राह्याश्च मे ऐन्द्राग्नश्च मे वैश्वदेवश्च मे मरुत्वतीयाश्च मे माहेन्द्रश्च मे आदित्यश्च मे सावित्रश्च मे सारस्वतश्च मे पौष्णश्च मे पात्नीवतश्च मे हारियोजनश्च मे ॥ ७ ॥

agmśuśchá mē raśmischá mē-'dābhyāśchá mē-'dhipatiśchá ma upāgmśuśchá mē-'ntaryāmaśchá mē aindrāvāyavaśchá mē maitrāvaruṇaśchá ma āśviniśchá mē pratipraṣthānaśchá mē śukraśchá mē manthī chā ma āgrayaṇaśchá mē vaiśvadēvaśchá mē dhruvaśchá mē vaiśvānaraśchá mē ṛtugrahāśchá mē-'tigrāhyāśchá ma aindrāgnaśchá mē vaiśvadēvaśchá mē marutvatīyāśchá mē māhēndraśchá ma ādityaśchá mē sāvitraśchá mē sārasvataśchá mē pauṣṇaśchá mē pātīivataśchá mē hāriyōjanaśchá mē || 7 ||

Let the following vessels used in the Soma sacrifices for holding the sacred Soma juice be granted unto me:

The different vessels mentioned are the first four as oblation: 1. Amsu, to mean the Prānāyāmam; 2.Rasmi, the intellect; 3. Adhabya, the trust; 4. Adhipati which holds the curds to signify contemplation. Then the vessels for holding the Soma juice: 5. Upamsu, the access to higher understanding; 6. Antharyama, the inward focus; 7. Mithra, the radiance; 8. Varuna, the inner joy; 9. Aswins, the hearing;

Then the vessels for holding the milk and milk products, namely differently:

||Chamakam||

284

|| Anuvākam 8 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

10. Prathipprasthana, the satva-guna; 11. Sukra, the luminous heart; the butter cup: 12. Manthi, the melting heart; fire-holder: 13. Agrayana, the buddhi; 14. VaisvaDēva; 15. Dhruva; 16. Vaisvanara; 17. Rithu;18. Athigrahas; 19. Agni; 20. Indra; 21. VisveDēvas; 22. Maruts; 23. Great Indra; 24. Aditya; 25. Savitha; 26. Saraswathi; 27. Pusa; 28. Pathnevatha and 29. Hariyojanas.

(मे कल्‍पतां may kalpatām) May the following enumerated vessels be used in the sacrifice and hold the Soma juice granted unto me:

(अग्नुश्र मे agmśuścha mē) the Amsu vessel (holding the will) and, (रश्मिश्र मे raśmiścha mē) the radiating Rasmi Vessel (holding the intellect) and, (अदाभ्यश्र मे adabhyaścha mē) Adabhya vessel (holding the Trust) and, (अधिपतिश्र म adhipatiścha ma) the Adhipati vessel of curd (holding the Contemplation), (उपाग्नुश्र मे upāgmśuścha mē) the Upamasu vessel of Soma (holding inner-peace) and, (अन्तर्यामश्र म ऐन्द्रवायवश्र mē antaryāmaścha ma aindravāyavaścha mē). Antharyama, the inward focus; (मैत्रावरुणश्र म maitrāvaruṇaścha ma) Mithra, the radiance and Varuna, the inner joy; (आश्विनश्र मे āśvinaścha mē) Aswins, the hearing; (प्रतिप्रस्थानश्र मे pratipprasthānaścha mē) then the milk vessel Prathipprasthana, the satva-guna; (शुक्रश्र मे śukraścha mē) Sukra, the luminous heart; (मन्थी च म आग्रयणश्र mē manthī cha ma āgrayaṇaścha mē) the butter cup Manthi, as the melting heart; fire-holder Agrayana, as the buddhi; (वैश्वदेवश्र म vaiśvadēvaścha mē) Vessel for VaisvaDēva; (ध्रुवश्र mē dhruvaścha mē) Vessel for Dhruva; (वैश्वानरश्र म ऋतुग्रहश्र mē vaiśvānaraścha ma rtugrahāścha mē) Vessels for Vaisvanara and Rithu; (उतिग्राहश्र म ऐन्द्राग्नश्र mē atigrāhyaścha ma aindrāgnaścha mē) Vessel for Athigrahas and the Vessels for Agni and Indra; (वैश्वदेवश्र mē vaiśvadēvaścha mē) Vessel for VisveDēvas; (मरुत्वतीयाश्र mē marutvatīyaścha mē) Vessel for Marut; (माहेन्द्रश्र म आदित्यश्र mē māhēndraścha ma ādityaścha mē) Vessel for Great Indra and Aditya; (सावित्रश्र mē sāvitraścha mē) Vessel for Savitha; (सारस्वतश्र mē sārasvataścha mē) Vessel for Saraswathi; (पौष्णश्र mē pauṣṇaścha mē) Vessel for Puṣṇa; ( पात्नीवतश्र mē pāt­nīvataścha mē) Vessel for Pathnevatha; (हारियोजनश्र mē hāriyōjanaścha mē) Vessel for Hariyojanas. || 7 ||

