SRI RUDRAM & CHAMAKAM

Sri Rudram-Chamakam occupies a very important place in Vedic literature and in the practice of Vedic Religion. It is the heart of Krishna Yajurveda and is treasured in the centre of Taittiriya Samhita. Sri Sivapanchakshari Mantram is enshrined in it. Sri Rudram is known as Rudropanishad. Though it forms part of Karma Kanda, it ranks at par with the Upanishads of the Jnana Kanda. And as it is seen in all the 101 Shakhas of the Yajurveda, it is called 'Satarudriyam'.

Among the Vidyas, the Vedas are supreme; in the Vedas the Rudra Ekadasi is supreme; in the Rudram the Panchakshari Mantra 'NAMASIVAYA' is supreme; in the Mantra the two letters 'SIVA' is supreme. As by pouring water at the root of a tree, all its branches are nourished, so also by pleasing Rudra through Rudra Japa, all the Devas are pleased. This is the best atonement (Prayaschittam) for all sins and the foremost 'Sadhana' for attainment of cherished desires.

Greatness of the Rudram

All great religions have tried to praise the Highest God in musical and sonorous praise befitting their great theme. One of the most thrilling and spiritually gratifying of such praises is the Vedic Sri Rudram in Sanskrit in India. Appayya Dikshitar, that polymath of learning, was enamoured of it. He was often regretful for not being born in the Krishna Yajurveda Sakha. (He is a Sama Vedi). Gandhiji wanted to hear the recital of the Vedas according to the South Indian tradition. He was greatly moved by hearing the chanting of Rudram. He first heard the recital of it at the opening of the Somnath temple. To hear it chanted in chorus by South Indian Brahmins is a unique experience.

A verse in the Vayu Purana says: " A person reciting and applying daily the Namakam, Chamakam and the Purusha Sooktam is honoured in the Brahma loka." The Namakam referred to in it is the Rudram, abounding in the word 'Namah'.

Evolution of Rudra

The word Rudra has got 4 root meanings:

a) Dreadful, terrific angry.
b) Great or large.
c) Driving away evil.
d) Fit to be praised

We find all the 4 concepts entering into the composition of Rudra. He is one of the naturo-mythical gods of the Rigveda, but has only a minor place in it and is being associated with Maruts. Probably He represented the sudden and destructive forces of the storm with thunder and lightning which struck at men and cattle.

In the Yajurveda, the connection of Rudra with the Maruts and the thunderbolt is entirely cut off. Here He has reached the position of Supremacy, which He has maintained in the Itihasas and Puranas down to this day. The common thread in both the Vedas is the 'warrior-aspect' of Rudra, His mighty bow and arrows which He shot at cows and men, His amenability to invocation and prayer, His healing powers, and His capacity to ferry men over sins and sorrows. In the course of the Rudram, we can find the gradual and steady promotion He is getting - from Siva to Sivatara and again later to Sivatama.

Contents

The Sri Rudram consists of 37 Riks and 130 Yajus in various Chandas or Metres in the Anuvakas 1 to 11. Each hymn should have a Rishi, Chandas, and Devata. For the entire Rudra Adhyaya, the Rishi is Bhagavan Rudra, the Kanda Rishi is Agni, the Chandas is Mahavirat, and the Devata is Shambu. Apart from this, the several Riks have got their own Rishis, Chandas, Devatas, and Prayogas or Applications.

Summary

Anuvaka
 Riks
 Yajus
 Style
01
 15
 -
 Terror and Anger
02
 -
 13
 Cosmic Vision
(Pasupati)
03
 -
 17
 Problem of Evil
04
 -
 17
 Contrasts and Artisans
05
 -
 15
 Unique Qualities
06
 -
 15
 Connection with Time
07
 -
 16
 Agent (like Hanuman)
08
 -
 17
 Focal (NAMASIVAYA)
09
 -
 19
 Earth and Water
10
 12
 -
 Prayer to Rudra
11
 10
 1
(in 3 sections)
 Salutations


In the Bhagavat Gita, Arjuna sees God everywhere in his Viswaroopa Darsanam and the awed 'Namaskara' of adoration automatically arises in his lips. The Rishi of the Rudram had a similar vision of the entire universe pervaded by Bhagavan Rudra and his infinite Rudra Ganas. It is liitle wonder, therefore, that the Rudram ends on a similar note of involuntary namaskaras. 

