Devi Bhagavatam 11.5.2 — Cosmic Feminine Manifestations, Skandha 11, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 2

Skandha 11, Adhyaya 5: Rudraksha Japa Mala Vidhana Varnanam

Devanagari script

विष्णुः पुच्छं भवेच्चैव भोगमोक्षफलप्रदम् । पञ्चविंशतिभिश्चाक्षैः पञ्चवक्त्रैः सकण्टकैः

Transliteration

viṣṇuḥ pucchaṃ bhaveccaiva bhogamokṣaphalapradam . pañcaviṃśatibhiścākṣaiḥ pañcavaktraiḥ sakaṇṭakaiḥ

Translation

ذيل الرودراكشا هو فيشنو؛ وبذلك تمنح الخرزة ثمار الاستمتاع الدنيوي والتحرر. بخمس وعشرين بذرة من الرودراكشا ذات الوجوه الخمسة التي لها أشواك بارزة...

Word by Word

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Predicate
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• puccham: tail
• puccham: Subject
• Type: Noun
• Root: puccha
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• bhavet: should be
• bhavet: Verb
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū
• Form: 3rd Person, Singular, Optative

• bhogamokṣaphalapradam: bestowing enjoyment and liberation
• bhogamokṣaphalapradam: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhogamokṣaphalaprada
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• akṣaiḥ: with beads
• akṣaiḥ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣa
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• pañcavaktraiḥ: with five faces
• pañcavaktraiḥ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcavaktra
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• sakaṇṭakaiḥ: with thorns
• sakaṇṭakaiḥ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakaṇṭaka
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

Ishvara (Shiva)

Shakti Theology

Devi Form: null

Mahavidya Connection: null

Shakti Manifestation: null

Tattva Discussed: null

Devi Narrative

Demon Antagonist: null

Devi Weapon Used: null

Narrative Source: null

Story Arc Position: setup

Tantra Dimension

Mantra Referenced: null

Yantra Referenced: null

Kundalini Element: null

Chakra Referenced: null

Tantric Practice Type: Japa Mala Nirmana

Bhakti & Stuti

Stuti Type: null

Recitation Occasion: null

Phala Shruti: Grants the fruits of both worldly enjoyment (bhoga) and liberation (moksha)

Devotee Offering Stuti: null

Cosmic Feminine

Maya Aspect: null

Creation Role: null

Shakti Philosophy: null

Relation To Brahman: null

Vyasa-Janamejaya Dialogue

Narrator: Ishvara

Listener: Shanmukha

Dialogue Context: Continuing the anatomy of Rudraksha and specifying the type of beads for a mala

Narrative Layer: embedded

Ritual Context

Text: Instructions for selecting high-quality beads (with good 'thorns'/texture) for stringing a specific type of 25-bead mala.

Philosophical Significance

Text: Completes the Trimurti mapping: Brahma (face/creation), Rudra (center/transformation), Vishnu (tail/preservation). Because the bead contains all three, it naturally grants both material maintenance (bhoga) and ultimate release (moksha).

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Bhoga
• Moksha
• Panch Mukhi Rudraksha

FAQs

Which deity represents the tail or bottom part of the Rudraksha?

Lord Vishnu represents the tail (puccha) of the Rudraksha bead.

What specific beads are suggested here to start making a mala?

The verse suggests using twenty-five seeds of five-faced (Panch Mukhi) Rudrakshas that have natural, prominent thorns or bumps (sakantakaih).