The Eleventh Book. Chapter 3
The Eleventh Book
Chapter Iii
On The Glories Of The Rudrksa Beads
p. 1061
1-21. Sr Nryana said :-- O Nrada! There are the six kinds of chamana :-- (1) Suddha, (2) Smrta, (3) Paurnik, (4) Vaidik, (5) Tntrik and(6) Srauta. The act of cleaning after evacuating oneself of urine and faeces is known as Suddha Saucha. After cleaning, the chaman, that is
p. 1062
performed according to rules, is named as Smrta and Paurnik. In places where the Brahm Yaja is performed, the Vaidik and Srauta chamanas are done. And where acts, e.g., the knowledge of warfare are being executed, the Tntrik chaman is done. Then he is to remember the Gyatr 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 Brhmanas reside Fire, Water, the Vedas, the Moon, the Sun, and the Vyu (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 diets 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 who 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 Sandhy. If for seven days, the morning ablutions are not taken, and if for three days, the Sandhys are not performed, if for twelve days, the daily Homas be not performed, the Brhmanas become Sdras. The time for making the Homa in the morning is very little; therefore lest ablutions be done fully which would take a long time and hence the time for the Homa might elapse, the morning bath should be performed quickly. After the bath the Prnyma is to be done. Then the full effects of bath are attained. There is nothing holier in this world or in the next than reciting the Gyatr. It saves the singer who sings the Gyatr; hence it is called Gyatr. During the time of Prnyma, one must control one's Prna and Apna Vyus, i.e., make them equal. The Brhmin, knowing the Vedas and devoted to his Dharma, must practise Prnyma three times with the repetition of Gyatr and Pranava and the three Vyrhitis (Om Bhu, Om Bhuvar, Om Svah).
While practising, the muttering of Gyatr is to be done three times. In Prnyma, the Vaidik mantra is to be repeated, never a Laukika Mantra is to be uttered. At the time of Prnyma, if anybody's mind be not fixed, even for a short while, like a mustard seed on the apex of a cow-horn, he cannot save even one hundred-and one persons in his father's
p. 1063
or in his mother's line. Prnyma is called Sagarbha when performed with the repetition of some mantra; it is called Agarbha when it is done simply with mere meditation, without repeating any mantra. After the bathing, the Tarpanam with its accompaniments, is to he done; i.e., the peace offerings are made with reference to the Devas, the Risis, and 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 Rudrksa beads. He who holds thirty-two Rudrksa beads 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 Mah Deva. One is expected to use them as such. O Muni! You can use the Rudrksas after tieing, stringing together with gold or silver always on your Sikh, 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 Rudrksa after one has repeated sincerely and with devotion the five lettered mantra of Siva, or one has repeated the Prnva (Om). Holding the Rudrksa implies that the man has realised the knowledge of Siva Tattva. O Brahmn! The Rudrksa bead that is placed on the tuft or on the crown hair represents the Tra tattva, i.e., Om Kra; the Rudrksa beads that are held on the two ears are to be thought of as Deva and Dev, (Siva and Siv).
22-37. The one hundred and eight Rudrksa 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 Dev Sarasvat and Agni (fire). The Rudrksa beads ought to be taken by men of all colours and castes. The Brhmanas, Ksattriyas and Vais'yas should hold them after purifying them with Mantras, i.e., knowingly; whereas the Sdras can take them without any such purification by the Mantras, i.e., unknowingly. By holding or putting on the Rudrksa beads, persons become the Rudras incarnate in flesh and body. There 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 Rudrksa 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
p. 1064
shame in holding and putting on the Rudrksa beads, can never be freed from this Samsra even after the Koti births. He who blames another person holding Rudrksa beads has defects in his birth (is a bastard). There is no doubt in this. It is by holding on Rudrksa that Brahm has remained steady in His Brahmhood untainted and the Munis have been true to their resolves. So there is no act better and higher than holding the Rudrksa beads. He who gives clothing and food to a person holding Rudrksa beads with devotion is freed of all sins and goes to the Siva Loka. He who feasts gladly any holder of such beads at the time of Srdh, goes undoubtedly to the Pitri Loka. He who washes the feet of a holder of Rudrksa and drinks that water, is freed of all sins and resides with honour in the Siva Loka. If a Brhmana holds with devotion the Rudrksa beads with a necklace and gold, he attains the Rudrahood. O Intelligent One! Wherever whoever holds with or without faith and devotion the Rudrksa beads with or without any mantra, is freed of all sins and is entitled to the Tattvajna. I am unable to describe fully the greatness of the Rudrksa beads. In fact, all should by all means hold the Rudrksa beads on their bodies.
Note :-- The number one hundred and eight (108) signifies the One Hundred and Eight Vedas, the Brahmn, the Source of all Wisdom and Joy.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the glories of the Rudrksa beads in the Mah Puranam Sr Mad Dev Bhgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahrsi Veda Vysa.
