Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

एकैकंकर्णयोः षट्षड्बाह्वोःषोडशषोडश करयोरविमानेनद्विगुणेनमुनीश्वर

One each on the ears, six each on the arms, sixteen each on the forearms, and twice that number on the hands, O lord of sages.

संख्याप्रीतिर्धृयायेनसोपिशैवजनःपरः शिववत्पूजनीयोहिवंद्यस्सर्वैरभीक्ष्णशः

He who wears them with devotion and proper count, even if a Shaiva by birth, is to be worshipped like Shiva and revered by all repeatedly.

शिरसीशानमंत्रेणकर्णेतत्पुरुषेण च अघोरेणगलेधार्यंतेनैवहृदयेपि च

On the head with the Ishana mantra, on the ears with the Tatpurusha mantra, on the neck with the Aghora mantra, and likewise on the heart.

अघोरबीजमंत्रेण करयोर्धारयेत्सुधीः पञ्चदशाक्षग्रथितांवामदेवेनचोदरे

With the seed mantra of Aghora, the wise should wear them on the hands; with the fifteen-syllable mantra of Vamadeva, on the abdomen.

पञ्चब्रह्मभिरंगश्चत्रिमालां पञ्चसप्त च अथवामूलमंत्रेण सर्वानक्षांस्तुधारयेत्

With the five Brahma mantras, thirty garlands and five or seven; or with the root mantra of Vama, one may wear all the beads.

मद्यंमांसंतुलशुनंपलाण्डुंशिग्रुमेव च श्लेष्मांतकं विड्वराहंभक्षणे वर्जयेत्ततः

Wine, meat, garlic, onion, horse gram, phlegm-causing foods, excrement, and boar should be avoided in consumption thereafter.

वलक्षंरुद्राक्षंद्विजतनुभिरेवेहविहितंसुरक्तंक्षत्राणांप्रमुदितमुमेपीतमसकृत् ततोवैश्यैर्धायप्रतिदिवसभावश्यकमहोतथाकृष्णंशूद्रैःश्रुतिगदितमार्गोयमगजे

A hundred thousand Rudrakshas are prescribed for Brahmins, red ones for Kshatriyas, joyful ones for ascetics, and repeatedly drunk ones for Vaishyas; black ones for Shudras, as stated in the scriptures, and elephant ones.

वर्णीवनीगृहयतीर्नियमेनदध्यादेतद्रहस्यपरमोनहिजातुतिष्ठेत् रुद्राक्षधारणमिदंसुकृतैश्चलभ्यंत्यक्त्वेदमेतदखिलान्नरकान्प्रयांति

Those of the four castes, householders, and ascetics should wear them with discipline; this supreme secret should not be abandoned by birth. The wearing of Rudraksha is attained by the virtuous, and abandoning it leads to all hells.

आदावामलकात्स्वतो लघुतरा रुग्णास्ततःकंटकैःसंदष्टाःक्रिमिभिस्तनूपकरणच्छिद्रेण हीनास्तथा धार्यानैव शुभेप्सुभिश्चणकवद्रुद्राक्षमप्यंततोरुद्राक्षोममलिंगमंगलमुमेसूक्ष्मंप्रशस्तंसदा

First, those lighter than amalaki, then those afflicted, bitten by thorns, eaten by worms, or defective by holes in the body, should not be worn by those seeking auspiciousness. Even so, Rudraksha, like chickpeas, at the end, Rudraksha without blemish is always praised as subtle and auspicious.

सर्वाश्रमाणांवर्णानांस्त्रीशूद्रणांशिवाज्ञया धार्याः सदैवरुद्राक्षायतीनां प्रणवेन हि

By Shiva's command, Rudrakshas should always be worn by all orders and castes, including women and Shudras, especially with the Pranava.

दिवाबिभ्रद्रात्रिकृतैरात्रौविभ्रद्दिवाकृतैः प्रातर्मध्याह्नसायाह्नेमुच्यतेसर्वपातकैः

Those who wear them by day with rituals for night, or by night with rituals for day, are freed from all sins at morning, midday, and evening.

ये त्रिपुण्ड्र धरालोके जटाधारिण एव ये ये रुद्राक्षधरास्तेवैयमलोकंप्रयांतिन

Those who wear the tripundra in the world, those who bear matted hair, and those who wear Rudraksha, they alone attain this world.

रुद्राक्षमेकंशिरसाबिभर्तितथात्रिपुण्ड्रंचललाटमध्ये पञ्चाक्षरंयेहिजपंतिमंत्रंपूज्याभवद्भिः खलुतेहिसाधवः

Those who wear one Rudraksha on the head, tripundra on the middle of the forehead, and recite the five-syllable mantra, are truly to be honored by the virtuous.

