Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates ‘13-14. Description of Aksha-beads in the Akshamalika Upanishad’ of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The Upaniṣads are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.
13-14. Description of Akṣa-beads in the Akṣamālikā Upaniṣad
Once upon a time Prajāpati asked the lord Guha (Kārtikeya)—
“O lord! Kindly tell the distinct method of Akṣamālā (basil-garland). What is the characteristics of that garland? How many kinds of it? Further, how many threads of it? The cause of action or event (kinds of intertwining) are of what nature? What are the letters (Akṣara)? What is the concept regarding it? Who is the god representing / regulating it? And What is the outcome of it?[1]
[...] Akṣamālikā Upaniṣad verse 2.
Lord Guha replied—
”O Brahman! This Akṣamālā is of ten kindsmade of coral, pearl, sphaṭika (crystal stone), conch, silver, gold, sandal, Putrajīvika, lotus and Rudrākṣa. These are worn with a procedure and the beads represent the letters from “a” to ‘kṣa”. There are three kinds of threads for interwining these beads i.e made of gold, silver and copper. The gold thread should be in the hold of beads, silver at the right, the copper in the left side of the beads of this Akṣamālā. These should be interwined in a manner that mouth of every bead in juxtaposition and the tail juxtapose to the tail of another bead.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid verse 49 [...]