There is a fantastic book being sold in Giritrading agencies of
Chennai by the name Sri Rudram Decoded by KT SHUBHAKARAN. It contains
a wealth of information about sri rudram including some unknown
secrets and techniques.
Many Hindus do not even know what Sri Rudram is: Below is an attempt
to explain some aspects of it.
SRI RUDRAM & CHAMAKAM
Sri Rudram-Chamakam occupies a very important place in Vedic
literature and in the practice of Vedic Religion. It is the heart of
Krishna Yajurveda and is treasured in the centre of Taittiriya
Samhita. Sri Sivapanchakshari Mantram is enshrined in it. Sri Rudram
is known as Rudropanishad. Though it forms part of Karma Kanda, it
ranks at par with the Upanishads of the Jnana Kanda. And as it is
seen in all the 101 Shakhas of the Yajurveda, it is
called 'Satarudriyam'.
Among the Vidyas, the Vedas are supreme; in the Vedas the Rudra
Ekadasi is supreme; in the Rudram the Panchakshari
Mantra 'NAMASIVAYA' is supreme; in the Mantra the two letters 'SIVA'
is supreme. As by pouring water at the root of a tree, all its
branches are nourished, so also by pleasing Rudra through Rudra Japa,
all the Devas are pleased. This is the best atonement (Prayaschittam)
for all sins and the foremost 'Sadhana' for attainment of cherished
desires.
Greatness of the Rudram
All great religions have tried to praise the Highest God in musical
and sonorous praise befitting their great theme. One of the most
thrilling and spiritually gratifying of such praises is the Vedic Sri
Rudram in Sanskrit in India. Appayya Dikshitar, that polymath of
learning, was enamoured of it. He was often regretful for not being
born in the Krishna Yajurveda Sakha. (He is a Sama Vedi). Gandhiji
wanted to hear the recital of the Vedas according to the South Indian
tradition. He was greatly moved by hearing the chanting of Rudram. He
first heard the recital of it at the opening of the Somnath temple.
To hear it chanted in chorus by South Indian Brahmins is a unique
experience.
A verse in the Vayu Purana says: " A person reciting and applying
daily the Namakam, Chamakam and the Purusha Sooktam is honoured in
the Brahma loka. " The Namakam referred to in it is the Rudram,
abounding in the word 'Namah'.
Evolution of Rudra
The word Rudra has got 4 root meanings:
a) Dreadful, terrific angry.
b) Great or large.
c) Driving away evil.
d) Fit to be praised
We find all the 4 concepts entering into the composition of Rudra. He
is one of the naturo-mythical gods of the Rigveda, but has only a
minor place in it and is being associated with Maruts. Probably He
represented the sudden and destructive forces of the storm with
thunder and lightning which struck at men and cattle.
In the Yajurveda, the connection of Rudra with the Maruts and the
thunderbolt is entirely cut off. Here He has reached the position of
Supremacy, which He has maintained in the Itihasas and Puranas down
to this day. The common thread in both the Vedas is the 'warrior-
aspect' of Rudra, His mighty bow and arrows which He shot at cows and
men, His amenability to invocation and prayer, His healing powers,
and His capacity to ferry men over sins and sorrows. In the course of
the Rudram, we can find the gradual and steady promotion He is
getting - from Siva to Sivatara and again later to Sivatama.
Contents
The Sri Rudram consists of 37 Riks and 130 Yajus in various Chandas
or Metres in the Anuvakas 1 to 11. Each hymn should have a Rishi,
Chandas, and Devata. For the entire Rudra Adhyaya, the Rishi is
Bhagavan Rudra, the Kanda Rishi is Agni, the Chandas is Mahavirat,
and the Devata is Shambu. Apart from this, the several Riks have got
their own Rishis, Chandas, Devatas, and Prayogas or Applications.
Anuvaka(11 in number...below the rik number,yjus number and the style
of chanting the rudram have been given ..the style may vary from
Terror and Anger to Cosmic vision from connection with time to
salutation depending on each anuvaka...anuvaka means one particular
verse stanza said in one go. It is really an amazing experience to
watch the rudra brahmins chant sree rudram in Nanganallur
Rajarajeshwari Temple.)
