Most modern Hindus are aware of Shiva as a deity but few may be aware of Rudra, a Rigvedic Aryan deity. There is a popular belief among many that Rudra is nothing but Shiva. True, many features of Rudra are similar to Shiva and many are not.
But is Rudra is same as Shiva? Let us understand.
Rudra is a proto-Indo-European word that is now known as Rude (root rud) which means to howl. It means untamed and fierce (raudra). In the entire Rigveda, the fury of Rudra is recognized and the hymns pray to Rudra to escape from its wrath and fury. The howling of Rudra can be easily noticed in the Hymns. Rudra is a god of wilderness.
Shiva in Sanskrit on the other hand means auspicious; benevolent; benign; good-hearted. It is calm and peace-loving.
Can Rudra, a fearsome untamed violent deity become a cool benevolent peaceful one by default?
For consistency purposes, I will again take the Rigveda as the source. However, Shaivites often refer to Yajurveda.
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝘂𝗱𝗿𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗩?
Rigveda Sukta 01–43 dedicates itself to Rudra for the first time. It describes Rudra as the lord of healing.
गा॒थप॑तिं मे॒धप॑तिं रु॒द्रं जला॑षभेषजम् । तच्छं॒योः सु॒म्नमी॑महे ॥ गाथपतिं मेधपतिं रुद्रं जलाषभेषजम् । तच्छंयोः सुम्नमीमहे ॥ (RV 1.43.4)
“To Rudra Lord of sacrifice, of hymns and balmy medicines, we pray for joy and health and strength”
The Hymn that often Confuses in Rigveda is:-
स्तोमं॑ वो अ॒द्य रु॒द्राय॒ शिक्व॑से क्ष॒यद्वी॑राय॒ नम॑सा दिदिष्टन । येभि॑: शि॒वः स्ववाँ॑ एव॒याव॑भिर्दि॒वः सिष॑क्ति॒ स्वय॑शा॒ निका॑मभिः ॥ स्तोमं वो अद्य रुद्राय शिक्वसे क्षयद्वीराय नमसा दिदिष्टन । येभिः शिवः स्ववाँ एवयावभिर्दिवः सिषक्ति स्वयशा निकामभिः ॥ (RV 10.92.9)
“Address praise today with reverence to Rudra the powerful destroyer of the heroes, (who is accompanied) by the mounted (Maruts), the granters of wishes, together with whom he, propitious, possessing kinsmen, besprinkles (the worshippers) from heaven”
The shiva mentioned here is not a diety but a property of Rudra. Rudra was considered very powerful. The RV hymn below indicates the firepower of Rudra.
अ॒हं रु॒द्राय॒ धनु॒रा त॑नोमि ब्रह्म॒द्विषे॒ शर॑वे॒ हन्त॒वा उ॑ । अ॒हं जना॑य स॒मदं॑ कृणोम्य॒हं द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी आ वि॑वेश ॥ अहं रुद्राय धनुरा तनोमि ब्रह्मद्विषे शरवे हन्तवा उ । अहं जनाय समदं कृणोम्यहं द्यावापृथिवी आ विवेश ॥ (RV 10.125.6)
“I bend the bow of Rudra, to slay the destructive enemy of the Brāhmaṇas, I wage war with (hostile)men. I pervade heaven and earth.”
Brahmanas refer to the practices (rituals) of the Vedas. The enemy of the Vedic practices were the local civilizations like Indus Valley and other indigenous populations.
Throughout Rigved, Rudra is not always a standalone but a group of deities called Rudras. There are 20–30% times Rudra is praised and invoked alone but I am unable to understand why sons of Rudra or Rudras have more references. Maruts, the fierce storms are sons of Rudras.
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗮?
Shiva has no mention in the Vedas. Shiva is also connected to Linga (Phallus). Phallus worship was NOT an Aryan concept. It was an Indus Valley concept. Aryans found it to be conflicting with their civilization and hymns in Rigveda often indicate the slaying of that phallus (linga) worshippers.
Post-Vedic period, the fusion of civilizations happened. A hybrid concept was developed based on Puranas and Vedas were parked into oblivion. I call it Hybrid Hinduism. The phallus god of Indus valley stitched with Rudra and a new hybrid deity Shiva came into existence, who has similar properties to Rudra sans its natural fury. Shiva rides on a bull (Nandi) but there is no mention of a bull in Vedas. From the father of Maruts, Shiva became the father of Ganesh and Kartikeya. Maruts were parked into oblivion and none will recognize them ever.
Indus Valley people were peace-loving and the brutal nature of Rudra was not something that they could accommodate. But Rudra is a healing and preserving god in Vedas, Shiva is a destroyer in the hybrid concept but mostly benign. The existence of Pasupathi (lord of Animals) was proven during the Harappan era (Indus Valley Civilization), but Hybrid Hindus consider it a form of Shiva. The amalgamation was such that Rudra lost its existence and succumbed to Shiva in a Hybrid civilization which itself is nothing but a paradox.
Note: The story is published from the perspective of a healthy debate. Informed contrarian views are welcome.
