Shri Rudram Chamakam

The Shri Rudram Chamakam (Sanskrit श्रि रुद्रम् चमकम्) is a Vedic stotra dedicated to Rudra (an early epithet for the Hindu god Shiva). [For an overview of the Śatarudriya see: Kramrisch, pp. 71-74.] [For a full translation of the complete hymn see: Sivaramamurti (1976).] Shri Rudram is also known as "Sri Rudraprasna", "IAST|Śatarudrīya", and "Rudradhyaya". The text is important in Vedantic religion describing Lord Shiva as the Universal Brahman. The hymn is an early example of enumerating the names of a deity, [For the IAST|Śatarudrīya as an early example of enumeration of divine names, see: Flood (1996), p. 152.] a tradition developed extensively in the sahasranama literature of Hinduism. By the first few centuries CE, the recitation of the "IAST|Śatarudrīya" is claimed, in the "IAST|Jābala Upanishad", to lead to immortality. [Jab. U. 3.66 cited by: Flood (1996), p. 152.] The hymn is referred to in the Shiva Purana. [For mentions in the Shiva Purana see: Flood (1996), p. 152.]

The text is also famous for its mention of the Shaivite Panchakshara ("five-syllable") mantra (Sanskrit: IAST|Namaḥ Śivāya), which appears in the text of the "IAST|Śatarudrīya" in the eighth anuvaka. [For notability and text "IAST|namaḥ śivāya" see: Sivaramamurti, pp. 1, 24.] The text also contains the mantra 'Aum Namo Bhagavathe Rudraya'.

The Brahmana recites this mantra daily will be honoured in Brahmaloka.

Text

It consists of two texts from book four of the Taittiriya Samhita (TS 4.5, 4.7), which is a part of the Krishna Yajurveda.

"Shri Rudram" or the "Namakam" (chapter five) describes the name or epithets of Rudra, which represent his aspects. Additionally, the devotee asks for the benevolent aspect of Shiva to be invoked rather than the terrible aspect and requests forgiveness of sins. The "Chamakam" (chapter seven) asks for the fulfilment of wishes. Each part consist of eleven "anuvaka" or hymns.

hri Rudram

The "anuvakas" of "Shri Rudram" correspond to the eleven hymns of TS 4.5, with the final "anuvaka" extended by an additional eight verses, including the Tryambakam (literally, "the three-eyed One") mantra (TS 1.8.6.i). The central Shaivite mantra, "Aum Namah Sivaya" is also derived from the "Shri Rudram", it appears (without the "aum") in TS 4.5.8.l.

Chamakam

The second part of the text, corresponding to TS 4.7, asks God for fulfillment of wishes. The repeated phrase, "ca me" literally means, "and to me [be this granted] ", accompanied by lists of desirables.

The original context of the "Chamakam" is the piling up of the fire-altar of Vedic religion.

Interpretation

The interpretations of the text commonly taught today are clearly Vedantic, while the Vedic texts at the time of their composition were probably intended for the context of ritual sacrifice.

The President of the Ramakrishna Mission, at Chennai, in commentating on the foreword to Swami Amritananda's translation of "Sri Rudram and Purushasuktam", stated that "Rudra to whom these prayers are addressed is not a sectarian deity, but the Supreme Being who is omnipresent and manifests Himself in a myriad forms for the sake of the diverse spiritual aspirants." Sri Rudram occurs in the fourth Kanda of the Taittirya Samhita in the Yajur Veda.

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami explains in the lexicon section of his book, "Dancing with Siva," that "Sri Rudram is a hymn to the wielder of awesome powers. It is a preeminent Vedic hymn to Lord Siva as the God of dissolution, chanted daily in Siva temples throughout India."

marta interpretation

The prayer is commonly interpreted to show that Vishnu is another aspect of Shiva and to accordingly hold that Vishnu and Shiva are one and the same God from an Advaitan or Smarta viewpoint. Interestingly, the Vishnu sahasranama, in a similar manner, states Shiva is an aspect of Vishnu. The fifth anuvaka states (see Sanskrit for pronunciation details):