||Chamakam || 285 || Anuvākam 8 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

Note:

In this 7th Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee is praying for 29 vessels that are involved during the performance of the Soma Sacrifice to be bestowed upon him. Deeper understanding of this prayer must be learnt from the Āchāryas who guide and conduct Vedic Rituals, and Yajna.

If we contemplate upon the Yajna as the meditative penance within one's mind, then the vessels are the holders of different qualities and oblations that are necessary for the Yajna.

॥ अनुवाकः ८ ॥

॥ Anuvākam 8 ॥

इध्मश्रं मे बरहिश्रं मे वेदिश्रं मे दिशि॒न्याश्रं मे सुचश्रं मे चमसाश्रं मे ग्रावाणश्रं मे स्वर॑वश्र म उपरवाश्र मेऽधिषव॑णे च मे द्रोणकलश॑श्रं मे वाय॑व्य॑ानि च मे पूतभृ॑च् म आ॒धवनी॒यश्र म आ॒ग्री॒ध्र॑ञ च मे ह॒विर्धा॑नञ च मे गृ॒हाश्र॑ मे सदश्र मे पुरो॒डाशा॒श्र मे पच॑ताश्र मेऽव॑भृथश्र मे स्वगाकारश्र मे ॥ 8 ॥

॥Chamakam॥

286

॥ Anuvākam 8 ॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

May the following enumerated accessories for the performance of the sacrifice be granted unto me:

1. Dried holy sticks; 2. Sacred grass; 3. Short platform in the middle of the sacred-fire; 4. Raised platform around the sacred-fire; 5. Wooden vessels holding the oblations; 6. Wooden-plates holding the offerings; 7. Small stones for crushing the seeds for preparing the offerings; 8. Wooden knives and other implements fixed on the sacrificial post; 9. Four pits of certain depth where the oblations are put; 10. Flat slabs of wood made of fig-tree bark; 11. Drōṇa-kalasa, a type of pot that holds the Soma juice; 12. Wooden and mud vessels; 13. Specific mud pots; 14. Another type of mud pot; 15. The place for lighting the sacrificial fire; 16. Platform where the oblation is placed; 17. Area where the spouses of the priests dwell; 18. Platform from where the Priests are seated to recite the mantra; 19. The votive offerings that are made from the rice; 20. Place where the oblation is cooked; 21. Shower-rooms where bath is taken after the completion of the sacrifice; and 22. Certain prescribed mantras for invoking the gods during the sacrifice! || 8 ||

(मे कल्पतां may kalpatāṃ) May the following enumerated accessories for the performance of the sacrifice be granted unto me:

(इध्मश्र मे idhmaścha mē) dried holy sticks and, (बरहिश्र मे barhiścha mē) sacred grass, and, (वेदिश्र मे vēdiścha mē) the short platform in the middle of the sacred-fire, and, (दिष्णियाश्र मे diṣṇiyāścha mē) the raised platforms around the sacred-fire, and, (स्रुचश्र मे sruchaścha mē) the wooden vessels holding oblations, and, (चमशाश्र मे chamasāścha mē) the wooden-plates holding the offerings, and, (ग्रावाणाश्र मे grāvāṇaścha mē) small stones for crushing the seeds, and, (स्वरवश्र म svaravaścha ma) the wooden implements fixed on the sacrificial post, (उपरवाश्र मे uparavāścha mē) the four pits of certain depth to hold the oblations, and, (अधिषवणे च मे adhiṣavaṇē cha mē) flat slabs made of fig-tree bark, (त्रोणकलश्र मे drōṇakalaśaścha mē) Drona kalasa holding the Soma rasa, and, (वायव्यानी च मे vāyavyāni cha mē) wooden and mud vessels, and, (पूतभ्रूज म pūtabhṛchcha ma) mud

||Chamakam||

287

|| Anuvākam 8 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

pots, and, (आधवनीयश्र म आधवनीयाशcha ma) another type of mud pot, and, (आग्रीध्रं च मे आग्रीधra-ñcha mē) the place for lighting the fire, and (हविर्धानं च मे हविर्धāna-ñcha mē) the platfrom for placing the havis or the oblation, and, (गृहाश्र मे गृहाशcha mē) place where the spouses dwell, and (सदश्र मे सदशcha mē) platform from where the Priests recite, and, (पुरोडाशाश्र मे पुरोऽडाशाशcha mē) the votive offerings made from rice, (पचताश्र मे पचताशcha mē) the place where havis or oblation is cooked, and (अवभृथश्र मे अवभृथाशcha mē) the place where bath is taken after the sacrifice, and, (स्वगाकारश्र मे स्वगाकाराścha mē) the prescribed mantras for invoking the gods during the sacrifice! || 8 ||

Note:

In this 8th Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee is praying for 22 items that he deems critical for the performance of the Soma sacrifice. The items are specific to the Vedic rituals which are to be learnt from the Āchārya who guide and conduct Vedic Rituals.

||Chamakam||

288

|| Anuvākam 8 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

|| अनुवाकः ९ ||

|| Anuvākam 9 ||

अग्निंश्र मे घर्मश्र मे᳚ऽर्कश्र मे सूर्यश्र मे प्राणश्र मे᳚ऽश्वमेधश्र मे पृथिवी च मे᳚ऽदितिश्र मे दितिश्र मे᳚ऽदितिश्र मे द्यौश्र मे शंकरङ्कलयो दिशश्र मे यजेन्न᳚ कल्पन्तामृक् मे साम च मे स्तोमश्र मे यजुंश्र मे दीक्षा च मे᳚ऽतपश्र मे ऋतुश्र मे व्रत᳚ च मे᳚ऽहोरात्रयौवृष्या वृहद्रथन्तरे च᳚ मे यजेन्न᳚ कल्पेताम् || ९ ||

agniśchá mē gharmáśchá mē-'rkáśchá mē sūryáśchá mē prāṇáśchá mē-'śvamēdhaśchá mē pṛthivī chā mē-'ditíścha mē ditiśchá mē dyáuśchá mē śakavárīṅguláyō diśáśchá mē yajñēnā kalpantā́mṛk chá mē sāmaṁ chá mē stōmáścha mē yajuśchá mē dīkṣā chā mē-'tapáścha mē ṛtuśchá mē vrata-n̄chá mē-'hōrā́trayōrvṛṣṭyā bṛ̣hadrathantarē chā mē yajñēnā kalpētā́m || 9 ||

||Chamakam|| 289 || Anuvākam 9 ||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

Note:

In this 9th Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee is praying for another 21 items for the performance of Soma sacrifice, which include: the sacred fire, five sacrifices, grace of six deities, four Vedas, four specific rituals, and the recital of a particular hymn from the Sāma Veda.

As the result of the sacrifices, the gods bestow grace, as the rains nourish the land, and the crops grow, leading to prosperous living.

The foremost request by the devotee is the 'sacrificial fire'.

Why he is asking for the 'fire' to be granted? Some may interpret that even making fire in ancient days was a rare feat and therefore the grace is sought. Other literal interpretation is that the knowledge of erecting the proper fire-place and initiating the divine flame for the performance of Vedic sacrifices is not common-knowledge and therefore, the devotee is asking for the guidance of Āchārya and the knowledge.