यस्याङ्गेनास्तिरुद्राक्षस्त्रिपुण्ड्रंभालपट्टके मुखेपञ्चाक्षरंनास्तितमानययमालयम्

One who does not have a Rudrākṣa on their body, tripuṇḍra on the forehead, or the five-syllable mantra on their lips—bring such a person to the house of Yama.

ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वातत्प्रभावंभस्मरुद्राक्षधारिणः तेपूज्याः सर्वदास्माकंनोनेतव्याः कदाचन

Whether knowing or not knowing its power, those who wear ashes and Rudrākṣa are always to be honored by us; they should never be insulted.

एवमाज्ञापयामासकालोपिनिजकिङ्करान् तथेतिमत्त्वातेसर्वेतूष्णीमासन्सुविस्मिताः

Thus did Kāla command his own attendants; understanding this, all of them stood silent, filled with wonder.

अत एवमहादेविरुद्राक्षोत्यघनाशनः तद्धरोमत्प्रियः शुद्धो ऽत्यघवानपिपार्वति

Therefore, O great goddess, Rudrākṣa destroys great sins; it is dear to me, pure, and greatly sanctifying, O Pārvatī.

हस्तेबाहौतथामूर्ध्निरुद्राक्षंधारयेत्तुयः अवध्यःसर्वभूतानांरुद्ररूपीचरेद्भुवि

Whoever wears Rudrākṣa on the hand, arm, or head is inviolable to all beings and moves on earth in the form of Rudra.

सुरासुराणांसर्वेषां वंदनीयःसदासवै पूजनीयो हि दृष्टस्यपापहाचयथाशिवः

He is always to be revered by all gods and demons; he is to be worshipped, and seeing him destroys sin, just as with Śiva.

ध्यानज्ञानावमुक्तोपिरुद्राक्षंधारयेत्तुयः सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तःसयातिपरमांगतिम्

Even one who is not devoted to meditation or knowledge, if he wears Rudrākṣa, is freed from all sins and attains the highest state.

रुद्राक्षेणजपन्मन्त्रं पुण्यंकोटि गुणं भवेत् दशकोटिगुणंपुण्यंधारणाल्लभते नरः

Reciting a mantra with Rudrākṣa yields merit a crore-fold; by wearing it, a man obtains ten crore times the merit.

यावत्कालंहिजीवस्यशरीरस्थोभवेत्सवै तावत्कालंस्वल्पमृत्युर्नतंदेविबाधते

For as long as the Rudrākṣa remains on the body of a living being, O goddess, even minor death does not trouble him.

त्रिपुंड्रेणचसंयुक्तंरुद्राक्षाविलसांगकम् मृत्युंजयंजपंतंचदृष्ट्वारुद्रफलंलभेत्

One whose body shines with Rudrākṣa and is marked with tripuṇḍra, who recites the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra—seeing him brings the fruit of Rudra.

पञ्चदेवप्रियश्चैवसर्वदेवप्रियस्तथा सर्वमन्त्राञ्जपेद्भक्तोरुद्राक्षमालयाप्रिये

He is dear to the five gods and to all the gods; the devotee may recite all mantras with a Rudrākṣa garland, O beloved.

विष्ण्वादिदेवभक्ताश्चधारयेयुर्नसंशयः रुद्रभक्तो विशेषेणरुद्राक्षान्धारयेत्सदा

Devotees of Viṣṇu and other gods also wear them, without doubt; but a devotee of Rudra should especially always wear Rudrākṣa.

रुद्राक्षाविविधाःप्रोक्तास्तेषां भेदान्वदाम्यहम् शृणुपार्वति सद्भक्त्या भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदान्

Various kinds of Rudrākṣa are described; I will explain their differences. Listen with devotion, O Pārvatī, as they grant both enjoyment and liberation.

एकवक्त्रः शिवः साक्षाद्भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदः तस्यदर्शनमात्रेणब्रह्महत्याव्यपोहति

The one-faced Rudrākṣa is Śiva himself, bestower of enjoyment and liberation; merely by seeing it, the sin of killing a Brahmin is destroyed.

यत्रसंपूजितस्तत्रलक्ष्मीर्दूरतरा नहि नश्यंत्युपद्रवाःसर्वेसर्वकामाभवंतिहि

Where it is worshipped, there Lakṣmī never departs; all obstacles are destroyed and all desires are fulfilled.

द्विवक्त्रोदेवदेवेशस्सर्वकामफलप्रदः विशेषतः सरुद्राक्षोगोवधंनाशयेद्द्रुतम्

The two-faced Rudrākṣa is the Lord of gods, bestower of all desired fruits; especially, it quickly destroys the sin of killing a cow.