2.11. Rudra as Nīlagrīva or Nīlakaṇṭha

In a mantra of the Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, Rudra is invoked in the form of Āditya or Sūrya.^[1] Here, in this mantra, the rising and setting sun is identified with Rudra. In the Śatarudriya section, Rudra is called Nīlagrīva. Uvaṭa illustrates this term as the sun when it is rising and setting, at that time it appears blue-necked.^[2]

But Mahīdhara explains this word differently—

nīlagrīvaḥ viṣadhāraṇena nīlā grīvā kaṇṭho yasya...^[3]

That means Nīlagrīva is depicted as one whose neck is blue in colour for holding poison in his neck. According to Sāyaṇācārya, Rudra is blue-necked for bearing kālakūṭa in his neck.^[4] In the Purāṇas, Śiva is extolled by the epithet Nīlagrīva.^[5]

Here, Rudra’s blue neck may have given rise to the post-Vedic story of Śiva drinking halāhala or poison. In the Purāṇic literature, Śiva is mentioned as the swallower of halāhala viṣa at the time of the churning of the milk ocean for amṛta. In the Purāṇic literature, a beautiful legend is delineated behind the name of Nīlakaṇṭha or blue-throated. In Sanskrit, the word nīlakaṇṭha means ‘bluethroated’. According to the Purāṇic literature, at the time of churning of the milk ocean, numerous valuable things came out from it, viz. goddess Lakṣmi, Kāmadhenu, Pārijāt flower etc. Besides these, kālakuṭa, a venomous poison emerged from the churning of the milk ocean. That very deadly poison spread out in the air. All gods and Asuras were afraid of it and searched for a solution. They went to Śiva and prayed to him to protect them. Afterwards, hearing the prayer of gods and Asuras, lord Śiva went to that place and drank the venomous poison which came out from the milk ocean. He held this deadly poison in his throat (kaṇṭha). For this reason his throat became blue in colour. Since that very day he got the name Nīlakaṇṭha.^[6] He is ascribed by another name Nīlagala (blue-neck).^[7]

In the Liṅga Purāṇa, the physical appearance of Nīlakaṇṭha is described as having eight hands. He is said to be the bestower of boons and bearer of crescent moon on his head.^[8]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā,16.6;7

[2]:

Uvaṭa, Ibid.,16.7

[3]:

Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[4]:

Sāyaṇa on Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 5.4.3.8

[5]:

(a) Liṅga-purāṇa, 1.98.114; Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.30.191 (b) piṅgalākṣo hi bahvayo nīlagrīvo nirāmayaḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 4.35.88

[6]:

(a) devadeva mahādeva śaraṇāgatavatsala | pāhi naḥ śaraṇāpannānsarvān devāñjaganti ca... samudro mathitaścaiva ratnānāṃ ca vibhāgaśaḥ | kṛte devaistadā śambho gṛhītaṃ garalaṃ tvayā || rakṣitāḥ sma tadā nātha nīlakaṇṭha iti śrutaḥ | viṣaṃ pāsyasi no cetvaṃ bhasmībhūtāstadākhilāḥ || Ibid., 3.10.32-35 (b) tataḥ karatalīkṛtya vyāpi halāhalaṃ viṣam | abhkṣyanmahādevaḥ kṛpayā bhūtabhāvanaḥ || tasyāpi darśayāmāsa svavīryaṃ jalakalmaṣaḥ | yaccakāra gale nīlaṃ tacca sādhorvibhūṣaṇam || Bhāgavata-purāṇa,4.7.43-44 (c) Vāyu-purāṇa, 1.54.48-94; Matsya-purāṇa, 250.43-59; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa, 2.25.45-90

[7]:

so’saub na dṛṣṭo’tra pumān purāṇo vṛṣadhvajo nīlagalaḥ pareśaḥ || Śiva-purāṇa, 2.2.27.28

[8]:

aṣṭahastaśca varado nīlakaṇṭho digaṃbaraḥ | pañcatatvasamārūḍho ardhacandradharaḥ prabhuḥ || Liṅga-purāṇa, 2.50.21