शीर्षकेचललाटेचकंठेचांसद्वयेभुजे कूर्परेमणिबंधेचहृदयेनाभिपार्श्वके
On the head, on the forehead, on the throat, on both shoulders, on the arms, on the elbows, on the wrists, on the heart, on the navel, and on the sides.
पृष्ठेचैवंप्रतिष्ठाययजेत्तत्राश्विदैवते शिवशक्तिंतथारुद्रमीशंनारदमेवच
On the back in this way, one should establish and worship the deities there: Śiva, Śakti, Rudra, Īśa, and also Nārada.
वामादिनवशक्तीश्च एताः षोडशदेवताः नासत्योदस्रकश्चैव अश्विनौद्वौप्रकीर्तितौ
And the nine goddesses beginning with Vāmā—these are the sixteen deities; the two Aśvins, called Nāsatya and Dasra, are also mentioned.
अथवामूर्ध्निकेशेचकर्मयोर्वदनेतथा बाहुद्वये च हृदयेनाभ्यामूरुयुगेतथा
Or, on the head, on the hair, on the ears, on the face, on both arms, on the heart, on both sides of the navel, and on both thighs.
जानुद्वयेचपदयोः पृष्ठभागे च षोडश शिवश्चन्द्रश्च रुद्रःको विघ्नेशोविष्णुरेव वा
On both knees, on both feet, and on the back—these are the sixteen places: Śiva, Candra, Rudra, Vighneśa, or Viṣṇu.
श्रीश्चैवहृदयेशम्भुस्तथानाभौप्रजापतिः नागश्चनागकन्याश्च उभयोरृषिकन्यकाः
Śrī on the heart, Śambhu on the navel, Prajāpati, Nāga, Nāga maidens, and on both feet the daughters of the sages.
पादयोश्चसमुद्राश्चतीर्थाः पृष्ठे विशालतः इत्येव षोडश स्थानमथोच्यते
On the feet are the oceans and the sacred fords, and on the back, vastness; thus, the sixteen places are now declared.
गुह्यस्थानं ललाटश्च कर्णद्वयमनुत्तमम् अंसयुग्मं च हृदयं नाभिरित्येवमष्टकम्
The secret place, the forehead, both ears, the supreme, both shoulders, the heart, and the navel—thus, these eight.
ब्रह्मा च ऋषयः सप्तदेवताश्चप्रकीर्तिताः इत्येवं तु समुद्दिष्टं भस्मविद्भिर्मुनीश्वराः
Brahmā and the seven sages, and the deities are mentioned; thus, O lords of sages, these are prescribed by those who know the ashes.
अथ वा मस्तकं बाहूहृदयं नाभिरेव च पञ्चस्थानान्यमून्याहुर्धारणे भस्मविज्जनाः
Or, the head, the arms, the heart, and the navel—these five places are declared by those who know the ashes for the application.
यथासंभवनं कुर्याद्देशकालाद्यपेक्षया उद्धूलनेप्यशक्तिश्चेत्त्रिपुण्ड्रादीनि कारयेत्
One should perform as is possible, according to place, time, and other considerations; if unable to smear or mark, one should at least make the tripuṇḍra and other marks.
त्रिनेत्रंत्रिगुणाधारंत्रिवेदजनकंशिवम् स्मरन्नमः शिवायेति ललाटे तु त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्
Remembering Shiva, the three-eyed, the foundation of the three guṇas, the origin of the three Vedas, and saying 'Salutations to Shiva,' one should apply the tripuṇḍra on the forehead.
ईशाभ्यांनम इत्युक्त्वापार्श्वयोश्च त्रिपुण्ड्रकम् बीजाभ्यां नम इत्युक्त्वाधारयेत्तुप्रकोष्ठयोः
Saying 'namaḥ' with the two syllables 'īśā' on both sides, one should apply the tripuṇḍra; saying 'namaḥ' with the two seed syllables, one should apply it on both forearms.
कुर्यादधः पितृभ्यां च उमेशाभ्यांतथोपरि भीमायेतिततःपृष्ठेशिरसःपश्चिमेतथा
One should make it below with the two syllables for the ancestors, above with those for Umā and Īśa, and likewise on the back and the rear of the head, as prescribed.
शैनकर्षे महाप्राज्ञशिवरूपमहापते शृणुरुद्राक्षमाहात्म्यं समासात्कथयाम्यहम्
O wise Śainaka, great lord in the form of Shiva, listen as I briefly recount to you the greatness of the Rudrākṣa.
