Upanishads

RUDRAKSHA JABALA UPANISHAD

Samaveda
group of Upanishads – Shaiva (Shaivite)

   Hari Om! I praise the Radiant Fullness of Absolute Peace, inherent in Sri Maharudra, which is cognized through the "Rudraksha-Jabala Upanishad".

   Bhusunda asked Lord Kalagnirudra, "What is the origin of the rudraksha seeds? What benefit do they bring to those who wear them on their bodies?"

   Lord Kalagnirudra replied to him thus: "I closed My eyes to destroy the asuras of Tripura. From My thus closed eyes, drops of moisture fell on the ground. Those tears became rudraksha seeds. Simply uttering the word 'rudraksha' brings benefit equal to giving ten cows in charity. Seeing and touching them brings twice that benefit. I do not know how to praise them more highly. My eyes were closed for one thousand celestial years. Then from my eyelids, drops of moisture rolled down and became motionless for the purpose of blessing those who are My devotees. Being worn, such rudraksha destroys the sins of the devotees, whether committed at night or during the day.

   One who merely sees a rudraksha gets the benefit of, say, one lakh. But the benefit to the wearer is equal to a crore. However, it can be compared to a hundred crores. But like a thousand lakhs of crores and a hundred lakhs of crores times more effective, it is to recite japa on rudraksha beads and wear them always.

   Of the varieties of rudraksha, the best are considered to be those that are the size of amalaki fruit (myrobalan). Those of the size of badari fruit are considered medium. But those of large size, like chana, are the worst of all. This is what I think about the size of rudraksha seeds.

The four types of people – Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras – are born only to uselessly burden the earth. The real Brahmin is the white Rudraksha, the red one is the Kshatriya, the yellow one is the Vaishya and the black one is the Shudra. Therefore, the Brahmin should wear white Rudraksha seeds, the Kshatriya should wear red seeds, the Vaishya should wear yellow seeds and the Shudra should wear black seeds. Those Rudraksha seeds which are graceful, beautiful, strong, large, auspicious and thorny should be used. Those that are worm-eaten, split, thornless, and ulcerated should be avoided. The best rudraksha beads are those with a natural hole. Those in which the hole is made by human hand are considered inferior.

The best rudraksha beads should be strung on a white thread. A worshipper of Shiva should wear rudraksha all over the body. He should wear one bead on the jata (topknot), three hundred around the head, thirty-six on the neck, sixteen around each arm, twelve on the chest, and five hundred around the waist. He should wear a yajnopavita of one hundred and eight rudraksha beads. He should wear two, three, five, or seven mal of rudraksha on the neck. A bhakta of Shiva should constantly wear a rosary of rudraksha on the crown of his head, as earrings, necklace, bracelet, around the ear, and especially around the abdomen, whether he is eating, sleeping, etc. If a devotee wears three hundred beads, it is the worst, if he wears five hundred, it is considered average, but one thousand is the best. While wearing the rudraksha on the head, the devotee should chant his ishta-mantra, while wearing it around the neck he should chant the Tat-purusha-mantra, and while wearing it around the throat he should chant the Aghora-mantra. The same mantra should be chanted also when the rudraksha is worn on the chest. He should wear it on both hands with the Aghora-bija-mantra."

   Then Bhusunda again asked Lord Kalagnirudra, "What are the different types of rudraksha beads and their effects? Please tell me the secret of them, the blessed ones, also their different faces, by which one can attain deliverance from all evil."

   Lord Kalagnirudra said, "The bead with one face is the bead of the vision of the Supreme Truth. He who has controlled his senses merges in the one Eternal Truth by wearing these rudraksha seeds. (The following is a list of the different faces of Rudraksha and their effects).

   The wearer of rudraksha should not take intoxicants, meat, garlic, onions, carrots and other similar forbidden foods. Wearing rudraksha during eclipses, Vishusankranti (end of the month of Mina and beginning of Mesha-masa), new moons, full moons and other auspicious days removes all sins.

   The base of rudraksha beads is Brahma, their core is Vishnu, their surface is Rudra, and their hole consists of all the gods."

   Once Sanatkumara asked Kalagnirudra. "O Lord! Tell me the rules for wearing rudraksha." Then Nidagha, Jadabharata, Dattatreya, Katyayana, Bharadvaja, Kapila, Vasishtha, Pippalada and others came to Kalagnirudra. And Lord Kalagnirudra asked why they had all come together. They all replied that they had come to hear about wearing rudraksha.

   Kalagnurudra said: "The grains born from the eyes (aksha) of Rudra are called rudraksha. One who touches them even once with his hand is famous as having donated two thousand cows at once. If they are worn in the ears, it brings the same benefit as donating eleven thousand cows. In this way the state of eleven Rudras is also achieved. Wearing them on the head is as beneficial as donating a crore of cows. Of all these places, the benefit of wearing them in the ears is truly indescribable.

   Whoever studies this Rudraksha-Jabala Upanishad, be he a boy or a youth, will become great. He will become a guru for everyone and will teach all mantras. Havan and archana should be performed with these mantras (from the Upanishad). Brahman, by reciting this Upanishad in the evening, destroys the sins committed during the day; by reciting it at noon, destroys the sins of six births; by reciting it in the morning and evening, destroys the sins of many births. He obtains the same benefit as from reciting six thousand lakhs of Gayatri Japa. He is purified from all the sins of killing a brahmin, drinking toddy, stealing gold, approaching the guru's wife, having intercourse with her, talking with an impure person, and so on. He obtains the same benefit as from all pilgrimages and bathing in rivers. He attains Shiva-sayujya. He does not return [to the cycle of rebirths]."