A compelling inference is that the sacrificial fire beseeched by the devotee is the 'chit-agni', the fire or the light of knowledge, the effulgence of our consciousness. In Sri Lalitha Sahasranāma, Mother Sri Lalitha is worshipped as the Power of Lord Parameswara, raising from the Sacrificial Fire from the Yajnas performed by the Dēvas, who sought the help of Mother in the war against the Asuras.

That 'chit-agni' is the awakening of the Self. The Dēva-Asura battle is the perpetual fight between the good and evil tendencies of the mind. Churning the mind with the alternating thoughts towards these polarised tendencies raises deeper contemplation and divine directions. The power of will to do anything is the fire that the 'buddhi' must light, bestowed by the grace of consciousness. The 'śraddha' or the power to commit and perform is the fire that the mind has to light-up, in which the distracting tendencies vanish. The strong will to do, the determination to pursue till completion, and the steadfast devotion all along

||Chamakam||

291

||Anuvākam 9||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ॥

the performance are indicated by the 'sacrificial-fire' that the devotee seeks as the foremost requirement. When that fire of determination towards progress is lit, then its lustre dispels darkness, its warmth heals and its burning power consumes away, all that render obstacles to our freedom and fulfilment.

॥ अनुवाकः १० ॥

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

गर्भाँश् मे वत्साशं मे tryविश्व मे tryवीचं मे दित्यवाट् चं मे दित्यौही चं मे पञ्चाविश मे पञ्चाव्ही चं मे त्रिवत्सशं मे त्रिवत्सा चं मे तुर्यवाट् चं मे तुर्यौही चं मे पञ्चवाट् चं मे पञ्चौही चं म उक्षा चं मे वशा चं म ऋषभशं मे वेष्ट्रं मे नडड्डशं मे धेनुश्र् म आयुर्यज्ञेनं कल्पतां प्राणो यज्ञेनं कल्पतामपानो यज्ञेनं कल्पतां चक्षुर्यज्ञेनं कल्पतां श्रोत्र-य्यज्ञेनं कल्पतां मनो यज्ञेनं कल्पतां-वाङ्यज्ञेनं कल्पतामात्मा यज्ञेनं कल्पताग् श्रोत-य्यज्ञो कल्पतां-य्ज्ञो कल्पताम् ॥ 10 ॥

garbhāścha mē vatsāśchā mē tryaviścha mē tryavīchā mē dityavāṭ chā mē dityauhī chā mē pañchāviścha mē pañchāvī chā mē trivatsāśchā mē trivatsā chā mē turyavāṭ chā mē turyauhī chā mē paṣṭhavāṭ chā mē paṣṭhauḥī chā ma ukṣā chā mē vaśā chā ma ṛṣabhaśchā mē vēḥachchhā mē'nḍyāṅcha mē dhēnuśchā ma āyùryajñēnā kalpatā-mprāṇō yajñēnā kalpatāmānō yajñēnā kalpatāṃ vyānō yajñēnā kalpatā-ñchaksùryajñēnā kalpatāg śrōtraṃ yajñēnā kalpatā-mmanō yajñēnā kalpatāṃ-vāgyajñēnā kalpatāmātmā yajñēnā kalpatāṃ yajñō yajñēnā kalpatāṃ || 10 ||

||Chamakam||

292

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

May the following enumerated items be granted unto me:

1. Calves in the wombs of my cows i.e. pregnant cows; 2. the new-born calves; 3-14. one-and-half-years, two-years, two-and-half years, three-years, four-years and five-years old male calves and female calves; 15. the breeding bulls; 16. the breeding cows; 17. the lordly bulls; 18. the matured cows that passed their breeding stage; 19. The bulls for pulling the carts and plough the fields; 20. the cows that are giving milk.

