Sri Rudra Lookam (Tatvam)

1. Who is Sri Rudra?
2. Where is Sri Rudra?
3. How to reach (Path) Sri Rudra?
4. Are you ready to merge with Sri Rudra?
5. What will you do after merging/reaching Sri Rudra?
6. What do you need to do to remain with Sri Rudra?

Join with us to know the answers

Sri Rudram, a profound Vedic prayer that has captivated the hearts of devotees for centuries.

Sri Rudram’s essence lies in its ability to transform Rudra’s fierce form into a benevolent one, showering blessings upon those who seek his guidance. 

The sole purpose of this hymn is to rip the fear away by its roots from the mind of the people and bless the people with prosperity and joy. Another purpose of this hymn is to provide the knowledge to the people that god is not only the creator of the entire universe but also he is present in every particle of space and time.  It helps the people who chant it regularly to help cross the river called life smoothly. The chants help us to realize who we are inside. It helps attain moksha (salvation) which is the ultimate goal of every human being.

The Sri Rudram occurs in Krishna Yajur Veda in the Taithireeya Samhita in the fourth and seventh chapters.As part of the Yajur Veda, it is universally renowned for its capacity to remove all obstacles and difficulties

This is also called as : 

• Rudra prashna
• Rudra namakam chamakam
• Rudra path (northern part of India) 
• Rudra-shtadhyayi (northern part of India) 
• Shatarudriyam (most of puranas refer with this name) 

Birth of Rudra:

There are also several stories about the birth of Rudra. Some of them are:

• Brahma created first four rishis called Sananda, Sanaka, Sanatana and Sanal Kumara with a view to initiate the activities of creation. But all the four preferred to be ascetics and never bothered to reproduce. Then Brahma got so angry that the anger was sufficient to burn all the three worlds. This anger escaped from his eyebrows and took the form of Rudra. Rudra’s form was half woman and half man. Brahma commanded him to divide and disappeared. Rudra divided himself into Rudra the male part as well as Rudhrani the female part. This male part further got divided in to eleven parts. They were Ajan, Ekaath, Ahirbudhnyan, Twashta, Rudra, Hara, Sambhu, Tryambaka, Aparajitha, Easana and Tribhuvana]. The female aspect was called Rudrani and she also divided herself into eleven parts and became consort to the eleven Rudras.
• From Brahma’s anger was born the Rudra, from his lap Narada, from his right Thumb Daksha, from his mind the Sanaka and from his left thumb one daughter called Veeraani.
• When Brahma was deep in prayer requesting for a son similar to him, a baby deep blue in colour came on to his lap. That son started crying and Brahma told him not to cry-“Maa Ruda”The child wanted a name. Since he was crying (rudha), he was called Rudra. The child cried another seven times asking for names and another seven Rudras were formed.

Structure and Essence:

Sri Rudram comprises two segments – Namakam and Chamakam.. Namakam (Chapter 16 of the Yajurveda) and Chamakam (Chapter 18 of the Yajurveda) earn their names from the repetition of the words “Namo” in Namakam and “Chame” in chamakam, respectively.

• Namakam: 11 Anuvakas with verses imploring Rudra’s peaceful form, seeking protection and blessings. Each Anuvaaka focuses on specific aspects of Rudra’s nature and the devotee’s relationship with the deity. Detailed explanations of each Anuvaaka’s themes and symbolism provide a deeper understanding. The Namakam in particular enumerates the various epithets and names of Rudra. It recognizes the violent aspects of Rudra and requests him to be benevolent and peaceful, rather than violent and destructive. It also acknowledges the presence of the deity in those from all walks of life, be they carpenters (TS 4.5.1.2) or thieves (TS 4.5.3.2).
• Chamakam: 11 Anuvakas with Verses expressing desires for material and spiritual abundance.The Chamakam enumerates the various things one would want in life and requests Rudra to grant them to the devotee. It acknowledges both material and spiritual desires and requests the deity for both. Some verses invoke other deities such as Agni and Vishnu and request them to join in the devotee’s prayers to Rudra.

 The names of the chapters are Namakam (chapter five) and Chamakam (chapter seven) respectively. The Namakam (chapter five) in Shri Rudram describes the names or epithets of Rudra, who is a fear-inducing/destructive aspect of Shiva. 

The devotee asks for the benevolent and graceful aspect of Shiva to be invoked rather than the terrible and fierce aspect of Rudra and requests for the forgiveness of sins. The Chamakam (chapter seven) asks for the fulfillment of wishes. Each chapter consists of eleven anuvākas or hymns.

