Vedic Mythology c5.s2.t4.6

c5.s2.t4.6

One of the points most frequently mentioned about Rudra is his relationship to the Maruts. He is their father (1, 114⁶· ⁹; 2, 33¹); or they are more frequently spoken of as his sons and are also several times called Rudras or Rudriyas². He is said to have generated them from the shining udder of Pṛśni (2, 34²)³. But Rudra is never associated, as Indra is, with the warlike exploits of the Maruts, for he does not engage in conflict with the demons. *Tryambaka*, a common epithet of Śiva in post-Vedic literature, is already applied to Rudra in Vedic texts (VS. 3, 58; ŚB. 2, 6, 2⁹) and seems to refer to him once even in the RV. (7, 59¹²). The meaning appears to be 'he who has three mothers' (cp. 3, 56⁵) in allusion to the threefold division of the universe (cp. GRV. 1, 555). Ambikā, a post-Vedic name of Śiva's wife, is mentioned for the first time in VS. 3, 5, appearing here, however, not as Rudra's wife, but as his sister. Umā and Pārvatī, regular names of Śiva's wife, seem first to occur in the TA. and the Kena Upaniṣad.