रुद्राक्षमाहात्म्ये गुणनिधिमोक्षवर्णनम् ईश्वर उवाच महासेन कुशग्रन्थिपुत्राजीवादयः परे । रुद्राक्षस्य तु नैकोऽपि कलामर्हति षोडशीम्
On the greatness of Rudraksha: the description of its virtues and liberation. Ishvara said: Mahasena, Kushagranti, Putra, Ajiva, and others are superior, but none of them equals even a sixteenth part of Rudraksha.
पुरुषाणां यथा विष्णुर्ग्रहाणां च यथा रविः । नदीनां तु यथा गङ्गा मुनीनां कश्यपो यथा
As Vishnu is among men, as the Sun is among planets, as Ganga is among rivers, and as Kashyapa is among sages,
उच्चैःश्रवा यथाश्वानां देवानामीश्वरो यथा । देवीनां तु यथा गौरी तद्वच्छ्रेष्ठमिदं भवेत्
As Ucchaishravas is among horses, as Ishvara is among gods, and as Gauri is among goddesses, so too is this the best.
नातः परतरं स्तोत्रं नातः परतरं व्रतम् । अक्षय्येषु च दानेषु रुद्राक्षस्तु विशिष्यते
There is no hymn greater than this, nor any vow greater than this; among inexhaustible gifts, Rudraksha excels.
शिवभक्ताय शान्ताय दद्याद्रुद्राक्षमुत्तमम् । तस्य पुण्यफलस्यान्तं न चाहं वक्तुमुत्सहे
One should give the best Rudraksha to a peaceful devotee of Shiva; I am unable to describe the limit of the merit of that act.
धृतरुद्राक्षकण्ठाय यस्त्वन्नं सम्प्रयच्छति । त्रिसप्तकुलमुद्धृत्य रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever gives food to one wearing Rudraksha on his neck lifts up three times seven generations and goes to Rudra's realm.
यस्य भाले विभूतिर्न नाङ्गे रुद्राक्षधारणम् । न शम्भोर्भवने पूजा स विप्रः श्वपचाधमः
A Brahmin whose forehead lacks sacred ash, whose body lacks Rudraksha, and who does not worship in Shiva's abode, is the lowest among outcasts.
खादन्मांसं पिबन्मद्यं सङ्गच्छन्नन्त्यजानपि । पातकेभ्यो विमुच्येत रुद्राक्षं शिरसि स्थिते
Even if eating meat, drinking liquor, or associating with outcasts, one is freed from sins if Rudraksha is placed on the head.
सर्वयज्ञतपोदानवेदाभ्यासैश्च यत्फलम् । तत्फलं लभते सद्यो रुद्राक्षस्य तु धारणात्
The fruit gained from all sacrifices, austerities, gifts, and study of the Vedas is instantly obtained by wearing Rudraksha.
वेदैश्चतुर्भिर्यत्पुण्यं पुराणपठनेन च । यत्तीर्थसेवनेनैव सर्वविद्यादिभिस्तथा
The merit gained from the four Vedas, from reading the Puranas, from visiting holy places, and from all knowledge and the like,
तत्पुण्यं लभते सद्यो रुद्राक्षस्य तु धारणात् । प्रयाणकाले रुद्राक्षं बन्धयित्वा म्रियेद्यदि
One immediately attains that merit simply by wearing a Rudraksha; if, at the time of death, one dies with a Rudraksha tied on—
स रुद्रत्वमवाप्नोति पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते । रुद्राक्षं धारयेत्कण्ठे बाह्वोर्वा म्रियते यदि
He attains the state of Rudra and is not subject to rebirth; if one dies wearing a Rudraksha on the neck or arms—
कुलैकविंशमुत्तार्य रुद्रलोके वसेन्नरः । ब्राह्मणो वापि चाण्डालो निर्गुणः सगुणोऽपि च
He lifts twenty-one generations of his lineage and dwells in the world of Rudra; whether a Brahmin or an outcaste, whether possessing or lacking qualities—
भस्मरुद्राक्षधारी यः स देवत्वं शिवं व्रजेत् । शुचिर्वाप्यशुचिर्वापि तथाभक्ष्यस्य भक्षकः
Whoever wears ashes and Rudraksha attains divinity and reaches Shiva; whether pure or impure, even if eating forbidden food—
म्लेच्छो वाप्यथ चाण्डालो युतो वा सर्वपातकैः । रुद्राक्षधारणादेव स रुद्रो नात्र संशयः
Whether a foreigner or an outcaste, even if joined with all sins, simply by wearing Rudraksha he becomes Rudra—there is no doubt about this.
