All great religions have tried to praise the Highest God in musical and sonorous praise befitting their great theme. One of the most thrilling and spiritually gratifying of such praises is the Vedic Sri Rudram in Sanskrit in India. Appayya Dikshitar, that polymath of learning, was enamoured of it. He was often regretful for not being born in the Krishna Yajurveda Sakha.
Sri Rudram-Chamakam occupies a very important place in Vedic literature and in the practice of Vedic Religion. It is the heart of Krishna Yajurveda and is treasured in the centre of Taittiriya Samhita. Sri Rudram is known as Rudropanishad. Though it forms part of Karma Kanda, it ranks at par with the Upanishads of the Jnana Kanda. And as it is seen in all the 101 Shakhas of the Yajurveda, it is called Satarudriyam.
Among the Vidyas, the Vedas are supreme;
in the Vedas the Rudra Ekadasi is supreme;
in the Rudram the Panchakshari Mantra NAMASHIVAYA is supreme;
in the Mantra the two letters SHIVA is supreme.
As by pouring water at the root of a tree, all its branches are nourished, so also by pleasing Rudra through Rudra Japa, all the Devas are pleased. This is the best atonement (Prayaschittam) for all sins and the foremost sadhana for attainment of cherished desires.
A verse in the Vayu Purana says: " A person reciting and applying daily the Namakam, Chamakam and the Purusha Sooktam is honoured in the Brahma loka."
OM NAMAH SHIVAYA
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