Sri Anantha Sharma
Sep 24, 2026
6 Min Read
Scripture
Families often ask why the Rudram is chanted not once but eleven times when they sponsor the Ekadasha Rudra Abhishekam. The short answer is that the number belongs to Rudra himself; the longer answer is the reason the seva takes ninety minutes.
Eleven Forms Of Rudra
The Yajur Veda names eleven Rudras, and each round of the Namakam is offered to one of them. With each round the abhishekam changes: milk, then curd, then ghee, honey, sugarcane juice, tender coconut, sandal and finally pure water, so the deity is bathed eleven times over.
Namaste Rudra manyava, uto ta ishave namah. Salutations to your anger, O Rudra, and to your arrows.
Sri Rudram · Namakam, First Anuvaka
The Chamakam that follows each Namakam is a list of things asked for: health, food, friends, a long life, a steady mind. The priests chant it on behalf of the family whose name was read in the sankalpa.
What The Family Is Asked To Do
Nothing more than to sit and listen. Those who know the chant may join the Chamakam; children are welcome to come and go. When the eleventh round ends, the family offers the first aarti themselves and receives the abhishekam water as prasad.
- Duration
- About ninety minutes
- Priests
- Two, chanting together
- Offerings
- Eight, one per round
- Best Day
- Monday or Pradosham
Sri Anantha Sharma
Head priest at Mandira since 1994, trained in the agama tradition at Kanchipuram. He leads the Sunday Gita discourse and the vedic school.
Thank you for explaining the eleven rounds. We sponsored the Rudram for my father and now I understand what we heard.
ReplyCould the vedic school publish the chant with the swaras marked? My son is learning it.
ReplyA marked text is in the library, and the Saturday class covers the first anuvaka this month. All are welcome.
Reply