तैजसी महती दीप्ता देवेभ्यश् च शिवा तनुः ॥
भास्वती मानुषेष्व् अस्य तनुर् घोराग्निर् उच्यते ॥
ब्रह्मचर्यं चरत्य् एष शिवा यास्य तनुस् तया ॥
यास्य घोरतरा मूर्तिः सर्वान् अत्ति तयेश्वरः ॥
यन् निर्दहति यत् तीक्ष्णो यद् उग्रो यत् प्रतापवान् ॥
मांसशोणितमज्जादो यत् ततो रुद्र उच्यते ॥
taijasī mahatī dīptā devebhyaś ca śivā tanuḥ ||
bhāsvatī mānuṣeṣv asya tanur ghorāgnir ucyate ||
brahmacaryaṃ caraty eṣa śivā yāsya tanus tayā ||
yāsya ghoratarā mūrtiḥ sarvān atti tayeśvaraḥ ||
yan nirdahati yat tīkṣṇo yad ugro yat pratāpavān ||
māṃsaśoṇitamajjādo yat tato rudra ucyate ||
"Fiery, great, blazing, and for the gods a benign body; radiant among people, his body is called terrible fire. He walks in brahmacharya by the benign [body] that is his; but by his most terrible form Ishvara devours all. Since he incinerates, since he is sharp, since he is fierce, since he is scorching, and [since he is] devourer of flesh, blood, and marrow, therefore he is called Rudra."
47ac1fcd2a9b · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:12:46 PM UTC
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The name 'Rudra' is explained through his most terrible form -- incinerating, devouring: the same God who is benign to his devotees is fearsome in wrath. It is significant that this is a twofold unity: one body of his is benign, the other an all-consuming fire. The verse teaches that mercy and wrath are two faces of the one Lord; and one who understands this is neither seduced by tenderness alone nor despairs at wrath alone, for he knows that behind both stands the One who leads to the good.