Supplimentary to the Rudram

The Rudram recital in South India is supplemented by 7 Mantras, at the end of the above mentioned 11 Anuvakas, as prayers to Rudra to loosen the votary automatically from death and confer immortality.

Rudra is Death and Homas are done to Him as "Mrityave Swaahaa" meaning "I sacrifice unto the God of Death". But He is also the "Mrityunjaya" meaning the "Conqueror of Death, the Lord of Immortality". Rudra is also "Aashutoshin"- one who is easily pleased. And the easiest method of pleasing Him is by the Rudram.

Uses of the Rudram

Strictly speaking, the Rudra is a Homa or sacrifice performed in fire in honour of God Rudra. While most of the rituals relating to the other Gods stop limited to the particular purpose intended in the Karma Kanda, it was felt that the Rudram could not and should not be so confined, but put to further varied uses. Hence we find that Rudram and Chamakam are used invariably for all the Vedic worship of Siva in all the households and temples. The kalpas had devised their application in other functions like Ayushya Homa etc. Like the Gita, it has earned the sobriquet of the Rudropanishad, the highest conceivable use to which it can be put. Tha Jabala Upanishad and the Kaivalya Upanishad are the authorities for this. In both of them the "Satarudriyam" is mentioned.

The Chamakam

The Chamakam occurs in the 4th Kanda, 7th Prapataka of the Yajur Veda. In the earlier 6 Prapatakas, rites depending upon "Parishechana" had been dealt with. In the 7th, the pouring of clarified butter into the sacred fire with a wooden ladle called "Vasordhaara" is stated. For the purposes of this rite, the entire Chamakam is one. The splitting up of the Chamakam into 11 Anuvakas is to use them as 11 Mantras  in non-sacrificial rites. A long list of desiderata are prayed for in it - 347 to be precise - by the votary, coupled with the article 'Cha'.

Should One Pray

Should we pray at all ?
Does not God know our wants and desires ?
Should He not and would He not satisfy them ?

The Chamakam answers in the language of the Bible: "Ask and it shall be given". God is there to give. Ask regally; not in an abashed, whining and pulling manner. Ask abundantly; not for one or two; now and then; and apologetically. Ask for all things in a full-throated manner. He is bound to give as Lord and Creator, and He will grant all the desires of His creatures. There is also no distinction between the things of this world and the next. Ask for one and all.

Prayer Difficult

Man does not know how to pray to the Supreme Being for the simple reason that he is ignorant of what is ultimately good or bad for him. In our Itihasas and Puranas we find how the Asuras and Rakshasas perform severe penances and austerities and ask for stupid boons from the Gods, which brought ruin upon them in the end. If wisely directed, most of them could have become Gods or could have attained immortality, with a fraction of their efforts. Hence, it is that all religions teach men how to pray and what to pray for. The Rudram and Chamakam are some of the foremost examples in the art of prayer in the Vedas.

Ananda Meemamsa

What is happiness ? All religions and philosophies have tried to define it and pointed out their several ways of securing it. Two Upanishads - the Taittiriya in its Brahmananda Valli and the Brihadaranyaka in its 4th Adhyaya - take up this Ananda meemamsa-the investigation of happiness. Taking human happiness as the lowest in the rung, they ascend to that of the Gandharvas, and the successive higher and higher Gods, and end with that of Prajapati or the Creator. All these happinesses are but small drops in the ocean of bliss which is Brahmananda, the happiness of the Self, which is attained by the Brahmajnani due to casting off of all desires. It is not correct to say that the self is an object possessing 'Sat-chit-anandam' as external qualities; but they are inherent in the Self, that the Self is nothing but these qualities. Hence there is no question of attaining any happiness, which is external, limited or graded. It is intrinsic one and entire, and man's birthright. He has only to shed his body-consciousness and realize that he is a soul.

                                                                      
Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushti Vardanum
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaat
Mrityormuksheeya Maamritat Swaha



The Chamakam

   



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