Rudraksha information from Shiva Puranam

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Chaper 25 of Vidyeshvarasamhita from Shiva Puran

Suta narrated (briefly) the greatness of rudraksha to saunaka and other sages. Rudraksha is a favourite bead of siva. It is highly sanctifying. It removes all sins by sight, contact and japas.

 

Siva said: O mahesani, formerly I had been performing penance for thousands of divine years. When I opened my eyes with a desire of helping the worlds, drops of tears fell from my eyes. From those tear-drops there cropped up the rudraksha trees. Rudrakshas grown in gauda land became great favourites of siva. They were grown in mathura, lanka, ayodhya, Malaya, sahya mountain, kasi and other places. They are competent to remove all the sins, as the sacred texts have declared.

 

These auspicious rudraksha were classified into Brahmins, kshatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. The colours of the four types of rudraksha are respectively white, red, yellow and black. All people shall wear the rudraksha of their own varna. Rudraksha are worn to get worldly pleasures and salvation and to gratify siva.

 

A rudraksha of the size of an emblic myrobalan (dhatriphala) is mentioned as the most excellent; one of the size of the fruit of the jujube tree (badariphala) is spoken of as the middling; the meanest of rudrakshas is of the size of a gram. O mahesvari, even the rudraksha of the size of the fruit of the jujube accords the benefit and heightens happiness and good fortune. That which is of the size of the emblic myrobabalan is conductive to the destruction of all distresses. That which is of the size of a gunja (the berry) is conducive to the achievement of the fruit of all desires.

 

The lighter the rudraksha, the more fruitful it is. Each of these is fruitful and that of a weight of one tenth is considered by scholars as the most fruitful. The wearing of rudraksha is recommended for the sake of destroying sins. Hence that which is conducive to the achievement of every object has to be worn certainly. O paramesvari, no other necklace or garland is observed in the world to be so auspicious and fruitful as the rudraksha. O goddess, rudrakshas of even size, glossy, firm, thick and having many thornlike protrusions yield desires and bestow worldly pleasures and salvation forever.

Six types of rudrakshas shall be discarded; that which is defiled by worms, is cut and broken, has no thornlike protrusions, has cracks and is not circular. That which has a natural hole from end to end is the most excellent; that which is bored through by human effort is the middling one. The wearing of rudraksha is spoken of as conducive to the destruction of great sins. If eleven hundred rudrakshas are worn on the person, the man assumes the form of rudra. Even in hundreds of years it is impossible to describe adequately the benefit derived by wearing eleven hundred and fifty rudrakshas. A devout man shall make a coronet consisting of five hundred and fifty rudrakshas. A person of pious nature shall make three circular strings in the manner of the sacred thread, each having three hundred and sixty

beads. O mahesvari, three rudrakshas must be worn on the tuft and six in each of the ears right and left. Hundred and one rudraksha shall be worn round the neck; eleven rudrakshas shall be worn round each of the arms, elbows and wrists. Devotees of siva shall have three rudrakshas in the sacred thread and round the hips five rudrakshas shall be tied. O paramesvari, the person by whom so many rudrakshas are worn is worthy of being bowed to and adored by all like mahesa. Such a person while in contemplation shall be duly seated and addressed “O sivaâ€. Seeing him, every one is freed from sins. This is the rule regarding eleven hundred rudrakshas. If so many are not available, another auspicious procedure I mention to you. One rudraksha shall be worn on the tuft, thirty on the head, fifty round the neck, sixteen in each of the arms, twelve round each of the wrists, five hundred on

the shoulders, and three strings each having hundred and eight in the manner of the sacred tread. He who wears in all a thousand rudrakshas and is of firm resolve in performing rites is bowed to by all devas like rudra himself. One rudraksha shall be worn on the tuft, forty on the forehead, thirty two round the neck, hundred and eight over the chest, six in each of the ears, sixteen round each of the arms; o lord of sages, according to the measurement of the forearms, twelve or twice that number shall be worn there.

