Rudram 11 - Western Cape April 2025

During April 2025, the Rudram11, a powerful Vedic chanting ceremony, was performed at the Cape Town Meditation Centre (Buddhist Centre) in Cape Town.

The Rudram, especially the chanting of the Namakam and Chamakam hymns from the Yajurveda, is a potent invocation of Shiva — the embodiment of cosmic consciousness, dissolution, and transformation. Rudram 11 refers to chanting these sacred verses eleven times, an offering of intense devotion, purification, and healing not just for the individual, but for the environment and humanity as a whole. Each repetition of the Rudram carries immense vibrational power, aligning the mind and body with the universal energies of peace, strength, and clarity.

Buddhism is often presented as a path "beyond" and when you go deeper, you find that Buddhism grew from the same soil as the Vedas.

• The Buddha himself was born into a Vedic culture. Many concepts found in early Buddhist teachings — such as karma, dharma, meditation (dhyana), and liberation (moksha/nirvana) — have their roots in the Vedic worldview.

• Buddhism preserved and adapted many Vedic practices, translating them into forms that emphasized inner experience and universal compassion.

• Both traditions seek the same essence: transcending ego, realizing the Self (or emptiness), and living in harmony with all beings.

Group Photo of attendees

Interestingly, Rudra and the Bodhisattva ideal share much in spirit. Rudra is both fierce and compassionate — he destroys ignorance and protects sincere seekers. Similarly, a Bodhisattva vows to work tirelessly for the liberation of all beings, embodying fierce compassion.

The Rudram 11 event was concluded by a guided meditation performed by the Monks of the Cape Town Meditation Centre. By hosting the Rudram chanting, the Cape Town Meditation Centre, symbolically acknowledged this shared spiritual heritage. It was a gesture of unity — showing that at their heart, the Vedas and Buddhism are companions on humanity's journey toward enlightenment.

We are all looking forward to the next Rudram11 on 17 May 2025 at the Radhe Krishna Temple.