Meaning of the word “Rudra”:

• “Rtam (dam) Samsaara dukham draava yat iti Rudrah” – He destroys the sorrows of the world i.e. (Rudra)
• “Rodati Sarvamantakala” – The one who makes one to suffer.
• “Rtou Naadaante dravati – draavayateeti Rudrah.” – The end note of the musical sound i.e. (Rudra).
• “Rtya – Vedarupaya, dharmadinava-loka yati praayateeti vaa Rudrah.” – In the form of Veda Dharma is promoted i.e. (Rudra).
• “Rtya-vaagrupaya, vaakyam, prapayateeti Rudrah” – In the form of Speech, brings out the importance of the meaning of words i.e. (Rudra).
• “Rtya-Pranava rupaya svatmanam prayateeti Rudrah.”- In the name of pranava (OM) He makes one to realize him.
• “Rudroroutiti satye rorupamaano dravati pravashati martyaaniti Rudrah.” – In the form truth he enters humans.
• “Rtam Sabdam Vedaatmaanam Brahmane dadati Kalpaadaaviti Rudrah.” – Rudra presented Vedas to Brahma at the Commencement of kalpa. Rudras also means the persons created by Rudra as Sadrusha.Rtim Raati is responsible for the sound. He is praana Svarupa. Granter of praana (life).Rudram is for example light, Teja and Ruth who binds and attracts.
• “Taam bhakte draavayati. “- He is even capable of driving away hat Shakti (energy).

Sacred of sacred Mantras:

• The first prayer in the Vedas addressed to Rudra occurs in the Rig Veda and it is composed by sage Kanva and reads as follows:

“Kadrudraaya prachetasey meedhustamaaya tavyasey,Vocheyma shantam hridey”-we sing this praise from our hearts of the great Rudra, who is a pourer for the sake of peace.

• “ShivaPanchakshara mantram” [Om namah Shivaya] :
  • Panchakshara is first time Mentioned in Vedas . It comes in Namakam- 8th Anuvakam 
  • Om Namah Shivaya is a five-syllable mantra which means I bow down to great God, Mahadev. The mantra is about the five essential blocks of life. It is the reason it is called the Panchakshari mantra, which means worshipping five elements of existence.

Namah Shivaya = NA – MA -SI – VA – YA

• Na (Prithvi Tattva) -Earth Element
• Ma (Jal Tattva) -Water Element
• Si (Agni Tattva) -Fire element
• Va (Vayu Tattva) -Air element
• Shiva Prarthana/Deeparadhana mantra– is not part of Sri Rudra- Namakam but often chanted right after completing 1st Anuvakam. This is a beautiful mantra and  very good,especially for prayascitta, and can be chanted when one feels guilty for one’s omissions and commissions.
  • Namah, namaskar. Te, to you, astu, be. Bhagavan, Oh Lord! My namaskar unto you Oh Lord!
  • Namah astu visvesvaraya. You have to repeat namah astu with each name. Visvesvaraya. Isvara, the Lord of the entire visva, the entire jagat, the world. My namaskar unto the Lord of the entire world.
  • Mahadevaya, unto the one who is mahan, limitless, and a deva, effulgent.
  • Tryambakaya, unto the one who has three eyes. He knows the past, the present, and the future. He is all-knowing.
  • Tripurantakaya, unto the one who is antaka, the one who brings an end of Tripura, the three puras, cities or worlds, bhuh, bhuvah and suvah. Tripurantakaya is the one who takes all the three worlds unto himself.
  • Trikagni-kalaya, unto the one who devours the three kalas, or time, which consists of the past, present and future. Kala eva agnih kalagnih. Agni means fire. Kalagni, time, is such that, like fire, it distorts and devours everything, and the Lord devours time itself. In other words, he is timeless, being the creator, the sustainer, and the destroyer of time.
  • Kalagnirudraya. He is the kala-agni-riipena rudrah, the one who in the form of the kala-agni, time, makes everybody weep, or in other words, he is the chastiser, the giver of the fruits of action, karmaphaladata.
  • Nilakanthaya, unto the one who is all-pervasive and manifest in the form of the jagat, whose kantha or neck is the blue sky. This is a beautiful vision of the whole jagat as a manifestation of Isvara, with the blue sky being bhagavan’s neck.
  • Mrtyunjayaya, unto the overlord of mrtyu, death. The Lord of Death thought that he was the greatest, until he was made to realize that Isvara was supreme. There are many interesting stories about this. The story of Markandeya is based upon this aspect of Isvara .
  • Sarvesvaraya, unto the Lord of all the worlds, bhuih, bhuvah and suvah. He is the Lord of all beings, including the various devatas, deities.
  • Sadasivaya, unto the one who, despite being the Lord of everything, is himself untouched by anything. The entire jagat is his manifestation, sustained by him and absorbed back unto him, but who is he? He is Sada@siva, of the nature of pure Gnand@, the limitless Consciousness.
  • Srimanmahadevaya namah, my namaskar unto the one who is sriman mahadeva. Sriman is srimat, which means sriman, (pronounced Srimaan) one who is a blessing. In reciting this verse, we invoke the Lord in the form of Sriman mahadeva and seek his blessing

