[DISCLAIMER : - Dear
readers, as title of this article says Shiva to be known through all Vedic
Scriptures is not to convey (in any manner) that other deities like Adi-Shakti,
Lord Vishnu, Ganesha etc are subsidiary. All forms are the form of Parmeshwar Shiva so
other form like Vishnu, Adi-Shakti etc are as important as Lord Shiva himself. Again,
this article is unequivocally NOT to convey any other form of Lord as inferior
to Shiva – the Lord of all. So don’t nurture
erroneous concept that other form of Maheshwar (Adi-Shakti, Vishnu, Ganesha,
Kumara, Hiranyagarbha Martaand viz Sun-God etc are inferior to Maheswar. This
article is not alluded to hurt anyone’s sentiment. So all forms of lord are idiosyncratic and counterpart to each other. Yet if someone’s take this
article otherwise it is their own interpretation, and not the opinion of
author.]
[READERS
DISCRETION IS ADVICED]
|| हरिः ॐ ||
Lord Shiva is the Ultimate Godhead. He is the Supreme
among all; yet nothing differs from Mahadeva- The Lord of all deities.
Therefore, Veda explicitly declares “सर्वो वै रुद्र” which means everything
is verily Rudra. So, there
is nothing which is different from Parvati-Pati.
Entire Creation is not different from Creator, and
Lord Shiva (Creator) himself manifested as Everything (Creation). We will learn
it in this article itself. Lord Shiva is the creator of Veda, Sustainer of
Veda, Sole Object worth knowing from studies of all the Vedic Scripture and
again it is Lord Shiva in whom all the Veda(s) shall merge in the end.
That is the reason that
in Veda Only and Only Parvati-Pati (पार्वती-पति)
alone is declared to be the Veda-Purusha (वेद - पुरुष). Taittirya Aranyaka 10:24:1 of Yajurveda says “पुरुषो वै रुद्रः” which means Lord
Shiva is the Purusha of the Veda.
Therefore, by
all the Veda sung the Glories of Ved-Purusha who is none other than
Parvati-Pati.
1. Now let us Understood this divine Secret from the Veda
itself.
Lord Shiva – Object to be
known in all vedic scripture as per Veda(s).
इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहुरथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान
|
एकं सद विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः || (Rig-Veda 1:164:46)
indraṃ mitraṃ varuṇamaghnimāhuratho divyaḥ sa suparṇo gharutmān
|
ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadantyaghniṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānamāhuḥ ||
They (Enlightened
seers) call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Divya, Suparna, Garutmaan, Yama and Maatarishvaa etc. God is One,
wise call him by many names.
So, it is
crystal clear that there is Only One Divinity (ॐ) which is denoted and praised by many names in Veda. Therefore,
that Ultimate reality is One and Only One, which Veda praises under different
names.
The Ultimate
God is called Indra in Veda but again Indra is designation and it is none other
then Lord Shiva who is recognised as Indra in the Veda(s).
1.1
Shiva as Indra in the Veda.
The Sri Rudram of Yajur-Veda
denotes Lord Shiva as Indra and Yama as following.
“namo yaamyaya cha kshemyaya
cha |” (Salutations to him to him who
punishes in hell and to him who grants
favours in heaven.) – (YajurVeda 4:5:6.1.6)
Not only this but also there are many
references to conclude that Vedic Indra is indeed Shiva.
“sá yád dákṣiṇāṃ díśam ánu
vyácalad índro bhūtvā́nuvyàcalad bálam annādáṃ kr̥tvā́ |” (Atharva Veda XV: 14:2)
“Shiva (Vratya), when he went away to the
southern region, went away having become Indra, and having made Strength an
eater of food”.
This clearly says that Lord Shiva (who is
called Vratya) becomes Indra. Not only this but also there are many references
to conclude that Vedic Indra is indeed Shiva.
Regarding it, Shatpath Brahman also reveal
the same fact.
“tamabravīdaśanirasīti | tadyadasya
tannāmākarodvidyuttadrūpamabhavadvidyudvā
aśanistasmādyaṃ vidyuddhantyaśanirabadhīdityāhuḥ
so ‘bravījjyāyānvā ato ‘smi
dhehyeva me nāmeti |” (Shatapatha Brahmana
6:1:3:14)
“He said to him, ‘Thou art Asani.’ And because he
gave him that name, the lightning became suchlike, for Asani is the lightning:
hence they say of him whom the lightning strikes, ‘Asani has smitten him.’ He
said, ‘Surely, I am mightier than that: give me yet a name!’”
