Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 7
Sourceरुद्राक्षमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच एवं नारद षड्वक्त्रो गिरिशेन विबोधितः । रुद्राक्षमहिमानं च ज्ञात्वासीत्स कृतार्थकः ॥ १ ॥ इत्थं भूतानुभावोऽयं रुद्राक्षो वर्णितो मया । सदाचारप्रसङ्गेन शृणु चान्यत्समाहितः ॥ २ ॥ यथा रुद्राक्षमहिमा वर्णितोऽनन्तपुण्यदः । लक्षणं मन्त्रविन्यासं तथाहं वर्णयामि ते ॥ ३ ॥ लक्षं तु दर्शनात्युण्यं कोटिस्तत्स्पर्शनाद्भवेत् । तस्य कोटिगुणं पुण्यं लभते धारणान्नरः ॥ ४ ॥ लक्षकोटिसहस्राणि लक्षकोटिशतानि च । तज्जपाल्लभते पुण्यं नरो रुद्राक्षधारणात् ॥ ५ ॥ रुद्राक्षाणां तु भद्राक्षधारणात्स्यान्महाफलम् । धात्रीफलप्रमाणं यच्छ्रेष्ठमेतदुदाहृतम् ॥ ६ ॥ बदरीफलमात्रं तु प्रोच्यते मध्यमं बुधैः । अधमं चणमात्रं स्यात्प्रतिज्ञैषा मयोदिता ॥ ७ ॥ ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चेति शिवाज्ञया । वृक्षा जाताः पृथिव्यां तु तज्जातीयाः शुभाक्षकाः ॥ ८ ॥ श्वेतास्तु ब्राह्मणा ज्ञेयाः क्षत्रिया रक्तवर्णकाः । पीता वैश्यास्तु विज्ञेयाः कृष्णाः शूद्राः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ९ ॥ ब्राह्मणो बिभृयाच्छ्वेतान् रक्तान् राजा तु धारयेत् । पीतान्वैश्यस्तु बिभृयात्कृष्णान् शूद्रस्तु धारयेत् ॥ १० ॥ समाः स्निग्धा दृढास्तद्वत्कण्टकैः संयुताः शुभाः । कृमिदष्टाञ्छिन्नभिन्नान्कण्टकैरहितांस्तथा ॥ ११ ॥ व्रणयुक्तानावृतांश्च षड्रुद्राक्षांस्तु वर्जयेत् । स्वयमेव कृतद्वारो रुद्राक्षः स्यादिहोत्तमः ॥ १२ ॥ यत्तु पौरुषयत्नेन कृतं तन्मध्यमं भवेत् । समान्स्निग्धान्दृढान्वृत्तान्क्षौमसूत्रेण धारयेत् ॥ १३ ॥ सर्वगात्रेषु साम्येन समानातिविलक्षणा । निर्घर्षे हेमलेखाभा यत्र लेखा प्रदृश्यते ॥ १४ ॥ तदक्षमुत्तमं विद्यात्स धार्यः शिवपूजकैः । शिखायामेकरुद्राक्षं त्रिंशद्वै शिरसा वहेत् ॥ १५ ॥ षट्त्रिंशच्च गले धार्या बाह्वोः षोडश षोडश । मणिबन्धे द्वादशाक्षान्स्कन्धे पञ्चाशतं भवेत् ॥ १६ ॥ अष्टोत्तरशतैर्मालोपवीतं च प्रकल्पयेत् । द्विसरं त्रिसरं वापि बिभृयात्कण्ठदेशतः ॥ १७ ॥ कुण्डले मुकुटे चैव कर्णिकाहारकेषु च । केयूरे कटके चैव कुक्षिवंशे तथैव च ॥ १८ ॥ सुप्ते पीते सर्वकालं रुद्राक्षं धारयेन्नरः । त्रिशतं त्वधमं पञ्चशतं मध्यममुच्यते ॥ १९ ॥ सहस्रमुत्तमं प्रोक्तं चैवं भेदेन धारयेत् । शिरसीशानमन्त्रेण कर्णे तत्पुरुषेण च ॥ २० ॥ अघोरेण ललाटे तु तेनैव हृदयेऽपि च । अघोरबीजमन्त्रेण करयोर्धारयेत्पुनः ॥ २१ ॥ पञ्चाशदक्षग्रथितां वामदेवेन चोदरे । पञ्चब्रह्मभिरङ्गैश्चाप्येवं रुद्राक्षधारणम् ॥ २२ ॥ ग्रथितान्मूलमन्त्रेण सर्वानक्षांस्तु धारयेत् । एकवक्त्रस्तु रुद्राक्षः परतत्त्वप्रकाशकः ॥ २३ ॥ परतत्त्वधारणाच्च जायते तत्प्रकाशनम् । द्विवक्त्रस्तु मुनिश्रेष्ठ अर्धनारीश्वरो भवेत् ॥ २४ ॥ धारणादर्धनारीशः प्रीयते तस्य नित्यशः । त्रिवक्त्रस्त्वनलः साक्षात्स्त्रीहत्यां दहति क्षणात् ॥ २५ ॥ त्रिमुखश्चैव रुद्राक्षोऽप्यग्नित्रयस्वरूपकः । तद्धारणाच्च हुतभुक् तस्य तुष्यति नित्यशः ॥ २६ ॥ चतुर्मुखस्तु रुद्राक्षः पितामहस्वरूपकः । तद्धारणान्महाश्रीमान्महदारोग्यमुत्तमम् ॥ २७ ॥ महती ज्ञानसम्पत्तिः शुद्धये धारयेन्नरः । पञ्चमुखस्तु रुद्राक्षः पञ्चब्रह्मस्वरूपकः ॥ २८ ॥ तस्य धारणमात्रेण सन्तुष्यति महेश्वरः । षड्वक्त्रश्चैव रुद्राक्षः कार्तिकेयाधिदैवतः ॥ २९ ॥ विनायकं चापि देवं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । सप्तवक्त्रस्तु रुद्राक्षः सप्तमात्राधिदैवतः ॥ ३० ॥ सप्ताश्वदैवतश्चैव मुनिसप्तकदैवतः । तद्धारणान्महाश्रीः स्यान्महदारोग्यमुत्तमम् ॥ ३१ ॥ महती ज्ञानसम्पत्तिः शुचिर्वै धारयेन्नरः । अष्टवक्त्रस्तु रुद्राक्षोऽप्यष्टमात्राधिदैवतः ॥ ३२ ॥ वस्वष्टकप्रीतिकरो गङ्गाप्रीतिकरः शुभः । तद्धारणादिमे प्रीता भवेयुः सत्यवादिनः ॥ ३३ ॥ नववक्त्रस्तु रुद्राक्षो यमदेव उदाहृतः । तद्धारणाद्यमभयं न भवत्येव सर्वथा ॥ ३४ ॥ दशवक्त्रस्तु रुद्राक्षो दशाशादैवतः स्मृतः । दशाशाप्रीतिजनको धारणे नात्र संशयः ॥ ३५ ॥ एकादशमुखस्त्वक्षो रुद्रैकादशदैवतः । तमिन्द्रदैवतं चाहुः सदा सौख्यविवर्धनम् ॥ ३६ ॥ रुद्राक्षो द्वादशमुखो महाविष्णुस्वरूपकः । द्वादशादित्यदैवश्च बिभर्त्येव हि तत्परः ॥ ३७ ॥ त्रयोदशमुखश्चाक्षः कामदः सिद्धिदः शुभः । तस्य धारणमात्रेण कामदेवः प्रसीदति ॥ ३८ ॥ चतुर्दशमुखश्चाक्षो रुद्रनेत्रसमुद्भवः । सर्वव्याधिहरश्चैव सर्वारोग्यप्रदायकः ॥ ३९ ॥ मद्यं मांसं च लशुनं पलाण्डुं शिग्रुमेव च । श्लेष्मातकं विड्वराहं भक्षणे वर्जयेत्ततः ॥ ४० ॥ ग्रहणे विषुवे चैव सङ्क्रमे त्वयने तथा । दर्शे च पौर्णमासे च पुण्येषु दिवसेष्वपि । रुद्राक्षधारणात्सद्यः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ ४१ ॥
rudrākṣamāhātmyavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca evaṃ nārada ṣaḍvaktro giriśena vibodhitaḥ | rudrākṣamahimānaṃ ca jñātvāsītsa kṛtārthakaḥ || 1 || itthaṃ bhūtānubhāvo'yaṃ rudrākṣo varṇito mayā | sadācāraprasaṅgena śṛṇu cānyatsamāhitaḥ || 2 || yathā rudrākṣamahimā varṇito'nantapuṇyadaḥ | lakṣaṇaṃ mantravinyāsaṃ tathāhaṃ varṇayāmi te || 3 || lakṣaṃ tu darśanātyuṇyaṃ koṭistatsparśanādbhavet | tasya koṭiguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ labhate dhāraṇānnaraḥ || 4 || lakṣakoṭisahasrāṇi lakṣakoṭiśatāni ca | tajjapāllabhate puṇyaṃ naro rudrākṣadhāraṇāt || 5 || rudrākṣāṇāṃ tu bhadrākṣadhāraṇātsyānmahāphalam | dhātrīphalapramāṇaṃ yacchreṣṭhametadudāhṛtam || 6 || badarīphalamātraṃ tu procyate madhyamaṃ budhaiḥ | adhamaṃ caṇamātraṃ syātpratijñaiṣā mayoditā || 7 || brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāśceti śivājñayā | vṛkṣā jātāḥ pṛthivyāṃ tu tajjātīyāḥ śubhākṣakāḥ || 8 || śvetāstu brāhmaṇā jñeyāḥ kṣatriyā raktavarṇakāḥ | pītā vaiśyāstu vijñeyāḥ kṛṣṇāḥ śūdrāḥ prakīrtitāḥ || 9 || brāhmaṇo bibhṛyācchvetān raktān rājā tu dhārayet | pītānvaiśyastu bibhṛyātkṛṣṇān śūdrastu dhārayet || 10 || samāḥ snigdhā dṛḍhāstadvatkaṇṭakaiḥ saṃyutāḥ śubhāḥ | kṛmidaṣṭāñchinnabhinnānkaṇṭakairahitāṃstathā || 11 || vraṇayuktānāvṛtāṃśca ṣaḍrudrākṣāṃstu varjayet | svayameva kṛtadvāro rudrākṣaḥ syādihottamaḥ || 12 || yattu pauruṣayatnena kṛtaṃ tanmadhyamaṃ bhavet | samānsnigdhāndṛḍhānvṛttānkṣaumasūtreṇa dhārayet || 13 || sarvagātreṣu sāmyena samānātivilakṣaṇā | nirgharṣe hemalekhābhā yatra lekhā pradṛśyate || 14 || tadakṣamuttamaṃ vidyātsa dhāryaḥ śivapūjakaiḥ | śikhāyāmekarudrākṣaṃ triṃśadvai śirasā vahet || 15 || ṣaṭtriṃśacca gale dhāryā bāhvoḥ ṣoḍaśa ṣoḍaśa | maṇibandhe dvādaśākṣānskandhe pañcāśataṃ bhavet || 16 || aṣṭottaraśatairmālopavītaṃ ca prakalpayet | dvisaraṃ trisaraṃ vāpi bibhṛyātkaṇṭhadeśataḥ || 17 || kuṇḍale mukuṭe caiva karṇikāhārakeṣu ca | keyūre kaṭake caiva kukṣivaṃśe tathaiva ca || 18 || supte pīte sarvakālaṃ rudrākṣaṃ dhārayennaraḥ | triśataṃ tvadhamaṃ pañcaśataṃ madhyamamucyate || 19 || sahasramuttamaṃ proktaṃ caivaṃ bhedena dhārayet | śirasīśānamantreṇa karṇe tatpuruṣeṇa ca || 20 || aghoreṇa lalāṭe tu tenaiva hṛdaye'pi ca | aghorabījamantreṇa karayordhārayetpunaḥ || 21 || pañcāśadakṣagrathitāṃ vāmadevena codare | pañcabrahmabhiraṅgaiścāpyevaṃ rudrākṣadhāraṇam || 22 || grathitānmūlamantreṇa sarvānakṣāṃstu dhārayet | ekavaktrastu rudrākṣaḥ paratattvaprakāśakaḥ || 23 || paratattvadhāraṇācca jāyate tatprakāśanam | dvivaktrastu muniśreṣṭha ardhanārīśvaro bhavet || 24 || dhāraṇādardhanārīśaḥ prīyate tasya nityaśaḥ | trivaktrastvanalaḥ sākṣātstrīhatyāṃ dahati kṣaṇāt || 25 || trimukhaścaiva rudrākṣo'pyagnitrayasvarūpakaḥ | taddhāraṇācca hutabhuk tasya tuṣyati nityaśaḥ || 26 || caturmukhastu rudrākṣaḥ pitāmahasvarūpakaḥ | taddhāraṇānmahāśrīmānmahadārogyamuttamam || 27 || mahatī jñānasampattiḥ śuddhaye dhārayennaraḥ | pañcamukhastu rudrākṣaḥ pañcabrahmasvarūpakaḥ || 28 || tasya dhāraṇamātreṇa santuṣyati maheśvaraḥ | ṣaḍvaktraścaiva rudrākṣaḥ kārtikeyādhidaivataḥ || 29 || vināyakaṃ cāpi devaṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | saptavaktrastu rudrākṣaḥ saptamātrādhidaivataḥ || 30 || saptāśvadaivataścaiva munisaptakadaivataḥ | taddhāraṇānmahāśrīḥ syānmahadārogyamuttamam || 31 || mahatī jñānasampattiḥ śucirvai dhārayennaraḥ | aṣṭavaktrastu rudrākṣo'pyaṣṭamātrādhidaivataḥ || 32 || vasvaṣṭakaprītikaro gaṅgāprītikaraḥ śubhaḥ | taddhāraṇādime prītā bhaveyuḥ satyavādinaḥ || 33 || navavaktrastu rudrākṣo yamadeva udāhṛtaḥ | taddhāraṇādyamabhayaṃ na bhavatyeva sarvathā || 34 || daśavaktrastu rudrākṣo daśāśādaivataḥ smṛtaḥ | daśāśāprītijanako dhāraṇe nātra saṃśayaḥ || 35 || ekādaśamukhastvakṣo rudraikādaśadaivataḥ | tamindradaivataṃ cāhuḥ sadā saukhyavivardhanam || 36 || rudrākṣo dvādaśamukho mahāviṣṇusvarūpakaḥ | dvādaśādityadaivaśca bibhartyeva hi tatparaḥ || 37 || trayodaśamukhaścākṣaḥ kāmadaḥ siddhidaḥ śubhaḥ | tasya dhāraṇamātreṇa kāmadevaḥ prasīdati || 38 || caturdaśamukhaścākṣo rudranetrasamudbhavaḥ | sarvavyādhiharaścaiva sarvārogyapradāyakaḥ || 39 || madyaṃ māṃsaṃ ca laśunaṃ palāṇḍuṃ śigrumeva ca | śleṣmātakaṃ viḍvarāhaṃ bhakṣaṇe varjayettataḥ || 40 || grahaṇe viṣuve caiva saṅkrame tvayane tathā | darśe ca paurṇamāse ca puṇyeṣu divaseṣvapi | rudrākṣadhāraṇātsadyaḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate || 41 ||
English translation
