Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1957

c9.1957

(iv) Four ‘mental sons’ of Brahmā Sanaka, Sanandana Sanātana and Sanatkumāra showed disinclination to beget progenies. Brahmā got angry at this attitude of the four sons and from the centre of his brow was born a body blue and white in colour, and he, in tears, requested Brahmā for names and stations. Blessing him by saying ‘mā ruda’ (do not cry) Brahmā allotted him names and stations. He became famous by the name Rudra. He was also given eleven more names by Brahmā as follows: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahān, Śiva, Ṛtudhvaja, Ugraretas, Bhava, Kāma, Vāmadeva and Dhṛtavrata. These names are otherwise famous as follows: Aja, Ekapada, Ahirbudhnya, Tvaṣṭā, Rudra, Hara, Śambhu, Tryambaka, Aparājita, Īśāna and Tribhuvana. The eleven Rudras were also allotted the following eleven positions by Brahmā i.e. heart, the five organs of the body, vital force (Prāṇa) wind, fire, water, earth, sun and moon. Rudra has eleven wives, called Dhī, Vṛtti, Uśanā, Umā, Niyutā, Sarpis, Ilā, Ambikā, Irāvatī, Sudhā and Dīkṣā. Rudra, under the name Śiva, is considered to be the third of the trinity. The doctrine is that as long as time is real, deluge, or annihilation does not take place. Therefore, Rudrasamhāra (annihilation by Rudra) may be taken to mean only as the beginning of new creation.