Sri Rudram: Text, Transliteration, Word-to-Word Meaning and Detailed Explanation

“This book contains Sri Rudram, a hymn from the Vedas, the sacred book of the Hindus. Diving deeply into the book brings Isvara into one’s life so that one comes out with namah on one’s lips and Isvara in one’s heart.”

I am very happy that Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust is bringing out a second edition of Sri Rudram. The first edition would not have been possible but for the efforts of Swamini Pramananda, who carefully transcribed and edited it at the Anaikatti Gurukulam. Smt. Nirmala Shankar with her vision and commitment spared no efforts to publish the book.

I have gone through the book and have made some changes here and there. At the request of many devotees, I have added the few mantras that are traditionally chanted at the end, although the Rudra Prasna is complete with the mantra before ‘tryambakam’.

It is indeed a book of blessing. May Lord Rudra bless the reader.

Sri Rudram, a hymn in praise of Lord Rudra, appears in many sakhas of the Veda namely, the Kama and Madhyandina sakhas of the Sukla—Yajur-Veda, and the Taittiriya, Kataka, Maitrayani sakhas of the Krsna- Yajur—Veda. Although in the different sakhas, the mantras differ slightly from each other, all the mantras beautifully reveal the omnipresence of the Lord. Sri Rudram, as commented upon by Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, is based on the mantras of the Taittiriya sakha of the Krsna—Yajur Veda.

In Sayanacarya’s Veda—bhasya, Sri Rudram is looked upon as an anga for both karma and jnanam. As an anga for karma, Sri Rudram blesses the vaidika with prosperity here and in the hereafter; while the mantras chanted with no desire for results, niskama—karma, supported by an understanding and contemplation of the Lord as revealed in the mantras, form a prayer. As a prayer, when Sri Rudram is recited by a seeker, the mantras become an aid in the discovery of oneself as non- separate from the Lord.

Sri Rudram consists of eleven sub-divisions called anuvakas. The mantras of these anuvakas include individually in some sections and collectively in some other sections, details such as the name of the rsi, the sage, who discovered the mantras; the chandas, the meter of the mantra; the phala, the result that accrues to the one who chants the mantras a specific number of times; and the dhyana sloka, verses for contemplation upon the Lord before chanting the mantras.

This book has been compiled from a series of talks given by Pujya Swamiji to the three year resident students of Vedanta at Anaikatti, Coimbatore, in 1997. I thank Swami Sakshatkritananda for his Sanskrit editorial assistance and formatting of this book. It has been a great joy for me to transcribe and edit these manuscripts. This work has been symbolic of my own journey into discovery of Isvara’s omnipresence, through Pujya Swami’s beautiful unfoldment of bhagavat-svarupa. Like a beacon of light in a dark forest, Pujya Swamiji’s life and teachings have been a guide to hundreds of seekers throughout the world. I am sure Sri Rudram as presented by Pujya Swamiji, will be another great source of inspiration and discovery of the Lord’s countless glories. With the kind support of Smt. Sneha Parija, a student of Pujya Swamiji, this book has been published in memory of her late father, Shri Birakishore Sahoo, for sharing the sacred message of Sri Rudram with seekers of truth.