296 - The five constituents of the worship of Rudra

Agni said:

1-2. Ishall describe the five constituents of the worship of Rudra. It is the most excellent that confers everything. Theshivasankalpa (resolve for Śiva) is the heart. The Purushasükta¹ is the head. (The hymn) adbhyaḥ sambhūta² is the tuft. The hymn (called) aśu³ is the armour. The satarudriya (hymn)⁴ is the weapon. These are the five constituents in the worship of Rudra. 

1. RV. 10.90·la. 

2. TA. 3.13.1a. Cf. adbhyaḥ sambhrutaḥ.

3. Could not be traced. 

4. Same as Rudrädhyāya.

3-4a. After having assigned the five constituents and contemplating Him, the Rudra hymns are repeated in order. The hymn (beginning with) yajjågrata⁵ is known to be repeated mentally. The sage (of that hymn) isshivasankalpa (resolve) and the meire is said to be tristubh (consisting of 11 syllables in a quarter). 

5. Could not be traced. 

4b-5a. (For the hymn) sahasraširsha⁶ for the head the sage is Nāråyaņa. The deity of this hymn) is the supreme soul. The metre is known to be tristubh. 

6. RV. 10.90.1a.

5b-6. The sage for the hymn adbhyaḥ sambhūta⁷ is the person going to the north. Iristubh is the metre for the first three hymns, anustubh for the next two and tristubh for the last (hymn). The deity for this (hymn) also is the supreme soul. 

7. See l above.

7-8. Indra is the lord for the twelve hymns beginning with āśu⁸. Irishtubh is said to be the metre and Pratiratha, the sage. The deities are separate for each one of the verses in the hymn of seventeen verses. The deity of the constituent part is Puruvit. The metre of the remaining deities is said to be anushtubh. 

8. Could not be traced.

9. Indra is the deity for (the hymn) asau yastāmraḥ⁹. Purulinga is the deity for the constituent parts. Pankti is the metre. The deities of the constituent parts are vital. 

9. VS. 16.6a; TS.4.5. 1. 2a.

10. Parameshthin is the sage for all the hymns of the Rudràdhyaya¹⁰. For the three hymns commencing with devānāṁ kutsasya”¹, Prajapati is the sage. 

10. The hymns beginning with namaste rudra manyave: 

VS. 16.1a; TS. 4.5.1.la. 

1. Could not be traced.

11. For the two (hymns beginning with) mano², Umā is the single deity and Rudra for rudrāśca³. Ekarudra is the deity for the first anuvāka (name of a section of the 'collection of hymns). 

2. Cf. RV. 10.57 3a.

3. Could not be traced. 

12. Gayatra is the metre for the first (hymn), anusțubh for the (next) three verses and pankti and anustubh for the (subsequent verses). 

13. Then jagati is the metre for the (next) two (verses) The Rudra (hymns) are eighty. The Hiraṇyabāhus are three. “Obeisance to Thee! O Kirika" is one. 

14. Rudra is the deity of the five hymns of the twenty mantras of the Rudrånuvāka. Bruhati is known to be (the metre) of the first hymn. 

15. The second one is a rk. The next three are in jagati (metre). The third one is a tristubh. Then the next four are yajur (mantras) in anusțubh. One will gain perfection by means of the årya (hymns). 

16-17. One would be able to destroy the poison, disease and the enemy with (thc repetition of) (the mantra) trailokyamohana (one that stupefies the three worlds). "Iń, srim, hrim, hrūm! Obcisance to (Lord) Vishņu, the stupefier of the three worlds.” One could (also) destroy the poison and disease with the Nrusimha (mantra) in the anustubh; “Om, ham, im! I make obeisance to the fiercely brave great Vishnu, who is glowing and who has His faces on all sides. He is the frightening Nrusimha, who is benevolent and is the destroyer of death." 

18-19. This is the mantra of five parts that accomplishes all things. The two mantras having twelve⁴ and eights⁵ letters are capable of destroying poison and disease. (The goddesses) Kubjikā, Tripura, Gauri and Chandrikä are capable of destroying poison. The mantras relating to them also would remove poison and make one gain good health. Similarly the mantras relating to Sun, (Lords) Vinayaka (the elephant-faced god) and Rudra (would give) everything always. 

4. om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

5. om namo narayanaya.