This Asani is none other then Lord Shiva
as confirmed by Kaushitaki Brahmana.
“sa.vai.tvam.ity.abravīd.aśanir.eva.iti
yad.aśanir.indras.tena |” (Kaushitaki
Brahmana 6:3:41)
“Prajapathi said to Rudra ‘Thou art Asani’ ; for Asani is
Indra”.
This is clear to Understand that again it
is Lord Trayambak who is called Indra in the Vedas.
Hymn from Atharva Veda called
as “Hymn
to ‘Bhava’ and ‘Sarva’” eulogizes lord Shiva in his two aspects
(names) viz. Bhava and Sarva. If we understand these names with reference to
Sri Rudram hymn from Yajurveda, then it would become clear to us that Rudra is
called ‘Bhava’ because he is the source of all and everything which exists
(bhavati); and Rudra is called as ‘Sarva’ because he destroys everything from
creatures to gods to galaxies to entire universe at the end of time. Hence, he
is called the one who destroys everything (sarvam) hence the name ‘Sarva’.
“Namo bhavaya cha rudraya cha
| namah sharvaya cha pashupataye cha |” (Yajurveda
Sri Rudram- Anuvaka 5)
“Salutations to Rudra who is the source of all
things (Bhava) and to Him who is the destroyer of all ills (Rudra). Salutations
to the destroyer of everything (Sharva) and to the protector of all beings in
bondage (Pashupati)”.
Atharva Veda’s hymn to Bhava
and Sarva depicts Rudra’s these two names as two aspects and praises him with a
song. But essentially Rudra is truly one. That hymn calls Rudra (Bhava / Sarva)
as the slayer of demon “Vritra” as follows:
“sahasrākṣáu vr̥trahánā huveháṃ dūrégavyūtī
stuvánn emy ugráu |
yā́v asyéśathe dvipádo yáu cátuṣpadas táu no
muñcatam áṃhasaḥ |” (Atharva Veda IV:
28:3)
“The thousand-eyed slayers of Vritra both do I
invoke. I go praising the two strong gods (ugrau) whose pastures extend far. Ye
who rule all these two-footed and four-footed creatures, deliver us from grief
and trouble”.
Not only Rudra is called slayer of Vrita,
but the Same Rudra is called wielder of thunder-bolt which is weapon of Indra.
“śreṣṭho
jātasya rudra śriyāsi tavastamastavasāṃ vajrabāho |
parṣi ṇaḥ pāramaṃhasaḥ
svasti viśvā abhītī rapaso yuyodhi |” (Rig Veda 2.33.3)
” In glory
thou art the most glorious of all that exists, O Rudra, the strongest of the
strong, thou wielder of the thunderbolt! Carry us happily to the other shore of
our anguish, and ward off all assaults of mischief”.
So again, it is proved beyond any doubt
that Vedic Indra is none other than Mahadeva.
1.2
Shiva as Mitra (Sun-God) in the Veda.
The Sun
rather सूर्य देव is regarded as प्रतयक्ष् देवता and again it is Lord
Shiva Only who is present in the form of Sun-God.
Veda says
that Sun is verily the form of Shiva. In fact, every other thing is the form of
Shiva. Entire Universe is the Manifestation of Shiva. Then how can Sun can
remain separate from त्रिपुरारी परमेश्वर
(YajurVeda 4:5:1.7)
“asau yastamro aruna uta babhruh sumangalah |”
This Sun who is copper-red when he arises, then
golden-youllow, this highly auspicious and beneficent one is truly Rudra)
(YajurVeda 4:5:1.8)
“asau yoavasarpati nilagrivo vilohitah |”
The black-throated Rudra who has assumed the form of the sun
that glows red when rising
Thus,
Yajurveda says that Sun is just the Manifestation of Parvati-Pati. The Very same thing is mentioned in the
Atharvaveda.
“sá yád devā́n ánu vyácalad ī́śāno bhūtvā́nuvyàcalan manyúm
annādáṃ kr̥tvā́ |” (Atharva Veda XV:
14:10)
“He, when he
went away to the Gods, went away having become Isana(Sun) and having made Passion an eater of food”.
[NOTE: - Isana is the name of Shiva, but as per the Shatpath
Brahman 6:1:3:17 from the name “Isana” Shiva manifested himself as Sun
therefore in the above verse the Isana means Sun.]
