Shloka 55
रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य
Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha
हस्ते बाहौ तथा मूर्ध्नि रुद्रा क्षं धारयेत्तु यः । अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां रुद्र रूपी चरेद्भुवि
haste bāhau tathā mūrdhni rudrā kṣaṃ dhārayettu yaḥ | avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ rudra rūpī caredbhuvi
കൈകളിലും ഭുജങ്ങളിലും മസ്തകത്തിലും രുദ്രാക്ഷം ധരിക്കുന്നവൻ സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങൾക്കും അവധ്യനായി, രുദ്രരൂപം ധരിച്ചു ഭൂമിയിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നു.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse teaches that Rudrākṣa is not mere ornamentation but a Shaiva saṃskāra: by wearing it with devotion, the sādhaka aligns with Rudra’s protective śakti and lives under Shiva’s guardianship.
Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa functions as an outer mark of inner refuge in Saguna Shiva (Rudra). Like Linga-worship, it anchors the mind in Shiva-bhakti and expresses continual association (saṃbandha) with the Lord.
Wear Rudrākṣa on the body (hands/arms/head) as a vow of Shaiva identity, and support it with japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so the external practice becomes inward recollection of Shiva.