May I be bestowed as the result of by my sacrifices, with: 21. The full life-span; 22. The life-energy Prāṇa; 23. The life-energy, Apāna; 24. The life-energy, Vyāna (and by implication all life-energies); 25. The clear eye-sight; 26. Good hearing faculties; 27. Calm and positive mind; 28. Speech that is truthful and pleasing; 29. Good Personality; 30. Perfect and Fulfilling performance of sacrifices. || 10 ||

(मे कल्पतां may kalpatāṁ) May the following enumerated items be granted unto me:

(गर्भाश्र मे garbhāścha mē) calves in the wombs of my cows, and, (वत्साश्र मे vatsāścha mē) the new-born calves, and (त्र्यविश्र मे tryaviścha mē) one-and-half-years old male calves, and, (त्र्यवीच मे tryavīcha mē) one-and-half-years old female calves, and, (दित्यौहि च मे dityauḥī cha mē) two-years old male calves, and, (दित्यौही च मे dityauḥī cha mē) two-years old female calves, and, (पञ्चाविश्र मे pañchāviścha mē) two-and-half-years old male calves, and, (पञ्चावी च मे pañchāvī cha mē) two-and-half-years old female calves, and, (त्रिवत्साश्र मे trivatsāścha mē) three-years old male calves, and, (त्रिवत्सा च मे trivatsā cha mē) three-years old female calves, and, (तुर्यावाट च मे turyavāṭ cha mē) four-years old male calves, and, (तुर्यौही च मे turyauḥī cha mē) four-years old female calves, and, (पञ्चवाट च मे paṅchavāṭ cha mē) five-years old male calves, and, (पञ्चौही च म paṅchauḥī cha ma) five-years old female calves, and, (उक्षा च मे ukṣā cha mē) the breeding bulls, and, (वशा च म वśā cha ma) the breeding cows, (ऋषभाश्र मे ṛṣabhaścha mē) the lordly bulls, and, (वेहञ्छ मे vēhachcha mē) the cows, who passed their breeding stage, and, (अनड्वाझ

||Chamakam||

293

|| Anuvākam 10 ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Chamakam|| 295 || Anuvākam 10||

|| श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः ||

|| Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ ||

|| अनुवाकः ११ ||

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

एकां च मे तिस्रश्च मे पञ्च च मे सप्त चं मे नवं च मे एकादश च मे त्रयोदश च मे पञ्चदश च मे सप्तदश च मे नवदश च म एकविंशतिश्व मे त्रयोविंशतिश्व मे पञ्चविंशतिश्व मे ससविंगंशातिश्व मे नवविंगंशातिश्व मे एकत्रिगंशच मे त्रयस्त्रिगंशच मे चतस्रश्व मेष्ट्टो चं मे द्वादश च मे षोडश च मे विंगंशातिश्व मे चतुर्विंशातिश्व मेष्ट्टाविगंशातिश्व मे द्वात्रिगंशच मे पट्त्रिगंशच मे चतवारिगंशच मे चतुश्चत्वारिगंशच मेष्ट्टाचत्वारिरंशच मे वाजश्र प्रसवश्रापिजश्र कतुङ्श्र सुवश्र मुर्धा च व्यश्रियश्रान्त्यायनश्रान्त्यश्र भौवनश्र भुवंश्र श्राधिपतिश्र || 11 ||

ēkâ cha ma mē tīṣraśchā mē pañchâ cha mē sapta chā mē navâ cha ma ēkâdaśa cha mē trayôdaśa cha mē pañchâdaśa cha mē saptadâśa cha mē navâdaśa cha ma ēkâvigṃśatiścha mē trayôvigṃśatiścha mē pañchâvigṃśatiścha mē saptavigṃśatiścha mē navâvigṃśatiścha ma ēkātrimgśachcha mē trayâstrimgśachcha mē chatâsraścha mē-'ṣṭau chā mē dvâdâśa cha mē ṣōḍâśa cha mē vigṃśatiśchā mē chatūrvigṃśatiścha mē-'ṣṭāviḡṃśatiścha mē dvātriḡṃśachcha mē ṣaṭ-trimgśachcha mē chatvārigṃśachchā mē chatúśchatvārigṃśachcha mē-'ṣṭāchatvārigṃśachcha mē vājáścha prasavaśchāpijáścha kratūścha suvâścha mūrdhā cha vyaśniyaśchāntyāyanaśch āntyaścha bhauvaṇaśchā bhuvaṇaśchādhipatiścha || 11 ||