“He said to
him, 'Thou art Îsâna (the Ruler).' And because he gave him that name,
the Sun became suchlike, for Îsâna is the Sun, since the Sun rules over
this All. He said, 'So great indeed I am: give me no other name after that!” [Shatpath Brahman 6:1:3:17]
So, it should
be clear that indeed Lord Shiva is present in the form of Sun.
1.3
Shiva as Varuna in the Veda.
Again, it is Lord Shiva who is
praised under the name of “Varuna”. Let’s analyse the same.
“sá yát
pratī́cīṃ díśam ánu vyácalad váruṇo rā́jā bhūtvā́nuvyàcalad apò ‘nnādī́ḥ
kr̥tvā́ |” (Atharva Veda XV: 14:3)
“Shiva (Vratya), when he went away to the western
region, went away having become King Varuna, and having made the Waters eaters
of food”.
Thus, Veda
clearly says that it is Lord Shiva who is manifested as Varuna.
1.4
Shiva as Agni in the Veda.
In Vedas,
again it is Lord Shiva ONLY who is praised as Agni or वैश्वानर so it is Lord Shiva only
who take the form of Agni.
The Atharva
Veda clearly says that Shiva manifested as Agni.
“sá yán manuṣyā̀n ánu vyácalad agnír
bhūtvā́nuvyàcalat svāhākārám annādáṃ kr̥tvā́ |” (Atharva Veda XV: 14:8)
“He, when he went away to men, went away having
become Agni and having made the exclamation Svāhā an eater of food”.
The Shatpath
Brahman too claims the same.
“tadvā agnaya
iti kriyate agnirvai sa devastasyaitāni nāmāni śarva iti yathā prācyā
ācakṣate bhava iti yathā bāhīkāḥ paśūnām patī
rudro ‘gniriti
tānyasyāśāntānyevetarāṇi nāmānyagnirityeva
śāntatamaṃ tasmādagnaya iti kriyate
sviṣṭakṛta iti ” (Shatapatha Brahmana 1:7:3:8)
“That (offering) then is certainly made to
‘Agni,’ for, indeed, Agni is THAT god;–his are these names: Sarva, as the
eastern people call him; Bhava, as the Bâhîkas (call him); Pasûnâm pati (‘lord
of beasts,’ Pasupati), Rudra, Agni. The name Agni, doubtless, is the most
auspicious (sânta), and the other names of his are inauspicious: hence it is
offered to (him under the name of) ‘Agni,’ and to (him as) the Svishtakrit”.
Once again
Shatpath Brahman says the same fact.
“tamabravīdrudro ‘sīti
| tadyadasya tannāmākarodagnistadrūpamabhavadagniva rudro
yadarodīttasmādrudraḥ so ‘bravījjyāyānvā ato ‘smi
dhehyeva me nāmeti |” (Shatapatha Brahmana 6:1:3:10)
“He said to him, ‘Thou art Rudra.’ And because he
gave him that name, Agni became suchlike (or, that form), for Rudra is Agni:
because he cried (rud) therefore he is Rudra. He said, ‘Surely, I am mightier
than that: give me yet a name!’”
So, it should
be known that Agni is none other than Lord Shiva himself.
1.5
Shiva as Garuda as per Scriptures.
The Garuda in
Hinduism is known as King (Foremost ruler) among the birds (entire
manifestation), and this Garuda is none other then Lord Shiva. So, Verily
Shiva/Garuda (Parmatma) is the ruler of birds (Individual Souls).
Now this
Garuda is the Vehicle of Bhagavan Vishnu, (here no esoteric meaning of Garuda
needs to be taken) So, Sriman Vishnu rides Garuda and this Lord Vishnu is none
other then one of the forms of Parabramha. Lord Shiva himself manifestes as Vishnu hence again we can conclude that Vehicle (Garuda) is Shiva and
rider of Garuda too is Shiva (in the form of Vishnu).
Sri Rudram eulogize Parvati-Pati as the following
namo rathibhyo'rathebhya śca vo namo
namo rathebhyo rathapatibhya śca vo namaḥ. (Sri Rudram)
That’s why
Scripture says "सर्वो वै रुद्र" which means everything is rudra.
Mahabharata
(the 5th Veda) mentions Garuda as Vibhhoti of Lord Shiva.
“ādityānāṃ bhavān viṣṇur vasūnāṃ caiva pāvakaḥ |
pakṣiṇāṃ vainateyaś ca ananto bhujageṣu ca |” (MAHABHARAT.
