Rudraprasna Translation - Part 1

People have chanted Sri Rudram or Sri Rudraprasna for ages. Even I have. We have been told that it is powerful. It indeed is. However, not many people really understand the meaning (superficial or inner) of Rudraprasna. That includes me. Here is an attempt to translate Rudraprasna for the benefit of all, particularly me.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a Sanskrit scholar but have interest in understanding the inner meaning of vedic mantras. So, it is an attempt to help myself and if it helps others then that is a bonus, my offering to the Lord. Sarvam Sri KrishNarpaNam.

I thought, before I start let me see if there are any translations already. And I found this really good site where I have taken the translation from (http://jigyaasaa.wordpress.com/). I have not looked into the accuracy of the translation but after going through the site I can say with complete confidence that this looks like an authentic translation.

Question 1: Who is Rudra? or What is Rudra? 

Rudra is derived from "rud", which is to "roar" or "cry" or "cry out loud". rOditi or rOdayati - one who cries or makes one cry. "rudhiram drAvayati", the explosion of energy or a flash of lightening or the volcano or even anger. "Shiva" and "Rudra" are often seen as the same aspect or personality. It is also said that Rudra is a form of Shiva. While Shiva in literal words mean "auspicious, bliss, friendly, kind, gracious, benign" and the same Lord takes the form of Rudra when he become "terrible, horrible, dreadful, roaring". It is the contrasting forms of the same Lord. Rudra is the energy that creates turbulence in the creation - whether it is the waves or the winds or the volcanoes, they are all manifestations of Rudra. Rudra is also the internal turbulence that manifests in our minds (manyu) in the form of anger or disgust. To appease Rudra is to appease the mind and the internal disturbing, violent emotional energies that can make one roar and cry. 

Question 2: Why is it called Rudra PrashnaH?
PrashnaH implies the process of "inquiry" or "request" or "subject of inquiry" or "short section or paragraph" or "examination". It also implies a "demand" and if it is taking from the "prAsh" root then it can imply "devouring", "tasting" or "consuming". So, Rudra Prashna is the inquiry into the idea of Rudra, exploring the many facets of the Lord and contemplating over His varied energies. 

Sri Rudra is a combination of "namakam" and "chamakam". While "namakam" is an attempt to pacify Rudra, "chamaka" is an appeal to provide us with resource for excellence to fulfill various desires for wellbeing in this life. 

Question 3: What are anuvAkAs? 

The namaka and chamaka portions of Rudraprashna is classified into 11 anuvAkAs each. anuvAkA means "section" or "passage of statements" or "repeating" or "reciting". "vAk" is the speech and "anu" prefix gets into the details of it. "anu" means "along side" or "near" or "according to" or "subordinate to". So, an "anuvAka" is a passage of profound statements.    

Question 4: Who are the 11 Rudras? 
Below are the "purusha", "prakriti" and its material equivalents of Rudra (from Bhagavatha purANa):

ŚB 3.12.8

स वै रुरोद देवानां पूर्वजो भगवान् भव: ।

नामानि कुरु मे धात: स्थानानि च जगद्गुरो ॥ ८ ॥

sa vai ruroda devānāṁ pūrvajo bhagavān bhavaḥ

nāmāni kuru me dhātaḥ sthānāni ca jagad-guro

After his birth he began to cry: O destiny maker, teacher of the universe, kindly designate my name and place.

ŚB 3.12.9

इति तस्य वच: पाद्मो भगवान् परिपालयन् ।

अभ्यधाद्भद्रया वाचा मा रोदीस्तत्करोमि ते ॥ ९ ॥

iti tasya vacaḥ pādmo bhagavān paripālayan

abhyadhād bhadrayā vācā mā rodīs tat karomi te

The all-powerful Brahmā, who was born from the lotus flower, pacified the boy with gentle words, accepting his request, and said: Do not cry. I shall certainly do as you desire.

