Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Śrī Nārāyaṇa said :-- O Nārada! When Girīśa thus explained to Kārtikeya the greatness of Rudrākṣam, he became satisfied. Now I have spoken to you of the glories of the Rudrākṣams 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 Rudrākṣam brings in a lakh times of Puṇyam and koṭi times the merit arises from touching that; holding it brings in koṭi times merit; again if one makes the japam of a Mantra with that Rudrākṣam, one obtains merit one hundred lakh koṭi times and one thousand lakh koṭi times the merit.

The merit in holding the Rudrākṣam is far superior to that in holding Bhadrākṣam. The Rudrākṣam seed that is of the size of an Āmalakī 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 Rudrākṣam tree is of four kinds :-- Brāhmaṇa, Kṣattriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra. The white colour is Brāhmaṇa; the red colour is Kṣattriya; the yellow colour is Vaiśya and the black coloured Rudrākṣam seed is Śūdra.

The Brāhmaṇas are to use the white coloured Rudrākṣams; the Kṣattriyas, the red coloured ones, the Vaiśyas, the yellow coloured ones; and the Śūdras, the black ones. Those Rudrākṣa 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 Rudrākṣams are faulty. Those Rudrākṣams that have their holes by nature running through and through are best; and those that base their holes pierced by men are middling.

The Rudrākṣa seeds that are all of uniform shape, bright, hard, and beautifully circular should be strung together by a silken thread. How to test the Rudrākṣa seed? As gold is tested by a touch stone; so the Rudrākṣam 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 Śaivas.

One should hold one Rudrākṣam 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 Rudrākṣams 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 Rudrākṣam always, whether one sleeps or eats. Holding three hundred Rudrākṣams is the lowest; holding five hundred is middling; holding one thousand Rudrākṣams is the best; so one ought to wear one thousand Rudrāksams.

At the time of taking Rudrākṣam, on one’s head, one should utter the Mantra of Īsāna; the mantra of Tat Puruṣa while holding on one’s ears; Aghora mantra on one’s forehead and heart; and the vīja of Aghora mantra, i.e., “hasau” while holding on one’s hands.

One should wear the rosary of fifty Rudrākṣa seeds, suspended up to the belly, uttering the Vāmadeva mantra, i.e., Sadyojātādi, etc., the five Brahmā mantras, and the six-limbed Śiva mantra. One is to string every Rudrākṣa seed, uttering the root mantra and then hold it. One-faced Rudrākṣa reveals Paratattva (the highest Tattva); when worn, the knowledge of the highest Tattva arises; the Brahmā is seen then.

The two-faced Rudrākṣam is Ardhanārīśvara, the Lord of the other half which represents women (in the same person); if worn, Ardhanārīsvara Śiva is always pleased with that man who holds it. The three-faced Rudrākṣam is Fire made manifest; it destroys in a moment the sin of killing a woman. The three-faced Rudrākṣam is the three Agnis, Dakṣiṇāgni, Gārhapatya, and Āhavaniya; Bhagavān Agni is always pleased with that man who wears the three-faced Rudrākṣam.

The four-faced Rudrākṣam is Brahmā 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 Rudrākṣam is the five faced Śiva Himself; Mahādeva gets pleased with him who holds it.

The Presiding Deity of the six faced Rudrākṣam is Kārtikeya. Some Pundits take Gaṇapati to be the Presiding Deity of the six-faced Rudrākṣam. The presiding Deity of the seven-faced Rudrākṣam is the seven Mātrikās, the Sun and the seven Ṛṣis.

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 Rudrākṣam is Brāhmī, the eight Mātrikās. By holding this, the eight Vasus are pleased and the river Ganges is also pleased.

The putting on of this makes the Jīvas truthful and pleasant-minded. The Devatā of the nine-faced Rudrākṣam is Yama; holding this puts off the fears of Death.

The Devatā of the eleven-faced Rudrākṣam is ten quarters, the ten quarters are pleased with him who wears the ten-faced Rudrākṣam. The Devata of the eleven mouthed Rudrākṣam is the eleven Rudrās and Indra. Holding this enhances happiness. The twelve-faced Rudrākṣam is Viṣṇu made manifest; its Devatās are the twelve Ādityas; the devotees of Śiva should hold this.

The thirteen-faced Rudrākṣam, if worn, enables one to secure one’s desires; he does nowhere experience failures. The Kāma Deva becomes pleased with him who wears this.

The fourteen-faced Rudrākṣam destroys all diseases and gives eternal health. While holding this, one ought not to take wine, flesh, onion, garlic, Sajñā fruit, Cāltā fruit and the flesh of the boar which eats excrements, etc.

During the Lunar and Solar eclipses, during the Uttarāyaṇa Śamkrānti or the Dakṣināyana Śamkrānti, during the full Moon or the New Moon day, if Rudrākṣam 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., Rudrākṣam in the Mahā Purāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahārṣi Veda Vyāsa.