13:14:158)
“Among the Adityas thou art Vishnu (Upendra),
among the Vasu thou art Pavaka, among birds thou art the son of Vinata
(Garuda), and among snakes thou art Ananta (Sesha)”.
1.6 Shiva as Yama
as per Veda.
The Sri Rudram of Yajur-Veda
denotes Lord Shiva as Yama.
“namo yaamyaya cha kshemyaya
cha |” (Salutations to him to him who punishes in hell and to him who grants favours in heaven.) – (YajurVeda 4:5:6.1.6)
The
very same is stated in the Atharva-Veda.
“sá yát pitr̥̄́n ánu vyácalad
yamó rā́jā bhūtvā́nuvyàcalat svadhākārám annādáṃ kr̥tvā́ |” (Atharva Veda XV:
14:7)
Shiva (Vratya), when he went away to the Fathers,
went away having become King Yama
and having made the exclamation Svadhā an eater of food”.
2.
Direct
Reference from the Veda.
Now let us
load Direct Vedic Reference for the same context.
Rudra is in the Vedas and in the Vedanta (Upanishads) as per
the Yajurveda 4:5:6.1.8
“Namo shlokyaa cha vasanyaya cha |”
(Salutations to Rudra who is praised in the Vedas
and to him (Rudra) who is praised at the end of Vedas.) – (YajurVeda)
Moreover, Only
Ultimate Truth can liberate us from the cycle of birth and death and can
liberate us. Also, it is none other then Lord Shiva who is source of Salvation.
(YajurVeda
4:5:8.1.9)
“Nama sambhave mayo bhave cha |”
(Salutations to Rudra who is the source of
pleasures of this world and to Rudra who is the source of salvation.)
Also, the Atharva-Veda confirms the same truth.
“sá uttamā́ṃ díśam ánu vy àcalat |
tám ŕ̥caś ca sā́māni ca yájūṃṣi ca bráhma cānuvyàcalan |
r̥cā́ṃ ca vái sá sā́mnāṃ ca yájuṣāṃ ca bráhmaṇaś ca priyáṃ dhā́ma bhavati
yá eváṃ véda |” (Atharva Veda 15:6.3)
“sá br̥hatī́ṃ díśam ánu vy àcalat |
tám itihāsáś ca purāṇáṃ ca gā́thāś ca nārāśaṃsī́ś cānuvyàcalan |
itihāsásya ca vái sá purāṇásya ca gā́thānāṃ ca nārāśaṃsī́nāṃ ca priyáṃ
dhā́ma bhavati yá eváṃ véda |” (Atharva
Veda 15:6.4)
“He(Vratya – Ascetic Form of
Shiva) went away to the last region. Richas, Sāmans Yajus formulas and Devotion
followed him. He who
possesses this knowledge becomes the dear home of Earth and Agni and herbs and
trees and shrubs and plants. He (Vratya/Shiva)
went away to the great region. Itihāsa and Purāna and Gāthās and Nārāsansis
followed him. He who possesses this knowledge becomes the dear home of
Earth and Agni and herbs and trees and shrubs and plants”.
Thus, Veda Clearly acknowledge that it is Lord Shiva who is to
be known through all the Veda.
Lord Shiva –
Object to be known in all vedic Scriptures as per Vedanta (Upanishads)
The same truth
is again confirmed in Upanishad(s).
“Thou (Rudra or Lord
who is with Uma) art He whom in the sacrifices the knowers of Brahman adore
with Vedic Songs, formulas and rites and the soma juice; as the final (Truth)
devoid of all admixture, as the golden, the best of Veda-knowers.” (Ekakshara
Upanishad -10)
Now
the same Upanishad in the very next two verses conveys the same as Rig-Veda 1:164:46
“Thou (Consort of Uma) alone art the woman, the man; again, Thou (Rudra)
art the boy and the girl. Thou art
the ordainer, the King Varuna, the Year, Aryama, the all.” (Ekakshara Upanishad -11)
“ (Thou art) Mitra, the
bright-feathered (Garuda), the moon, Indra, Varuna, Rudra, Tvastar, Vishnu,
Savitar, the lord of light, Thou Vishnu protectest all beings from the
demoniac; the world is encompassed by Thee; Thou the womb of all that is born;
Thou art the earth, the atmosphere, the firmament; Thou art the self-born; Thou
art turned towards all.” (Ekakshara
Upanishad – 12)
Verse
11 says that Rudra is women and man. This is also confirmed in Svetaswatara
Upanishad.
