Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

पञ्चविंशतिसंख्यातैः कृता मुक्तिं प्रयच्छति अक्षैस्तु पञ्चदशभिरभिचारफलप्रदा

A rosary of twenty-five beads grants liberation; with fifteen beads, it yields the results of magical rites.

अंगुष्ठं मोक्षदं विद्यात्तर्जनीं शत्रुनाशिनीम् मध्यमां धनदां शांतिं करोत्येषा ह्यनामिका

The thumb confers liberation, the index finger destroys enemies, the middle finger grants wealth, and the ring finger brings peace.

अष्टोत्तरशतं माला तत्र स्यादुत्तमोत्तमा शतसंख्योत्तमा माला पञ्चाशद्भिस्तु मध्यमा

A rosary of one hundred and eight beads is considered the highest; one of a hundred beads is excellent, and one of fifty beads is middling.

चतुः पञ्चाशदक्षैस्तु हृच्छ्रेष्ठा हि प्रकीर्तिता इत्येवं मालया कुर्याज्जपं कस्मै न दर्शयेत्

A rosary of fifty-four beads is said to be best for the heart; thus, one should perform recitation with the rosary and not show it to anyone.

कनिष्ठा क्षरिणी प्रोक्ता जपकर्मणि शोभना अंगुष्ठेन जपेज्जप्यमन्यैरंगुलिभिस्सह

The little finger is called 'kṣariṇī' and is auspicious for recitation; the mantra should be recited with the thumb together with the other fingers.

अंगुष्ठेन विना जप्यं कृतं तदफलं यतः गृहे जपं समं विद्याद्गोष्ठे शतगुणं विदुः

Recitation done without the thumb is fruitless; at home, it is considered equal, but in a cow-pen, it is said to be a hundred times greater.

पुण्यारण्ये तथारामे सहस्रगुणमुच्यते अयुतं पर्वते पुण्ये नद्यां लक्षमुदाहृतम्

In a sacred forest or garden, it is said to be a thousand times greater; on a holy mountain, ten thousand times; at a river, a hundred thousand times.

कोटिं देवालये प्राहुरनन्तं मम सन्निधौ सूर्यस्याग्नेर्गुरोरिंदोर्दीपस्य च जलस्य च

In a temple, it is said to be ten million times greater, and in My presence, infinite; likewise, in the presence of the sun, fire, teacher, moon, lamp, and water.

विप्राणां च गवां चैव सन्निधौ शस्यते जपः तत्पूर्वाभिमुखं वश्यं दक्षिणं चाभिचारिकम्

Recitation is praised in the presence of Brahmins and cows; facing east brings mastery, facing south is for magical rites.

पश्चिमं धनदं विद्यादौत्तरं शातिदं भवेत् सूर्याग्निविप्रदेवानां गुरूणामपि सन्निधौ

Facing west, it is known to grant wealth; facing north, it brings peace; and in the presence of the sun, fire, Brahmins, deities, and teachers.

अन्येषां च प्रसक्तानां मन्त्रं न विमुखो जपेत् उष्णीषी कुंचुकी नम्रो मुक्तकेशो गलावृतः

One should not recite mantras with aversion in the presence of others; with a turban, upper garment, bowed, with loose hair, or with the neck covered.

अपवित्रकरो ऽशुद्धो विलपन्न जपेत्क्वचित् क्रोधं मदं क्षुतं त्रीणि निष्ठीवनविजृंभणे

One should never recite with impure hands, in an unclean state, or while lamenting; nor during anger, intoxication, sneezing, spitting, or yawning.

दर्शनं च श्वनीचानां वर्जयेज्जपकर्मणि आचमेत्संभवे तेषां स्मरेद्वा मां त्वया सह

One should avoid seeing dogs and outcastes during recitation; if contact occurs, one should perform purification or remember Me together with you.

ज्योतींषि च प्रपश्येद्वा कुर्याद्वा प्राणसंयमम् अनासनः शयाने वा गच्छन्नुत्थित एव वा

One may gaze at lights or practice breath control; whether sitting, lying down, walking, or just risen.

