The Greatness of Rudraksha

Suta said

Rishi Shounaka, very wise one, great lord who is Shiva's form, listen to the greatness of rudraksha; I will tell it briefly. Rudraksha is loved by Shiva and supremely purifying. Its sight, touch and japa with it are said to remove all sins. Sage, Shiva is the supreme self. To do good for the worlds, he once spoke of the greatness of rudraksha in front of Devi.

Shiva said

Devi, Maheshani, Shivaa, listen to the greatness of rudraksha. Out of my love for you and wishing the welfare of devotees, I tell it to you. In earlier times I kept austerities for thousands of divine years. Though I controlled myself, my mind was stirred. Parameshani, as Paresha, in my self-possessed form, I wished to benefit the worlds. So in my play I opened my eyes. From my beautiful half-open eyes, drops of tears fell. From those drops was born the tree known as rudraksha. To favour my devotees they became fixed. They were given to Vishnu's devotees and to the four varnas. Rudrakshas that grow from the ground in Gouda are loved by Shiva. They also grow in Mathura, Ayodhya, Lanka, Malaya, Mount Sahya, Kashi and other places. The shrutis say they can shatter heaps of sins intolerable to others. Rudrakshas are auspicious. By my command, earthly rudrakshas are classed as brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra; the learned know their colours as white, red, yellow and black. Men should wear the rudraksha matching their own varna. Those who desire fruits gain pleasure and liberation if they wear rudrakshas by varna. Since Shiva is always pleased with them, this is true especially of Shiva's devotees. One the size of a Dhatriphala is said to be best, one the size of a Badariphala medium, and the inferior is the size of a chickpea. Now I will speak of the method. Parvati, listen; this is for the welfare of devotees. Maheshvari, even one the size of a Badariphala gives fruits in the world, ensuring happiness and increase of good fortune. One the size of a Dhatriphala destroys every kind of harm. One like a gunja berry succeeds in every attempt. The lighter it is, the greater the fruits it gives; the learned say one a tenth in weight is best. Wearing rudraksha is said to destroy sins. Since it certainly ensures success in every endeavour, it must certainly be worn. Parameshvari, nothing else in the world is seen as auspicious in giving fruits as rudraksha, and nothing is as effective as such a mala. Devi, rudrakshas are auspicious if they are even, glossy, firm, large, free of spikes and well formed; then they always give desired pleasures and liberation. Six kinds must always be avoided: those spoiled by worms, cut, broken, without protrusions, with sores, and not round. One with a natural hole from end to end is excellent. When the hole has been carefully bored by humans, it is middling. By wearing rudraksha great sins are destroyed. If a man wears eleven hundred rudrakshas, his form becomes like Rudra's; the fruits are such that they cannot be described even in a hundred years. A coronet is to be made of five hundred and fifty. A virtuous, devoted and excellent man makes three strings of rudrakshas, each of three hundred and sixty beads. Full of devotion such a supreme sacred thread is made of rudrakshas. Maheshvari, it is said that three rudrakshas are worn on the tuft, six on each ear, a hundred and one around the neck, eleven on each arm, elbow and wrist. Men devoted to Shiva wear three on the sacred thread, and finally five around the waist. Parameshvari, a person who wears that many has a form like Mahesha's, and everyone bows to him. When such a person sits in meditation people say, "He is Shiva" or "He is Hara." Seeing him, they are freed of all their sins. This is the norm for eleven hundred rudrakshas. If that many are not available there is another auspicious procedure, which I will tell: one rudraksha on the tuft, thirty on the head, fifty around the neck, sixteen on each arm, twelve on each wrist and five hundred on the shoulders. A mala or sacred thread is made of a hundred and eight. A person firm in his vows wears a thousand rudrakshas this way. When his mind is like that, he is like Rudra himself and all the gods bow to him. Lord of sages: one rudraksha on the tuft, forty on the head, thirty-two around the neck, a hundred and eight on the chest, six in each ear and sixteen on each arm. Depending on the wrist, double that number can be worn on the wrist. A person who happily wears this number becomes Shiva's great devotee, like Shiva and worthy of worship, and all others look at him and worship.

It is worn on the head with a mantra to Ishana and on the ears with the mantra to Tatpurusha. Around the neck and on the chest it is worn with the mantra to Aghora. An intelligent person wears it on the wrist with the seed mantra to Aghora. A string of fifteen rudrakshas is worn around the stomach with a mantra to Vamadeva. Three, five or seven malas can be worn with the five-brahma mantra, or all the rudrakshas with the root mantra. Liquor, flesh, garlic, onion, the shigru horseradish, shleshmataka and vit-varaha must be avoided. Uma, it is recommended that a brahmana wear a white rudraksha, a kshatriya gladly a red one, a vaishya a yellow one every day and a shudra necessarily a black one. This is the path shown in the shrutis. Whatever the varna, and whether a householder, forest dweller or mendicant, this secret and supreme rule must be followed and not violated. Everything can be gained if one wears rudraksha properly; otherwise one goes to hell. One who desires the auspicious should not wear one smaller than an amalaka in weight, or broken, with protrusions, bitten by worms, with undesirable holes or inferior in any way. One the size of a chickpea must be avoided. Uma, rudraksha is a subtle form of my lingam and is always praised. By Shiva's command all the ashramas and varnas, women and shudras, should wear it. Mendicants always wear rudraksha with Pranava. If he wears it in the morning he is freed from all sins committed in the night; if at night, from all sins committed in the day; and likewise for morning, midday and evening. In this world, those who wear the Tripundra, matted hair and rudraksha do not go to Yama's world.