 

A person who wears so many, out of love, is a great devotee of siva. He shall be worshipped like siva. He is worthy of being always honoured by all. It shall be worn on the head repeating isana mantra; on the ears with tripurusa mantra; round the neck with aghora mantra and on the chest also likewise. The wise devotee shall wear the rudraksha round the forearms with aghora bija mantra. A string of fifteen beads shall be worn on the stomach with vamadeva mantra. With five mantras sadyojata etc., three, five or seven garlands shallbe worn. Or all the beads shall be worn with the mula mantra. A devotee of siva shall refrain from eating meat, garlic, onion, red garlic, potherb, slesmataka, pig of rubbish and liquors.

 

O uma, daughter of the mountains, the white rudraksha shall be worn by the Brahmin, the red by the kshatriya, the yellow by the vaisya, the black by the sudra. This is the path indicated by the Vedas. Whether he is a householder, forest dweller, ascetic or of any order, none shall go out of this secret advice. Only by great merits can the opportunity to wear the rudraksha be obtained. If he misses it, he will go to hell.

 

The rudrakshas of the size of an emblic myrobalan and those of lighter weight but depressed with thorns, those eaten by worms or without holes and those characterized by other defects shall not be worn by those wishing for auspicious results. They shall avoid small ones of the size of gram. O uma, rudraksha is an auspicious complement to my phallic image. The small one is always praiseworthy. People of all varnas and asramas even women and sudras can wear rudraksh at the bidding of siva. The ascetics shall wear it with the pranava.

 

If any one wears it during the day he is freed from sins committed during the night; if he wears it during the night, he is freed from the sins committed during the day. Similar is the result with its wearing during morning, midday or evening. Those who wear tripundra, the matted hair and the rudraksha do not go to yama’s abode.

 

Yama’s directive to his attendants: those who wear at least one rudraksha on their heads, tripundra on the forehead and repeat the panchakshari mantra shall be honoured by you all. They are indeed saintly men. You can bring the man here who has no rudraksha on his person and no tripundra on is forehead and who does not utter the panchakshari mantra. All those who have the ash and rudraksha shall be honoured always by us after knowing their power. They shall never be brought hereâ€. Yama commanded his attendants like this. They too remained quite agreeing to it. In fact they were surprised.

Hence mahadevi, the rudraksha as well as the person who wears it is my favourite. O parvati, even if he has committed sins he becomes pure. He who wears rudraksha round the hands and arms and over the head cannot be killed by any living being. He shall roam in the world in the form of rudra. He shall be respected by the gods and asuras always. He shall be honoured like siva. He removes the sin of any one seen by him. If a person is not liberated after meditation and acquisition of knowledge he shall wear rudraksha. He shall be freed from all sins and attain the highest goal. A mantra repeated with rudraksha is a crore times more efficacious. A man wearing rudraksha derives a hundred million times more merit. O goddess, as long as the rudraksha is on the person of a

living soul he is least affected by premature death. One shall attain rudra on seeing a person with tripundra, his limbs covered with rudraksha and repeating the mrityunjaya mantra. He is a favourite of the five deities and a favourite of all gods. O beloved, a devotee shall repeat all mantras wearing a garland of rudrakshas (or counting on the hands). Even the devotees of Vishnu and other deities shall unhesitatingly wear the rudraksha. Especially the devotee of rudra shall wear rudraksha always.

 

Rudrakshas are of various types. I shall explain teir different classifications. O parvati, hear with great devotion. These rudrakshas bestow wordly pleasures and salvation.

 

A rudraksha of a single face is siva himself. It bestows worldly pleasures and salvation. The sin of Brahmin-slaughteris washed off at its mere sight.

A rudraksha with two faces is isa, the lord of devas. It bestows the fulfillment of all desires. Especially that rudraksha quickly quells the sin of cowslaughter.

A rudraksha with three faces always bestows means of enjoyment. As a result of its power all lores become firmly established.

A rudraksha of four faces is brahma himself. It quells the sin of manslaughter. Its vision and its contact instantaneously bestow the achievement of the four aims of life.