शिवप्रियतमोज्ञेयो रुद्राक्षः परपावनः दर्शनात्स्पर्शनाज्जाप्यात्सर्वपापहरःस्मृतः
Rudrākṣa, most beloved of Shiva and supremely purifying, is said to remove all sins by sight, touch, or recitation.
पुरारुद्राक्षमहिमादेव्यग्रेकथितोमुने लोकोपकरणार्थायशिवेन परमात्मना
O sage, the greatness of Rudrākṣa was first told by the supreme soul Shiva to the goddess, for the benefit of the worlds.
शृणुदेविमहेशानिरुद्राक्षमहिमाशिवे कथयामितवप्रीत्याभक्तानांहितकाम्यया
Listen, O goddess, to the greatness of Rudrākṣa as told by Maheshāni Shiva, for your pleasure and for the welfare of devotees.
दिव्यवर्षसहस्राणि महेशानिपुनःपुरा तपःप्रकुर्वतस्त्रस्तंमनः संयम्यवै मम
O Maheshāni, long ago, for thousands of divine years, my mind, restrained and trembling, engaged in austerity.
स्वतंत्रेण परेशेन लोकोपकृतिकारिणा लीलयापरमेशानि चक्षुरुन्मीलितंमया
By his own will, the supreme lord, acting for the benefit of the worlds, playfully opened my eyes, O Parameśāni.
पुटाभ्यांचारुचक्षुर्भ्यांपतिताजलबिंदवः तत्राश्रुबिन्दवोजातावृक्षारुद्राक्षसंज्ञकाः
From both beautiful eyes, drops of water fell; there, those drops of tears became known as the Rudrākṣa tree.
स्थावरत्वमनुप्राप्यभक्तानुग्रहकारणात् ते दत्ताविष्णुभक्तेभ्यश्चतुर्वर्णेभ्य एव च
Attaining the state of a tree, for the sake of blessing devotees, they were given to the devotees of Vishnu and to all four castes.
भूमौगौंडोद्भवांश्चक्रेरुद्राक्षाञ्छिववल्लभान् मथुरायामयोध्यायालंकायांमलये तथा
He produced Rudrākṣas, dear to Shiva, from the earth, from water, and from the land of Gauḍa, as well as in Mathurā, Ayodhyā, Laṅkā, and Malaya.
सह्याद्रौचतथाकाश्यांदशेष्वन्येषुवातथा परानसह्यपापौघभेदनाञ्छ्रुतिनोदनात्
Also in the Sahya mountains, Kāśī, and in ten other places, as well as in other regions; these are known to destroy great heaps of sin and are praised in the scriptures.
ब्राह्मणाःक्षत्रियावैश्याःशूद्राजाताममाज्ञया रुद्राक्षास्तेपृथिव्यांतुतज्जातीयाः शुभाक्षकाः
By command, Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras—those born on earth—should wear Rudrākṣas of their own kind, which are auspicious.
श्वेतरक्ताः पीतकृष्णावर्णाज्ञेयाः क्रमाद्बुधैः स्वजातीयंनृभिर्धार्यं रुद्राक्षंवर्णतः क्रमात्
White, red, yellow, and black are the colors to be known in order; wise men say that people should wear Rudrākṣas of their own color, according to their caste.
वर्णैस्तुतत्फलंधार्यंभुक्तिमुक्तिफलेप्सुभिः शिवभक्तैर्विशेषेणशिवयोः प्रीतयेसदा
The fruit to be obtained from them should be worn by those desiring enjoyment or liberation, especially by devotees of Shiva, always for the pleasure of Shiva and Pārvatī.
धात्रीफलप्रमाणंयच्छ्रेष्ठमेतदुदाहृतम् बदरीफलमात्रंतुमध्यमंसंप्रकीर्तितम्
That which is the size of an amla fruit is said to be the best; that which is the size of a jujube fruit is considered medium.
अधमंचणमात्रंस्यात्प्रक्रियैषापरोच्यते शृणुपार्वतिसुप्रीत्याभक्तानांहितकाम्यया
This is the procedure described for the lowest, merely a single bead; listen, Parvati, with great delight, for those who are undevoted and seek harm.
बदरीफलमात्रंचयत्स्यात्किलमहेश्वरि तथापिफलदंलोकेसुखसौभाग्यवर्धनम्
If it is equal to the size of a jujube fruit, O Great Goddess, even so, it grants fruit in the world, increasing happiness and good fortune.