________________
17. SAIVISM
dissolution." Thus Sayana the 14c Sanskrit gramarian suggests over six derivations for the word Rudra.
There are seventy-five references to Rudra in the Rig Veda overall.
•
As a frightening ghora ("terrible"), or asau devam ("that god"). He is "fierce like a formidable wild beast" (RV 2.33.11). the god with braided hair (RV 1.114 I). armed with a bow and fast-flying arrows. (R.V 7.46) who causes disease and who healed them (RV 7.46.2) (RV 1.114.1). (RV 1.43.4), (RV 2.33.4) (RV 7.46.3). as one of the many deities in Rig Veda (7.40.5.) as one of the Maruts (storms) (RV 8.96.8) as the father of Maruts (RV 2.33.1)
• •
Evidently Veda has no direct reference to a god called Siva. If he is simply the god to be feared then Rudra as referred in the Rig Veda may come close to Siva.
However as the Siva worship evolved through the ages other interpretations are applied which include the meaning to as "to shine" (Grassmann) and "ruddy" (Pischel). Others have tried to equate with the base concept of "rodasi" - relating it to the duality of Heaven and Earth and Male and Female. This root has led later to the concept of Ardha-Nareeswara (Half man-half woman) form of Siva in the Later Puranas. At any rate these interpretations developed only during the Puranic period. Thus Rudra ("howler") is a storm, the hunt, death, wild nature and a wind god. He has arrows which cause disease in whomever they hit, god, human or animal. With Diti, he is the father of the Maruts (the winds). Rudra is also another name of Lord Shiva, the lord of destruction, according to Saivism - it is the Rudra form of Siva.
However the Siva of the Saivites are far different from ghora (Terrible) Rudra of the Vedas.
rudra
452
