[3] Lord Shiva's inspiration for creating the Rudra Veena is often attributed to his desire to communicate the profound cosmic vibrations and divine rhythms that govern the universe.

According to legend, the instrument was created to convey the deep, transcendental sounds and melodies that resonate with the essence of creation and destruction.

The Rudra Veena represents the primal sound (Nada) and is meant to express the profound spiritual truths and the divine presence in the universe.

It is also stated that Lord Shiva created the rudra veena after being inspired by the beauty of Goddess Parvati as she lay in repose.

[7] The North Indian vernacular name "bīn" (sometimes written "bīṇ") is derived from the preexisting root "veena," the term generally used today to refer to a number of South Asian stringed instruments.

The veena's body (dandi) is a tube of bamboo or teak between 137 and 158 cm (54 and 62 in) long, attached to two large tumba resonators made from calabash gourds.

[3][5][9] These frets are made of thin plates of brass with flat tops but curved wooden bases to match the shape of the dandi, each about two to four centimeters (0.75-1.5 inches) high.

[12] The rudra veena declined in popularity in part due to the introduction in the early 19th century of the surbahar, which allowed sitarists to more easily present the alap sections of slow dhrupad-style ragas.