[Advaita-l] Shankara cites the Rg Veda sukta on Rudra in the VSN Bhashya

[V Subrahmanian]

Shankara cites the Rg Veda sukta on Rudra in the VSN Bhashya

For the name  भिषक्  (Physician) 579 in the Vishnu Sahasra Nama, Shankara,
while commenting says:

संसाररोगनिर्मोक्षकारिणीं परां विद्यामुपदिदेश गीतास्विति भिषक्‌ | 'भिषक्तमं
त्वा भिषजां शृणोमि” इति श्रुतेः। (Rg Veda 2.33.4)

He is the Physician as He taught the Supreme Knowledge in the Bhagavad
Geeta that puts an end to the disease of samsara. Says the Veda 'I hear
that You are the foremost of the Physicians'.

This mantra of the Rig Veda is part of a sUkta fully addressed to Rudra.
There are passages in this sukta that are the same in the Sri Rudram of the
Yajurveda.

Sayana Bhashya:
ऋग्वेदः सूक्तं २.३३
https://sa.wikisource.org/s/13e2
*हे रुद्र त्वा* त्वां भिषजां चिकित्साभिज्ञानां मध्ये भिषक्तममतिशयेन
भैषज्यस्य कर्तारं शृणोमि । *प्रथमो दैव्यो भिषक् । वा० सं० १६.५.। इति च
मंत्रांतरेऽप्युक्तं *।

Shankara has cited from the Shivapurāṇam too, that too to show Shiva as the
Supreme Creator, is also found in the VSN bhāṣya for the name ‘Rudra’ (114th
):

रुर्दुःखं दुःखहेतुं वा तद् द्रावयति यः प्रभुः ।

रुद्र इत्युच्यते तस्माच्छिवः परमकारणम् ॥ (samhitā 6, ch.9, verse 14)

(‘Ruḥ’ means misery or the cause thereof. Since the Supreme Lord, Shiva,
who is the Ultimate Cause (of creation, etc.) is called ‘Rudra’).


Om Tat Sat