How did Rudra become a form of Shiva? Is there a connection between Rudra and Shiva?

 Foremost, Rudra and Shiva are one and the same.

According to Shiva Purana, there is a story about the connection between Rudra and Shiva.

One day Lord Brahma asked Shiva to create some living beings, as he was getting bored by creating ordinary mortals.

Then, Shiva created few immortal beings called as Rudras. They were totally Eleven, namely

• Kapali.
• Pingala
• Bhima
• Virupaksha
• Vilohita
• Ajesha
• Shasana
• Shasta
• Shambu
• Chanda and
• Dhruva

So, they were together referred as 11 Rudras.

Being the head of these immortal beings, Shiva is addressed as Rudra.

The hymns of Rig-Veda have lot of references to Shiva in the name of Rudra. They all portray Shiva as the highest God, a mighty archer, the most terrible form of God, the fire God and so on, these all express the fiery aspect of Shiva .

Shiva is the benign aspect of Shiva, where as the contrast Rudra is the fierce aspect of Shiva, thus bring the contrasting features of Shiva.

The literal meaning of Rudra is, “Roaring Storm / fire / fiery red”.

The term Rudra focuses the fiery aspect of Shiva, which is destruction.

One para from Rudrashtakam ::

• Prachannddam Prakrssttam Pragalbham Paresham
• Akhannddam Ajam bhaanu_Koti Prakasham
• Tryah_Shoola Nirmoolanam Shoola paannim
• Bhajeham Bhavaani _ patim ,Bhaava_gamyam
• Meaning is :: I bow to You Rudra , who is terrible, eminent and extremely strong, who is the highest and greatest God.
• Who is ever Unborn and whole, and has the brightness of million Sun’s.
• Who has a trident in His hand, the three spikes of which uproots the bondages of the three gunas namely Tamas, Rajas and Sattva.
• I bow to you, the Husband of Devi Bhavani, who can be attained by devotion.

Source:: Shiva Purana pravachanam by Chaganti Garu.

Who is Vedic Lord Of Yajna? Is it Vishnu or Rudra, at some places it is called Agni.

 The Vedic god of yajna is Vishnu without a doubt.

Shatapatha Brahmana:

Aitareya Brahmana:

Taittiriya Brahmana:

Mahabharata:

'O Brahmana, the gods even do not know me truly! As however, I have been gratified with you, I will tell you how I created the universe! O regenerate Rishi, you are devoted to your ancestors and hast also sought my protection! You have also beheld me with your eyes, and your ascetic merit also is great! In ancient times I called the waters by the name of Nara; and because the waters have ever been my ayana or home, therefore have I been called Narayana (the water-homed).

O best of regenerate ones, I am Narayana, the Source of all things, the Eternal, the Unchangeable. I am the Creator of all things, and the Destroyer also of all. I am Vishnu, I am Brahma and I am Sakra, the chief of the gods. I am king Vaisravana, and I am Yama, the lord of the deceased spirits. I am Siva, I am Soma, and I am Kasyapa the lord of the created things.

And, O best of regenerate ones, I am he called Dhatri, and he also that is called Vidhatri, and I am Sacrifice embodied. Fire is my mouth, the earth my feet, and the Sun and the Moon are my eyes; the Heaven is the crown of my head, the firmament and the cardinal points are my ears; the waters are born of my sweat. Space with the cardinal points are my body, and the Air is my mind. I have performed many hundreds of sacrifices with gifts in profusion.

(Vana Parva, Markandeya Samasya Parva, Section CLXXXVIII)

Yajna is also the 445th name of Bhagavan Vishnu in the Vishnu Sahasranama, His 677th name being ‘Mahayajna’. Many other names of His in the Sahasranama are also Yajna-related:

The Vishnu Sahasranama is found in the 149th chapter of the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata.

Bhagavata Purana:

Yajna is Vishnu’s seventh incarnation.

Then, in the seventh (incarnation), Yajña[24] was born of Ruci and Ākuti [Ākūti?]. He along with gods of whom Yama[25] was the first, protected the period assigned to the Manu called Svayambhū. (1.3.12)

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Thus, the Vedic Yajna is Lord Narayana alone.

Jaya Shri Hari!