Astamurti

Astamurti refers to the eight significant attributes of Hindu deity Shiva.

For the Malayalam novelist, see Ashtamoorthi K. V.
Ashtamurti
The Parel Relief (plaster cast) of "Ashtmurti" (though with only 7 figures here). 6th century CE. Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai.

Concept of Astamurti

In the Vedas Lord Rudra, who subsequently transformed into the benevolent Lord Shiva, has multiple attributes and numerous titles, among which eight are significant to the conceptualization in the Shaivites tradition. Rudra's identification with Shiva was put in writing for the first time in Shvetashvatara Upanishad and later in Yajurveda linked Taittiriya Samhita (S.4.5.1), in the Shata Rudriya Section). The Vajasneya samhita (S. 3.63) also co-equals Shiva with Rudra by citing tam Shiva namasi, meaning I bow to you, Shiva. The Shathapatha Brahmana notes that Shiva is also called referred to as Bhava, Mahadeva, Sharva, Pashupati, Ugra and Ishana. These are typically the forms of water, fire, sacrifice, sun, moon, ether, earth and air.[1] Ancient Sanskrit linguist and grammarian Pāṇini in his Astadhyayi (S.1.49, S.3.53, S.4.100, S.5.3.99) also notes that Rudra is called variously as Mrida, Bhava, Sharva, Grisha, Mahadeva and Tryambaka. Rishi Patanjali, propounder of Yoga system, in Mahabashya also provides for various icons of Shiva. In the Puranic era, Rudra completely merged with Shiva and joined the Trimurti and represented the destroyer of evil. For example, Sharva here is destroyer of evil and darkness. Thus is also a name to SUN.

Individual Vedas refer to Rudra, alternatively Shiva with eight different names having different qualities. Such eight attributes create the Shiva aspect of Ashtamurti [Ashta (अस्ट) - Eight, Murti (मूर्ति) - Manifestation] meaning Eightfold attributes in the manifestation of Lord Shiva.

Origin of concept

The Shiva Mahimna stava explicitly lays down the vedic origin of these names of Shiva alluding to their exposition found in the Vedic Brahmana texts (Shatapatha B. 6.3.1, Kaushitaki B. 6.1-3).

The later Shaiva philosophies, namely, the Shaiva Siddhanta (Shaiva Doctrine) Pashupati Mata (Pashupati Doctrine), stream recognize the Ashtamurti iconography in the Agamas. However, these texts put greater emphasis on the Panchabrahman attribute in comparison to the Vedic Ashtamurti ascription.

The Eight Manifestations

The Puranic shiva mahimna stotram composed in glory of Lord Shiva by Gandharva Pushpadanta invokes the Astamurti form and distinctly enumerates the eight names of Shiva in stanza 28 as under:

भवः शर्वो रुद्रः पशुपतिरथोग्रः सहमहान्
तथा भीमेशानाविति यदभिधानाष्टकमिदम्।
अमुष्मिन् प्रत्येकं प्रविचरति देव श्रुतिरपि
प्रियायास्मैधाम्ने प्रणिहित-नमस्योऽस्मि भवते॥ २८॥

bhavaḥ śarvo rudraḥ paśupatirathograḥ sahamahān
tathā bhīmeśānāviti yadabhidhānāṣṭakamidam |
amuṣmin pratyekaṁ pravicarati deva śrutirapi
priyāyāsmaidhāmne praṇihita-namasyo'smi bhavate || 28 ||


Meaning:
"Bhavá (Bhaváh), Śharvá (शर्व), Rudrá (rudráh), Paśupati (paśupatih); and likewise (átho) Úgra (úgrah) along with (sahá) Mahādeva (mahān); as well as (táthā) Bhīmá (bhīmá) and Īśāná (īśānau)", "iti" denotes inverted commas. This (idám) (is) the group consisting of eight (ástakam) names (abhidhāna) of that (Śivá) (yád). Oh Lord(devá)!, even though (ápi) the Śrúti, the Vedas (śrúti) examines accurately (pravicarati) each of them (pratyekam), I pay homage (pravihita-namasya ásmi) to this (asmai) dear (priyāya) (Transcendental) Abode or (Supreme) State, dhāma (dhāmne), (which is) You, bhavān (bhavate) (essentially)//28//


"Bhava, Sharva, Rudra, Pashupati, also Ugra with Mahan, furthermore Bhima and Ishana, these are eight appellations of the Lord, each of them the srutis individually expound. My salutations are to the dear abode in which these names are laid i.e. to one who bears these names."

Qualities

The essential qualities associated with these names are:,

  • Bhava - Existence, Creation
  • Sharva - Destroyer (of darkness and evil)
  • Rudra - Dispeller of Sorrows
  • Pasupati - Lord of all beings
  • Ugra - The Fearsome
  • Mahan or Mahat i.e. Mahadeva – The Supreme
  • Bhima - The Tremendous
  • Isana - The Directional ruler

Bhagavata Purana

The Bhagavata Purana (S. 3.12.12) mentions the following names of Shiva:

  • Manyur manur mahinaso
  • Mahāñ chiva rtadhvajah
  • Ugra-retā bhavah kālo
  • Vāmadevo dhrtavratah

As per Bhagavata Purana, Lord Brahma gave Rudra eleven other names, Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahān, Śiva, Rtadhvaja, Ugraretā, Bhava, Kāla, Vāmadeva and Dhrtavrata. Many names from the Bhagavata Purana appear in the Astamurti ascription.

See also

References
  1. Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 70.
  • Alain Daniélou. The Myths and Gods of India.
  • Stella Kramrisch. The presence of Śiva.
  • The Concept of Rudra-Shiva Through the Ages: Mahadev Chakravarti, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1986. ISBN 81-208-0053-2
  • Vedic Mythology: Arthur Anthony Macdonell
  • A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature: Dowson, John (1820–1881), London: Trübner, 1879 [Reprint, London: Routledge, 1979]
  • Encyclopedia of Hinduism - Volumes on Shiva: Ed. by Dr. Nagendra Kr. Singh
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