Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic . e later Hinduism, as taught in the Epics andPuranas, Siva plays a most important part, severalbooks having been written for the purpose of celebrat-ing his praise ; yet his name as that of a god does notoccur in the Vedas. In order, therefore, to gain greaterreverence for him amongst men, he is declared to bethe Rudra of the Vedas. In some passages in theVedas, Rudra is identified with Agni ; yet the dis-tinctive epithets applied to him in the Rig-Veda ap-pear sufficiently to prove that he was generally discri-minated from Agni by his early worshippers. * B
Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic . e later Hinduism, as taught in the Epics andPuranas, Siva plays a most important part, severalbooks having been written for the purpose of celebrat-ing his praise ; yet his name as that of a god does notoccur in the Vedas. In order, therefore, to gain greaterreverence for him amongst men, he is declared to bethe Rudra of the Vedas. In some passages in theVedas, Rudra is identified with Agni ; yet the dis-tinctive epithets applied to him in the Rig-Veda ap-pear sufficiently to prove that he was generally discri-minated from Agni by his early worshippers. * Between the texts from the Brahmanas relativeto Rudra, and the earliest descriptions of the samedeity which we discover in the Epic poems, a widechasm intervenes, which, as far as I am aware, no genu-ine ancient materials exist for bridging over. TheRudra of the Mahabharata is not indeed very differentin his general character from the god of the same namewho is portrayed in the Satarudriya, but in the later * Muir, O. S. T., iv, 272 THE PURANIC DEITIES. literature his importance is immensely increased,his attributes are more clearly defined, and the concep-tions entertained of his person are rendered more dis-tinct by the addition of various additional featuresand illustrated by numerous legends. Instead of re-maining a subordinate deity, as he was in the VedicAge, Rudra has thrown Agni, Vayu, Surya, Mitra, andVaruna completely into the shade; and although Indrastill occupies a prominent place in the Epic legends,he has sunk down into a subordinate position, and isquite unable to compete in power and dignity withRudra, who, together with Vishnu, now engrosses thealmost exclusive worship of the Brahmanical world.*In the following texts from the Vedas,f referring toRudra, will be seen the germs of some of the legendsfound in the later books concerning Siva:— Whatcan we utter to Rudra, the intelligent, the strong, themost bountiful, which shall be most pleasant to hisheart
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