ŚB 3.12.10

यदरोदी: सुरश्रेष्ठ सोद्वेग इव बालक: ।

ततस्त्वामभिधास्यन्ति नाम्ना रुद्र इति प्रजा: ॥ १० ॥

yad arodīḥ sura-śreṣṭha sodvega iva bālakaḥ

tatas tvām abhidhāsyanti nāmnā rudra iti prajāḥ

Thereafter Brahmā said: O chief of the demigods, you shall be called by the name Rudra by all people because you have so anxiously cried.

ŚB 3.12.11

हृदिन्द्रियाण्यसुर्व्योम वायुरग्निर्जलं मही ।

सूर्यश्चन्द्रस्तपश्चैव स्थानान्यग्रे कृतानि ते ॥ ११ ॥

hṛd indriyāṇy asur vyoma vāyur agnir jalaṁ mahī

sūryaś candras tapaś caiva sthānāny agre kṛtāni te

My dear boy, I have already selected the following places for your residence: the heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity.

ŚB 3.12.12

मन्युर्मनुर्महिनसो महाञ्छिव ऋतध्वज: ।

उग्ररेता भव: कालो वामदेवो धृतव्रत: ॥ १२ ॥

manyur manur mahinaso mahāñ chiva ṛtadhvajaḥ

ugraretā bhavaḥ kālo vāmadevo dhṛtavrataḥ

Lord Brahmā said: My dear boy Rudra, you have eleven other names: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahān, Śiva, Ṛtadhvaja, Ugraretā, Bhava, Kāla, Vāmadeva and Dhṛtavrata.

ŚB 3.12.13

धीर्धृतिरसलोमा च नियुत्सर्पिरिलाम्बिका ।

इरावती स्वधा दीक्षा रुद्राण्यो रुद्र ते स्त्रिय: ॥ १३ ॥

dhīr dhṛti-rasalomā ca niyut sarpir ilāmbikā

irāvatī svadhā dīkṣā rudrāṇyo rudra te striyaḥ

O Rudra, you also have eleven wives, called the Rudrāṇīs, and they are as follows: Dhī, Dhṛti, Rasalā, Umā, Niyut, Sarpi, Ilā, Ambikā, Irāvatī, Svadhā and Dīkṣā.

1. manyu (emotion, passion, spirit, zeal) - dhI (intellect) - hrdaya (seat of feelings and sensations) 
2. manu (thinking creature, thought, sacred text, mental powers, manking) - dhriti (will power, resolution, steadfastness, firmness) - indriya (sense organ) 
3. mahinAsa (might, great, cheerful, ruler) - rasalA - asu 
4. mahAn - umA - vyOma 
5. shiva - niyut - vAyu 
6. rtadhvaja - sarpi - agni 
7. ugrarEtas - ilA - jalam 
8. bhava - ambikA - mahI 
9. kAla - irAvatI - sUrya 
10. vAmadeva - svadhA - sUrya 
11. dhrtavrata - dhIkshA - chandra 

Question 5: why is it called "namakam"?

There are 170 mantrAs with a "namaH" attached to it, so the name namakam. "namaH" simplies indicates the process of paying respect or a respectful greeting. "na" "ma" literally indicates the loss of ego, where the devotee is saying "not mine" or "not about me", which implies "it is is all you my Lord". "nama" occurs 183 times in the namakam. It is split into 11 anuvAkAs. 

