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Rudraadhyaayam
by Vakavaka Pakapaka Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:25 pm
Rudraadhyaayam (Rudra Prasna)
Rudram (from Yajur Vedam), is a collection of hymns
addressed to Rudra. Ravana was credited with a method of worshipping Rudra
involving self-purification prior to starting the actual worship. Sage Bodhayana
essentially added on to this original method of Ravana. The logic behind Ravana’s
method of worship is that one has to have purity in devotion before invoking
Rudra. Bodhayana expanded on this line of thinking and created “mahanyaasam” (great
purification). Mahanyaasam involves 5 levels of purification AND an
identification of the worshipper with Rudra himself, as Bodhayana declared that
only in the form of Rudra can one worship Rudra! Therefore, mahanyaasam is not
only for the purpose of purification BUT ALSO for getting to know WHAT RUDRA IS
LIKE! We hear stories of Ravana’s worship of Rudra in puranas. Ravana is
supposed to carry “atma linga”! This
expression suggests that Ravana understood the meaning and the objective of the
purification ritual for Rudra worship and realized that Rudra dwells in the
heat of the devotee. Bodhayana’s logic, in suggesting that only in the form of Rudra
can one worship Rudra, is similar. One has to have that “atma linga” (as
realized through mahanyaasam) when worshipping Rudra. This idea is advaitic and
akin to “Brahman meditating upon itself” (Chandogya). When Daksha’s daughter Sati
commits suicide, Nandi gets the news and frantically tries to inform Rudra
about it but finds the latter lost in meditation! What is it that Rudra is meditating
upon, Nandi wonders! If Rudra is the lord himself, who else can he meditate on?
The meditation is like “Brahman meditating upon itself”!
Rudram (from Yajur Vedam), is a collection of hymns
addressed to Rudra. Ravana was credited with a method of worshipping Rudra
involving self-purification prior to starting the actual worship. Sage Bodhayana
essentially added on to this original method of Ravana. The logic behind Ravana’s
method of worship is that one has to have purity in devotion before invoking
Rudra. Bodhayana expanded on this line of thinking and created “mahanyaasam” (great
purification). Mahanyaasam involves 5 levels of purification AND an
identification of the worshipper with Rudra himself, as Bodhayana declared that
only in the form of Rudra can one worship Rudra! Therefore, mahanyaasam is not
only for the purpose of purification BUT ALSO for getting to know WHAT RUDRA IS
LIKE! We hear stories of Ravana’s worship of Rudra in puranas. Ravana is
supposed to carry “atma linga”! This
expression suggests that Ravana understood the meaning and the objective of the
purification ritual for Rudra worship and realized that Rudra dwells in the
heat of the devotee. Bodhayana’s logic, in suggesting that only in the form of Rudra
can one worship Rudra, is similar. One has to have that “atma linga” (as
realized through mahanyaasam) when worshipping Rudra. This idea is advaitic and
akin to “Brahman meditating upon itself” (Chandogya). When Daksha’s daughter Sati
commits suicide, Nandi gets the news and frantically tries to inform Rudra
about it but finds the latter lost in meditation! What is it that Rudra is meditating
upon, Nandi wonders! If Rudra is the lord himself, who else can he meditate on?
The meditation is like “Brahman meditating upon itself”!
Vakavaka Pakapaka- Posts : 7611
Join date : 2012-08-24
Vakavaka Pakapaka- Posts : 7611
Join date : 2012-08-24
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