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Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 3

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क्षमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच (शुद्धं स्मार्तं चाचमनं पौराणं वैदिकं तथा । तान्त्रिकं श्रौतमित्याहुः षड्‌विधं श्रुतिचोदितम् ॥ विण्मूत्रादिकशौचं च शुद्धं च परिकीर्तितम् । स्मार्तं पौराणिकं कर्म आचान्ते विधिपूर्वकम् ॥ वैदिकं श्रौत्रमित्यादि ब्रह्मयज्ञादिपूर्वकम् । अस्त्रविद्यादिकं कर्म तान्त्रिको विधिरुच्यते ॥) स्मृत्वा चोङ्‌कारगायत्रीं निबध्नीयाच्छिखां तथा । पुनराचम्य हृदयं बाहू स्कन्धौ च संस्पृशेत् ॥ १ ॥ क्षुते निष्ठीवने चैव दन्तोच्छिष्टे तथानृते । पतितानां च सम्भाषे दक्षिणं श्रवणं स्पृशेत् ॥ २ ॥ अग्निरापश्च वेदाश्च सोमः सूर्योऽनिलस्तथा । सर्वे नारद विप्रस्य कर्णे तिष्ठन्ति दक्षिणे ॥ ३ ॥ ततस्तु गत्वा नद्यादौ प्रातःस्नानं विशोधनम् । समाचरेन्मुनिश्रेष्ठ देहसंशुद्धिहेतवे ॥ ४ ॥ अत्यन्तमलिनो देहो नवद्वारैर्मलं वहन् । सदाऽऽस्ते तच्छोधनाय प्रातःस्नानं विधीयते ॥ ५ ॥ अगम्यागमनात्पापं यच्च पापं प्रतिग्रहात् । रहस्याचरितं पापं मुच्यते स्नानकर्मणा ॥ ६ ॥ अस्नातस्य क्रियाः सर्वा भवन्ति विफला यतः । तस्मात्प्रातश्चरेत्स्नानं नित्यमेव दिने दिने ॥ ७ ॥ दर्भयुक्तश्चरेत्स्नानं तथा सन्ध्याभिवन्दनम् । सप्ताहं प्रातरस्नायी सन्ध्याहीनस्त्रिभिर्दिनैः ॥ ८ ॥ द्वादशाहमनग्निः सन्द्विजः शूद्रत्वमाप्नुयात् । अल्पत्वाद्धोमकालस्य बहुत्वात्स्नानकर्मणः ॥ ९ ॥ प्रातर्न तु तथा स्नायाद्धोमकाले विगर्हितः । गायत्र्यास्तु परं नास्ति इह लोके परत्र च ॥ १० ॥ गायन्तं त्रायते यस्माद्‌गायत्रीत्यभिधीयते । प्रणवेन तु संयुक्तां व्याहृतित्रयसंयुताम् ॥ ११ ॥ वायुं वायौ जयेद्विप्रः प्राणसंयमनत्रयात् । ब्राह्मणः श्रुतिसम्पन्नः स्वधर्मनिरतः सदा ॥ १२ ॥ स वैदिकं जपेन्मन्त्रं लौकिकं न कदाचन । गौशृङ्‌गे सर्षपो यावत् तावद्येषां न स स्थिरः ॥ १३ ॥ न तारयन्त्युभौ पक्षौ पितॄनेकोत्तरं शतम् । सगर्भो जपसंयुक्तस्त्वगर्भो ध्यानमात्रकः ॥ १४ ॥ स्नानाङ्‌गतर्पणं कृत्वा देवर्षिपितृतोषकम् । शुद्धे वस्त्रे परीधाय जलाद्‌बहिरुपागतः ॥ १५ ॥ विभूतिधारणं कार्यं रुद्राक्षाणां च धारणम् । क्रमयोगेन कर्तव्यं सर्वदा जपसाधकैः ॥ १६ ॥ रुद्राक्षान्कण्ठदेशे दशनपरिमिता- न्मस्तके विंशती द्वे षट् षट् कर्णप्रदेशे करयुगलकृते द्वादश द्वादशैव । बाह्वोरिन्दोः कलाभिर्नयनयुगकृते त्वेकमेकं शिखायां वक्षस्यष्टाधिकं यः कलयति शतकं स स्वयं नीलकण्ठः ॥ १७ ॥ बद्ध्वा स्वर्णेन रुद्राक्षं रजतेनाथवा मुने । शिखायां धारयेन्नित्यं कर्णयोर्वा समाहितः ॥ १८ ॥ यज्ञोपवीते हस्ते वा कण्ठे तुन्देऽथवा नरः । श्रीमत्पञ्चाक्षरेणैव प्रणवेन तथापि वा ॥ १९ ॥ निर्व्याजभक्त्या मेधावी रुद्राक्षं धारयेन्मुदा । रुद्राक्षधारणं साक्षाच्छिवज्ञानस्य साधनम् ॥ २० ॥ रुद्राक्षं यच्छिखायां तत्तारतत्त्वमिति स्मरेत् । कर्णयोरुभयोर्ब्रह्मन् देवं देवीं च भावयेत् ॥ २१ ॥ यज्ञोपवीते वेदांश्च तथा हस्ते दिशः स्मरेत् । कण्ठे सरस्वतीं देवीं पावकं चापि भावयेत् ॥ २२ ॥ सर्वाश्रमाणां वर्णानां रुद्राक्षाणां च धारणम् । कर्तव्यं मन्त्रतः प्रोक्तं द्विजानां नान्यवर्णिनाम् ॥ २३ ॥ रुद्राक्षधारणाद्‌रुद्रो भवत्येव न संशयः । पश्यन्नपि निषिद्धांश्च तथा शृण्वन्नपि स्मरन् ॥ २४ ॥ जिघ्रन्नपि तथा चाश्नन् प्रलपन्नपि सन्ततम् । कुर्वन्नपि सदा गच्छन्विसृजन्नपि मानवः ॥ २५ ॥ रुद्राक्षधारणादेव सर्वपापैर्न लिप्यते । अनेन भुक्तं देवेन भुक्तं यत्तु तथा भवेत् ॥ २६ ॥ पीतं रुद्रेण तत्पीतं घ्रातं घ्रातं शिवेन तत् । रुद्राक्षधारणे लज्जा येषामस्ति महामुने ॥ २७ ॥ तेषां नास्ति विनिर्मोक्षः संसाराज्जन्मकोटिभिः । रुद्राक्षधारिणं दृष्ट्वा परिवादं करोति यः ॥ २८ ॥ उत्पत्तौ तस्य साङ्‌कर्यमस्त्वेवेति विनिश्चयः । रुद्राक्षधारणादेव रुद्रो रुद्रत्वमाप्नुयात् ॥ २९ ॥ मुनयः सत्यसङ्‌कल्पा ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मत्वमागतः । रुद्राक्षधारणाच्छ्रेष्ठं न किञ्चिदपि विद्यते ॥ ३० ॥ रुद्राक्षधारिणे भक्त्या वस्त्रं धान्यं ददाति यः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोकं स गच्छति ॥ ३१ ॥ रुद्राक्षधारिणं श्राद्धे भोजयेत विमोदतः । पितृलोकमवाप्नोति नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३२ ॥ रुद्राक्षधारिणः पादौ प्रक्षाल्याद्‌‍भिः पिबेन्नरः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोके महीयते ॥ ३३ ॥ हारं वा कटकं वापि सुवर्णं वा द्विजोत्तमः । रुद्राक्षसहितं भक्त्या धारयन् रुद्रतामियात् ॥ ३४ ॥ रुद्राक्षं केवलं वापि यत्र कुत्र महामते । समन्त्रकं वा मन्त्रेण रहितं भाववर्जितम् ॥ ३५ ॥ यो वा को वा नरो भक्त्या धारयेल्लज्जयापि वा । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः सम्यग्ज्ञानमवाप्नुयात् ॥ ३६ ॥ अहो रुद्राक्षमाहात्म्यं मया वक्तुं न शक्यते । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्‍नेन कुर्याद्‌रुद्राक्षधारणम् ॥ ३७ ॥

kṣamāhātmyavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca (śuddhaṃ smārtaṃ cācamanaṃ paurāṇaṃ vaidikaṃ tathā | tāntrikaṃ śrautamityāhuḥ ṣaḍ‌vidhaṃ śruticoditam || viṇmūtrādikaśaucaṃ ca śuddhaṃ ca parikīrtitam | smārtaṃ paurāṇikaṃ karma ācānte vidhipūrvakam || vaidikaṃ śrautramityādi brahmayajñādipūrvakam | astravidyādikaṃ karma tāntriko vidhirucyate ||) smṛtvā coṅ‌kāragāyatrīṃ nibadhnīyācchikhāṃ tathā | punarācamya hṛdayaṃ bāhū skandhau ca saṃspṛśet || 1 || kṣute niṣṭhīvane caiva dantocchiṣṭe tathānṛte | patitānāṃ ca sambhāṣe dakṣiṇaṃ śravaṇaṃ spṛśet || 2 || agnirāpaśca vedāśca somaḥ sūryo'nilastathā | sarve nārada viprasya karṇe tiṣṭhanti dakṣiṇe || 3 || tatastu gatvā nadyādau prātaḥsnānaṃ viśodhanam | samācarenmuniśreṣṭha dehasaṃśuddhihetave || 4 || atyantamalino deho navadvārairmalaṃ vahan | sadā''ste tacchodhanāya prātaḥsnānaṃ vidhīyate || 5 || agamyāgamanātpāpaṃ yacca pāpaṃ pratigrahāt | rahasyācaritaṃ pāpaṃ mucyate snānakarmaṇā || 6 || asnātasya kriyāḥ sarvā bhavanti viphalā yataḥ | tasmātprātaścaretsnānaṃ nityameva dine dine || 7 || darbhayuktaścaretsnānaṃ tathā sandhyābhivandanam | saptāhaṃ prātarasnāyī sandhyāhīnastribhirdinaiḥ || 8 || dvādaśāhamanagniḥ sandvijaḥ śūdratvamāpnuyāt | alpatvāddhomakālasya bahutvātsnānakarmaṇaḥ || 9 || prātarna tu tathā snāyāddhomakāle vigarhitaḥ | gāyatryāstu paraṃ nāsti iha loke paratra ca || 10 || gāyantaṃ trāyate yasmād‌gāyatrītyabhidhīyate | praṇavena tu saṃyuktāṃ vyāhṛtitrayasaṃyutām || 11 || vāyuṃ vāyau jayedvipraḥ prāṇasaṃyamanatrayāt | brāhmaṇaḥ śrutisampannaḥ svadharmanirataḥ sadā || 12 || sa vaidikaṃ japenmantraṃ laukikaṃ na kadācana | gauśṛṅ‌ge sarṣapo yāvat tāvadyeṣāṃ na sa sthiraḥ || 13 || na tārayantyubhau pakṣau pitṝnekottaraṃ śatam | sagarbho japasaṃyuktastvagarbho dhyānamātrakaḥ || 14 || snānāṅ‌gatarpaṇaṃ kṛtvā devarṣipitṛtoṣakam | śuddhe vastre parīdhāya jalād‌bahirupāgataḥ || 15 || vibhūtidhāraṇaṃ kāryaṃ rudrākṣāṇāṃ ca dhāraṇam | kramayogena kartavyaṃ sarvadā japasādhakaiḥ || 16 || rudrākṣānkaṇṭhadeśe daśanaparimitā- nmastake viṃśatī dve ṣaṭ ṣaṭ karṇapradeśe karayugalakṛte dvādaśa dvādaśaiva | bāhvorindoḥ kalābhirnayanayugakṛte tvekamekaṃ śikhāyāṃ vakṣasyaṣṭādhikaṃ yaḥ kalayati śatakaṃ sa svayaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaḥ || 17 || baddhvā svarṇena rudrākṣaṃ rajatenāthavā mune | śikhāyāṃ dhārayennityaṃ karṇayorvā samāhitaḥ || 18 || yajñopavīte haste vā kaṇṭhe tunde'thavā naraḥ | śrīmatpañcākṣareṇaiva praṇavena tathāpi vā || 19 || nirvyājabhaktyā medhāvī rudrākṣaṃ dhārayenmudā | rudrākṣadhāraṇaṃ sākṣācchivajñānasya sādhanam || 20 || rudrākṣaṃ yacchikhāyāṃ tattāratattvamiti smaret | karṇayorubhayorbrahman devaṃ devīṃ ca bhāvayet || 21 || yajñopavīte vedāṃśca tathā haste diśaḥ smaret | kaṇṭhe sarasvatīṃ devīṃ pāvakaṃ cāpi bhāvayet || 22 || sarvāśramāṇāṃ varṇānāṃ rudrākṣāṇāṃ ca dhāraṇam | kartavyaṃ mantrataḥ proktaṃ dvijānāṃ nānyavarṇinām || 23 || rudrākṣadhāraṇād‌rudro bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ | paśyannapi niṣiddhāṃśca tathā śṛṇvannapi smaran || 24 || jighrannapi tathā cāśnan pralapannapi santatam | kurvannapi sadā gacchanvisṛjannapi mānavaḥ || 25 || rudrākṣadhāraṇādeva sarvapāpairna lipyate | anena bhuktaṃ devena bhuktaṃ yattu tathā bhavet || 26 || pītaṃ rudreṇa tatpītaṃ ghrātaṃ ghrātaṃ śivena tat | rudrākṣadhāraṇe lajjā yeṣāmasti mahāmune || 27 || teṣāṃ nāsti vinirmokṣaḥ saṃsārājjanmakoṭibhiḥ | rudrākṣadhāriṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā parivādaṃ karoti yaḥ || 28 || utpattau tasya sāṅ‌karyamastveveti viniścayaḥ | rudrākṣadhāraṇādeva rudro rudratvamāpnuyāt || 29 || munayaḥ satyasaṅ‌kalpā brahmā brahmatvamāgataḥ | rudrākṣadhāraṇācchreṣṭhaṃ na kiñcidapi vidyate || 30 || rudrākṣadhāriṇe bhaktyā vastraṃ dhānyaṃ dadāti yaḥ | sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ śivalokaṃ sa gacchati || 31 || rudrākṣadhāriṇaṃ śrāddhe bhojayeta vimodataḥ | pitṛlokamavāpnoti nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 32 || rudrākṣadhāriṇaḥ pādau prakṣālyād‌‍bhiḥ pibennaraḥ | sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ śivaloke mahīyate || 33 || hāraṃ vā kaṭakaṃ vāpi suvarṇaṃ vā dvijottamaḥ | rudrākṣasahitaṃ bhaktyā dhārayan rudratāmiyāt || 34 || rudrākṣaṃ kevalaṃ vāpi yatra kutra mahāmate | samantrakaṃ vā mantreṇa rahitaṃ bhāvavarjitam || 35 || yo vā ko vā naro bhaktyā dhārayellajjayāpi vā | sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ samyagjñānamavāpnuyāt || 36 || aho rudrākṣamāhātmyaṃ mayā vaktuṃ na śakyate | tasmātsarvaprayat‍nena kuryād‌rudrākṣadhāraṇam || 37 ||

