Rudra ("Howler") is a Rigvedic god of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. Rudra is an early form of Shiva, the lord of destruction in Hinduism, and a name of Shiva in the Shiva sahasranama.

Rudra has arrows which cause disease in whomever he hits whether it be a god, human or animal. With Diti he is the father of the Maruts. The famous hymn, Shri Rudram is a Vedic Mantra that is still chanted today.

According to Adi Sankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama, Rudra means "One who makes all beings cry at the time of cosmic dissolution." Alternatively, Rudra means "One who gives speech." Rudra also means "one who drives away sorrows."

The word Rudraksha is a Tatpurusha compound meaning "The eye of Rudra"

A musical instrument has been named after Rudra Shiva -- Rudra Veena.

References

• Vishnu Sahasranama, commentary by Shankaracharya, translated by Swami Tapasyananda:
• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0500510881) by Anna Dhallapiccola

See also

• Wild Hunt

Hindu gods | Aspects of Shiva

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