Proto-Siva

[Jean-Claude Svadchii]

Although being no specialist, I should like to cite some elements I read in
French about Siva and its origins.
I'd like first to quote the Rudra definition given by Dumezil in 'Mythe et
Epopee II' (pp 86-87 of the 1986-edition). I am sorry to give it in French,
but every word having been very carefully chosen by Dumezil, a faithful
translation would require a lot of time from me :
'Par ce role, il (ViSNu) est bien l'antithese du Rudra vedique dont l'etude
attentive d'Ernst Arbman (Rudra, Untersuchungen zum altindischen Glauben
und Kultus, 1922) a degage les traits : Rudra est le patron de tout ce qui
n'a pas encore ete domestique par l'homme ou la societe, donc le maitre a
la fois des chances et des risques que recelent les choses brutes de
l'immense empire inexploite qui enserre les petits habitats des hommes,
leurs etroits chemins, leurs vulnerables carrefours; le maitre de la
brousse, avec son peuplement anormal aussi bien d'ascetes que de brigands,
prolongement du chaos en marge et parfois meme au coeur des terres
civilisees, avec ses monstres, ses myriades de vegetaux, les puissances
d'empoisonnement et de guerison qu'elle tient en reserve; le maitre, plus
generalement, de ce qui, a toute heure et en toute circonstance de la vie,
est l'homologue de la brousse, de tout ce dont les hommes vont se servir
mais dont ils ne se sont pas encore servis et qui contient le mystere et
l'ambiguite du non-commence : la vaisselle ou le linge neuf, le repas qui
n'est que prepare, l'entreprise qui n'est que projetee. Tel parait avoir
ete a ses debuts ce Rudra dont le nom s'explique au mieux par le radical du
latin rudis 'brut, non degrossi', et qui se morcelle volontiers en une
infinite de RudrAH attaches chacun a tel chemin, a tel objet, etc...
Dissimule dans le bois ou sur la montagne, il est a la fois le persecuteur
dont la fleche meurtriere arrive on ne sait d'ou et le connaisseur des
simples, des herbes qui detruisent les maladies. Non pas mauvais, mais
moralement neutre, a la fois puissant et indetermine.
Si ces signalements de ViSNu et de Rudra valent pour les textes vediques,
il est probable que, dans les temps plus anciens, pendant et avant les
migrations qui conduisirent des bandes d'Indo-Europeens jusqu'aux Cinq
Rivieres, les deux divinites ainsi comprises etaient plus importantes
encore : Ind(a)ra donnait la victoire aux conquerants, mais c'etait ViSNu
qui lui ouvrait et, a travers lui, leur ouvrait le chemin a travers le
domaine inconnu, barbare ou, a cote des demons, residait pourtant  deja un
dieu de leur groupe, l'inquietant, le necessaire Rudra.'

Pp 77-116, Dumezil explores the oppositions between ViSNu and Rudra, Odhinn
and Thorr, and the comparison between Starkadhr and Zizupala. Pp 88-89,
Dumezil mentions the rudrian side of Odhinn.  
In 'La Religion Romaine Archaique' (pp 406-7 of the 1st ed - 1966), Dumezil
gives a shorter definition of Rudra, showing the functional relationship
between Faunus and Rudra, although Rudra's functions are more numerous and
diversified than Faunus' ones. Dumezil shows also that the functions of the
Italian goddess Feronia are similar to the set of functions obtained by
removing from Rudra's definition the dangerous and malevolent elements.  

In 1982, Jacques Scheuer published in Paris an excellent study on 'Shiva
dans la MahAbhArata', his perspective and method being similar to
Biardeau's. His conclusion doesn't contradict the Dumezilian description
for Vedic times, but is more substantial, centering itself on the
MahAbhArata and on the contemporary Hindu world. 

In 1981, Joel H. Grisward published in Paris another excellent study on the
'Archeologie de l'Epopee Medievale' dedicated to some epic cycles of the
Middle Ages, above all the 'cycle des Narbonnais', probably inherited from
the Wisigoths. Joel H. Grisward, a follower of Dumezil, discovered a
considerable Indo-european legacy including parallels with the YayAti myth.
Pp 185 to 204 are dedicated to 'Aimer le chetif', who was condemned by a
curse to live out of the cities, in the wilderness, without land, bed or
shelter, in the wind and storm, a storm and night knight, with a small
troop of savage fellows equipped with bored black shields and hauberks
rusty from the rain - warriors, but also highwaymen and bandits (in Italian
: ladri, rubatori, bestemiatori, giugatori, assassini). Quite the type of
the indo-european Maennerbuende, the Rudras under the leadership of the
disquieting Rudra. Dumezil opposed that Rudra warrior-type to the Indra
one. In the Iranian list of 6 arch-daemons opposed to the 6 Amesha Spentas,
Dumezil noticed for example that the second function arch-daemons are Indra
and Saurva, Saurva's name corresponding to the Vedic Zarva, an aspect of
Rudra. I don't remember Dumezil having explained the difference between his
much broader Rudra definition in Mythe et Epopee II and this military
specialization. In my opinion, there seems to be an application of Rudra's
structural definition to the more limited second-function (war) field. We
know that the same original pattern can be applied in different
circumstances to varied fields. Faunus, Feronia, Aimer le chetif, Saurva,
Rudra are examples of it. In conclusion, the proto-Shiva seems to have a
rich lineage.  

I hope this helps.

Jean-Claude Svadchii 
svadchi at agf.fr