A rudraksha with five faces is rudra himself named kalagni. It bestows all sorts of salvation and achievement of all desired objects. A five faced rudraksha dispels all sorts of sins that accrue from sexual intercourse with a forbidden woman and from eating forbidden food.

A rudraksha with six faces is kartikeya. A man who wears it on the right arm is certainly absolved of the sins of brahminslaughter and the like.

A rudraksha with seven faces is called ananga. By wearing it even a poor man becomes a great lord.

A rudraksha with eight faces is called vasumurthi and bhairva. By wearing it a man lives the full span of life. After death he becomes the trident bearing lord siva.

A rudraksha with nine faces is also bhairava. Its sage is kapila. Its presiding goddess is durga of nine forms, mahesvari herself. That rudraksha shall be worn on the left hand with great devotion. He shall certainly become sarvesvara like me.

A rudraksha with ten faces is like janardana himself. By wearing it, the devotee shall achieve the fulfillment of all desires.

A rudraksha with eleven faces is rudra. By wearing it one becomes victorious everywhere.

One shall wear the twelve faced rudraksha on the hair of the head. All the twelve adityas (suns) are present therein.

A rudraksha with thirteen faces is visvedeva. By wearing it, a man will attain the realization of all desires. He will derive good fortune and auspiciousness.

A rudraksha with fourteen faces is the highest siva. It shall be worn on the head with great devotion. It quells all sins.

 

O daughter of the king of mountains, thus I have explained to you the different types of rudrakshas based on the number of faces. Please listen to the mantras with devotion

One face: Om hrim namahaTwo face: Om namahaThree face: Klim namahaFour face: Om hrim namahaFive face: Om hrim namahaSix face: Om hrim hum namahaSeven face: Om hum namhaaEight face: Om hum namahaNine face: Om hrim hum namahaTen face: Om hrim namahaEleven face: Om hrim hum namahaTwelve face: Om kraum ksaum raum namhaaThirteen face: Om hrim namahaFourteen face: Om namha

 

 

For the achievement of all desired objects, the devotee shall wear the rudraksha with mantras. He shall have great devotion and faith. He shall be free from lethargy. The man who wears the rudraksha without mantra falls into a terrible hell and stays there during the tenure of fourteen Indras. On seeing a man with the garland of rudrakshas, all evil spirits, ghosts, pisachas, witches like dakini and sakini, other malignant spirits, evil charms and spells etc., fly away suspecting a quarrel. Seeing a devotee with the garland of rudrakshas, siva, vishnu, devi, ganapati, the sun and all the gods are pleased.

 

Thus realizing its greatness the rudraksha must be worn well, o mahesvari, repeating the mantras with devotion to make virtues flourish. Thus the greatness of ash and rudraksha that bestow worldly pleasures and salvation, was explained to girija by siva, the supreme soul. The persons who apply ash and wear rudraksha are great favourites of siva. Enjoyment of worldly pleasures and salvation are certainly due to their influence. He who applies ash and wears rudraksha is called a devotee fo siva. A person devoted to the japa of the five syallabled mantra is a perfect and noble being.

 

If mahadeva is worshipped without the tripundra of ash and without the garland of rudraksha, he does not bestow the fruit of cherished desire. Thus, o lord of sages, whatever has been asked has now been explained. The greatness of ash and rudraksha bestows the luxuriant fulfillment of all desires. He who regularly listens to the highly auspicious greatness of ash and rudraksha with devotion shall attain the fulfillment of all desires. He will enjoy all happiness here. He will be blessed with sons and grandsons. In the next world he will attain salvation. He will be a great favourite of siva.

O lordly sages, thus the compendium of vidyesvara samhita has been narrated to you all. As ordered by siva, it bestows achievement of everything and salvation

Yours Yogically,

Mythreya

 

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Mythreya Sreeraam Bhallyjayappalle

(Email: Mythreya.Mythreya)

(Group-owner of Online Spiritual Groups:

Amba_vijayam and )

Jaya Sarvamangala! Jaya Raajaraajeshvari!

May ambA rAjarAjeshwarI de'vI bless all of us abundantly!

 

 

 

 

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