Rudra

Rudra is a name and deity in Hindu tradition with roots in the Vedas. In the Rigveda, Rudra is a storm deity associated with wind, the hunt, and healing. The name derives from Sanskrit root rud- meaning 'roar' or 'howl', and the epithet is typically translated as 'the roarer' or 'the one who makes trouble and oppression flee'.

Rudra is depicted as powerful, fierce, and capable of both protection and destruction. In Vedic hymns he is invoked for healing and relief from disease and danger, yet he is also feared for his swift wrath. The character embodies a tension common in early Vedic religion between benevolence and ferocity.

In later Hinduism, Rudra becomes identified with Shiva, one of the principal deities. The term Rudra is often used as an epithet of Shiva, and the group of eleven forms known as the Rudras is attached to him in various scriptures. The Rudras function as wind or storm aspects and as manifestations linked to cosmic order, time, and dissolution.

In modern usage, Rudra remains a given name in India and in South Asia. It appears in literature, art, and popular culture as a reference to the deity's power and protective role, and is also used simply as a masculine name.