Srimad Devi Bhagavatam

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The Srimad Devi Bhagavatam

 

Translated by Swami Vijnanananda,

 

Originally published in 1921-1922,

 

Inscribed to the memory of Rai Bahadur Srisa Chandra Vidayarnava.

 

Book Eleven, Chapter Three

 

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1-21 Sri Narayana said:- "O Narada! There are six kinds of Achamana:-

(1) Suddha, (2) Smarta, (3) Paranik, (4) Vaidik, (5) Tantrik and (6)

Srauta. The act of cleaning after evacuating oneself of urine and faeces

is known as Suddha Saucha. After cleaning, the Achaman, that is

performed according to rules, is named as Smarta and Pauranik. In places

where the Brahma Yajna is performed, the Vaidik and Srauta 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 dirts

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 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 Sandhya are not performed, if for twelve days, the daily Homas be

not performed, the Brahmanas become Sudras. The time for making the Homa

in the morning is very little; therefore lest ablutions to be done daily

which would take a long time and hence the time for the Homa might

elapse, the monring bath should be performed quickly. After the bath the

Pranayama is to be done. Then the full effects of the bath are attained.

There is nothing holier in this world or in the next than reciting the

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 practice Pranayama three times with the

repetition of Gayatri and Pranava and the three Vyarhitis (Om Bhu, Om

Bhuvar, Om Svah).

 

While practicing, the muttering of the Gayatri is to be done three

times. In Pranayama, the Vaidik manta is to be repeated, never a Laukika

Mantra is to be uttered. At the time of the Pranayama, if anybody's

mind be not fixed, even for a short while, like a mustard seed on the

apex of a cowborn, he cannot save even one hundred and one person's

in his father's or in his mother's line. Pranayama is called

Sagarbha when performed with the repetition of some mantra; it are

called Agarbha when it is done simply with mere meditation, without

repeating any mantra. After the bathing, the Tarpanam with its

accompaniments, is to be done; i.e. the peace offerings are made in

reference to the Devas, the Risis, 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 beads of Rudraksa 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 tying, stringing together with gold or silver always on

your Sikha, 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 Siva, or one has repeated the Pranava (Om).

Holding the Rudraksa implies that the man has realized the knowledge of

Siva-Tattva. O Brahmin! 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.

 

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 castses. The Brahmans, Ksattriyas and

Vais'yas should hold them after purifying them with Mantras i.e.

knowingly; where the Sudras 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. These 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 Rudraksa beads has defects in his birth (is a

bastard). There is no doubt in this. It is by holding on to 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 from all sins

and goes to the Siva Loka. He who feasts gladly any holder of such beads

at the time of Sradh, 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 Siva Loka. If a Brahmana holds with

devotion the Rudraksa beads with a necklace and gold, he attains

Rudrahood. O Intelligent One! Wherever whoever hold with or without

faith and devotion the Rudraksa beads with or without any mantra, is

freed of all sins and is entitled to the Tattvajnana. 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 Sri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000

verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

 

The Srimad Devi Bhagavatam

 

Translated by Swami Vijnanananda,

 

Originally published in 1921-1922,

 

Inscribed to the memory of Rai Bahadur Srisa Chandra Vidayarnava.