1-4. S’n Narayana said O Narada! When Gins'a thus explained to Kartikeya the greatness of Rudraksam, he became satisfied. Now I have spoken to you of the glories of the Rudraksams as far as I know. Now, as to our subject of right way of acting, I will now speak on other things that ought to be known. Listen. The seeing of Rudraksam brings in a lakh times of Punyam and koti times the merit arises from touching that; holding it brings in koti times merit; again if one makes the japam of a Mantra with that Rudraksam, one obtains merit one hundred lakh koti times and one thousand lakh koti times the merit. The merit in holding the Rudraksam is far superior to that in holding Bhadraksam. The Rudraksam seed that is of the size of an Amalaki is the best; which is the of the size of a plum, is middling; and which is of the size of a gram is the worst, this is my word and promise. The Rudraksam tree is of four kinds Brahmana,
Ksattriya, Vais’ya, and S’udra. The white colour is Brahmana; the red colour is Ksattriya; the yellow colour is Vais'ya and the black coloured Rudraksam seed is S’udra. The Brahmanas are to use the white coloured Rudraksams; the Ksattriyas, the red coloured ones, the Vais'yas, the yellow coloured ones; and the S’udras, the black ones. Those Rudraksa seeds that are nicely circular, smooth, hard, and whose thorns or points are distinctly visible, are the best. Those that are pierced by insects, broken in parts, whose thorns are not clearly visible, with swells and holes and those that are coated over, these six varieties of Rudraksams are faulty. Those Rudraksams that have their holes by nature running through and through are best; and those that base their holes pierced by men are middling. The Rudraksa seeds that are all of uniform shape, bright, hard, and beautifully circular should be strung together by a silken thread. How to test the Rudraksa seed? As gold is tested by a touch stone; so the Rudraksam is tested by drawing lines on it; those on which the lines are most uniform, bright and beautiful are the best and they should
be worn by the S’aivas. One should hold one Rudraksam on the crown hair, thirty on the head, thirty six on the neck; sixteen on each arm, twelve on each wrist, fifty on the shoulders, one hundred and eight Rudraksams in the place of the sacrificial thread; and the devotee should have two or three rounds on the neck. On the earrings, on the crown of the head, the head, on bracelets, on armlets, on necklace, on the ornament worn on the loins one should hold Rudraksam always, whether one sleeps or eats. Holding three hundred Rudraksams is the lowest; holding five hundred is middling; holding one thousand Rudraksams is the best; so one ought to wear one thousand Rudraksams. At the time of taking Rudraksam, on one's head, one should utter the Mantra of Isana; the mantra of Tat Purusa while holding on one's ears; Aghora mantra on one's forehead and heart; and the vija of Aghora mantra, i.e., “hasau” while holding on one's hands. One should wear the rosary of fifty Rudraksa seeds, suspended up to the belly, uttering the Vamadeva mantra, i.e., Sadyojatadi, etc., the five Brahma mantras, and the six- limbed S’iva mantra. One is to string every Rudraksa