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.'
शिवदूतास्तदा प्रोचुरयं यस्मिन्स्थले मृतः । दशहस्तादधो भूमे रुद्राक्षस्तत्र चास्ति हि
Then Shiva's attendants said: 'On the spot where he died, ten hand-lengths below the ground, there is a Rudraksha.'
तत्प्रभावेण हे दूता नेष्यामः शिवसन्निधिम् । ततो विमानमारुह्य दिव्यरूपधरो द्विजः
By the power of that, O messengers, we shall take him to Shiva's presence; then, ascending a celestial chariot, the Brahmin assumed a divine form.
गतो गुणनिधिर्दूतैः सहितः शङ्करालयम् । इति रुद्राक्षमाहात्म्यं कथितं तव सुव्रत
Accompanied by the attendants, the virtuous one went to Shankara's abode; thus the greatness of Rudraksha has been told to you, O virtuous one.
एवं रुद्राक्षमहिमा समासात्कथितो मया । सर्वपापक्षयकरो महापुण्यफलप्रदः
Thus, I have briefly described the greatness of Rudraksha, which destroys all sins and bestows the fruit of great merit.
रुद्राक्षमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच एवं नारद षड्वक्त्रो गिरिशेन विबोधितः । रुद्राक्षमहिमानं च ज्ञात्वासीत्स कृतार्थकः
Description of the greatness of Rudraksha. Shri Narayana said: In this way, O Narada, the six-faced one was instructed by Girisha; having learned the greatness of Rudraksha, he became fulfilled.
इत्थं भूतानुभावोऽयं रुद्राक्षो वर्णितो मया । सदाचारप्रसङ्गेन शृणु चान्यत्समाहितः
Thus, I have described the wondrous power of Rudraksha; now, with reference to proper conduct, listen attentively to something else.
यथा रुद्राक्षमहिमा वर्णितोऽनन्तपुण्यदः । लक्षणं मन्त्रविन्यासं तथाहं वर्णयामि ते
Just as the greatness of Rudraksha, bestowing endless merit, has been described, so too I shall explain to you its characteristics and the arrangement of mantras.
लक्षं तु दर्शनात्युण्यं कोटिस्तत्स्पर्शनाद्भवेत् । तस्य कोटिगुणं पुण्यं लभते धारणान्नरः
A hundred thousand is gained by merely seeing it; by touching it, one attains ten million; by wearing it, a man obtains merit a hundred million times greater.
लक्षकोटिसहस्राणि लक्षकोटिशतानि च । तज्जपाल्लभते पुण्यं नरो रुद्राक्षधारणात्
By reciting with Rudraksha, a man obtains merit equal to hundreds of thousands of millions and hundreds of millions of hundreds of thousands, in addition to that gained by wearing it.
रुद्राक्षाणां तु भद्राक्षधारणात्स्यान्महाफलम् । धात्रीफलप्रमाणं यच्छ्रेष्ठमेतदुदाहृतम्
Among Rudrakshas, the greatest fruit comes from wearing the Bhadraksha; the best is said to be the size of an amla fruit.