O Parvati, the Supreme Lord Shiva spoke to you with great compassion, revealing the profound glory of Rudraksha. Even those who are not steadfast in meditation or knowledge, if they wear Rudraksha, are freed from all sins and attain the highest state. Reciting mantras with Rudraksha brings merit multiplied a crore times; simply wearing it bestows merit ten crore times greater. As long as Rudraksha remains on the body, O goddess, even minor death cannot trouble the wearer. One whose body shines adorned with Rudraksha and marked with the sacred tripundra, who recites the Mrityunjaya mantra—simply seeing such a person brings the fruit of Rudra. He is beloved by the five gods and all the deities. The devotee may recite all mantras with a Rudraksha garland, O beloved. Even devotees of Vishnu and other gods wear Rudraksha without doubt, but devotees of Rudra should especially always wear it. There are various kinds of Rudraksha, each with its own distinctions. Listen with devotion, O Parvati, for they grant both worldly enjoyment and liberation. The one-faced Rudraksha is Shiva himself, the bestower of both enjoyment and liberation; merely seeing it destroys even the sin of killing a Brahmin. Where it is worshipped, Lakshmi never departs; all obstacles are destroyed and all desires fulfilled. The two-faced Rudraksha represents the Lord of gods, granting all desired fruits, and especially destroys the sin of killing a cow. The three-faced Rudraksha is always a direct bestower of accomplishment; by its power, all forms of knowledge become firmly established. The four-faced Rudraksha is Brahma himself; it destroys the sin of killing a man, and by seeing or touching it, immediately grants the four aims of life. The five-faced Rudraksha, self-manifest as Rudra called Kalagni, grants liberation to all and fulfills every desire. All sins, such as approaching the forbidden, committing wrongs, and consuming what should not be eaten, are removed by the five-faced Rudraksha. Kartikeya, with six faces, when worn on the right arm, frees one from sins like killing a Brahmin, without doubt. The seven-faced Maheśāni, named Ananga, when worn, transforms even the poor into lords among gods. The eight-faced Rudraksha, the form of Vasu and Bhairava, when worn, grants a full lifespan; even the dead become bearers of the trident. Bhairava is nine-faced, Kapila is remembered as a sage, Durga is the presiding goddess, and Maheśvarī has nine forms. Whoever wears that Rudraksha on the left hand with devotion becomes the Lord of all, certainly equal to Shiva himself. The ten-faced Maheśāni is the god Janardana; when worn, O Lady of the Gods, all desires are attained. The eleven-faced Rudraksha, O Supreme Lady, when worn with Rudra, makes one victorious everywhere. The twelve-faced Rudraksha should be worn on the head; all twelve Adityas are established therein. The thirteen-faced Rudraksha is Visvedeva; by wearing it, one attains all desires, good fortune, and auspiciousness. The fourteen-faced Rudraksha is the supreme Shiva; when worn on the head with devotion, all sins are destroyed. Thus, the types of Rudraksha have been described according to their faces. One should wear Rudraksha with devotion and faith, accompanied by mantras, for the attainment of all desired goals, never neglecting reverence toward the gods. If a person wears Rudraksha on earth without a mantra, he goes to terrible hell for as long as the reign of fourteen Indras. Upon seeing one adorned with Rudraksha, ghosts, spirits, fiends, dakinis, shakinis, and other harmful beings flee. Any artificial or magical harm, such as sorcery, departs far away, fearing the form of the wearer. Upon seeing one adorned with Rudraksha, Shiva, Vishnu, the goddess, Ganapati, Surya, and other gods, O Parvati, become pleased. Thus knowing the greatness of Rudraksha, O Great Goddess, it should be properly worn with mantras and devotion, for the increase of righteousness. So was spoken, at the beginning, to Girija by Shiva, the Supreme Self: the greatness of ash and Rudraksha, which bestows both enjoyment and liberation. Know that the wearer of ash and Rudraksha is exceedingly dear to Shiva; by the power of wearing them, enjoyment and liberation are attained without doubt. He who wears ash and Rudraksha and is devoted to Shiva, engaged in reciting the five-syllabled mantra, is said to be completely fulfilled and facing the auspicious. Without the three lines of ash and without the Rudraksha garland, even if worshipped, the great god does not grant the desired fruits. All that you asked, O lord of sages, has been explained: the greatness of ash and Rudraksha, which brings fulfillment of all desires. Whoever hears daily this supreme and auspicious greatness of Rudraksha and ash, with devotion, attains all desires. Here, enjoying all happiness together with sons and grandsons, he attains supreme liberation hereafter and becomes exceedingly dear to Shiva. This has been told to you, O best of sages, from the Vidyeshvara Samhita; it always grants all accomplishments and liberation, by Shiva's command. And so, with reverence, let us offer salutations to Shiva, to Soma, to him with his attendants and sons, to the lord of Pradhana and Purusha, the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction.