Talk:Rudragita

Rudragītā

The Bhagavadgītā, the finest jewel among the secondary scriptures of Hinduism—generally called the smṛtis— has been responsible, though indirectly, for the appearance of several gītās in the later religious literature. The Rudragita is one of the minor gītās that occur in the Bhāgavata (4.24.33-79). Prācīnabarhi was a great king. He had ten sons, all of whom were known as Pracetas. He commanded them to beget worthy sons after performing severe aus¬terities. As they were proceeding, search¬ing for a suitable place, they saw Rudra, the great god, emerging out of a vast and beautiful lake. The Pracetas then went towards him and offered their obeisance with great devotion. Pleased with this, god Rudra taught them a wonderful hymn by which they were advised to pray to Bhagavān Vāsudeva. It is this part comprising 47 ślokas or verses that has come to be known as the Rudragita. The following is a brief summary of the same: Victory unto the Supreme Lord who protects the knowers of the ātman (the Self). He is everything and everybody. He is the creator and controller of the world. He manifests himself through the four vyuhas or emanations. (See VYUHAS.) It is he who is in the form of the deity Soma (the food of gods), the lord of yajñas (sacrifices) as also the Virātpurusa (Cosmic Being). He, it is, who is karma (action) as well as its fruits. He is Rudra as also Brahmā. He is the origin of speech. O Lord! Grant us the vision of your extremely elegant form. (The next eight verses [45-52] give a highly poetical description of the well- known Kṛṣṇa-Vāsudeva form to facilitate meditation.) One who wants to purify himself should meditate on this form. He is easy of attainment for those who are deeply devoted to him. One who has succeeded in pleasing him does not desire for anything else. None, including Yama (the god of death), can exercise any control over such a devotee. The company of such devotees is far superior even to svarga (heaven) or mokṣa (liberation). Hence none should waste his time and life, but worship him, the origin of the world as also its destroyer as kāla or time. Anyone who sings or chants this Rudragītā, especially in the early hours of morning, will be liberated from all bonds.