Rudra, The epithet of Lord Shiva: an Introduction

Rudra, ( रुद्र), is associated as the Rig Vedic storm god, known for his benevolence and endowment of knowledge. The name loosely translated comes as the Howler, the Roarer. The name in actuality has 4 root meanings, (1) Dreadful or terrific, (2) Great or Large (3) Drive away evil (4) Worthy of praise. Another meaning is that the root word "Ru" is usually considered to teach and "dra" is considered as flow. Thus we get flow of knowledge. As a result, Rudra is considered the deity who teaches knowledge to all those who seek it. He is seen as the destructive force of nature as well. Unlike classical theology, Shaiva Siddanta views god a being present in everything. Shiva is not merely just a creator who looks after the universe, but is present in every animate/inanimate good/bad beautiful/ugly entity. The unique aspect of his worship is that the devotee worships all his cosmic forms.

Rudra: The Fierce one

However, despite this, one must not confuse oneself with the thought that Rudra is a destructive force, who punishes and destroys. Quite the contrary, Rudra is a benevolent deity who confers prosperity, offspring and cattle. Not only is he known for bringer of prosperity but also of knowledge. The verse RV 6.49.10 calls Rudra as " The Father of the Universe" (bhuvanasya pitaraṃ)

  

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

 Translation: 

Rudra by day, Rudra at night we honour with these our songs, the Universe's Father. Him great and lofty, blissful, undecaying let us call specially as the Sage impels us ( RV 6.49.10)^*The Rig Veda, trans. Ralph T.H. Griffith [1896]

The Sage Rudra

The verse RV 2.33.9 calls Rudra as "The Lord or Sovereign of the Universe" 
(īśānādasya bhuvanasya)

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

 Translation

With firm limbs, multiform, the strong, the tawny adorns himself with bright gold decorations: The strength of Godhead never departs from Rudra, him who is Sovereign of this world, the mighty. The Rig Veda, trans. Ralph T.H. Griffith [1896]

He is pleased by chanting the legendary Rudram which occurs in the Krishna Yajur Veda of the Vedas. Rudram is also known as Shatarudriya, Rudraprashna or Rudradhyaya. The Jabala upanishad, from the vedas claim that he who chants the Shatarudriya obtains immortality. The text Shri Rudram is also famous for its mention of its Shaivite Panchakshari Mantra (NAMA SHIVAAYA) which is considered as the holiest of all mantras within the Yajur Veda. The Panchakshari mantra occurs in the middle of Sri Rudram and hence considered the most important within the Shatarudriya. The chanting of Shatarudriyam is considered of utmost benefit which has the capacity to burn sins and confer wealth and prosperity to the chanter.

Nandanar: The ardent Shiva Bhaktha

There was, during the thirteenth century, a group of devout Shaivite saints called the Nayanars. They loved Lord Shiva with all their hearts and were given the title Nayanar because miraculous events occurred in their presence. Sixty three such saints existed. This is the story of the twelfth saint: Nandanar. 

 

Nandanar was born to the lowest caste in the Hindu Caste system. He lost his father at a very early age, and while growing up, heard stories of Lord Shiva and fell deeply in paternal love for the Pitre Deva (Fatherly God). He used to sing his glories daily, compose songs just to please him and hence developed a deep rapport with his loving father, Lord Shiva. It just so happened that Nandanar was from the pariyah caste (untouchable). He was considered so low that it was a sin to even touch him. However, he had the heart of gold and loved god with such deep passion that he would spend hours dreaming about the Lord. 

Nandi: Even today it sits slanted

Nandanar lived as a farmer and worked for a Brahmin landlord. Though the landlord was never abusive, he never treated him with respect. One day he wanted to visit a Shiva temple in Thirupangur. That day, it was crowded with people and he was unable to see past the heads and as he was an untouchable, he was not allowed into the temple. 

He moved to a corner to get a glimpse of the Lord but could not do so as his pet bull Nandi was blocking the view. Then he sang a self composed song to his pet bull Nandi and the stone idol miraculously moved to allow the saintly devotee to see the lord.  

Just so a Shaivite can see

Nandi at Night

 Over joyed by the ability to see his god he went home singing and dancing. Unfortunately he had taken his only day off and his landlord was very angry with him. He promised to work harder. As he was working he remembered that Arudra Darshana was coming up in a few days. Arudra Darshana is celebrated as a very holy day to worship Lord Shiva. As such, he wanted to go to Chidambaram to see and worship him. Unfortunately his landlord refused to give him leave and said that he will fire him if he took off. Nandanar begged and begged, pleaded and implored, fervently, and finally the landlord said, if he could harvest 250 acres (about 230 Football stadiums) of land he would go. With three days till the Arudra Darshana, he knew it was impossible to do so.  

