Editing Rudra (section)

===Epithets of supreme rule===

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A verse from the Rig Veda ([[Mandala 2|RV 2]].33.9) calls Rudra 'The Lord or Sovereign of the Universe' (''īśānādasya bhuvanasya''):
<poem style="margin-left:2em; float:left;">
''sthirebhiraṅghaiḥ pururūpa ughro babhruḥ śukrebhiḥ pipiśehiraṇyaiḥ''
''īśānādasya bhuvanasya bhūrerna vā u yoṣad rudrādasuryam'' (RV 2.33.9)
</poem>

<poem style="margin-left:2em; float:left;">
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.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv02033.htm ''The Hymns of the Rig Veda,''] trans. [[Ralph T. H. Griffith]] (1896).</ref>
</poem>

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A verse of Śrī Rudram (= Yajurveda 16.18) speaks of Rudra as Lord of the Universe: <br />
{{blockquote| '''जगताम् पतये नमः ।''' <br />
''jagatam pataye namaḥ'' । <br />
Homage to the Lord of the Universe.}}

Another verse (Yajurveda 16.46) locates Rudra in the heart of the gods, showing that he is the inner Self of all, even the gods:<ref>[http://sacred-texts.com/hin/wyv/wyvbk16.htm "The Texts of the White Yajurveda"], tr. [[Ralph T.H. Griffith]], [1899]</ref> <br />
{{blockquote| '''देवानां हृदयभ्यो नमो ।''' <br />
''devānāṃ hṛdayabhyo namo'' <br />
Salutations to him who is in heart of the gods.}}

In a verse popularly known as the [[Mahamrityunjaya Mantra]], both Rig Veda (7.59.12) and Yajur Veda (3.60) recommend worshipping Rudra to attain moksha (liberation):

{{blockquote| '''त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगंधिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् उर्वारूकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मा अमृतात।''' <br />
{{IAST|''tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugaṃdhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam ''}}<br />
{{IAST|''urvārūkamiva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya mā amṛtāta ''}}

We worship Tryambaka, sweet augmenter of prosperity. As from its stem a cucumber, may I be freed from the bonds of death, not reft of immortality.}}

In the Taittiriya Aranyaka of [[Yajur Veda]] (10.24.1),<ref name=sanskritweb_net01>{{cite web |editor=Subramania Sarma |title=Taittiriya Aranyaka |website=sanskritweb.net  |url=http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/ta-deva.pdf}}</ref> Rudra is identified as the universal existent ('all this') and thus as the [[Purusha]] (Supreme Person or inner Self) of the Vedas:

{{blockquote| 
{{IAST|''sarvo vai rudrastasmai rudrāya namo astu ''}}<br />
{{IAST|''puruṣo vai rudraḥ sanmaho namo namaḥ ''}}<br />
{{IAST|''viśvaṃ bhūtaṃ bhuvanaṃ citraṃ bahudhā jātaṃ jāyamānaṃ ca yat ''}}<br />
{{IAST|''sarvo hyeṣa rudrastasmai rudrāya namo astu ॥ 1॥ ''}}

All this verily is Rudra. To Rudra who is such we offer our salutation. We salute again and again that Being, Rudra, who alone is the Purusha and the Soul of creatures. The material universe, the created beings, and whatever there is manifoldly and profusely created, in the past and in the present, in the form of the world—all that is indeed this Rudra. Salutations be to Rudra who is such. }}

The Taittiriya Aranyaka of [[Yajur Veda]] 1.10.1{{r|sanskritweb_net01}} identifies Rudra and [[Brihaspati]] as Sons and companions of Bhumi (Earth) and Heaven:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.srihayagrivan.org/ebooks/038_ap_v2.pdf|title=SriHayagrivan – AruNa praSnam, vol. 2}}{{Dead link|date=January 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="background: white"
|-
!style="width:20%"| Sanskrit Romanized ([[IAST]]) !! style="width:25%" | Roman ([[Harvard-Kyoto]]) translation !! English translation
|-
| sahasravṛdiyaṃ bhūmiḥ || yam bhUmi: sahasravrt || This world is desired as a place of abode by thousands of Jeevaraasis
|-
| paraṃ vyŏmaḥ sahasravṛt || param vyOma: sahasravrt || The upper world is similarly desired by the thousands of Devas.
|-
| aśvinā bhujyū nāsatyā || rowspan="2" | bhujyU na asatyA viSvasya jagata: patI aSvinA || rowspan=2 | The earth and the heaven (Svarga lOkam) are like the twin gods, Asvini Devas, who banish diseases and bless us with bhOgams; Asvini Devas are the protectors of the universe and their sankalpam (volition) never fails.
|-
| viśvasya jagataspatī
|-
| jāyā bhūmiḥ patirvyoma || rowspan="2" | bhUmi: jAyA vyOma pati: taa mithunam aturyathu: || rowspan=2 | BhU lOkam is the wife and the Heaven is the husband; they are united like a couple.
|-
| mithunantā aturyathuḥ
|-
| putro bṛhaspatī rudraḥ || putra: brhaspatI rudra: || We have to consider Brhaspati and Rudran (aging here) as their sons
|-
| rowspan=2 | saramā iti strīpumam || saramA iti || The raised platform for the Yaagam, Yaaga meDai (Yajn~a Vedi) should be considered as a lady.
|-
| iti strI pumam || Thus we are instructed about the male-female aspects of the Earth and the Heaven.
|-
| colspan="3" style="padding-left: 2em"| [Now comes the prayer to the abhimAna devatais for BhUmi and the upper world.]
|-
| śukraṃ vāmanyadyajataṃ vāmanyat || vAm anyat Sukram vAm anyat yajatam || Among your forms, one is the day with white hue, the other is the night with dark hue.
|-
| viṣurūpe ahanī dyauriva sthaḥ || vishurUpe ahanI dyau iva stha: || Both of You stay steady as the Sooryan in the sky with equal, unique and alternating forms.
|}