रथ्यायामशिवे स्थाने न जपेत्तिमिरान्तरे प्रसार्य न जपेत्पादौ कुक्कुटासन एव वा

One should not recite in a street, impure place, or in darkness; nor with feet outstretched or in the posture of a rooster.

यानशय्याधिरूढो वा चिंताव्याकुलितो ऽथ वा शक्तश्चेत्सर्वमेवैतदशक्तः शक्तितो जपेत्

Whether riding, lying on a bed, or troubled by worry—if able, one should do all this; if unable, one should recite as best as possible.

किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन समासेन वचः शृणु सदाचारो जपञ्छुद्धं ध्यायन्भद्रं समश्नुते

Why speak at length? Hear this in brief: one who recites with good conduct, in purity, and with meditation attains auspiciousness.

आचारः परमो धर्म आचारः परमं धनं आचारः परमा विद्या आचारः परमा गतिः

Conduct is the highest dharma; conduct is the supreme wealth; conduct is the greatest knowledge; conduct is the ultimate path.

आचारहीनः पुरुषो लोके भवति निंदितः परत्र च सुखी न स्यात्तस्मादाचारवान्भवेत्

A person lacking proper conduct becomes condemned in the world and does not find happiness in the next; therefore, one should be endowed with good conduct.

यस्य यद्विहितं कर्म वेदे शास्त्रे च वैदिकैः तस्य तेन समाचारः सदाचारो न चेतरः

For one, whatever action is prescribed in the Vedas and authoritative scriptures, that alone is proper conduct for him; true conduct is not otherwise.

सद्भिराचरितत्वाच्च सदाचारः स उच्यते सदाचारस्य तस्याहुरास्तिक्यं मूलकारणम्

Because it is practiced by the virtuous, it is called good conduct; they say that the root cause of good conduct is faith.

आस्तिकश्चेत्प्रमादाद्यैः सदाचारादविच्युतः न दुष्यति नरो नित्यं तस्मादास्तिकतां व्रजेत्

If a believer is never deviated from good conduct due to negligence or other causes, he is never corrupted; therefore, one should become a believer.

यथेहास्ति सुखं दुःखं सुकृतैर्दुष्कृतैरपि तथा परत्र चास्तीति मतिरास्तिक्यमुच्यते

Just as happiness and sorrow exist here due to good and bad deeds, so too do they exist in the next world; this conviction is called faith.

रहस्यमन्यद्वक्ष्यामि गोपनीयमिदं प्रिये न वाच्यं यस्य कस्यापि नास्तिकस्याथ वा पशोः

I will speak another secret, beloved; this must be kept hidden and not told to anyone, neither to a non-believer nor to an animal.

सदाचारविहीनस्य पतितस्यान्त्यजस्य च पञ्चाक्षरात्परं नास्ति परित्राणं कलौ युगे

For one devoid of good conduct, fallen, or of the lowest caste, there is no protection beyond the five-syllable mantra in the Kali age.

गच्छतस्तिष्ठतो वापि स्वेच्छया कर्म कुर्वतः अशुचेर्वा शुचेर्वापि मन्त्रो ऽयन्न च निष्फलः

Whether walking, standing, or acting as one wishes, whether impure or pure, this mantra is never fruitless.

अनाचारवतां पुंसामविशुद्धषडध्वनाम् अनादिष्टो ऽपि गुरुणा मन्त्रो ऽयं न च निष्फलः

For men lacking proper conduct, whose six paths are impure, even if not instructed by a guru, this mantra is never fruitless.

अन्त्यजस्यापि मूर्खस्य मूढस्य पतितस्य च निर्मर्यादस्य नीचस्य मंत्रो ऽयं न च निष्फलः

For even the lowest, the ignorant, the foolish, the fallen, the unrestrained, or the base, this mantra is never fruitless.

सर्वावस्थां गतस्यापि मयि भक्तिमतः परम् सिध्यत्येव न संदेहो नापरस्य तु कस्यचित्

Even for one who has reached any state, if he possesses supreme devotion to me, it is always accomplished without doubt, but not for anyone else.