To Nanda on Rudri Chapters and Puja

[Guest guest]

Nanda wrote:

.... “The first chapter is a prayer to receive the samkalpa, or

determination and focus of mind of Shiva. The second chapter praises

Shiva in His omnipresence. The third chapter is a blessing for the

spiritual warrior within us, to prevail in battle and defeat our own

enemies. In the fourth chapter we praise Shiva as the light of

wisdom. In the fifth chapter we bow to Shiva in all His forms. In

the sixth chapter we ask for His blessings. In the seventh chapter

we make offerings to His various manifestations. In the eighth

chapter we recite many of His divine characteristics that are within

us. In the ninth chapter we ask for peace and offer peace to all

existence.†Chapter Five has become especially famous as the

Naamakam, because the verses contain special names of Shiva to which

we bow in devotion and offer our oblations. Chapter Eight is known as

the Chamakam, because it contains a list of characteristics and

qualities that are within us, and after each quality “cha†is

inserted, meaning “andâ€. Therefore it is called Chamakam.â€

The Rudri is sometimes referred to as the “Rudram Chamakamâ€,

where Rudram refers to Chapter 5, and Chamakam refers to Chapter 8.

It is interesting to note that two famous mantras find their origin

in this text. The first is the Mahamrityunjaya mantra , two versions

of which are found in the sixth chapter. The second and the most

famous mantra of them all is Shiva’s bija – “Namah Shivayaâ€

which has its origin in Chapter 5 (See Chapter 5,Verse 117 as a

“homework†) Tomorrow, we will look into the way Swamiji has

organized the text, and how we can combine the chanting of this text

alone or within a beginner/expanded puja.

Dear Nanda,

 

Thank you once again for being the conduit through which these lessons

flow and for your own special touches of understanding. I think it

finally dawned on me (I've been a bit sick again lately, so not

thinking too clearly) that the Rudri is all about Shiva. Then, before

I got to the last sentence, I was thinking I wanted to ask: why don't

we use this as a puja to Shiva instead of the Advanced Shiva Puja?

And then your answer indicated that it could be a puja, but I still

have the same question. I am thinking that perhaps there are more

than one, or even two pujas for any diety. And Swami is so organized

about presenting things, I am thinking he translated the other pujas

first, but why? Are they the main pujas for the diety? Or would using

the Rudri as a puja be just as "good" as using the Advanced Shiva Puja

.... or would we use them for different pusposes. Lots of questions, I

know. Maybe Swamiji can answer this curious student. Jai Maa , Jai

Swamiji ~ Linda