Arudra means wet or surcharged with water, that is fat. Because the earth is running her
menstrual course there are teardrops falling one after another. From Rudra comes all suffering,
persecutions and oppressions, anger, ferocity of countenance or hideousness of noise. Rudra is
another name of Shiva, the "five-faced" [Panchaanana]. In knowledge, asceticism, renunciation, as
also in enjoyment, he is the supreme consummation of all desires. He is the blue-throated one, the
wielder of the most tremendous powers, what could not be attempted, far less achieved by other
Gods, when the churned Ocean at the time of 'Samudra Manthan' exhaled poison Siva achieved
quite simply by holding the poison in his throat [turning it blue]. On one side he is the symbol of the
most perfect placidity and serenity, on the other hand he is the symbol of all that is terrible. He
holds the great serpent on his head and on his forehead crescent Moon with his sweet-soft light. He
is at the same time the most peaceful and also the most terrible. And in all these are to be traced the
intrinsic characteristics of Arudra. On the surface of it Arudra stands for suffering, hardness,
cruelty, murder, prison, theft, adultery, etc. The root characteristic is oppression - in order to
purify.
No comments:
Post a Comment