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Rudra, identified with the Puranic
Shiva (pictured) is associated with the
Rudras.
Rudras
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rudras are forms and followers of the god Rudra-Shiva and make eleven of the Thirty-three gods in the Hindu
pantheon.
[1]
They are at times identified with the Maruts - sons of Rudra; while at other times, considered distinct
from them.
Contents
1 Birth and names
2 Associations
2.1 Association with Maruts
3 Notes
4 References
Birth and names
The Ramaana tells they are eleven of the 33 children of the sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi, along with the 12
Adityas, 8 Vasus and 2 Ashvins, constituting the Thirty-three gods.
[2]
The Vamana Purana describes the Rudras
as the sons of Kashyapa and Aditi.
[3]
The Matsa Purana notes that Surabhi - the mother of all cows and the
"cow of plenty" - was the consort of Brahma and their union produced the eleven Rudras. Here they are named
Nirriti, Shambhu, Aparajita Mrigavyadha, Kapardi, Dahana, Khara, Ahirabradhya, Kapali, Pingala and Senani -
the foremost.
[4]
The Harivamsa, an appendix of the Mahabharata, makes Kashyapa and Surabhi - here,
portrayed as his wife - the parents of the Rudras.
[3][5]
In another instance in the Mahabharata, it is Dharma
(possibly identified with Yama) who is the father of the Rudras and the Maruts.
[1]
The Vishnu Purana narrates that Rudra - here identified with Shiva -
was born from the anger of the creator-god Brahma. The furious Rudra
was in Ardhanari form, half his body was male and other half female. He
divided himself into two: the male and female. The male form then split
itself into eleven, forming the eleven Rudras. Some of them were white
and gentle; while others were dark and fierce. They are called Manyu,
Manu, Mahmasa, Mahan, Siva, Rtudhvaja, Ugraretas, Bhava, Kama,
Vamadeva and Dhrtavrata. From the woman were born the eleven
Rudranis who became wives of the Rudras. They are Dhi, Vrtti, Usana,
Urna, Niyuta, Sarpis, Ila, Ambika, Iravatl, Sudha and Diksa. Brahma
allotted to the Rudras the eleven positions of the heart and the five
sensory organs, the five organs of action and the mind.
[3][2]
Other
Puranas call them Aja, Ekapada (Ekapat), Ahirbudhnya, Tvasta, Rudra,
Hara, Sambhu, Tryambaka, Aparajita, Isana and Tribhuvana.
[3][2]
In one instance in the epic Mahabharata, the Rudras are eleven in number and are named Mrgavadha, Sarpa,
Nirriti, Ajaikapad, Ahi Budhnya, Pinakin, Dahana, Ishvara, Kapalin, Sthanu and Bhaga. While Kapalin is described
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the foremost of Rudras here,
[1]
in the Bhagavad Gita - a discourse by the god Krishna in the epic - it is Sankara
who is considered the greatest of the Rudras.
[6]
Both Kapalin and Sankara are epithets of Shiva.
[1]
In another
instance, they are described as sons of Tvastr and named: Vishvarupa, Ajaikapad, Ahi Budhnya, Virupaksa,
Raivata, Hara, Bahurupa, Tryambaka, Savitra, Jayanta and Pinakin.
[1]
While usually the Rudras are described to
eleven, in one instance in the Mahabharata; they are said to be eleven thousand and surrounding Shiva.
[3][1]
The
eleven groups of hundred are named: Ajaikapad, Ahi Budhnya, Pinakin, Rta, Pitrrupa, Tryamabaka, Maheshvara,
Vrsakapi, Sambhu, Havana and Ishvara.
[1]
The Matsa Purana mentions the ferocious eleven Rudras - named Kapali, Pingala, Bhima, Virupaksa, Vilohita,
Ajesha, Shasana, Shasta, Shambhu, Chanda and Dhruva - aiding the god Vishnu in his fight against the demons.
They wear lion-skins, matted-hair and serpents around their necks. They have yellow throats, hold tridents and
skulls and have the crescent moon on their foreheads. Together headed by Kapali, they slay the elephant demon
Gajasura.
[4]
Associations
In Vedic mythology, Rudras are described as loyal companions of Rudra, who later was identified with Shiva. They
are considered as friends, messengers and aspects of Rudra. They are fearful in nature. The Satapatha Brahmana
mentions that Rudra is the prince, while Rudras are his subjects. They are considered as attendants of Shiva in later
mythology.
[3]
The Rig Veda makes the Rudras the gods of the middle world, situated between earth and sky. As wind-gods, the
Rudras represent the life-breath.
[3]
In the Brihadaranaka Upanishad, the Rudras are associated with the ten vital
energies (rudra-prana) in the body and the eleventh being the tman (the soul).
[3]
The Rudras are said to preside over the second stage of creation and the intermediary stage of life. They govern the
second ritual of sacrifice, the mid-day offering and the second stage of life - from the 24th to the 68 year of life. The
Chandoga Upanishad prescribes that the Rudras be propitiated in case of sickness in this period and further says
that they on departing the body become the cause of tears, the meaning of the name Rudra being the "ones who
make cry".
[3]
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad explicitly states the fact that since the Rudras leaving the body -
causing death - makes people cry, they are Rudras.
[3]
The Mahabharata describes the Rudras as companions of Indra, servants of Shiva and his son Skanda and
companions of Yama, who is surrounded by them. They have immense power, wear golden necklaces and are "like
lighting-illuminated clouds".
[1]
The Bhagavata Purana prescribes the worship of the Rudras to gain virile power.
[3]
Association ith Maruts
Rudras are at times identified with the Maruts - sons of Rudra in the
Vedas; while at other times, considered distinct from them.
[3]
Some scholars believe that Rudras and Maruts were earlier distinct groups, Rudras being the true followers of
Rudra and demonic in nature. But poets of the Rigveda forced the Maruts take the position of the Rudras to give
status of a Vedic god to Rudra. Later in post-Vedic literature like the epics and Puranas, Maruts were associated
with Indra, while Rudras gained their former status as followers of Rudra, who had evolved into Shiva.
[7]
However,
other scholars disregard this theory and consider that originally Rudras and Maruts were identical.
[7]
A theory
4/14/12 Rudras - Wikipedia, the free encclopedia
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Maruts
suggests that slowly in the Vedas two classes of Maruts came into
existence: the friendly and beneficent, and the roaring and turbulent; the
latter grew into the distinct group of deities called the Rudras, who were
associated only with the wild Rudra.
[7]
In the Marut Suktas (RV 1, 2, 5, 8) and Indra-Suktas (RV 1, 3, 8, 10)
of the Rigveda (RV), the epithet "Rudras" - originating from the verb root
rud or ru and meaning howlers, roarers or shouters - is used numerous
times for the Maruts - identifying them with the Rudras even when
associated with Indra, rather than Rudra. There are some hymns in the
Rigveda (RV 2, 7, 8, 10) that explicitly distinguish between the Maruts
and the Rudras.
[7]
While the Vamana Purana describes Rudras as the sons of Kashyapa and Aditi, Maruts are described distinct
from the Rudras as 49 sons of Diti, sister-wife of Aditi and attendants of Indra.
[8]
Notes
1. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h
Hopkins pp. 172-3
2. ^
a