1. anuvAka 1: manyu, dhi and hridaya: in 16 mantrAs, the devotee tries to pacify Lord Rudra, who is the explosive energy in the form of His arrows.   
2. anuvAka 2: manu, vritti and indriya: these 13 mantrAs have namah at the start and at the end. It is in praise of Lord Rudra's auspicious qualities. 
3. anuvAka 3: mahinAsa, rasalA, asu: the Lord within all creatures, one who drives everything from within in 17 mantrAs.
4. anuvAka 4: mahAn, umA, vyOma: in 17 mantrAs, the devotees describe the intriguing nature of Rudra, one who is the creation and also the source of creation, where He is the cause and also the effect. He is the bow and the arrows. He is the one outside and the one within.
5. anuvAka 5 - 9 address the other aspects of Rudra (Shiva to dhrtavrata): there are 15, 15, 16, 16, and 19 mantrAs respectively from the 5th to the 9th anuvAkAs: these anuvAkAs have couplets (or paired words connected by "cha" to indicate "and" or "also") where they refer to "this" and "that" also using a "cha" to connect the couples.
6. anuvAkas 10 and 11: conclusion: there are 13 mantrAs in these two anuvAkAs requesting Rudra not cause to harm, by protecting the life, harmony, livelihood of the chanter. 

Question 6: what is "Chamakam"?

"chamaka" is way of asking "giving that to me and this to me". This is chanted after the deity is invoked through the namakam. There are 343 desires listed in the 11 anuvAkAs of chamakam. The desires are mundane and spiritual in nature - needed for material existence and spiritual evolution. 

1. anuvAka 1: 36 mantrAs: strength, rigor and energy; nourishment to the body, mind, speech and senses 
2. anuvAka 2: 38 mantrAs: success and control; focus, motivation and steadfastness 
3. anuvAka 3: 36 mantrAs: praying for beneficial resources and situations that create auspiciousness and delight 
4. anuvAka 4: 38 mantrAs: food and nourishment for sustenance  
5. anuvAka 5: 31 mantrAs: residence, wealth, and sorrundings 
6. anuvAkAs 6 - 10: 20, 29, 22, 21, 31 corresponding mantrAs in each of the anuvAkAs: seeking resources for the performance of yajna, offerings to the yajna, and the forces of nature to be worshiped. 
7. anuvAka 11: 41 mantrAs: numerical elicitation indicating the progression from finite to infinite using sAnkhya. There are many ways this anuvAka is interpreted and understood. One such interpretation is how each number leads to a Square - 1 (1 square), 3 (1+3 is 2sq), 5 (5+4 is 9, 3sq), 7 (7+9 is 16, 4Sq etc.)     

Question 7: how is rudram recited? 

• 1 namakam + 1 chamakam == rUpakam 
• [complete namakam + 1 anuvAka of chamakam] x 11 times == ekAdasha rudram  
• 11 x ekAdasha rudram == laghu rudram (121 times namakam and 11 times of each anuvAka of chamakam)
• 11 x laghu rudram == mahA rudram (1331 times namakam and 121 times of each anuvAka of chamakam) 
• 11 x mahA rudram == ati rudram (14641 times namakam and 1331 times of each anuvAka of chamakam)  

॥श्रीरुद्रप्रश्नः॥

śrīrudrapraśnaH

ॐ नमो भगवते॑ रुद्रा॒य

om namo bhagavate̍ rudrā̱ya

Aum! Salutations to Lord Rudra*

* Rudra – dreadful, terrific, frightful, formidable; Great; Driving away Evil; Praiseworthy; one of the 11 deities or manifestations of Shiva, of Shankara (rudrANAm shankarachAsmi), Siva; fire;

ॐ नम॑स्ते रुद्र म॒न्यव॑ उ॒तोत॒ इष॑वे॒ नमः | नम॑स्ते अस्तु॒ धन्व॑ने बा॒हुभ्या॑मु॒त ते॒ नमः।

om nama̍ste rudra ma̱nyava̍ u̱tota̱ iṣa̍ve̱ nama̍ḥ  | nama̍ste astu̱ dhanva̍ne bā̱hubhyā̍mu̱ta te̱ nama̍H

namah – obescience, te – to you, rudra – O Rudra*, manyave (related to manyu - sacrifice, rage, wrath, fury, high spirit, mind) – ferocious or anger, uta* – and, te – to your, iṣave (ish - speedy; going quickly; wishing; desirous; strength; power; comfort; refreshing waters of the sky; animated; one possessed of sap or strength;)  - arrows, namaḥ – my obesciences, bāhubhyām – shoulders/arms, uta – and, te – to your, namaḥ – my obesciences

* uta – used for the sake of emphasis especially at the end of a line after iti or verb

O Rudra, my prostrations to your anger (wrath), moreover prostrations to your arrows*, to your bow, and prostrations to your mighty arms / shoulders. Salutations to you.

* The arrow is symbolic to that which pierces the heart. His third eye is the bow and arrow is His sight that sets even kAma on fire, and cleanses on of impurities. Arrows indicate the violent energey that emanates out of Rudra. The prayer tries to pacify Rudra. 

या त॒ इषुः शि॒वत॑मा शि॒वं ब॒भूव॑ ते॒ धनुः।  शि॒वा शर॒व्या॑ या तव॒ तया॑ नो रुद्र मृडय।

yā ta̱ iṣu̍ḥ śi̱vata̍mā śi̱vaṁ ba̱bhūva̍ te̱ dhanu̍ḥ । śi̱vā śa̍ra̱vyā̍ yā tava̱ tayā̍ no rudra mṛḍaya

yā – he who, ta – that, rudra – O Rudra, śivātamA – supremely auspicious / beneficial, shivam babhoova became auspicious, te dhanuH – by your bow,  shivA – auspicious sharavyA – shower of arrows / target / mark yA – he, tava – by your, tayA – by her or protection; naH – our, rudra mRuDaya - to be gracious, to be pleased; to pardon; to delight; to gladden; Epithet of Lord Shiva

Oh Valiant one (Lord Rudra), may we be the blessed target of that arrow (which pierces one’s heart), your your bow which is supremely auspicious [to the devout], and your quiver of blessedness.

या ते॑ रुद्र शि॒वा त॒नूरघो॒राऽपापकाशिनी। तया॑ नस्त॒नुवा॒ शन्त॑मया॒ गिरिशंता॒भिचा॑कशीहि ।

yā te̍ rudra śi̱vā ta̱nūragho̱rā'pā̍pakāśinī  | tayā̍ nasta̱nuvā̱ śanta̍mayā̱ giri̍śaṁtā̱bhicā̍kaśīhi

yā – he, te – Your, rudra – O Rudra, śivā – peaceful/auspicious/beneficial, tanúh – forms (the body (tan – to cover; to stretch; extend; diffuse), aghorā – calming, apāpakāśinī – (apApa + kAshin -  apApa – sinless, pure; kAshin – shining; apApakAshin - one who shines sinlessly ) the preventer of sinful activity and bestower of spiritual fruits, tayā – that, nah – to us, tanvā – by your form, śaṃtamayā – the producer of happiness, giriśanta – the one who abides in the himalayas, abhicākaśīhi – look at us with your grace.

O Rudra, your blessed form which is peaceful, auspicious, beneficial, calming, which obliterates traces of all sinful actions, through this form which impregnates happiness, O Lord, may you look at us with your grace from the Mount of KailAsa.

यामिषुं॑ गिरिशन्त॒ हस्ते॑ बि॒भर्ष्यस्त॑वे । शि॒वां गि॑रित्र॒ तां कु॑रु॒ मा हिँ॑सीः॒ पुरु॑षं॒ जग॑त् ।।

yām iṣuṃ giriśanta haste bibharṣy astave | śivāṃ giritra tāṃ kuru mā him̐sīḥ puruṣaṃ jagat ||

yām – who, iṣuṃ – arrows, giriśanta – transfixed in the words of the Vedas,  haste – in hand, bibharṣi – who holds, astave – to release, śivāṃ – your auspiciousness, giritra – the protector abiding in the Himalayas, tāṃ – to him, kuru – do, mā – don’t, him̐sīḥ – destruction, puruṣaṃ – to humamity, jagat – material creation.

O Lord, transfixed in the words of the Vedas, who is holding in hand the arrows, may you release them to which is most auspicious. O Protector of the sacred mount, harm not the humanity and the other creations

शि॒वेन॒ वच॑सा त्वा गिरि॒शाच्छा॑ वदामसि । यथा॑ नः॒ सर्व॒मिज्जग॑दय॒क्ष्मँ सु॒मना॒ अस॑त् ।।

śivéna vacasā tvā giriśācchā vadāmasi | yathā naḥ sarvam ij jagad ayakṣmam̐ sumanā asat ||

śivén – benefical form, vacasā – through words, tvā – to you, giriśa – Lord of the Himalayas, accha – to obtain, vadāmasi -  we pray, yathā – for which, naḥ – we/our,  sarvam – all , it – only,  jagad – material creation, ayakṣmam̐ – free from disease, sumanāh – of sound mind, asat – be.

O Lord of the Himalayas, through our auspicious words we pray to obtain you, through which our creation becomes free from disease and obtain a sound mind.

अध्य॑वोचदधिव॒क्ता प्र॑थ॒मो दै॑व्यो भि॒षक् । अहीँ॑श्च॒ सर्वा॑न्ज॒म्भय॒न्त्सर्वा॑श्च यातुधा॒न्यो॑ ध॒राचीः॒ परा॑ सुव ।।

adhyavocad adhivaktā prathamó daivyo bhiṣak |ahīm̐ś ca sarvān jambhayant sarvāś ca yātudhānyò dharācīḥ parā suva ||

adhyavocat – do/say that which is the great, adhivaktā – the exponent of the Vedas, prathamah – the first, daivyah - divinity, bhiṣak  – the  destroyer, ahīm̐ś  – reptiles, ca – and, sarvān – all, jambhayan – to destroy, sarvāh – all beings, ca – and, yātudhānyah – evil spirits, adharācīḥ – suppressor, parā suva – remove from us.

O Lord, exponent of the Vedas, the first, the benefactor of the devas, the destroyer of the cycle of birth, death and disease, bless us that we may be the greatest. O destroyer, suppress the reptiles and the evil spirits downwards, far away from us

असौ॒ यस्ता॒म्रो अ॑रु॒ण उ॒त ब॒भ्रुः सु॑म॒ङ्गलः॑ । ये चै॑नँ रु॒द्रा अ॒भितो॑ दि॒क्षु श्रि॒ताः स॑हस्र॒शो वै॑षाँ॒ हेड॑ ईमहे ।।

asau yas tāmró aruṇa uta babhruḥ sumaṅgalaḥ |yé cainam̐ rudrā abhito dikṣu śritāḥ sahasraśó vaiṣām̐ héḍa īmahe ||

asaa – this sun, the direct manifestation of Rudra, yah – who, tāmroh – looking coppery, aruṇa – red, uta – and,  babhruḥ – yellow, sumaṅgalaḥ – very auspicious, yé – that, ca – and, enam̐  – his, rudrāh – sun raise, abhitah – in all, dikṣu – directions, śritāḥ – dependent, sahasraśah – thousands, eṣām̐  – his, héḍa – anger/wrath,  ava īmahe – detract/against

This Sun, the direct manifestation of Rudra, looking coppery, red and yellow, which is very auspicious, in whose close proximity there are thousands of sun raises in all directions, we pray against their wrath.

असौ॒ यो॑ व॒सर्प॑ति॒ नील॑ग्रीवो॒ विलो॑हितः । उतैनं गो॒पा अ॑दृश्र॒न्नदृ॑श्रन्नुदहा॒र्यः॒ स दृ॒ष्तो मृ॑डयाति नः ।।

asau yò vasarpati nī́lagrīvo vilohitaḥ |utainaṃ gopā adr̥śrann adr̥śrann udahāryàḥ sa dr̥ṣtó mr̥ḍayāti naḥ ||

asaa – This Sun, the direct manifestation of Rudra, yah – who,  vasarpati – who during sunset is constantly roaming, nī́lagrīvah – adorning a blue neck, vilohitaḥ  – bloody/red, uta – and, enaṃ – his, gopā – cow herders, adr̥śrann – perceive, adr̥śrann – perceive, udahāryàḥ – girls carrying water, sa – they, dr̥ṣtah – whilst witnessing, mr̥ḍayāti – experience deep happiness, naḥ – they.

