Lord Shiva, from the Trinity, is worshipped as the destroyer and the transformer. The fierce & destructive side of Lord Shiva is known as Rudra, in which Rudra’s anger destroys harmful things. This destruction allows for renewal and a fresh start.
Rudra means “who eradicates problems from their roots”
.There is only one Lord Rudra, but for the welfare of the world he takes many names, avatars and forms. In the Shata-Rudra Samhita of the Shiva Purana, Mahadev’s 11 Rudra Avatars are mentioned with great respect & devotion.
Ekadash Rudra
There are mainly eleven Rudras, also called ‘Ekadash Rudra’. Each avatar serves as a reminder of the diverse ways in which the divine presence manifests in the world.
According to the Shiv Puran, once the devtas & Lord Indra were defeated by the demons and were thrown out of Amaravati, the city of gods. They came to the ashram of their father Maharshi Kashyap, a learned Rishi and asked him for a solution. Maharshi Kashyap, a devotee of Lord Shiva, assured the devtas that he would remove their problems. Maharishi Kashyap went to Kashi, the city of Shiva and performed tapa and meditation
Pleased by his Tapasya, Shiva granted him a boon. Maharishi Kashyap then pleaded with Shiva to help the devtas, by incarnating as his son and ending the torments of the demons. Shiva granted his wish, to offer justice to the devtas and take the place in the city as their protector. Lord Shiva incarnated in the form of eleven Rudras from the womb of Kashyap’s wife Surabhi. They are considered different aspects of Shiva’s destructive power, embodying his fierce and wrathful nature.
These 11 Rudras were meant to help maintain balance in the universe by destroying evil and allowing for renewal. They defeated the demons in the war and gave Indra back the kingdom of heaven.
Names of Ekadash Rudra
There is a difference in the names of Ekadash Rudras in various Puranas and texts. In the Upanishads, the eleven Pranas (ten senses and mind) have been called ‘Ekadash Rudra’ which are ‘Spiritual Rudra’.
According to the Shiva Puran (by Gita Press, Gorakhpur) the eleven names of Rudra are:
These 11 Rudras are often invoked to remove obstacles, destroy negativity and protect the righteous.
Disclaimer: Information in this article is based on verified mentioned sources. The views expressed in this article reflect the author’s personal understanding and interpretation.
The author is a Reiki Grandmaster, Author, Numerologist, Researcher, Counselor, Crystals & Spiritual Guide, Switchwords Practitioner.