Kala instructed his servants: "Those who shine with a single rudraksha on the head, wear a Tripundra in the middle of the forehead and do japa of the five-syllable mantra must be worshipped by you; they are indeed virtuous. Bring to Yama's abode a person who has no rudraksha on his limbs, no Tripundra on his forehead and no five-syllable mantra in his mouth. Those who wear ash and rudraksha possess powers, known and unknown. They must be worshipped by all of us and never brought here." All his servants were silent, very surprised, and agreed. Mahadevi, so rudraksha destroys all sins. Those who wear it are loved by me and are pure. Parvati, even if such a person has committed sins, he is purified. A person who wears rudraksha on his hands, arms and head cannot be killed by any being and roams the earth in Rudra's form. He must always be worshipped by all gods and asuras. Since he destroys the sins of anyone who sees him, he is worshipped like Shiva. A person who is not liberated by meditation and knowledge must wear rudraksha. He is freed of all sins and reaches the supreme destination. When a person does japa of a mantra, the auspicious qualities become a crore times more if he wears a rudraksha. If a man wears it, he gains merit ten crore times more. Devi, as long as a living being wears it on his body, he is protected from untimely death. When one sees a person with the Tripundra and rudraksha on his limbs, doing japa of the Mahamrityunjaya mantra, one gains the fruits of seeing Rudra himself. He is loved by the five gods and by all the gods. Beloved, wearing a mala of rudraksha, a devotee should do japa of all mantras. Devotees of Vishnu and other gods also wear rudraksha without hesitation, and devotees of Rudra in particular always wear it.

There are said to be different kinds of rudraksha; I will tell their differences. Parvati, listen faithfully; they give pleasure and liberation. A rudraksha with a single face is Shiva himself and gives the fruits of pleasure and liberation. As soon as one sees it, sins like killing a brahmana are dispelled. Where it is worshipped, Lakshmi cannot be far, all calamities are destroyed and everything desired is gained. One with two faces is Isha, lord of the gods, and gives everything desired; in particular it swiftly destroys the sin of killing a cow. One with three faces is always a direct means to the goal, and through its powers all kinds of learning become firmly established. One with four faces is Brahma himself and destroys the sin of killing a man; seeing or touching it gains the fruits of the four human aims. One with five faces is Lord Rudra himself, named Kalagni; it gives every kind of liberation and everything wished for, and destroys all sins such as union with someone forbidden or eating forbidden food. One with six faces is Kartikeya and should be worn on the right arm; doubtless one is freed from sins like killing a brahmana. Maheshani, one with seven faces is named Ananga; Devi, wearing it makes a poor person a lord. One with eight faces is known as Vasumurti and Bhairava; a person who wears it lives a full lifespan and after death becomes a wielder of the trident. One with nine faces is known as Bhairava or the sage Kapila; Durga with her nine forms is established in it; with supreme devotion it should be worn on the left hand, and doubtless such a person becomes lord of everything, like me. Maheshani, one with ten faces is the god Janardana himself; Devi, wearing it gains everything desired. Parameshvari, one with eleven faces is Rudra; wearing it makes one victorious everywhere. One with twelve faces should be worn on the hair of the head; all twelve Adityas are present in it. One with thirteen faces is known as Vishvadeva; a man who wears it gains whatever he wishes, with good fortune and all that is auspicious. One with fourteen faces is supreme Shiva; if worn devoutly on the head, all sins are destroyed. Daughter of the mountain lord, so I have told the differences among rudrakshas by the number of faces. Now I will tell the respective mantras; listen lovingly. For one face: Aum Hrim Namah. Two faces: Aum Namah. Three faces: Aum Klim Namah. Four faces: Aum Hrim Namah. Five faces: Aum Hrim Namah. Six faces: Aum Hrim Hum Namah. Seven faces: Aum Hrum Namah. Eight faces: Aum Hum Namah. Nine faces: Aum Hrim Hum Namah. Ten faces: Aum Hrim Namah Namah. Eleven faces: Aum Hrim Hum Namah. Twelve faces: Aum Krim Kshoum Roum Namah. Thirteen faces: Aum Hrim Namah. Fourteen faces: Aum Namah. For success in gaining everything wished, full of faith and devotion, one should wear a rudraksha with its respective mantra, and will then be freed of laziness. If any man on earth wears a rudraksha without the mantra, he goes to a terrible hell for the span of fourteen Indras. Seeing a mala of rudrakshas, bhutas, pretas, pishachas, dakinis, shakinis, others who cause harm and any artificial creations of hostile rites keep their distance; they are scared of this image. Devi, Parvati, seeing a mala of rudrakshas, Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapati, Surya and other gods are pleased. Maheshvari, knowing this greatness of rudraksha, it must be properly worn with mantras so that devotion and dharma are enhanced.

Suta concluded

Shiva, the supreme self, spoke in this way to the mountain's daughter of the greatness of ash and rudraksha and how they yield pleasures and liberation. Know that a person who wears ash and rudraksha is loved by Shiva. Doubtless wearing them increases powers and confers pleasure and liberation. A person who wears ash and rudraksha is called Shiva's devotee. A person devoted to japa of the five-syllable mantra is inclined to be complete. Worshipping Mahadeva without ash, Tripundra and a mala of rudrakshas does not give the desired fruits. Lord among sages, I have told you everything I was asked earlier: the greatness of ash and rudraksha and how they ensure prosperity and everything wished for. One who constantly listens to this greatness of ash and rudraksha with devotion in his mind gains everything he desires. This is a supreme and auspicious account. In this world such a person enjoys every kind of happiness and has sons and grandsons. In the world hereafter he is greatly loved by Shiva and gains liberation. Lords among sages, I have narrated the Vidyeshvara Samhita to you. It yields every kind of success. By Shiva's command it always bestows liberation.