He spent the whole night crying, begging Lord Shiva, realising that it is impossible to go to Chidambaram. The next day, the entire field of 250 acres was harvested and the landlord fell at the Brahmins feet because he had a dream Shiva and his Army of Ganas were harvesting his entire field. The landlord gave him some money and sent him off.

As soon as he reached the temple, as he was an untouchable, the priests kicked him out of the temple and he began crying to lord shiva again. He spent the whole night crying, as the very next day was the holy day. That night, Shiva came in the dreams of these beastly priests and told them that a holy saint is wishing to see him. Despite this the priests still did not let him through. Finally the Diksheethar agreed to let him in, if he walks across fire. Nandanar was overjoyed, he screamed "HARA HARA MAHADEVA!!" and walked through hot coal but felt no pain and ran into the temple hugged the idol, and disappeared, merged into the soul of god. 

Kannapa Nayanar

There was, during the thirteenth century, a group of devout Shaivite saints called the Nayanars. They loved Lord Shiva with all their hearts and were given the title Nayanar because miraculous events occurred in their presence. Sixty three such saints existed. This is the story of the tenth saint: Kannapa Nayanar. 

There was once a hunter who knew nothing- he was both illiterate and uncivilized. It just so happened that one day by chance, when he was hunting in the forest,  he fell upon a small temple dedicated to lord Shiva. The instant he looked at the Lingam (a special stone dedicated to and representing the Lord) he fell insanely in love with it. He would sing, dance, and visit it everyday. 

One day, a thought struck him when he was playing with his Lingam (which he called Lord Shiva): he had never fed his lord. "My dear lord! I forgot all about your hunger! Please forgive me, my lord" he cried, and went searching for some food. Finding a boar, he slaughtered the beast and offered it to his lingam. "Why aren't you eating my lord? Is it because you are thirsty? Yes! That must be it! I will bring you some water my lord!" he exclaimed, and ran down to a nearby stream.Carrying the water in his mouth, the hunter spit it all over the Lingam. "You still havn't eaten my lord! I KNOW!! The food is not cut!! I shall sever it for you!!" He proceeded to defile the sanctity of the small temple with the flesh of the dead pig. The ignorant hunter then placed the dripping carcass all over the Lingam. "My Lord! You are STILL not eating! I know, you must be feeling shy about eating in front of me! I will come back tomorrow and you should have eaten by then!" 

Temple where Kannapa saw the Lingam

In the evening, a priest came and was utterly disgusted by what he saw. "MLECHAS!" He bellowed. "Disgusting barbarians! Animals! Who ruined my Temple?" He screamed out loud. No one answered. The priest proceeded to grumble and clean the entire temple, cursing the perpetrator of such a sacrilege.

The next day, the hunter returned and was over joyed to see that his god had eaten his food. He screamed "HARA HARA MAHADEVA!! (Another name for Shiva)" and danced around the temple. With tears of joy streaming down his face, the hunter killed another boar. Just as he had done the previous day, the hunter cleaned, cut and placed the meat on the idol and spat water onto the lingam. The sanctum sanctorum was left defecated with his spit and pig meat. 

As usual, the priest came to pray to the idol, and was furious, screaming and cursed obscenities before once again cleaning the entire temple as he had done the day before. This happened for 3 days, until finally the livid priest decided to notify the king and his guards. The king, shocked to hear this story, decided to personally accompany his guards and destroy this Asura. They hid behind a tree to wait for this maniac demon who keeps defiling this temple. As predicted, the hunter came and began his ritual of spitting on the tree, pouring boar meat and dancing around the temple. 

 

Kannapa, cutting his Eye

Horrified and devastated, the guards and the king lunged at the hunter but were suddenly stopped by a mysterious hand. Lord Shiva hmself had manifested infront them and refused them to touch the hunter. He then asked them to observe a little spectacle:a small drop of blood started to ooze from the eye socket of the lingam. The hunter started screaming in horror, "MY LORD!! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!? WHY ARE YOU BLEEDING?!? YOUR EYE MUST HURT! HERE, TAKE MINE!" And he swiftly cut his left eye and placed it on the Lingam. Instantly, the eye stopped bleeding.

Amar Chitra Katha: Depiction of Kannapa

   

 He was overjoyed and started singing praise in his lord. But then the second eye socket started bleeding! "HAA! I know what to do now! My Lord has an Eye disease." But the hunter was in a quandary: if he pulled out his remaining eye, how would he be able to see where to place the eye on the idol? So he placed his foot on the idol, marking the eye with his big toe, and slit his last remaining eye. Instantly, Lord Shiva manifested himself in front of the hunter and  carried him to heaven. The king, who witnessed this miraculous event, decided to bestow upon the hunter the honorary title of the Shaivite saints (Nayanar) and called him Kannapa- One who gave his eye. For years, he propogated the story of Kannapa Nayanar and made the temple a holy site.

Ancient Shaivite Inscription of Kannapa

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