Rudrashtakam for Pitru and Daivik Shraap Relief

The speaker says that when hardship comes into life, people go from place to place trying to find its cause — what deed of theirs led to these misfortunes and accidents, whether financial, social or physical. He says that in this search, either directly or through another person, it sometimes emerges that the deities of one's household are displeased, or that some deity's wrath (Deva Dosha) has fallen on the person or a family member because of a grave offense — perhaps a ShivlingThe aniconic form of Lord Shiva worshipped at home and in temples. or murti was damaged, defected, or disrespected. He says that because of this the deity — the shakti — is displeased, and that displeasure is the cause of the troubles in life. He says that if one can identify which deity or shakti is involved and what the specific affliction is, that deity's seva and puja can then be performed directly. He notes that very often, though, a person never learns which deity or offense is behind it. He says that if someone has already tried many remedies and pujas in life, and still feels in their heart that some uncleared dosha remains, they should take up the practice (Prayoga) he goes on to describe.

The speaker says that the Uttarkand of the Ramcharitmanas describes Kakbhushundi ji — a highly accomplished sadhak and devotee — chanting the name of Bhagwan Shiva in a Shiva temple, when his own Guru arrived there. He says the same situation arises in our own lives: while seated in Japa or puja, if a highly learned person — someone of great scholarship, or one's own guru — arrives, a doubt comes up as to whether one should break off the worship at that moment to bow to them, or not. He notes that if a person is deep in dhyana and simply unaware of the arrival, that is one thing, but if they do see the person arrive, the question of whether to offer pranam and honor them remains. He says this is the situation with Kakbhushundi: out of pride (AbhimanaSpiritual pride or ego over one's own accomplishment — boastful declarations of invincibility or severe penance are treated as a sign that true attainment is actually absent, since Abhimana itself obstructs further progress.), he did not offer pranam to his guru. The guru himself, being of a simple, calm and compassionate nature, was not troubled by this at all. But he says Bhagwan Sadashiv did not let it pass. Shiva said that Kakbhushundi's guru, being compassionate, would not be angry with him — but that this went against niti, the conduct laid down by Vedic tradition, and that failing to honor one's guru when he arrives is itself a violation of that conduct, one that corrupts the Vedic path. He says it is further held that those who bear enmity or envy toward their guru remain in hell for crores of yugas, and afterward take birth as animals and birds, enduring suffering across thousands of years and thousands of births — so one should never hold ill will toward one's guru. Even so, he says, Shiva told Kakbhushundi that he would sit like a python (ajgar) before his guru, or else fall into a degraded state — and with this, Shiva gave him a Shraap.

In the Ramcharitmanas Uttarkand, the speaker says, that guru's composed praise of Bhagwan Sadashiv came to be called the Rudrashtakam — praise offered through eight mantras of Rudra, the one beginning "Namami Shamishan Nirvana Rupam". He says that if any such dosha exists in one's own life — perhaps one failed, out of pride, to bow to some learned person, and drew their displeasure (kop) — this happens often. He gives further examples: sometimes an offense occurs toward one's ancestors in the course of some circumstance, a form of Pitru Dosha; sometimes, at a pilgrimage site, not knowing which deities are present there, a person fails to bow to them, and a dosha is incurred through that disrespect. In these ways, he says, many doshas accrue, knowingly or unknowingly. He says that for the removal of all of these, one should recite the Rudrashtakam. He says this recitation removes doshas that are specifically daivik in nature — whether connected to sub-deities (Upadevata), to deities generally, or to the powers of a particular place — where their anger led them to give a curse; reciting it brings relief from that, and resolves the dosha.

Asked how the paath should be done, the speaker says it can be started on any month's Shivratri — monthly Shivratri, Mahashivratri, or on any day during Shravan. He says that in the SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. for this Rudrashtakam recitation, one should specifically state that the recitation is being undertaken for removal of every kind of daivik dosha, for the wrath of every kind of deity and sub-deity — framing the sankalp in those words. He says that across the eight mantras of the Rudrashtakam, one AkshatUnbroken raw rice grains, held in hand along with water and flowers while taking a Sankalpa. should be offered to Shiva after each mantra is recited — eight akshat in total, one after every mantra — offered on a ShivlingThe aniconic form of Lord Shiva worshipped at home and in temples. if there is one at home, on a photo, or on an idol (Vigreh) if one is kept. On timing, he says the recitation should be done either in the morning or during Godhuli BelaThe evening twilight period around dusk, traditionally favoured for Akarshana (attraction) rites. in the evening, with a lamp lit, wearing the same everyday clothes one normally wears for puja. He says completing more than one recitation is good, and doing five or more is best of all — and that if the affliction is especially intense, this fuller repetition should be undertaken. He adds that even when a person has tried many remedies and grown tired without ever learning whether a deva dosha is the cause, they may never find that out — whatever is destined to be endured will still have to be endured — but that performing this recitation reduces deva dosha and lessens the deity's wrath regardless.

The speaker says Shiva calms everyone, and that taking refuge in him through the Rudrashtakam brings immense benefit. He says there are many further applications of this practice through which other forms of wellbeing are accomplished. He adds that it carries astrological (jyotish) effects as well — for example, if Rahu's influence is active, or a Rahu MahadashaIn jyotish, the long governing period of a single planet within a life, during which that planet's results predominate. is running, the recitation works well for that too, and can be undertaken for that purpose. But he says that its use specifically for deva dosha is where it brings the greatest benefit.