English translation

1-21. S’n Narayana said O Narada! There are the six kinds of Achamana (1) S’uddha, (2) Smarta, (3) Pauranik, (4) Vaidik, (5) Tantrik and(6) S’rauta. The act of cleaning after evacuating oneself of urine and faeces is known as S’uddha S’aucha. After cleaning, the Achannan, that is performed according to rules, is named as Smarta and Pauranik. In places where the Brahma Yajha is performed, the Vaidik and S’rauta Achamanas are done. And where acts, e.g., the knowledge of warfare are being executed, the Tantrik Achaman is done. Then he is to remember the Gayatri Mantra with Pranava (Om) and fasten the lock of hair on the crown of his head, thus controlling all the hindrances (Bighna Bandhanam). Sipping again, he is to touch his heart, two arms, and his two shoulders. After sneezing, spitting, touching the lower lip with teeth, accidentally telling a lie, and talking with a very sinful man, he is to touch his right ear (where the several Devas reside). On the right ear of the Brahmanas reside Fire, Water, the Vedas, the Moon, the Sun, and the Vayu (wind). Then one is to go to a river or any other reservoir of water, and there to perform one's morning ablutions and to cleanse his body thoroughly. For the body is always unclean and dirty and various diets are being excreted out of the nine holes (doors) in the body. The morning bath removes all these impurities. Therefore the morning bath is essentially necessary. The sins that arise from going to those who are not fit for such purposes, from accepting gifts from impure persons or from the practice of any other secret vices all are removed by the morning ablutions. Without this bath, no acts bear any fruit. Therefore everyday, this morning bath is very necessary. Taking the Kus'a grass in hand, one is to perform one's bath and Sandhya. If for seven days, the morning ablutions are not taken, and if for three days, the Sandhyas are not performed, if for twelve days, the daily Homas be not performed, the Brahmanas become S’udras. The time for making the Homa in the morning is very little; therefore

lest ablutions be done fully which would take a long time and hence the time for the Homa might elapse, the morning bath should be performed quickly. After the bath the Pranayama is to be done. Then the full effects of bath are attained. There is nothing holier in this world or in the next than reciting the Gayatri. It saves the singer who sings the Gayatri; hence it is called Gayatri. During the time of Pranayama, one must control one's Prana and Apana Vayus, i.e., make them equal. The Brahmin, knowing the Vedas and devoted to his Dharma, must practise Pranayama three times with the repetition of Gayatri and Pranava and the three Vyarhitis (Om Bhu, Om Bhuvar, Om Svah).

