2021, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part H

author(s)
N Kannan and KS Sundar

abstract
Eleven Rudras areenumerated in ‘Matsya Purāṇa’, who are called ‘Gaṇeśvarā’ (गणेश्वराः); they are the ‘leaders of hosts’. It is described that 84 crores of ‘Guardian - spirits’ sprang forth from them. The notion that the Rudras are ‘eleven’ in number is so well-known that the word ‘Rudra’ (रुद्रः) itself is taken to represent the number ‘eleven’ in bhūta-saṃkhyā-paddhatiḥ (भूतसंख्या-पद्धतिः). The Taittirīya-Saṃhitā of Krishṇa-Yajurveda praises this all-pervading deity ‘ŚrīRudra’ through eleven ‘Anuvākas’ (or chapters) consisting of several hymns. This paper attempts to reveal the mathematical significance of the number ‘eleven’ associated with these Rudra mantras in the first anuvāka of ŚrīRudram, using the Vedic Numerical Code (or Kaṭapaya- saṃkhyā - paddhati).