Shloka 73

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

रुद्रा क्षश्चाष्टवक्त्रश्च वसुमूर्तिश्च भैरवः । धारणात्तस्य पूर्णायुर्मृतो भवति शूलभृत्

Transliteration

rudrā kṣaścāṣṭavaktraśca vasumūrtiśca bhairavaḥ | dhāraṇāttasya pūrṇāyurmṛto bhavati śūlabhṛt

Translation

Rudrākṣa, Aṣṭavaktra, Vasumūrti und Bhairava – dies sind Namen/Gestalten des tridenttragenden Herrn. Durch das Tragen davon (der Rudrākṣa) wird selbst dem, dessen Lebensspanne erschöpft ist, volle Lebensdauer wiedergegeben.

Word by Word

• रुद्राक्षः: Rudrākṣa (bead)
• रुद्राक्षः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्रस्य अक्षः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अष्टवक्त्रः: the eight-faced (one)
• अष्टवक्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वसुमूर्तिः: Vasumūrti (form of the Vasus)
• वसुमूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वसूनां मूर्तिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भैरवः: Bhairava
• भैरवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• धारणात्: from wearing
• धारणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ धातु-जन्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; कारणार्थे

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पूर्णायुः: full lifespan
• पूर्णायुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पूर्णम् आयुः)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past participle)

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शूलभृत्: the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलभृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + √भृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष; भृत् = क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrākṣa-māhātmya to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: rudrākṣa / aṣṭavaktra / vasumūrti / bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhairava
• Rudrākṣa

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse proclaims Rudrākṣa as non-different from Shiva’s potent forms; wearing it is presented as a protective, life-sustaining act that aligns the devotee with the Lord’s grace and auspicious power.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

It emphasizes Saguna Shiva’s accessible grace: just as the Linga is a tangible focus for devotion, Rudrākṣa is a wearable, consecrated sign of connection to Shiva’s manifest forms like Bhairava and Aṣṭavaktra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa (wearing Rudrākṣa) is implied—ideally combined with japa of Shiva’s mantra (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a disciplined, sattvic Shaiva life.