Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

द्वादशास्यं तु रुद्राक्षं धारयेत्केशदेशके आदित्याश्चैव ते सर्वेद्वादशैव स्थितास्तथा

The twelve-faced Rudrākṣa should be worn on the head; all twelve Adityas are established therein.

त्रयोदशमुखो विश्वेदेवस्तद्धारणान्नरः सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति सौभाग्यं मंगलंलभेत्

The thirteen-faced Rudrākṣa is Viśvedeva; by wearing it, a person attains all desires, good fortune, and auspiciousness.

चतुर्दशमुखो यो हि रुद्राक्षः परमःशिवः धारयेन्मूर्ध्नि तं भक्त्यासर्वपापं प्रणश्यति

The fourteen-faced Rudrākṣa is the supreme Śiva; when worn on the head with devotion, all sins are destroyed.

इतिरुद्राक्षभेदा हि प्रोक्तावैमुखभेदतः

Thus, the types of Rudrākṣa have been described according to the distinction of faces.

भक्तिश्रद्धायुतश्चैव सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये रुद्राक्षान्धारयेन्मंत्रैर्देवनालस्य वर्जितः

One should wear Rudrākṣas with devotion and faith, accompanied by mantras, for the attainment of all desired goals, avoiding laziness toward the gods.

विना मंत्रेण हो धत्ते रुद्राक्षं भुविमानवः स याति नरकं घोरं यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश

If a person wears Rudrākṣa on earth without a mantra, he goes to terrible hell for as long as the fourteen Indras.

रुद्राक्षमालिनंदृष्ट्वा भूतप्रेतपिशाचकाः डाकिनीशाकिनी चैव ये चान्ये द्रोहकारकाः

Upon seeing one adorned with Rudrākṣa, ghosts, spirits, fiends, ḍākinīs, śākinīs, and other harmful beings flee.

कृत्रिमं चैव यत्किंचिदभिचारादिकंचयात् तत्सर्वंदूरतोयातिदृष्ट्वा शंकितविग्रहम्

Any artificial or magical harm, such as sorcery, seeing the one adorned with Rudrākṣa, departs far away, fearing his form.

रुद्राक्षमालिनं दृष्ट्वा शिवो विष्णुः प्रसीदति देवीगणपतिस्सूर्यःसुराश्चान्येपिपार्वति

Upon seeing one adorned with Rudrākṣa, Śiva, Viṣṇu, the goddess, Gaṇapati, Sūrya, and other gods, O Pārvatī, become pleased.

एवंज्ञात्वातुमाहात्म्यंरुद्राक्षस्यमहेश्वरि सम्यग्धार्यास्समंत्राश्चभक्त्याधर्मविवृद्धये

Thus knowing the greatness of the Rudraksha, O Great Goddess, it should be properly worn with mantras and devotion, for the increase of righteousness.

इत्युक्तंगिरिजाग्रेहिशिवेनपरमात्मना भस्मरूद्राक्षमाहात्म्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम्

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.

शिवस्यातिप्रियौज्ञेयौ भस्मरुद्राक्षधारिणौ तद्धारणप्रभावद्धि भुक्तिर्मुक्तिर्न संशयः

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.

भस्मरुद्राक्षधारी यः शिवभक्तस्स उच्यते पञ्चाक्षरजपासक्तः परिपूर्णश्चसन्मुखे

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.

विनाभस्मत्रिपुंड्रेणविनारुद्राक्षमालया पूजितोपिमहादेवोनाभीष्टफलदायकः

Without the three lines of ash and without the Rudraksha garland, even if worshipped, the great god does not grant the desired fruits.

तत्सर्वं च समाख्यातं यत्पृष्टंहिमुनीश्वर भस्मरुद्राक्षमाहात्म्यं सर्वकामसमृद्धिदम्

All that you asked, O lord of sages, has been explained: the greatness of ash and Rudraksha, which brings fulfillment of all desires.

एतद्यःशृणुयान्नित्यंमाहात्म्यपरमंशुभम् रुद्राक्षभस्मनोर्भक्त्यासर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

Whoever hears daily this supreme and auspicious greatness of Rudraksha and ash, with devotion, attains all desires.

इह सर्वसुखं भुक्त्वा पुत्रपौत्रादिसंयुतः लभेत्परत्र सन्मोक्षं शिवस्यातिप्रियो भवेत्

Here, enjoying all happiness together with sons and grandsons, he attains supreme liberation hereafter and becomes exceedingly dear to Shiva.

विद्येश्वरसंहितेयं कथिता वो मुनीश्वराः सर्वसिद्धिप्रदा नित्यंमुक्तिदा शिवशासनात्

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.

नमश्शिवाय सोमाय सगणाय ससूनवे प्रधानपुरुषेशाय सर्गस्थित्यंतहेतवे

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.

शक्तिरप्रतिमा यस्य ह्यैश्वर्यं चापि सर्वगम् स्वामित्वं च विभुत्वं च स्वभावं संप्रचक्षते

His power is incomparable, and his sovereignty is all-pervading; mastery and greatness are said to be his very nature.

तमजं विश्वकर्माणं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् महादेवं महात्मानं व्रजामि शरणं शिवम्

To him who is unborn, the maker of the universe, eternal, auspicious, imperishable, the great god, the great soul, I take refuge in Shiva.

धर्मक्षेत्रे महातीर्थे गंगाकालिंदिसंगमे प्रयागे नैमिषारण्ये ब्रह्मलोकस्य वर्त्मनि

In the field of righteousness, at the great sacred place where the Ganga and Yamuna meet, at Prayaga, in the Naimisha forest, on the path to Brahma's world—

मुनयश्शंसितात्मानः सत्यव्रतपरायणाः महौजसो महाभागा महासत्रं वितेनिरे

There, sages of restrained minds, devoted to truth and vows, of great energy and fortune, performed a great sacrificial session.

तत्र सत्रं समाकर्ण्य तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम् साक्षात्सत्यवतीसूनोर्वेदव्यासस्य धीमतः

There, having heard of that sacrificial session of those whose actions were pure, the wise disciple of Vedavyasa, son of Satyavati, came directly.

शिष्यो महात्मा मेधावी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः पञ्चावयवयुक्तस्य वाक्यस्य गुणदोषवित्

That great-souled, intelligent disciple, renowned in the three worlds, was skilled in the merits and faults of speech composed of five parts.

उत्तरोत्तरवक्ता च ब्रुवतो ऽपि बृहस्पतेः मधुरः श्रवणानां च मनोज्ञपदपर्वणाम्

He was a superior speaker, even beyond Brihaspati, sweet to the ears, with delightful and charming words.

कथानां निपुणो वक्ता कालविन्नयवित्कविः आजगाम स तं देशं सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः

He was a skilled narrator of stories, a poet knowing time and propriety; that Suta, the foremost among Puranic bards, came to that place.

तं दृष्ट्वा सूतमायांतं मुनयो हृष्टमानसाः तस्मै साम च पूजां च यथावत्प्रत्यपादयन्

Seeing him arrive, the sages, their hearts delighted, offered him proper hospitality and worship, as was fitting.

प्रतिगृह्य सतां पूजां मुनिभिः प्रतिपादिताम् उद्दिष्टमानसं भेजे नियुक्तो युक्तमात्मनः

Having received the honor bestowed by the sages, he accepted it with a mind directed as instructed, and with self-control.