May the following FORTY-ONE enumerated items be granted unto me: 1. the odd One,; 2. the three; 3. the five; 4. the seven; 5. the nine; 6. the eleven; 7. the thirteen; 8. the fifteen; 9. the seventeen; 10. the nineteen; 11. the twenty-one; 12. the twenty-three; 13. the twenty-five; 14. the twenty-seven; 15. the twenty-nine; 16. the thirty-one; 17. the thirty-three; 18. the four; 19. the eight; 20. the

||Chamakam|| 296 || Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

twelve; 21. the sixteen; 22. the twenty; 23. the twenty-four; 24. the twenty-eight; 25. the thirty-two; 26. the thirty-six; 27. The forty; 28. the forty-four; 29. the forty-eight; 30. the food; 31. the production of food; 32. The reproduction of food; 33. the desire to enjoy what has been produced; 34. the Sun, Who is the cause of Production; 35. Space; 36. Brahman Which pervades and transcends all; 37. Who is born at the end of all; 38. Who alone exists at the end of all; 39. Who exists (in the middle) in the manifested world; 40. Who is in the form of the world (i.e. all manifestations); 41. Who is the Ruler of all, indwelling in all!

॥ 11 ॥

(मे कल्पतां may kalpatām) May the following enumerated items be granted unto me:

(एक च मे ēkā cha mē) the odd One for me, and, (त्रिस्र मे tisraścha mē) the three, and, (पञ्च च मे pañcha cha mē) the five, and, (सप्त च मे sapta cha mē) the seven, and, (नव च म nava cha ma) the nine, and, (एकादश च मे ēkādaśa cha mē) the eleven, and, (त्रयोदश च मे trayōdaśa cha mē) the thirteen, and, (पञ्चदश च मे pañchadaśa cha mē ) the fifteen, and, (समदश च मे saptadaśa cha mē) the seventeen, and, (नवदश च म navadaśa cha ma) the nineteen, and, (एकविंशतिश्र मे ēkaviṁśatiścha mē ) the twenty-one, and, (त्रयोविंशतिश्र मे trayōviṁśatiścha mē) the twenty-three, and, (पञ्चविंशतिश्र मे pañchaviṁśatiścha mē) the twenty-five, and, (सप्तविंशतिश्र मे saptaviṁśatiścha mē) the twenty-seven, and, (नवविंशतिश्र म navaviṁśatiścha ma) the twenty-nine, and, (एकत्रिंशद् मे ēkatriṁśachcha mē) the thirty-one, and, (त्रयस्त्रिंशद् मे trayastrimśachcha mē) the thirty-three, and, (चतस्रश्र मे chatasraścha mē) the four, and, (अष्टौ च मे aṣṭau cha mē) the eight, and, (द्वादश च मे dvādaśa cha mē) the twelve, and, (षोडश च मे ṣōḍaśa cha mē) the sixteen, and, (विंशतिश्र मे vigṁśatiścha mē) the twenty, and, (चतुर्विंशतिश्र मे chatùrviṁśatiścha mē) the twenty-four, and, (अष्टाविंशतिश्र मे aṣṭāviṁśatiścha mē) the twenty-eight, and, (द्वात्रिंशद् मे dvātriṁśachcha mē) the thirty-two, and, (षट्-त्रिंशद् मे śat-triṁśachcha mē) the thirty-six, and, (चत्वारिंशद् मे chatvāriṁśachcha mē) the forty, and, (चतुश्चत्वारिंशद्ध मे chatùśchatvāriṁśachcha mē) the forty-four, and, (अष्टाचत्वारिंशद्ध मे aṣṭāchatvāriṁśachcha mē) the forty-eight,