• Maha mrutyunjaya mantra: 

Often used right after chanting rudram-Namakam – Last (11) Anuvakam . “Tryambakam yajamahe Sugandhim pushtivardhanam | Urvarurkamiva bhandhanam Mrityor mukshiya ma-mrtat ||”

meaning:We salute and respect,Him who is naturally scented,Him who looks after his devotees with mercy,And him who has three eyes.And pray and request,To move us away from the catch of death,Like the cucumber separated from its stalk,And firmly put us in the path of salvation.

• Trayambakam: Possessor of three eyes.  
• Yajamahe: All together worship him.  
• Sugandhim: As pleasurable as incense.  
• Pushtivardhanam: The one which increases our vitality for a healthy spiritual life.  
• Urvarukamiva: Like a cucumber.  
• Bandhanaat: Means getting freed from. 
• Mrityormukshiya: Freedom from death.
• Maamritat: Not from immortality. 

Namakam – 11 Anuvakams meaning (High level): The Sri Rudram is divided into eleven sections called anuvaakas.

1. In the first anuvaaka consisting of eleven sukthaas, Rudra is requested by the devotee to turn his fierce exterior and not use his weapons on his devotees. He is also requested to annihilate the sins committed by his devotees
2. In the second anuvaaka consisting of two sukthaas the Rudra is part of nature in all its glory as plants and medicinal herbs. He is requested to untie the bonds of the day-to-day life.
3. The third anuvaaka consisting of two sukthaas describe Rudra as a thief. He might have been presumed to be the stealer of ignorance from us.
4. In the fourth anuvaaka, consisting of two sukthaas, Rudra is the common man with his deficiencies, angularities and described as the creator and worker of all kinds.
5. In the fifth Anuvaaka, consisting of two sukthaas, several aspects of Rudra’s personality, especially as God responsible for creation, preservation and destruction is described.
6. In the sixth anuvaaka consisting of two sukthaas. Rudra is identified with changes of his personality over eons of time and the roles he has played in different ages. He is described as the source of the different worlds, Shrutis (Vedas) and its essence in Vedanta.
7. In the seventh anuvaaka, consisting of two sukthaas, his all pervading presence in nature in all its fury and majesty is described
8. In the eighth anuvaaka, Rudra is described as He who illumines other Gods and confers powers on them. The Panchakshari mantra viz. “Nama Shivaaya” occurs for the first time in Vedas in this anuvaaka.
9. In the ninth anuvaaka, which consists of two sukthaas, the unfancied and hard to live places where Rudra lives is listed out. In essence it means he is all pervasive.
10. In the tenth anuvaaka, Rudra is again requested not to show his furious fear giving form and appear before the devotee in a peaceful calm form. The mantras unlike the ones till ninth anuvaaka do not end in Nama after every description.
11. In the eleventh anuvaaka, consisting of eleven sukthaas, Rudra’s army called Ganaas is praised and they, wherever they exist, are beseeched to protect the devotees of Rudra.

Methods of Chanting:

Method	Number of Chants	Meaning	Approx Duration	Common Occasions ex:	Recommended Experience Level
Eka Rudram	1	first Namakam is read and then Chamakam	30-45 minutes	Daily practice, home rituals	Beginners, all devotees
Ekadasa Rudram	11	Namakam is chanter 11 times, each completion of 1 round of Namakam first Anuvakam of Chamakam is chanted	3-5 hours	Monthly rituals, special prayers	Intermediate practitioners
Laghu Rudram	121	Ekadasa Rudram is chanted eleven times	8-12 hours	Graha Shanti (planetary peace), specific blessings	Experienced practitioners, priests
Maha Rudram	1331	Laghu Rudram is chanted eleven times	2-3 days	Maha Shivaratri, temple festivals, grand ceremonies	Highly experienced practitioners, priests
Ati Rudram	14641	Maha Rudram is chanted eleven times	11-12 days	Extremely rare occasions, specific spiritual goals	Highly advanced practitioners, under expert guidance

In general depending on Ritvicks counts will be changed . For example 121 doing Ekadasa Rudram chants = 1 Maha Rudram (121 *11) .