This Sun, the direct manifestation of Rudra, who during sunset looks reddish and then blue. He who the cow herders, and the girls carrying water perceive, who whilst witnessing him experience deep happiness.

नमो॑ स्तु॒ नील॑ग्रीवाय सहस्रा॒क्षाय॑ मी॒ढुषे॑ । अथो॒ ये अ॑स्य॒ सत्वा॑नो॒ हं तेभ्यो॑ करं॒ नमः॑ ।।

namo stu nī́lagrīvāya sahasrākṣāya mīḍhuṣe |atho yé asya satvāno haṃ tébhyo karaṃ namaḥ ||

namah – Obesciences, astu – to, nī́lagrīvāya  – the blue necked one, sahasrākṣāya – a thousand eyes, mīḍhuṣe – provider of rain, atho – and, yé – that, asya – to him, satvānah – devotees/servants, ahaṃ – I,  tébhyo – to them, akaraṃ – I do, namaḥ – Obesciences

Obesciences to the blue necked one, adorning a thousand eyes, provider of rain and to all his devotees/servants I offer my obesciences.

  

प्रमु॑ञ्च॒ धन्व॑न॒स्त्वमु॒भयो॒रार्त्न्यो॒र्ज्याम् । याश्च॑ ते॒ हस्त॒ इष॑वः॒ परा॒ ता भ॑गवो वप ।।

pramuñca dhanvanas tvam ubhayor ārtnyor jyām | yāś ca te hasta iṣavaḥ parā tā bhagavo vapa ||

pramuñca – release, dhanvanah – bow, tvam – you, ubhayoh – both, ārtnyor – ends, jyām – string, yāh – that, ca – and, te – your, hasta – hands, iṣavaḥ – arrows, tāh – them,  bhagavah – O Lord, parāvapa – cast afar

O Lord, release both sides your string attached to your bow and cast afar the arrows that are in your hands

विज्यं॒ धनुः॑ कप॒र्दिनो॒ विश॑ल्यो॒ वाण॑वाँ उ॒त । अने॑शन्नस्य॒ या इष॑व आ॒भुर॑स्य निषङ्ग॒धिः ।।

 vijyaṃ dhanuḥ kapardino viśalyo vāṇavām̐ uta | aneśann asya yā iṣava ābhur asya niṣaṅgadhiḥ ||

vijyaṃ – string less, dhanuḥ – bow, kapardinah – the one with matted locks, viśalyah – without arrows, vāṇavāna – hatchet, uta – and, aneśann – destroy, asya  – his, yāh – that, iṣava – arrows, ābhuh – empty, asya – his, niṣaṅgadhiḥ – scabbard.

May the matted Locked ones bow be string less and his hatchet without arrows, and any existing arrows be destroyed and let his scabbard be empty.

या ते॑ हे॒तिर्मी॑ढुष्टम॒ हस्ते॑ ब॒भूव॑ ते॒ धनुः॑ । तया॒स्मान्वि॒श्वत॒स्त्वम॑य॒क्ष्मया॒ परि॑ भुज । 

yā te hetir mīḍhuṣṭama haste babhúva te dhanuḥ | tayāsmān viśvatas tvam ayakṣmayā pari bhuja ||

yā – that, te – your, hetih – weapon, mīḍhuṣṭama – that which showers the knowledge of immortality, haste – in hand,  babhúva – exists, te – that, dhanuḥ  - bow, tayā - with that,  asmān - do, viśvatas – on all sides, tvam  - your, ayakṣmayā  - without harm, paribhuja – protect us.

O Showerer of the knowledge of immortality, that weaponry bow which exists in hand, without harming, protect us on all sides.

  

References:  http://jigyaasaa.wordpress.com/