Chaper 25 of Vidyeshvarasamhita from Shiva Puran

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Reposting an old post from member Fylgjarunester,

March 18, 2007, Message Number 14590

 

 

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 siva " . 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 here " . 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 namaha

Two face: Om namaha

Three face: Klim namaha

Four face: Om hrim namaha

Five face: Om hrim namaha

Six face: Om hrim hum namaha

Seven face: Om hum namhaa

Eight face: Om hum namaha

Nine face: Om hrim hum namaha

Ten face: Om hrim namaha

Eleven face: Om hrim hum namaha

Twelve face: Om kraum ksaum raum namhaa

Thirteen face: Om hrim namaha

Fourteen 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.

 

....... From member Fylgjarunester,

March 18, 2007, Message Number 14590............