Riks
Yajus
Style
01
15
-
Terror and Anger
02
-
13
Cosmic Vision
(Pasupati)
03
-
17
Problem of Evil
04
-
17
Contrasts and Artisans
05
-
15
Unique Qualities
06
-
15
Connection with Time
07
-
16
Agent (like Hanuman)
08
-
17
Focal (NAMASIVAYA)
09
-
19
Earth and Water
10
12
-
Prayer to Rudra
11
10
1
(in 3 sections)
Salutations
In the Bhagavat Gita, Arjuna sees God everywhere in his Viswaroopa
Darsanam and the awed 'Namaskara' of adoration automatically arises
in his lips. The Rishi of the Rudram had a similar vision of the
entire universe pervaded by Bhagavan Rudra and his infinite Rudra
Ganas. It is liitle wonder, therefore, that the Rudram ends on a
similar note of involuntary namaskaras.
Supplimentary to the Rudram
The Rudram recital in South India is supplemented by 7 Mantras, at
the end of the above mentioned 11 Anuvakas, as prayers to Rudra to
loosen the votary automatically from death and confer immortality.
Rudra is Death and Homas are done to Him as " Mrityave Swaahaa "
meaning " I sacrifice unto the God of Death " . But He is also
the " Mrityunjaya " meaning the " Conqueror of Death, the Lord of
Immortality " . Rudra is also " Aashutoshin " - one who is easily pleased.
And the easiest method of pleasing Him is by the Rudram.
Uses of the Rudram
Strictly speaking, the Rudra is a Homa or sacrifice performed in fire
in honour of God Rudra. While most of the rituals relating to the
other Gods stop limited to the particular purpose intended in the
Karma Kanda, it was felt that the Rudram could not and should not be
so confined, but put to further varied uses. Hence we find that
Rudram and Chamakam are used invariably for all the Vedic worship of
Siva in all the households and temples. The kalpas had devised their
application in other functions like Ayushya Homa etc. Like the Gita,
it has earned the sobriquet of the Rudropanishad, the highest
conceivable use to which it can be put. Tha Jabala Upanishad and the
Kaivalya Upanishad are the authorities for this. In both of them
the " Satarudriyam " is mentioned.
The Chamakam
The Chamakam occurs in the 4th Kanda, 7th Prapataka of the Yajur
Veda. In the earlier 6 Prapatakas, rites depending
upon " Parishechana " had been dealt with. In the 7th, the pouring of
clarified butter into the sacred fire with a wooden ladle
called " Vasordhaara " is stated. For the purposes of this rite, the
entire Chamakam is one. The splitting up of the Chamakam into 11
Anuvakas is to use them as 11 Mantras in non-sacrificial rites. A
long list of desiderata are prayed for in it - 347 to be precise - by
the votary, coupled with the article 'Cha'.
Should One Pray
Should we pray at all ?
Does not God know our wants and desires ?
Should He not and would He not satisfy them ?
The Chamakam answers in the language of the Bible: " Ask and it shall
be given " . God is there to give. Ask regally; not in an abashed,
whining and pulling manner. Ask abundantly; not for one or two; now
and then; and apologetically. Ask for all things in a full-throated
manner. He is bound to give as Lord and Creator, and He will grant
all the desires of His creatures. There is also no distinction
between the things of this world and the next. Ask for one and all.
Prayer Difficult
Man does not know how to pray to the Supreme Being for the simple
reason that he is ignorant of what is ultimately good or bad for him.
In our Itihasas and Puranas we find how the Asuras and Rakshasas
perform severe penances and austerities and ask for stupid boons from
the Gods, which brought ruin upon them in the end. If wisely
directed, most of them could have become Gods or could have attained
immortality, with a fraction of their efforts. Hence, it is that all
religions teach men how to pray and what to pray for. The Rudram and
Chamakam are some of the foremost examples in the art of prayer in
the Vedas.
Ananda Meemamsa
What is happiness ? All religions and philosophies have tried to
define it and pointed out their several ways of securing it. Two
Upanishads - the Taittiriya in its Brahmananda Valli and the
Brihadaranyaka in its 4th Adhyaya - take up this Ananda meemamsa-the
investigation of happiness. Taking human happiness as the lowest in
the rung, they ascend to that of the Gandharvas, and the successive
higher and higher Gods, and end with that of Prajapati or the
Creator. All these happinesses are but small drops in the ocean of
bliss which is Brahmananda, the happiness of the Self, which is
attained by the Brahmajnani due to casting off of all desires. It is
not correct to say that the self is an object possessing 'Sat-chit-
anandam' as external qualities; but they are inherent in the Self,
that the Self is nothing but these qualities. Hence there is no
question of attaining any happiness, which is external, limited or
graded. It is intrinsic one and entire, and man's birthright. He has
only to shed his body-consciousness and realize that he is a soul.
Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushti Vardanum
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaat
Mrityormuksheeya Maamritat Swaha
One who does Rudram everyday after Srichakra and Guru worship along
with Pancha suktas will verily get salvation in this birth itself.
- by Subodha
