Chapter 80 - The glory of Rudraksha

CHAPTER LXXX Sri Mahadeva said O the best among the sages, now listen I am telling you the glory of Rudraksa in brief which is very confidential and sacred. (1) Wearing Rudraksa on the body destroys the sin earned in hundreds of births. (2) The sins earned in crores of births by not saluting preceptor, gods, meritorious persons and brahmins due to ignorance or egoism are destroyed by keeping Rudraksa around the head. (3-4) The other sins like telling lies, avarice, taking others offal (ucchista) and the sins earned by taking liquors etc. are earned in crores of births are destroyed by keeping it (Rudraksa) on the neck. (5) O Narada the sins earned in crores of births by stealing others' properties, beating others, coming in contact with untouchable articles are removed wearing Rudraksa on the hand. (6-7) The sins earned earlier by listening false statements are destroyed by wearing Rudraksa on the ear. (8) Rudraksa on any part of the body helps one to get rid of sins earned earlier in many births by enjoying other's wife, slaying of bralmins, leaving Vedic rites, etc. (9)

they 491 Beholding the man adorned with Rudraksa, one who salutes him also liberated from hundred of sins. (10) The holder of Rudraksa wanders fearlessly on the earth like another Rudra being adorable by gods. (11) Wearing one Rudraksa one who worships Sambhu, Visnu and the great goddess attains equality with Siva. (12) O the best among the sages, the man who out of fascination performs the duties for gods as well as ancestors without Rudraksa his deeds became futile and does not accrue its result. (13) The man who meditates the hymns of Siva and Durga with Rudraksa garland goes to leaven due to the grace of Mahadeva. (14) The man should not perform any deeds without Rudraksa at Kasi, in the Ganga and in any other tirthas. (15) O the best among the sages, goddess Laksmi remains there always where one comes across a Rudraksa. He does not face any ill-luck untimely death then who keep Rudraksa neck and hands. Lord Sambhu, inaccessible to gods always is pleased with him and the work he does attain good merit. (16-18) The possesser of Rudraksa, if loses his body anywhere attains lieaven nodoubt. (19) Wearing of Rudraksa specially at Ganga bestows merit but at Kasi it gives more merits. What to speak more. (20)

492 O the best among the sages, thus I told you the pious glory of Rudraksa in brief which destroys terrible sins. (21) The man who reads or listens this with devotion attains the place of Sambhu which is inaccessible to gods. (22) In the fourteenth day, one who reads this with fasting under the Vilva tree is liberated from the terrible sins earned in hundreds of his births. (23) O the best among the sages, in fourteenth day of Sivaratri, one who reads this before Siva at the great tirthas like Ganga, Kuruksetra, Kasi, Setubandha, and the confluence of Ganga and Sagara is being liberated from all terrible sins and attains Rudraloka. (24 & 25) Here ends the eighthth chapter called the description of the glory of Rudraksa in Sri Mahabhagavata Upapurana.