Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 10

Brahmā’s Creation: The Kumāras, Rudra, the Prajāpatis, and the Manifestation of Vedic Sound

Devanagari script

यदरोदी: सुरश्रेष्ठ सोद्वेग इव बालक: । ततस्त्वामभिधास्यन्ति नाम्ना रुद्र इति प्रजा: ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

yad arodīḥ sura-śreṣṭha sodvega iva bālakaḥ tatas tvām abhidhāsyanti nāmnā rudra iti prajāḥ

Translation

Thereafter Brahmā said: O chief of the demigods, you shall be called by the name Rudra by all people because you have so anxiously cried.

Synonyms

• यत्: because/since
• यत्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कारणार्थे/हेतौ (causal sense)

• अरोदीः: you cried
• अरोदीः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; धातु: रुद् ‘to cry’

• सुर-श्रेष्ठ: O best of the gods
• सुर-श्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• स-उद्वेगः: with agitation
• स-उद्वेगः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उद्वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘सहित’ अर्थे स- (with)

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• बालकः: a child
• बालकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Kāla/Hetu (काल/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम् (therefore/then)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अभिधास्यन्ति: they will call/name
• अभिधास्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातु: धा/धा (to place/say) with उपसर्ग अभि- = ‘to name/call’

• नाम्ना: by the name
• नाम्ना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निरूपण-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• प्रजाः: the people/creatures
• प्रजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Rudra (Shiva)

FAQs

Why is Lord Shiva called Rudra in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse explains that because he cried (rud) like a distressed child at his appearance, beings would call him “Rudra.”

Who names Rudra in Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 12?

Lord Brahma speaks this verse and declares that the prajās will know him by the name Rudra.

What is the practical lesson from Rudra being named from his crying?

Bhagavatam shows that names can reveal inner states and functions; distress can be transformed into a sacred identity when aligned with divine purpose.