{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/db/bk11ch07.htm","path":"hin/db/bk11ch07.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk11ch07.htm","text":"THE ELEVENTH BOOK\nChapter VII\nOn the greatness of one faced, etc., Rudr\u00e2ksam\n1-4. S\u2019r\u00ee N\u00e2r\u00e2yana said :-- O N\u00e2rada! When Gir\u00ees'a thus explained to K\u00e2rtikeya the greatness of Rudr\u00e2ksam, he became satisfied. Now I have spoken to you of the glories of the Rudr\u00e2ksams 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 Rudr\u00e2ksam brings in a lakh times of Punyam and koti times the merit arises from touching that; holding it brings in koti times merit; again if one makes the japam of a Mantra with that Rudr\u00e2ksam, one obtains merit one hundred lakh koti times and one thousand lakh koti times the merit. The merit in holding the Rudr\u00e2ksam is far superior to that in holding Bhadr\u00e2ksam. The Rudr\u00e2ksam seed that is of the size of an \u00c2malak\u00ee 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.\nthis is my word and promise. The Rudr\u00e2ksam tree is of four kinds :-- Br\u00e2hmana, Ksattriya, Vais\u2019ya, and S\u2019\u00fbdra. The white colour is Br\u00e2hmana; the red colour is Ksattriya; the yellow colour is Vais'ya and the black coloured Rudr\u00e2ksam seed is S\u2019\u00fbdra. The Br\u00e2hmanas are to use the white coloured Rudr\u00e2ksams; the Ksattriyas, the red coloured ones, the Vais'yas, the yellow coloured ones; and the S\u2019\u00fbdras, the black ones. Those Rudr\u00e2ksa 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 Rudr\u00e2ksams are faulty. Those Rudr\u00e2ksams that have their holes by nature running through and through are best; and those that base their holes pierced by men are middling. The Rudr\u00e2ksa seeds that are all of uniform shape, bright, hard, and beautifully circular should be strung together by a silken thread. How to test the Rudr\u00e2ksa seed? As gold is tested by a touch stone; so the Rudr\u00e2ksam 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 S\u2019aivas. One should hold one Rudr\u00e2ksam 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 Rudr\u00e2ksams 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 Rudr\u00e2ksam always, whether one sleeps or eats. Holding three hundred Rudr\u00e2ksams is the lowest; holding five hundred is middling; holding one thousand Rudr\u00e2ksams is the best; so one ought to wear one thousand Rudr\u00e2ksams. At the time of taking Rudr\u00e2ksam, on one's head, one should utter the Mantra of \u00ces\u00e2na; the mantra of Tat Purusa while holding on one's ears; Aghora mantra on one's forehead and heart; and the v\u00eeja of Aghora mantra, i.e., \u201chasau\u201d while holding on one's hands. One should wear the rosary of fifty Rudr\u00e2ksa seeds, suspended up to the belly, uttering the V\u00e2madeva mantra, i.e., Sadyoj\u00e2t\u00e2di, etc., the five Brahm\u00e2 mantras, and the six-limbed S\u2019iva mantra. One is to string every Rudr\u00e2ksa seed, uttering the root mantra and then hold it. One-faced Rudr\u00e2ksa reveals Paratattva (the highest Tattva); when worn, the knowledge of the highest Tattva arises; the Brahm\u00e2 is seen then. The two-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is Ardhan\u00e2r\u00ees'vara, the Lord of the other half which represents women (in the same person); if worn, Ardhan\u00e2r\u00eesvara S\u2019iva is always pleased with that man who holds it. The three-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is Fire made manifest; it destroys in a moment the sin of killing a woman.\nThe three-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is the three Agnis, Daksin\u00e2gni, G\u00e2rhapatya, and \u00c2havaniya; Bhagav\u00e2n Agni is always pleased with that man who wears the three-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam. The four-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is Brahm\u00e2 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 Rudr\u00e2ksam is the five faced S\u2019iva Himself; Mah\u00e2deva gets pleased with him who holds it. The Presiding Deity of the six faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is K\u00e2rtikeya. Some Pundits take Ganapati to be the Presiding Deity of the six-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam. The presiding Deity of the seven-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is the seven M\u00e2trik\u00e2s, the Sun and the seven Risis. 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 Rudr\u00e2ksam is Br\u00e2hm\u00ee, the eight M\u00e2trik\u00e2s. By holding this, the eight Vasus are pleased and the river Ganges is also pleased. The putting on of this makes the J\u00eevas truthful and pleasant-minded. The Devat\u00e2 of the nine-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is Yama; holding this puts off the fears of Death. The Devat\u00e2 of the eleven-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is ten quarters, the ten quarters are pleased with him who wears the ten-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam. The Devata of the eleven mouthed Rudr\u00e2ksam is the eleven Rudr\u00e2s and Indra. Holding this enhances happiness. The twelve-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam is Visnu made manifest; its Devat\u00e2s are the twelve \u00c2dityas; the devotees of S\u2019iva should hold this. The thirteen-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam, if worn, enables one to secure one's desires; he does nowhere experience failures. The K\u00e2ma Deva becomes pleased with him who wears this. The fourteen-faced Rudr\u00e2ksam destroys all diseases and gives eternal health. While holding this, one ought not to take wine, flesh, onion, garlic, Saj\u00f1\u00e2 fruit, Ch\u00e2lt\u00e2 fruit and the flesh of the boar which eats excrements, etc. During the Lunar and Solar eclipses, during the Uttar\u00e2yana S\u2019amkr\u00e2nti or the Daksin\u00e2yana S\u2019amkr\u00e2nti, during the full Moon or the New Moon day, if Rudr\u00e2ksam be worn, one becomes instantly freed of all one's sins.\nHere ends the Seventh Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness of one faced, etc., Rudr\u00e2ksam in the Mah\u00e2 Pur\u00e2nam S\u2019r\u00ee Mad Dev\u00ee Bh\u00e2gavatam of 18,000 verses by Mah\u00e2rsi Veda Vy\u00e2sa.","title":"The Devi Bhagavatam: The Eleventh Book: Chapter 7","type":"page"}