“tváṃ strī́ tváṃ púmān asi tváṃ kumārá utá vā kumārī́ |
tváṃ jīrṇó daṇḍéna
vañcasi tváṃ jātó bhavasi viśvátomukhaḥ |” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:03)
“Thou art woman, Thou art man; Thou art youth and maiden too. Thou as an old man totterest along on a staff;
it is Thou alone who, when born, assumest diverse forms”.
Verse 12 of Ekakshara
Upanishad is again conveying Rig-Veda 1:164:46 which
we have already analysed. Thus, we have analysed that by all the Vedic
Scriptures Only Lord Shiva also denoted as Pranava is to be Known.
Now Let’s
analyse the Kaivalyopanishad.
Lord Shiva himself says that he ALONE is to be known
through all the Vedas.
“I (Shiva or three eyed Lord) alone am taught in the various
Vedas, I(Shiva) am the revealer of the Vedanta or Upanishads, and I am also,
the Knower of the Vedas. For me there is neither merit nor demerit, I suffer no
destruction, I have no birth, nor any self-identity with the body and the
organs.” (Kaivalyopanishat - 22)
(Note that here Shiva alone is to be known doesn’t mean that there
is no Adi-Shakti, Vishnu or other deities. It simply means that all other forms
are the forms of Tripurari; Because Veda also says everything is Rudra, hence
no one is different from the Shiva.)
Now Lord Shiva himself says the following
अहमस्मि परश्चास्मि ब्रह्मास्मि प्रभवोऽस्म्यहम् ।
सर्वलोकगुरुश्चामि सर्वलोकेऽस्मि सोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ १॥
अहमेवास्मि सिद्धोऽस्मि शुद्धोऽस्मि परमोऽस्म्यहम् ।
अहमस्मि सोमोऽस्मि नित्योऽस्मि विमलोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २॥
विज्ञानोऽस्मि विशेषोऽस्मि सोमोऽस्मि सकलोऽस्म्यहम् ।
शुभोऽस्मि शोकहीनोऽस्मि चैतन्योऽस्मि समोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ ३॥
Meaning: -
I am Me, know me to be
the (the supreme one), Brahman, the source (of all), also the Guru of
all the worlds, all the worlds, know me to be That. I alone am, know me to have
attained perfection, am pure, the supreme, eternal, I am He, I am eternal, pure, (in the form of) true knowledge
(Vijnana), the special one, know me to be Soma, everything is ME. Know me to be the auspicious one, free from
sorrow, consciousness is Me, also the impartial one. (Maitreya Upanishad III:
1-3)
Here, Lord
Shiva himself says that
q He is Ultimate Brahman.
q In the form of true knowledge (taught in Vedic Scriptures).
q Everything is Shiva. OR Shiva is everything.
These
Characteristics itself is sufficient to understand that object to known by
studying the Veda(s) is Mahadeva alone.
Shiva is
Ultimate Truth is Adi-Shakti is Vishnu is Eternal is Ultimate is “Pranava” is
the Subject and Ultimate Destination of every Individual Soul.
Lord Shiva – Object to be
known in all Vedic Scriptures says Ved-Vyasa
Now let us
load Mahabharta into our analysis.
In the Mahabharat Sri Veda-Vyasa himself admitted that It is Lord
Shiva only which is to be known through Vedas.
(The below translation is from the link mentioned above)
“Whatever is highly
mysterious in the several branches of the Vedas, in the Upanishads, in the Puranas, and in those sciences that deal with the soul, is that God, viz., Maheswara, Mahadeva is even such. That God is, again,
without birth. All the attributes of that God are not capable of being
enumerated by me even if, O son of Pandu, I were to recite them continually for
a thousand years. Even unto those that are afflicted by all the evil planets,
even unto those that are stained with every sin, that great protector, if they
seek him, becomes gratified with them and granteth them salvation. He granteth,
and taketh away life and health and prosperity and wealth and diverse kinds of
objects of desire. The prosperity is his that is seen in Indra and other gods.
He is ever engaged in the good and evil of men in this world. In consequence of
his supremacy, he can always obtain whatever objects he desires. He is called
Maheswara and is the lord of even the supreme ones.” (Mahabharat: Drona Parva: SECTION
CCII)
The same is verified in entire Shiv-MahaPurana (either directly or
esoterically).
CONCLUSION: - Indeed Only ॐकारेश्वर is to be known from All Vedic Scriptures.
|| ॐ तत् सत् ||
|| एतत् सर्वम् श्री क्रुस्नपिङ्गलम् परब्रंहर्पनमस्तु ||
