11-12. Process and Method of Wearing Rudrākṣa

Process of wearing Rudrākṣa

After Bhuśuṇḍa’s discussion with Kālāgnirudra, sage Sanatkumāra asked him,

‘O Lord! Please tell me the due process of wearing Rudrākṣa beads’.

At that time, other sages such as Nidagha, Jaḍabharata, Dattātreya, Kātyāyana, Bhardvāja, Kapila, Vasiṣṭha, Pippālada etc. seated themselves around Kālāgnirudra to hear the discourse.

Then the latter asked them,

‘Why have you all come here?’

The sages replied together that they too wish to know the due process of wearing the Rudrākṣa beads.^[1]

Method and fruit of wearing Rudrākṣa

Kālāgnirudra replied:

[...] Rudrākṣajābāla Upaniṣad verse 47

Sadāśiva, after bringing about the destruction of the Phenomenal world closes his eye of destruction i.e, the third eye of fire, what are generated from that eye are the Rudrākṣas, Hence they are described as of the character of Rudra’s eyes.

The benefit or reward that is got by donating ten cows is also got by merely pronouncing the word ‘Rudrākṣa’^[2]. This Rudrākṣa is also called’ Bhasmajyoti’ (literally meaning that ‘sight which has reduced the world to ashes, here signifying the repentance of Lord Śiva by shedding tears at having had to destroy the world because the world had become so pervert and sinful that the balance of probity, propriety and righteousness was completely disturbed and the Lord had no choice but to destroy the unrighteousness in this world, only to start the process of restoring the balance of righteousness in creation all over once again. This regret in the heart of Śiva manifested itself in the form of the tear drop). By touching the beads and then wearing them by one’s own hands (without being adorned by others) the benefit derived is equivalent to donating the two thousand cows. By wearing the Rudrākṣa beads in two ears (as studs or rings), the benefit got is equivalent to giving away eleven thousand cows in charity. The wearer of these beads gets closer to the eleven Rudras themselves. (That is as a devotee of Lord Śiva, such a person gets nearer to his Lord if he wears the Rudrākṣa beads -which are very dear to the Lord Śiva and have their origin in his eyes -according to the sanctioned process). By wearing the beads on the head, the benefit derived is equivalent to millions of cows being donated as charity. Besides the ears, it can be worn on different of the body, and the benefits are so great that they cannot be described.^[3]

For the purpose of destruction of evils forces and overcoming death, the Rudrākṣa beads should be duely accepted from one’s Guru (moral preceptor, teacher and guide) and worn around the neck and arms or they can be tucked in the lock of hairs on the head, Even after giving away land equivalent to the size of the seven continents to the Guru as his ‘Dakṣiṇa’ (fees) for giving the sanctified beads to be worn by the seeker/aspirant, the disciple will still remain obliged to the Guru because the benefits of getting the Rudrākṣa beads, duely sanctified, cannot be weighed in material terms. Hence whatever is given with due respect to the Guru is enough.

Those Brāhmaṇas (i.e wise and erudite persons) who sincerely read this Upaniṣads in the morning are able to wash off the sins, if any done inadvertently during the previous night, and when it is read during the evening, all the sins of the day are taken care of. Those seekers/aspirants who read it during the afternoon are able to destroy their sins and their effects accumulated over their past six lives.

If it is read regularly in the morning as well in the evening, then sins of many previous lives are eliminated or destroyed. The benefit got is equivalent to reciting Gāyatri Mantras and even such horrendous and unpardonable sins such as theft of gold, drinking wine, killing a Brāhmaṇa (or any other person for that matter) and having sex with a Guru’s wife are pardoned, and the seeker/aspirant is freed from their horrible punishment and effects.

The Knowledge regarding Rudrākṣa and its proper method of wearing, bestows enormous benefits.^[4]

[...] Rudrākṣajābāla Upaniṣad verse 49.

One who has this knowledge also reaps the benefit of going to pilgrimage to all the holy sites. He is absolved of the bad effects of associating with bad people, and instead, he can make hundreds and thousands of other people good and wise by his constant contact and communion with them. He finds an abode near Lord Śiva so much so that he never takes birth again (i.e.liberated and delivered from the cycle of transmigration), this is the truth as revealed in this Upaniṣad.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid verse 44-45 [...]

[2]:

Ibid verse 46.

[3]:

Ibid verse 47.—The word Rudrākṣa has two parts-‘Rudra’ meaning Śiva and ‘Akṣa’ meaning eye. So the tear drops which fell down from the eyes of [...]—Rudra turned themselves into Rudrākṣa beads.

[4]:

Ibid verse 48.