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.
बदरीफलमात्रं तु प्रोच्यते मध्यमं बुधैः । अधमं चणमात्रं स्यात्प्रतिज्ञैषा मयोदिता
The size of a jujube fruit is considered medium by the wise; the lowest is the size of a chickpea—this is my declared assertion.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चेति शिवाज्ञया । वृक्षा जाताः पृथिव्यां तु तज्जातीयाः शुभाक्षकाः
By Shiva's command, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras were born as trees upon the earth, producing auspicious Rudrakshas of their own kind.
श्वेतास्तु ब्राह्मणा ज्ञेयाः क्षत्रिया रक्तवर्णकाः । पीता वैश्यास्तु विज्ञेयाः कृष्णाः शूद्राः प्रकीर्तिताः
White ones are to be known as Brahmins, red as Kshatriyas, yellow as Vaishyas, and black are said to be Shudras.
ब्राह्मणो बिभृयाच्छ्वेतान् रक्तान् राजा तु धारयेत् । पीतान्वैश्यस्तु बिभृयात्कृष्णान् शूद्रस्तु धारयेत्
A Brahmin should wear white ones, a king should wear red, a Vaishya should wear yellow, and a Shudra should wear black.
समाः स्निग्धा दृढास्तद्वत्कण्टकैः संयुताः शुभाः । कृमिदष्टाञ्छिन्नभिन्नान्कण्टकैरहितांस्तथा
The beads that are smooth, solid, likewise adorned with thorns, auspicious, and those bitten by insects, broken, split, or lacking thorns—
व्रणयुक्तानावृतांश्च षड्रुद्राक्षांस्तु वर्जयेत् । स्वयमेव कृतद्वारो रुद्राक्षः स्यादिहोत्तमः
One should avoid six-faced Rudraksha beads that are covered with wounds; the best Rudraksha is that which naturally has an opening.
यत्तु पौरुषयत्नेन कृतं तन्मध्यमं भवेत् । समान्स्निग्धान्दृढान्वृत्तान्क्षौमसूत्रेण धारयेत्
That which is made by human effort is considered average; one should wear smooth, solid, round beads with a silk thread.
सर्वगात्रेषु साम्येन समानातिविलक्षणा । निर्घर्षे हेमलेखाभा यत्र लेखा प्रदृश्यते
On all parts of the body, beads that are uniform and distinct, where a golden streak appears without abrasion, are to be seen.
तदक्षमुत्तमं विद्यात्स धार्यः शिवपूजकैः । शिखायामेकरुद्राक्षं त्रिंशद्वै शिरसा वहेत्
Such a bead is known as the highest; it should be worn by worshippers of Shiva. One Rudraksha on the topknot, and thirty on the head should be carried.
षट्त्रिंशच्च गले धार्या बाह्वोः षोडश षोडश । मणिबन्धे द्वादशाक्षान्स्कन्धे पञ्चाशतं भवेत्
Thirty-six beads should be worn on the neck, sixteen on each arm, twelve on each wrist, and fifty on the shoulders.
अष्टोत्तरशतैर्मालोपवीतं च प्रकल्पयेत् । द्विसरं त्रिसरं वापि बिभृयात्कण्ठदेशतः
A garland or sacred thread should be made with one hundred and eight beads; one may wear two or three strands around the neck.
कुण्डले मुकुटे चैव कर्णिकाहारकेषु च । केयूरे कटके चैव कुक्षिवंशे तथैव च
In earrings, crowns, and also in ear ornaments; in armlets, bracelets, and likewise at the waist.
सुप्ते पीते सर्वकालं रुद्राक्षं धारयेन्नरः । त्रिशतं त्वधमं पञ्चशतं मध्यममुच्यते
A person should wear Rudraksha at all times, whether sleeping or drinking; three hundred is considered inferior, five hundred is called medium.
सहस्रमुत्तमं प्रोक्तं चैवं भेदेन धारयेत् । शिरसीशानमन्त्रेण कर्णे तत्पुरुषेण च
A thousand is declared as the highest; thus, according to distinction, one should wear them—on the head with the Ishana mantra, in the ear with the Tatpurusha mantra.
अघोरेण ललाटे तु तेनैव हृदयेऽपि च । अघोरबीजमन्त्रेण करयोर्धारयेत्पुनः
With the Aghora mantra on the forehead, and likewise on the heart; with the Aghora seed mantra, one should again wear them on the hands.
पञ्चाशदक्षग्रथितां वामदेवेन चोदरे । पञ्चब्रह्मभिरङ्गैश्चाप्येवं रुद्राक्षधारणम्
Fifty beads strung together should be worn on the abdomen with the Vamadeva mantra; likewise, with the five Brahma mantras on the limbs, thus is the wearing of Rudraksha.
ग्रथितान्मूलमन्त्रेण सर्वानक्षांस्तु धारयेत् । एकवक्त्रस्तु रुद्राक्षः परतत्त्वप्रकाशकः
All beads should be strung with the root mantra and worn; the one-faced Rudraksha reveals the supreme principle.
परतत्त्वधारणाच्च जायते तत्प्रकाशनम् । द्विवक्त्रस्तु मुनिश्रेष्ठ अर्धनारीश्वरो भवेत्
By wearing the supreme principle, its revelation occurs; the two-faced Rudraksha, O best of sages, is the form of Ardhanarishvara.
धारणादर्धनारीशः प्रीयते तस्य नित्यशः । त्रिवक्त्रस्त्वनलः साक्षात्स्त्रीहत्यां दहति क्षणात्
By wearing it, Ardhanarisha is always pleased with the wearer; the three-faced Rudraksha is fire itself and instantly burns the sin of killing a woman.
त्रिमुखश्चैव रुद्राक्षोऽप्यग्नित्रयस्वरूपकः । तद्धारणाच्च हुतभुक् तस्य तुष्यति नित्यशः
The three-faced Rudraksha is also the form of the three fires; by wearing it, the fire deity is always satisfied with the wearer.