Rudra
/ˈruːdrə/noun
Rudra is an ancient Vedic deity associated with storms, wild nature, healing, and destructive power, later closely identified with Shiva.
Did you know?In the Rigveda, worshippers address Rudra with both fear and reverence, asking the dangerous god not to unleash his arrows while also seeking his healing gifts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁rewdʰ-
“A reconstructed root associated with redness; some scholars connect it to Rudra, though the derivation remains disputed.”
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*Rudrás
“A reconstructed divine name possibly meaning “the Red One” or connected with a howling, roaring force.”
1500–1200 BCE
Vedic Sanskrit
Rudrá
“A fierce Vedic deity of storms, wildness, disease, healing, and destructive power.”
c. 1200–500 BCE
Sanskrit
Rudra
“A continuing divine epithet increasingly associated with the powerful god later identified with Shiva.”
Early Common Era
Sanskrit
Rudra
“A major name and form of Shiva in Hindu religious and philosophical traditions.”
Modern English
English
Rudra
“A loanword and proper name used for the Vedic deity and for Shiva in Hindu studies and religious contexts.”