Shankara and ShankarAnanda on Shri Rudram 1.4

[Anand Hudli]

 As we have seen in the prevous Rik (1.3) of the Shri Rudram, the
 devotee has prayed for illumination and knowledge so that MokSha
 can be attained. In this Rik, the devotee prays to be spared from
 injury by the fierce arrow of Rudra. The devotee prays so that the
 arrow which Rudra shoots for the sake of destruction of wickedness
 and sin, is made auspicious and benevolent by Him.

 I will present the commentaries of Shankara and ShankarAnanda. The
 latter is said to have been the Guru of the illustrious author of
 PanchadashI, VidyAraNya.

 || AUM namo bhagavate rudrAya ||

 yAmiShuM girishanta haste bibharshhyastave |
 shivAM giritra tAM kuru mA hiMsIH purushhaM jagat.h ||

  (Shri Rudram: anuvAka 1, Rik 4; shvetAshvatara Upanishhad: 3.6)

 yAm.h - that
 iShum.h -  arrow
 girishanta - O Girishanta, Shiva
 haste - in (Your) hand
 bibharshhi- You hold
 astave - for shooting at (wicked) people
 shivAm.h - auspicious
 giritra - O protector of the mountain
 tAM - that
 kuru - make
 mA hiMsIH - do not injure or kill
 purushhaM - any human of ours and
 jagat.h   - the whole world as well

 O Girishanta (Shiva), that arrow which You hold in Your hand for the
 sake of shooting at wickedness, make that auspicious for us,
 O Giritra! Do not harm us humans or even the whole world with its
 immovable things, such as trees and plants,  and movable things such
 as animals.

 shA.nkarabhAshhyam.h ( Commentary of Shankara)

 kiMcha yAmishhumiti | yAmishhuM girishanta haste bibharshhi
 dhaarayasyastave jane xeptuM shivAM giritra giriM trayata iti tAM
 kuru mA hiMsIH purushhamasmadIyaM jagadapi kR^itsnaM | sAkAraM brahma
 pradarshayetyabhipretamarthaM prArthitavAn.h |

 Furthermore, (the text says:) O Girishanta (ie. one who lives on the
 KailAsa mountain and bestows happiness), that arrow which You hold
 in Your hand for the purpose of shooting at people, make that arrow
 auspicious (ie. benign, not harmful), O Giritra (protector of the
 mountain). Do not injure (or kill) any person of ours or the whole
 world as well.

 The text has thus prayed for the desired objective: "Show the Brahman
 with form (sAkAraM brahma)."

 sha.nkarAnandakR^itashvetAshvataropanishhaddIpikAyAm.h
 (Commentary on the above verse in Shankaraananda's
  shvetAshvataropanishhaddIpikA)

 yAm.h | prasiddhAm.h | ishhum.h | bANarUpAM yaM bANamityarthaH |
 girishanta | he girishanta| haste | kare | bibharshhi | dhArayasi|
 astave | pApmasu praxepArtham.h | shivAm.h | maN^galAm.h | giritra|
 girInasthipuJNjAndehAnityarthaH | trAyata iti giritraH svabhakta-
 raxApara ityarthaH | tasya saMbodhanaM he giritra | tAm.h ishhuM
 bANamityarthaH | kuru | spashhTam.h | mA hiMsIH | hiMsAM mA kR^ithAH|
 yataH | purushham.h | purushharUpam.h | jagat.h | sthavarajaN^gamA-
 dirUpamityarthaH |

 That arrow which adorns You, O Girishanta, and which You hold in
 hand for the purpose of shooting at wickedness, sin, make that arrow
 auspicious (for us),  Giritra, (so called because You are) intent
 on protecting Your devotees (Giritra = One who protects the body and
 skeleton of bones), addressing Him (the text says:) O Giritra.
 Because, do not harm the people or the world with the immovable
 things (such as trees and plants), and movable things (such as
 animals).

 Notes:

 1) According to BhaTTa bhAskara bhAShya, the Rishi for this mantra
   is Gautama. Some say the Rishi is GodhUma. Rudra is the deity.
   The meter is nichR^idanuShTup.h

 2) sAyaNa interprets Giritra as " giriM kailAsAkhyaM trAyate pAlayati
    iti giritra" ie. One who protects/rules over the mountain called
    kailAsa.

 3) The word "hiMsIH" in the mantra is chanted "higuMsIH" by Krishna
    Yajur Vedins and "higg.hsIH" by Shukla Yajur Vedins.

 || AUM namo bhagavate rudrAya ||

 Anand





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