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.
एकं शिखायां करयोर्द्वादश द्वादशैव तु । द्वात्रिंशत्कण्ठदेशे तु चत्वारिंशच्च मस्तके
One bead on the topknot, twelve on each hand, thirty-two on the neck, and forty on the head—
एकैकं कर्णयोः षट् षट् वक्षस्यष्टोत्तरं शतम् । यो धारयति रुद्राक्षान् रुद्रवत्स तु पूज्यते
One on each ear, six on each, and a hundred and eight on the chest—whoever wears Rudraksha beads in this way is honored like Rudra.
मुक्ताप्रवालस्कटिकरौप्यवैदूर्यकाञ्चनैः । समेतान्धारयेद्यस्तु रुद्राक्षान्स शिवो भवेत्
Whoever wears Rudraksha beads strung together with pearls, coral, silver, cat's eye gems, and gold, becomes like Shiva.
केवलानपि रुद्राक्षान्यद्यालस्याद्बिभर्ति यः । तं न स्पृशन्ति पापानि तमांसीव विभावसुम्
Even if someone wears only plain Rudraksha beads out of laziness, sins do not touch him, just as darkness does not touch fire.
रुद्राक्षमालया मन्त्रो जप्तोऽनन्तफलप्रदः । यस्याङ्गे नास्ति रुद्राक्ष एकोऽपि बहुपुण्यदः
A mantra recited with a Rudraksha garland grants infinite results; even if a single Rudraksha is worn on the body, it bestows great merit.
तस्य जन्म निरर्थं स्यात्त्रिपुण्ड्ररहितं यथा । रुद्राक्षं मस्तके धृत्वा शिरःस्नानं करोति यः
His birth is rendered fruitless who does not wear even one Rudraksha, just as one without the sacred ash; but whoever wears Rudraksha on the head and bathes the head—
गङ्गास्नानफलं तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः । एकवक्त्रः पञ्चवक्त्र एकादशमुखाः परे
He obtains the fruit of bathing in the Ganga—of this there is no doubt. Some Rudraksha beads have one face, some five faces, others eleven—
चतुर्दशमुखाः केचिद्रुद्राक्षा लोकपूजिताः । भक्त्या संपूज्यते नित्यं रुद्राक्षः शङ्करात्मकः
Some have fourteen faces; such Rudraksha beads are revered in the world. The Rudraksha, embodying Shankara, is to be worshipped daily with devotion.
दरिद्रं वापि पुरुषं राजानं कुरुते भुवि । अत्र ते कथयिष्यामि पुराणं मतमुत्तमम्
It can make even a poor man into a king on earth. Now I will tell you the supreme ancient teaching regarding this.
कोसलेषु द्विजः कश्चिद्गिरिनाथ इति श्रुतः । महाधनी च धर्मात्मा वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः
In Kosala there was a certain Brahmin named Girinatha, renowned for his great wealth, righteousness, and mastery of the Vedas and their branches.
यज्ञकृद्दीक्षितस्तस्य तनयः सुन्दराकृतिः । नाम्ना गुणनिधिः ख्यातस्तरुणः कामसुन्दरः
He performed sacrifices and was initiated; his son, famed as Gunanidhi, was youthful, handsome, and charming as Kama.
गुरोः सुधिषणस्याथ पत्नीं मुक्तावलीमथ । मोहयामास रूपेण यौवनेन मदेन च
He captivated the wife of his teacher Sudhishana—named Muktavali—with his beauty, youth, and arrogance.
सङ्गतस्तु तया सार्धं कञ्चित्कालं ततो भिया । विषं ददौ च गुरवे येभे पश्चात्तु निर्भयः
He spent some time in union with her, but then, out of fear, gave poison to his teacher; later, he became fearless.
यदा माता पिता कर्म किञ्चिज्जानाति यत्क्षणे । मातरं पितरं चापि मारयामास तद्विषात्
When his mother and father learned of his deeds, he killed them both with that poison at that very moment.
नानाविलासभोगैश्च जाते द्रव्यव्यये ततः । ब्राह्मणानां गृहे चौर्यं चकार स तदा खलः
After squandering his wealth on various pleasures and enjoyments, that wicked man then began to steal from the homes of Brahmins.
सुरापानमदोन्मत्तस्तदा ज्ञातिबहिष्कृतः । ग्रामान्निष्कासितः सर्वैस्तदा सोऽभूद्वनेचरः
Intoxicated by drinking liquor, he was cast out by his relatives and expelled from the village by all; thus, he became a wanderer in the forest.
मुक्तावल्या तया सार्धं जगाम गहनं वनम् । मार्गे स्थितो द्रव्यलोभाज्जघान ब्राह्मणान्बहून्
With that pearl necklace, he went into the dense forest; standing on the path, out of greed for wealth, he killed many Brahmins.
एवं बहुगते काले ममार स तदाधमः । नेतुं तं यमदूताश्च समाजग्मुः सहस्रशः
After much time had passed in this way, that wicked man died; then thousands of Yama's messengers came to take him.
शिवलोकाच्छिवगणास्तथैव च समागताः । तयोः परस्परं वादो बभूव गिरिजासुत
From Shiva's realm, Shiva's attendants also arrived; a dispute arose between the two groups, O son of Girija.
यमदूतास्तदा प्रोचुः पुण्यमस्य किमस्ति हि । ब्रुवन्तु सेवकाः शम्भोर्यद्येनं नेतुमिच्छथ
Then Yama's messengers said: 'What virtue does he have? Let Shiva's attendants speak, if you wish to take him.'