शिरसा धारिते कोटिः कर्णयोर्दशकोटयः । शतकोटिर्गले बद्धो मूर्ध्नि कोटिसहस्रकम्
Worn on the head, it yields ten million merits; on the ears, one hundred million; tied at the throat, a billion; on the crown, a thousand million.
अयुतं चोपवीते तु लक्षकोटिर्भुजे स्थिते । मणिबन्धे तु रुद्राक्षो मोक्षसाधनकः परः
Ten thousand when worn as a sacred thread; a hundred billion when on the arm; and when Rudraksha is on the wrist, it is the supreme means to liberation.
रुद्राक्षधारको भूत्वा यत्किञ्चित्कर्म वैदिकम् । कुर्वन्विप्रः सदा भक्त्या महदाप्नोति तत्फलम्
A Brahmin who, wearing Rudraksha, performs any Vedic rite with devotion always attains the great fruit of that act.
रुद्राक्षमालिकां कण्ठे धारयेद्भक्तिवर्जितः । पापकर्मा तु यो नित्यं स मुक्तः सर्वबन्धनात्
Even one who wears a Rudraksha garland on the neck without devotion, and who always commits sinful acts, is freed from all bondage.
रुद्राक्षार्पितचेता यो रुद्राक्षस्तु न वै धृतः । असौ माहेश्वरो लोके नमस्यः स तु लिङ्गवत्
One whose mind is devoted to Rudraksha, even if not actually wearing it, is a Maheshvara in this world, worthy of reverence like the Shiva-linga.
अविद्यो वा सविद्यो वा रुद्राक्षस्य तु धारणात् । शिवलोकं प्रपद्येत कीकटे गर्दभो यथा
Whether ignorant or learned, by wearing Rudraksha one attains Shiva's world, just as a donkey does in Kikata.
स्कन्द उवाच रुद्राक्षान्सन्दधे देव गर्दभः केन हेतुना । कीकटे केन वा दत्तस्तद्ब्रूहि परमेश्वर
Skanda said: For what reason did a donkey wear Rudrakshas, O Lord? And how did it come to be in Kikata? Please tell me, Supreme Lord.
श्रीभगवानुवाच शृणु पुत्र पुरावृत्तं गर्दभो विन्ध्यपर्वते । धत्ते रुद्राक्षभारं तु वाहितः पथिकेन तु
The Blessed Lord said: Listen, my son, to what happened long ago—a donkey on Mount Vindhya bore a load of Rudrakshas, carried by a traveler.
श्रान्तोऽसमर्थस्तद्भारं वोढुं पतितवान्भुवि । प्राणैस्त्वक्तस्त्रिनेत्रस्तु शूलपाणिर्महेश्वरः
Exhausted and unable to bear the load, it collapsed on the ground; then, with its life departing, the three-eyed, trident-bearing Maheshvara appeared.
मत्प्रसादान्महासेन मदन्तिकमुपागतः । यावद्वक्त्रस्य संख्यानं रुद्राक्षाणां सुदुर्लभम्
By my grace, O Mahasena, it came to me; as many Rudrakshas as were counted on its body, for that many thousands of ages it was honored in Shiva's world.
तावद्युगसहस्राणि शिवलोके महीयते । स्वशिष्येभ्यस्तु वक्तव्यं नाशिष्येभ्यः कदाचन
One should tell this only to one's own disciples, never to those who are not disciples.
अभक्तेभ्योऽपि मूर्खेभ्यः कदाचिन्न प्रकाशयेत् । अभक्तो वास्तु भक्तो वा नीचो नीचतरोऽपि वा
Never reveal this even to the unfaithful or the foolish; whether one is devoted or not, low-born or even lower—
रुद्राक्षान्धारयेद्यस्तु मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः । रुद्राक्षधारणं पुण्यं केन वा सदृशं भवेत्
Whoever wears Rudraksha is freed from all sins; what merit can compare to the merit of wearing Rudraksha?
महाव्रतमिदं प्राहुर्मुनयस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः । सहस्रं धारयेद्यस्तु रुद्राक्षाणां धृतव्रतः
The sages who have seen the truth declare this to be a great vow: whoever, steadfast in their vow, wears a thousand Rudraksha beads—
तं नमन्ति सुराः सर्वे यथा रुद्रस्तथैव सः । अभावे तु सहस्रस्य बाह्वोः षोडश षोडश
All the gods bow to him just as they do to Rudra; but if a thousand cannot be worn, then sixteen should be worn on each arm.