Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

त्रिवक्त्रोयोहिरुद्राक्षः साक्षात्साधनदस्सदा तत्प्रभावाद्भवेयुर्वैविद्याः सर्वाः प्रतिष्ठिताः

The three-faced Rudrākṣa is always a direct bestower of accomplishment; by its power, all forms of knowledge become firmly established.

चतुर्वक्त्रः स्वयंब्रह्मानरहत्यांव्यपोहति दर्शनात्स्पर्शनात्सद्यश्चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदः

The four-faced Rudrākṣa is Brahmā himself; it destroys the sin of killing a man, and by seeing or touching it, immediately grants the four aims of life.

पञ्चवक्त्रः स्वयंरुद्रः कालाग्निर्नामतः प्रभुः सर्वमुक्तिप्रदश्चैवसर्वकामफलप्रदः

The five-faced, self-manifest Rudra, called Kālāgni, the Lord, grants liberation to all and bestows the fruits of all desires.

अगम्यागमनंपापमभक्ष्यस्य च भक्षणम् इत्यादि सर्वपापानि पञ्चवक्त्रोव्यपोहति

All sins, such as approaching the forbidden, committing wrongs, and consuming what should not be eaten, are removed by the five-faced one.

षड्वक्त्रःकार्तिकेयस्तुधारणाद्दक्षिणेभुजे ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः पापैर्मुच्यतेनात्र संशयः

Kārtikeya, with six faces, when worn on the right arm, frees one from sins like killing a Brahmin; there is no doubt about this.

सप्तवक्त्रोमहेशानि ह्यनंगोनामनामतः धारणात्तस्य देवेशिदरिद्रोपीश्वरोभवेत्

The seven-faced Maheśāni, named Anaṅga, when worn, makes even a poor person become a lord among gods.

रुद्राक्षश्चाष्टवक्त्रश्च वसुमूर्तिश्च भैरवः धारणात्तस्य पूर्णायुर्मृतो भवति शूलभृत्

The eight-faced Rudrākṣa, the form of Vasu and Bhairava, when worn, grants full lifespan; even the dead become bearers of the trident.

भैरवोनववक्त्रश्च कपिलश्चमुनिःस्मृतः दुर्गावातदधिष्ठात्री नवरूपामहेश्वरी

Bhairava is nine-faced, and Kapila is remembered as a sage; Durgā is the presiding goddess, and Maheśvarī has nine forms.

तं धारयेद्वामहस्ते रुद्राक्षंभक्तितत्परः सर्वेश्वरोभवेन्नूनंमम तुल्यो न संशयः

Whoever wears that Rudrākṣa on the left hand with devotion becomes the Lord of all, certainly equal to me, without doubt.

दशवक्त्रो महेशानि स्वयं देवो जनार्दनः धारणात्तस्य देवेशि सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

The ten-faced Maheśāni is the god Janārdana himself; when worn, O Lady of the Gods, one attains all desires.