seed, uttering the root mantra and then hold it. One-faced Rudraksa reveals Paratattva (the highest Tattva); when worn, the knowledge of the highest Tattva arises; the Brahma is seen then. The two-faced Rudraksam is Ardhanaris'vara, the Lord of the other half which represents women (in the same person); if worn, Ardhanarisvara S’iva is always pleased with that man who holds it. The three-faced Rudraksam is Fire made manifest; it destroys in a moment the sin of killing a woman.
The three-faced Rudraksam is the three Agnis, Daksinagni, Garhapatya, and Ahavaniya; Bhagavan Agni is always pleased with that man who wears the three-faced Rudraksam. The four-faced Rudraksam is Brahma Himself. The wearer gets his prosperity enhanced, his diseases destroyed, the divine knowledge springs in him and his heart is always pleased. The five-faced Rudraksam is the five faced S’iva Himself; Mahadeva gets pleased with him who
holds it. The Presiding Deity of the six faced Rudraksam is Kartikeya. Some Pundits take Ganapati to be the Presiding Deity of the six-faced Rudraksam. The presiding Deity of the seven-faced Rudraksam is the seven Matrikas, the Sun and the seven Risis. By putting on this, the prosperity is increased, health and the pure knowledge are established. It should be put on when one becomes pure. The Presiding Deity of the eight-faced Rudraksam is Brahmi, the eight Matrikas. By holding this, the eight Vasus are pleased and the river Ganges is also pleased. The putting on of this makes the JTvas truthful and pleasant-minded. The Devata of the nine-faced Rudraksam is Yama; holding this puts off the fears of Death. The Devata of the eleven-faced Rudraksam is ten quarters, the ten quarters are pleased with him who wears the ten-faced Rudraksam. The Devata of the eleven mouthed Rudraksam is the eleven Rudras and Indra. Holding this enhances happiness. The twelve-faced Rudraksam is Visnu made manifest; its Devatas are the twelve Adityas; the devotees of S’iva should hold this. The thirteen-faced Rudraksam, if worn, enables one to secure one's desires; he does nowhere experience failures. The Kama Deva becomes pleased with him who wears this. The fourteen-faced Rudraksam destroys all diseases and gives eternal health. While holding this, one ought not to take wine, flesh, onion, garlic, Sajha fruit, Chalta fruit and the flesh of the boar which eats excrements, etc. During the Lunar and Solar eclipses, during the Uttarayana S’amkranti or the Daksinayana S’amkranti, during the full Moon or the New Moon day, if Rudraksam be worn, one becomes instantly freed of all one's sins.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness of one faced, etc., Rudraksam in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24058, revision 84653 (2016-10-07T17:14:10Z). 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/bk11ch07.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.