*Original text (TS iv.5.5):"IAST|namo bhavāya ca rudrāya ca namaḥ śarvāya ca paśupataye ca":"IAST|namo nīlagrīvāya ca śitikaṇṭhāya ca":"IAST|namaḥ kapardine ca vyuptakeshāya ca" :"IAST|namaḥ sahasrākṣāya cha śatadhanvane ca" :"IAST|namo giriśāya ca śipiviṣṭāya ca"

*Translation (Arthur Berriedale Keith, 1914)::Homage to Bhava and to Rudra.:Homage to the Lord of all sentient-beings.:Homage to the blue-necked one, and to the white-throated.:Homage to the wearer of braids, and to him of shaven hair.:Homage to him of a thousand eyes, and to him of a hundred bows.:Homage to him who haunteth the mountains, and to Çipivista.

Swami Amritananda, of the Ramakrishna Mission and many othersFact|date=December 2007 suggest that Rudra is associated with Vishnu in the invocation "namas [...] shipivishtaya". ("shipivishta" appears most frequently as an epithet of Vishnu in the Yajurveda.)

However, Amritananda has also cited other ancient commentators who have stated that the line could mean:
*one who resides in the place abounding in "devadaru" trees.
*one who is in the form of the sun.
*one who has entered into the beings as inner controller.(his translation of "Sri Rudram and Purushasuktam", pgs. 66-67.) Amritananda has cited commentaries of Sayana and others in the writing of his work. His rendering "in the form of Vishnu" is a common Vedantic interpretation, since the literal meaning of "shipi-vishta" is an epithet meaning "pervaded by rays".

Organization of Rudram

Another interpretation which seeks out coherent meaning in the 11 chapters of sri Rudram is as follows.the first line of Sri Rudram- 'namaste Rudra manyava utota Ishave namaha. Namaste astu Dhanvane Bahubhyam utate namaha' contains all the definitions of Rudra, who signifies Brahman of Upanishads.1. Rudra; Benign aspect of Rudra (Brahman)2. Manyu; Passion or Deluder aspect of Rudra (Brahman)3. Ishu; Various impulsions of benign and passion aspcts of Rudra on creation.4. Dhanu : the forces of Rudra which create worlds of experience for the created beings.5. Baahu : Rudra's action initiators for creation, protection, destruction, ruling, and grace in the created worlds.

The format of the 11 chapters (anuvaka) in Sri Rudram is as follows;

Chapter 1: A summary of Sri Rudram.Chapter 2: Obeisance to rudra as the benign aspect of Brahman.Chapter 3: Obeisance to Rudra as the passion or deluder aspect of Brahman.Chapter 4: obeisance to Rudra as the creators of worlds.Chapter 5-9 refers to the hands of Rudra signifying different activities.Chapter 5: obeisance to the creative aspects of Rudra ,the benign.Chapter 6: obeisance to the protective aspects of Rudra, the benign.Chapter 7: obeisance to the destructive aspects of Rudra ,the benign.Chapter 8: obeisance to the ruling or coordinating Iswara aspects of Rudra, the benign.Chapter 9: obeisance to the grace aspects of Rudra, the benign.Chapter 10: Expansion of the prayers in chapter1, to Rudra and Manyu.Chapter 11: Prayers and exhortations to Manyu ,the deluder to go away from the worshipper

Notes

References

*cite book |last=Flood |first=Gavin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=An Introduction to Hinduism |year=1996 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn= 0-521-43878-0
*cite book |series= |last=Kramrisch |first=Stella |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Presence of Śiva |year=1981 |publisher=Princeton University Press|location=Princeton, New Jersey |isbn=0-691-01930-4
*cite book |series= |last=Sivaramamurti |first=C. |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Śatarudrīya: Vibhūti of Śiva's Iconography |year=1976 |publisher= Abhinav Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=

External links

* [http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/series/shri_rudram/shri_rudram_top.htm Meanings and Commentaries on some of the anuvakas.]
* [http://www.scribd.com/doc/2601866/Rudram-and-Chamakam-with-English-Translation Rudram-Chamakam with English translation]
* [http://www.kandamangalam.com/Download.aspx MP3 download]