Chapter Iii
On The Glories Of The Rudrksa Beads
p. 1061
1-21. Sr Nryana said :-- O Nrada! There are the six kinds of chamana :-- (1) Suddha, (2) Smrta, (3) Paurnik, (4) Vaidik, (5) Tntrik and(6) Srauta. The act of cleaning after evacuating oneself of urine and faeces is known as Suddha Saucha. After cleaning, the chaman, that is
p. 1062
performed according to rules, is named as Smrta and Paurnik. In places where the Brahm Yaja is performed, the Vaidik and Srauta chamanas are done. And where acts, e.g., the knowledge of warfare are being executed, the Tntrik chaman is done. Then he is to remember the Gyatr 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 Brhmanas reside Fire, Water, the Vedas, the Moon, the Sun, and the Vyu (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 diets 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 who 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 Sandhy. If for seven days, the morning ablutions are not taken, and if for three days, the Sandhys are not performed, if for twelve days, the daily Homas be not performed, the Brhmanas become Sdras. The time for making the Homa in the morning is very little; therefore lest ablutions be done fully which would take a long time and hence the time for the Homa might elapse, the morning bath should be performed quickly. After the bath the Prnyma is to be done. Then the full effects of bath are attained. There is nothing holier in this world or in the next than reciting the Gyatr. It saves the singer who sings the Gyatr; hence it is called Gyatr. During the time of Prnyma, one must control one's Prna and Apna Vyus, i.e., make them equal. The Brhmin, knowing the Vedas and devoted to his Dharma, must practise Prnyma three times with the repetition of Gyatr and Pranava and the three Vyrhitis (Om Bhu, Om Bhuvar, Om Svah).
While practising, the muttering of Gyatr is to be done three times. In Prnyma, the Vaidik mantra is to be repeated, never a Laukika Mantra is to be uttered. At the time of Prnyma, if anybody's mind be not fixed, even for a short while, like a mustard seed on the apex of a cow-horn, he cannot save even one hundred-and one persons in his father's
p. 1063
or in his mother's line. Prnyma is called Sagarbha when performed with the repetition of some mantra; it is called Agarbha when it is done simply with mere meditation, without repeating any mantra. After the bathing, the Tarpanam with its accompaniments, is to he done; i.e., the peace offerings are made with reference to the Devas, the Risis, and 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 Rudrksa beads. He who holds thirty-two Rudrksa beads 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 Mah Deva. One is expected to use them as such. O Muni! You can use the Rudrksas after tieing, stringing together with gold or silver always on your Sikh, 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 Rudrksa after one has repeated sincerely and with devotion the five lettered mantra of Siva, or one has repeated the Prnva (Om). Holding the Rudrksa implies that the man has realised the knowledge of Siva Tattva. O Brahmn! The Rudrksa bead that is placed on the tuft or on the crown hair represents the Tra tattva, i.e., Om Kra; the Rudrksa beads that are held on the two ears are to be thought of as Deva and Dev, (Siva and Siv).
22-37. The one hundred and eight Rudrksa 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 Dev Sarasvat and Agni (fire). The Rudrksa beads ought to be taken by men of all colours and castes. The Brhmanas, Ksattriyas and Vais'yas should hold them after purifying them with Mantras, i.e., knowingly; whereas the Sdras can take them without any such purification by the Mantras, i.e., unknowingly. By holding or putting on the Rudrksa beads, persons become the Rudras incarnate in flesh and body. There 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 Rudrksa 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
p. 1064
shame in holding and putting on the Rudrksa beads, can never be freed from this Samsra even after the Koti births. He who blames another person holding Rudrksa beads has defects in his birth (is a bastard). There is no doubt in this. It is by holding on Rudrksa that Brahm has remained steady in His Brahmhood untainted and the Munis have been true to their resolves. So there is no act better and higher than holding the Rudrksa beads. He who gives clothing and food to a person holding Rudrksa beads with devotion is freed of all sins and goes to the Siva Loka. He who feasts gladly any holder of such beads at the time of Srdh, goes undoubtedly to the Pitri Loka. He who washes the feet of a holder of Rudrksa and drinks that water, is freed of all sins and resides with honour in the Siva Loka. If a Brhmana holds with devotion the Rudrksa beads with a necklace and gold, he attains the Rudrahood. O Intelligent One! Wherever whoever holds with or without faith and devotion the Rudrksa beads with or without any mantra, is freed of all sins and is entitled to the Tattvajna. I am unable to describe fully the greatness of the Rudrksa beads. In fact, all should by all means hold the Rudrksa beads on their bodies.
Note :-- The number one hundred and eight (108) signifies the One Hundred and Eight Vedas, the Brahmn, the Source of all Wisdom and Joy.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the glories of the Rudrksa beads in the Mah Puranam Sr Mad Dev Bhgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahrsi Veda Vysa.
