SATARUDRIYA

ōm namaste rudra manyava utota iṣave namaḥ,
namaste astu dhanvane bāhubhyāmuta te namaḥ.

Prostration to Thee, Rudra; prostration to Thy wrath and Thy arrow (which destroy evil); prostration to Thy bow; prostration to Thy mighty Arms.

Note:—According to the celebrated Sayana Acharya, the Rudra chapter of the Yajur Veda consists of the mantras by which oblations are offered in the Sacrifice of Knowledge, wherein the manifold universe is visualised as the extensive manifestation of the Supreme Being.
yā ta iṣuḥ śivatamā śivaṁ babhūva te dhanuḥ,
śivā śaravyā yā tava tayā no rudra mṛḍaya.

This, Thy arrow that has become exceedingly peaceful (to the devout); Thy bow become a source of auspiciousness, and Thy quiver of blessedness; with these, O Valiant One (Rudra), make us happy.

Note:—While the first mantra invokes the Terrible Power for destruction of evil, the second envisages the fulfilment of the arms on the establishment of peace, and the now benignant phase of what was once formidable.
yā te rudra śivā tanūraghorā'pāpakāśinī,
tayā nastanuvā śantamayā giriśaṁtābhicākaśīhi.

Rudra! That blessed and benign form of Thine, which obliterates the trace of all sins—with that most hallowed and calm phase of Thy being, reveal Thyself to us, O Radiator of Peace from the Mount of Kailasa!

Note:—Rudra-Siva is said to have two forms, the terrific and the beatific, which are manifested at different times.
yāmiṣuṁ giriśaṁta haste bibharṣyastave,
śivāṁ giritra tāṁ kuru mā higṁsīḥ puruṣaṁ jagat.
O Benefactor from the Mount of Kailasa! That arrow which Thou wieldest for aiming at enemies, make that benign (in respect of us). Harm not human beings or others in creation, O Protector on the sacred Mount!
śivena vacasā tvā giriśācchāvadāmasi,
yathā naḥ sarvamijjagadayakṣmagṁsumanā asat.

Resident of the Mountains! We pray to Thee with auspicious eulogies for the sake of attaining Thee. Do so deign that this whole world of ours is rid of all ailment and affliction, and blooms with a joyous mind.

adhyavocadadhivaktā prathamo daivyo bhiṣak,
ahīgṁśca sarvāñjaṁbhayantsarvāśca yātudhānyaḥ.

May that Divine Physician, First among gods, exalt me in His all-redeeming Transcendent Being, having cut off all evil, whether in the form of poisonous creatures and wild beasts, or the demoniacal natures in creation.
asau yastāmro aruṇa uta babhruḥ sumaṁgalaḥ,
ye cemāgṁrudrā abhito dikṣu śritāḥ
  sahasraśo'vaiṣāgṁheḍa īmahe.

This (Rudra in the form of the Sun), ruddy, pink, brownish and yellow and of variegated hue (in different stages of rising from the horizon), most auspicious (being dispeller of darkness), manifested in the bright rays enveloping (the earth) from all directions, ranging in tens and thousands—we mitigate the penetrating ferocity of these with our prostrations.
asau yo’vasarpati nīlagrīvo vilohitaḥ
utainaṁ gopā adṛśannadṛśannudahāryaḥ
utainaṁ viśvābhūtāni sa dṛṣṭo mṛḍayāti naḥ.

This Blue-necked (due to drinking poison), Red-complexioned One, who traverses through the sky (in the form of the Sun)—Him do see (with their eyes) the unlettered cowherds as well as the maids carrying water, Him do also see all beings (both high and low). May He (Rudra) make us happy.

Note:—The import of this mantra is that while the Lord as seated in such regions as Mount Kailasa is accessible only to those who have spiritual realisation, as the Sun He is visible to everyone. In His great compassion He makes Himself felt even by our outer senses.
namo astu nīlagrīvāya sahasrākṣāya mīḍhuṣe,
atho ye asya satvāno'haṁ tebhyo'karannamaḥ.

Salutation be to Nilagriva (with blue neck), who has a thousand eyes (as Indra), and who pours down (as rain or parjanya); salutation be from me to others, too, who attend upon Him (as His servants).
pramuṁca dhanvanastva-mubhayo-rārtniyorjyām,
yāścate hasta iṣavaḥ parā tā bhagavo va.

Lord! Unfurl the string at both the ends of Thy bow. Those arrows that are in Thy hand, set them aside (now, after the enemy has been destroyed).

Note:—The term ‘Lord’ is the equivalent of the Sanskrit original ‘Bhagavan’, which means one who is possessed of all wealth (Aisvarya), valour (Virya), fame (Yasas), prosperity (Shri), wisdom (Jnana), non-attachment to things (Vairagya)—an epithet of the Almighty.
avatatya dhanustvagïsahasrākṣa śateṣudhe,
niśīrya śalyānāṁ mukhā śivo naḥ sumanā bhava.

O Thousand-eyed Divinity! Thou that hast hundreds of quivers (in war)! Setting down Thy bow, and dismantling the ends of Thy piercing arrows (after Thy purpose has been fulfilled), become Thou auspiciousness unto us, with a charming mood of blessing.
vijyaṁ dhanuḥ kapardino viśalyo bāṇavāgïuta,
aneśannasyeṣava ābhurasya niṣaṁgathiḥ.

May the bow of Kapardin (Siva) be freed from its string; and may His quiver be without the piercing ends of the arrows held above. May his arrows become incapable of piercing through, and may His bow become merely a support for the arrows (and not to shoot them).
Note:—This mantra and the others which pray for the putting down of the weapons of Rudra-Siva are invocations of His peaceful aspect, which manifests itself when He is not engaged in the work of destruction with His fierce arms.
yā te hetirmīḍhuṣṭama haste babhūva te dhanuḥ,
tayā'smānviśvatastva-mayakṣmayā paribbhuja.

O Abundant Source of all fulfilments! Protect us Thou, from all sides, with the weapons (like the sword) and the bow in Thy hands, that have ceased from purposes of destruction.
namaste astvāyudhāyānātatāya dhṛṣṇave,
ubhābhyāmuta te namo bāhubhyāṁ tava dhanvane.

Salutation be to Thy weapon arrow that has not been extended on the bow, but is capable of striking the enemy! Salutation to Thy bow. And salutation to Thy two arms.
pari te dhanvano hetirasmānvruṇaktu viśvataḥ,
atho ya iṣudhistavāre asmannidhehi tam.

Lord! May the pointed arrows of thy bow exclude us in every way (from their destructive operations). And that quiver of Thine, may Thou keep it far away from us (and protect us).

Note:—According to another interpretation, the second line can be rendered thus: ‘And that quiver of Thine, may Thou direct it to our enemies.’




Objectively, it is a prayer for the control of the forces of nature. Subjectively, it is a prayer for self-control and the rousing of the spiritual consciousness. Universally, it is a surge of the soul towards God-realisation.

 OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!