b

c
Mani pp. 654-5
3. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l
Danilou, Alain (1991). The mths and gods of India. Inner Traditions International. pp. 102
4, 341, 371. ISBN 0-89281-354-7.
4. ^
a

b
A Taluqdar of Oudh (2008). The Matsa Puranam. The Sacred books of the Hindus. 2. Cosmo Publications
for Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd.. pp. 745, 137. ISBN 81-307-0533-8.
5. ^ Hopkins p. 173
6. ^ Radhakrishan, S. (1977). "Verse 10.23". The Bhagavadgita. Blackie & Son (India) Ltd.. p. 263.
7. ^
a

b

c

d
Nagendra Singh, ed. (2000). "The Historical Background of the Maruts". Encclopaedia of Hinduism. 31-
45. Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. pp. 106772, 1090. ISBN 81-7488-168-9.
8. ^ Mani pp. 489-90
References
Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic Encclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionar With Special Reference to
the Epic and Puranic Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 0-8426-0822-2.
Hopkins, Edward Washburn (1915). Epic mtholog
(http://www.archive.org/stream/epicmythology00hopkuoft#page/n147/mode/2up/search/Kubera) .
Strassburg K.J. Trbner. ISBN 0-8426-0560-6.
http://www.archive.org/stream/epicmythology00hopkuoft#page/n147/mode/2up/search/Kubera.
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