||Chamakam||

297

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

vājaścha) the food, and, (प्रसवश्र prasavaścha) the production of food, and, (अपिजश्र apijaścha) more often its reproduction, and, (क्रतुश्र kratuścha) the desire to enjoy the produced, and (सुवश्र suvaścha) the cause of Production, the Sun god, and, (मूर्धा च mūrdhā cha) the all pervading sky, and, (व्यश्रियश्र vyaśniyaścha) that Brahmam Which pervades and transcends all, and (अन्त्यायनश्र āntyāyanaścha) Who is born at the end of all, and ( अन्त्यश्र āntyaścha) Who alone exists at the end of all, (भौवनश्र bhauvanaścha) Who exists (in the middle - i.e. in the manifested world), and, (भुवनश्र bhuvanaścha) Who is in the form of the world (i.e. all manifestations), and, (अधिपतिश्र adhipatiścha) Who is the Ruler of all, indwelling in all!! 11 !!

Note:

In this 11th Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee is seeking 41 items that he enumerates. However, the decoding of many of those items are left to the contemplation of the seekers.

When a Riṣi (for that matter, any sincere aspirant) starts to outpour the heart-content into words of wisdom, unadulterated by the dry intellectual plan and articulation, then the output is pure emotion, soaked in true devotion, capable of offering a deeper revelation, to others who too sincerely seek.

Seekers, therefore, find treasures in such coded words. Some attempt to decode, by force-fitting their inference with a strain of purpose and logic. Others may simply immerse in the joy of reciting and hearing and let their hearts parse these coded texts, finding surprisingly in their hearts, an insight, appropriate to their own need of spiritual growth, and a revelation. So, thanks for such ambiguity in these spiritual texts, we have the freedom to rejoice varied inferences, knowing fully well that our own interpretations will eventually change to suit our spiritual maturity.

In this Anuvākam of Chamakam, the devotee is asking benedictions through a series of quantifications, totalling 41.

||Chamakam||

298

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

॥श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः॥

॥Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ॥

(A) 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15,17,19,21,23,25,27,29,31,33

There are SEVENTEEN odd numbers from 1 to 33 in this mantra, and we can take these to indicate benedictions for the microcosm, the subtle energies (gods) that indwell in the embodied life.

ONE is the Mūlaprakriti, the cause of Jagat and all its embodiments.

THREE are the three Guna, the inherent tendencies, the fabric that weave the nature and traits of every embodiment

FIVE are the Pancabhūta, the subtle primordial forces, which through the process of Panchīkarana becomes the gross space, air, fire, water and earth, the bricks and mortar of the gross-body.

SEVEN are the constituent parts of the subtle body or the Jīvā, that comprises of the Indriyā (the organs of sensory perceptions), the Mind and the binding Prana.

NINE are the doorways of Prāna which binds the Jīvā to the gross-body, and through which the Jīva travels to take habitation across embodiments.

ELEVEN are the important branches of Prana: The FIVE major ones are known as Prāna (that regulates the heart-beat and breath), Apāna (excretion), Vyana (muscular action), Udana (voice), Samāna (metabolism) + Five minor: Nāga (Burping), Koorma (Blinking), Krikāla (Sneezing), Dēvadatta (Yawning), Dhananjaya (Opening and closing of heart valves) and the Mahākāsa: the space in the heart that propels the motion of Prana.

THIRTEEN are the spatial dimensions of embodiment (the EIGHT directions, up, down, in, out and the whole); these are adored as THIRTEEN Vastu mandala Dēvatas, namely, Apa, Savitri, Jaya, Rudra, Apavatsa, Savita, Vivudhadipa, Rājayakshma, Aryama, Vivasvan, Mitra, Prithvidhara and Brahma.

॥Chamakam॥

299

॥Anuvākam 11॥

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Chamakam||

300

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

||Chamakam||

301

||Anuvākam 11||

||श्री रुद्रप्रशः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

FORTY-EIGHT includes THIRTY-SIX Śiva-tattvā, SEVEN Yoga Chakra and Panchākshara Mantra, the pathway for liberation.

FORTY-EIGHT may also denote the days of Mandala, the count of consecutive days of penance.

There is huge potential to draw far greater insight from decoding these and there are many such inferences drawn by many.