While practising, the muttering of Gayatri is to be done three times. In Pranayama, the Vaidik mantra is to be repeated, never a Laukika Mantra is to be uttered. At the time of Pranayama, if anybody's mind be not fixed, even for a short while, like a mustard seed on the apex of a cow-horn, he cannot save even one hundred-and one persons in his father's or in his mother's line. Pranayama is called Sagarbha when performed with the repetition of some mantra; it is called Agarbha when it is done simply with mere meditation, without repeating any mantra. After the bathing, the Tarpanam with its accompaniments, is to he done; i.e., the peace offerings are made with reference to the Devas, the Risis, and the Pitris (whereby we invoke the blessings from the subtle planes where the highsouled persons dwell). After this, a clean pair of clothes is to be worn and then he should get up and come out of the water. The next things preparatory to practise Japam are to wear the Tilaka marks of ashes and to put on the Rudraksa beads. He who holds thirty-two Rudraksa beads on his neck, forty on his head, six on each ear (12 on two ears), twenty four beads on two hands (twelve on each hand) thirty-two beads on two arms (sixteen on each), one bead on each eye and one bead on the hair on the crown, and one hundred and eight beads on the breast, (251 in all) becomes himself Maha Deva. One is expected to use them as such. O Muni! You can use the

Rudraksas after tieing, stringing together with gold or silver always on your S’ikha, the tuft of hair on the head or on your ears. On the holy thread, on the hands, on the neck, or on the belly (abdomen) one can keep the Rudraksa after one has repeated sincerely and with devotion the five lettered mantra of S’iva, or one has repeated the Pranava (Om). Holding the Rudraksa implies that the man has realised the knowledge of S’iva Tattva. O Brahman! The Rudraksa bead that is placed on the tuft or on the crown hair represents the Tara tattva, i.e., Om Kara; the Rudraksa beads that are held on the two ears are to be thought of as Deva and Devi, (S’iva and S’iva).

22-37. The one hundred and eight Rudraksa beads on the sacrificial thread are considered as the one hundred and eight Vedas (signifying the Full Knowledge, as sixteen digits of the Moon completed; on the arms, are considered as the Dik (quarters); on the neck, are considered as the Devi Sarasvati and Agni (fire). The Rudraksa beads ought to be taken by men of all colours and castes. The Brahmanas, Ksattriyas and Vais'yas should hold them after purifying them with Mantras, i.e., knowingly; whereas the S’udras can take them without any such purification by the Mantras, i.e., unknowingly. By holding or putting on the Rudraksa beads, persons become the Rudras incarnate in flesh and body. There is no doubt in this. By this all the sins arising from seeing, hearing, remembering, smelling, eating prohibited things, talking incoherently, doing prohibited things, etc., are entirely removed with the Rudraksa beads on the body; whatever acts, eating, drinking, smelling, etc., are done, are, as it were, done by Rudra Deva Himself. O Great Muni! He who feels shame in holding and putting on the Rudraksa beads, can never be freed from this Samsara even after the Koti births. He who blames another person holding Rudraksa beads has defects in his birth (is a bastard). There is no doubt in this. It is by holding on Rudraksa that Brahma has remained steady in His Brahmahood untainted and the Munis have been true to their resolves. So there is no act better and higher than holding the Rudraksa beads. He who

gives clothing and food to a person holding Rudraksa beads with devotion is freed of all sins and goes to the S’iva Loka. He who feasts gladly any holder of such beads at the time of S’radh, goes undoubtedly to the Pitri Loka. He who washes the feet of a holder of Rudraksa and drinks that water, is freed of all sins and resides with honour in the S’iva Loka. If a Brahmana holds with devotion the Rudraksa beads with a necklace and gold, he attains the Rudrahood. O Intelligent One! Wherever whoever holds with or without faith and devotion the Rudraksa beads with or without any mantra, is freed of all sins and is entitled to the Tattvajhana. I am unable to describe fully the greatness of the Rudraksa beads. In fact, all should by all means hold the Rudraksa beads on their bodies.

Note The number one hundred and eight (108) signifies the One Hundred and Eight Vedas, the Brahman, the Source of all Wisdom and Joy.

Here ends the Third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the glories of the Rudraksa beads in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24054, revision 84649 (2016-10-07T17:09:32Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk11ch03.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.