ॐ इडां देवहू-मनुर्यजनि-वृहस्पतिरुक्थामदानि शगंसिषद्विश्वे देवाः सूक्तवाचः पृथिवि-विमातर्मा हिगंसीमधु मनिष्ये मधुं जनिष्ये मधु वक्ष्यामि मधु वदिष्यामि मधुमतीं देवेभ्यो वाचमुद्यासगंशृण्वेण्यां मनुष्येभ्यस्त म आवन्तु शोभायै पितरोडनुमदन्तु ॥

Ōṃ! Oh Mother Earth! As I am blessed by the Heavenly Holy-Cow Who draws all Dēvas (of auspiciousness), Manu Who promotes dharma and the righteous performance of Veda Yajna in the world, Brhaspati, the teacher Who recites the enchanting Veda Mantras and those Dēvas of sweet voices reciting melodious verses, May Thou not harm me!

(By Thine grace) May I be of good mind! May I do only good things! May I carry only goodness to all! May I speak only good words! To the Dēvas and the people who desire to hear good words, May I speak with honey-like sweetness!

||Chamakam||

302

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudraprasnaḥ||

(By Thine grace) Such person I am with words that are without blemish, May the Dēva protect me! May my ancestors grant permission for that grace to be bestowed upon me by Dēvas!

(ॐ ॐ) Ōm, (इडा idā) Kamadenu, (देवꣵ dēvaḥ) Who brings the Dēvas, (मनुḥ manuḥ) Manu, (यज्ञꣵ yajñaḥ) Who inculcates the performance of Vedic-Yajna, (बृहस्पतिḥ brhaspatiḥ) Brhaspati, (उक्थामदानी थ्सामिसिपत् ukthāmadāni śagṃsiṣat) Who recites enchanting Veda Mantra, (विश्वेदेवाḥ viśvēdēvāḥ) the Dēvas, (सुक्तवाचः sūktavāchaḥ) Who recite the melodious verses, (पृथिविमातः prthivimātah) Oh Mother Earth! (मा हिꣳसिꣳर्मꣳधु māṃhigṃsiḥ) do not cause harm to me as I am blessed by the Dēvas!

(madhu manişyē) May I have good mind! (मधु जनिष्ये madhu janisyē) May I do good things! (मधु वक्ष्यामि madhu vakṣyāmi) May I carry only goodness! (मधु वदिष्यामि madhu vadiṣyāmi) May I speak only good words! (देवेभ्यो dēvēbhya) To the Dēvas, (शुस्रुषेण्यꣳ suśruṣēṇyāṃ manuşyēbhyah) To the people who desires to hear good words, (वाचमुद्यामगं vācham-udyāsagm) May I speak (मधुमतीꣳ madhumatīṃ) With honey-like sweetness! (तꣳमा tammā) Such person I am, (शोभाये śōbhāyai) as my words are without blemish, (देवा अवꣵतु dēvāḥ avantu) May the Dēva protect! (पितरोनुमदꣵतु pitarah anumadantu) May my ancestors grant permission for that grace by Dēvas!

Note:

As a Śānti-Patha, the devotee summarises his fortune, as he has performed the Śri Rudra Japa Yajnam sincerely, he has gained the grace of all Dēvas and the all-wish-granting Kāmadēnu, and therefore, Mother Earth, on Whose lap he dwells, must lovingly take care of the devotee. By the grace of Mother Earth, the devotee prays, that his mind, words and actions to be virtuous, carry only goodness to all. May the ancestors see the progress of the devotee and therefore allow the Dēvas to grant all prosperity to the devotee. It is important to appease the Pitrus and make them happy as without the blessings of the ancestors, even the gods cannot extend their help to us. By performing Śri Rudram Japa Yajnam,

||Chamakam||

303

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

the devotee directly pleases his ancestors, as if he has done the Shraddham and other rituals for the Pitrus. Thus, the devotee is free of their wrath and blessed with their compassion and grace.

Thus is the completion of Śri Rudram-Chamakam.

||Chamakam||

304

|| Anuvākam 11 ||

||श्री रुद्रप्रश्नः||

||Śrī Rudrapraśnaḥ||

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

ōm śāntiḥ śānti: śānti:

||Chamakam||

305 || Anuvākam 11 ||

Aum Namah Śivaya

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