Shloka 82

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

भक्तिश्रद्धा युतश्चैव सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये । रुद्रा क्षान्धारयेन्मंत्रैर्देवनालस्य वर्जितः

Transliteration

bhaktiśraddhā yutaścaiva sarvakāmārthasiddhaye | rudrā kṣāndhārayenmaṃtrairdevanālasya varjitaḥ

Translation

ഭക്തിയും ശ്രദ്ധയും യുക്തനായി, സകല ധർമ്മ്യകാമനകളുടെയും ലക്ഷ്യസിദ്ധിക്കായി, മന്ത്രജപത്തോടുകൂടെ രുദ്രാക്ഷം ധരിക്കണം; ‘ദേവനാല’ തരം ഒഴിവാക്കണം.

Word by Word

• भक्ति-श्रद्धा: devotion and faith
• भक्ति-श्रद्धा: Sahakārī/Viśeṣaṇa (सहकारी/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (itaretara)

• युतः: endowed (with)
• युतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘युक्त/युत’ = endowed/connected

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• सर्व-काम-अर्थ-सिद्धये: for the accomplishment of all desired aims
• सर्व-काम-अर्थ-सिद्धये: Sampradāna/Purpose (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (dative of purpose)

• रुद्राक्षान्: Rudrākṣa beads
• रुद्राक्षान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• धारयेत्: should wear/hold
• धारयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• देव-नालस्य: of the divine cord/stem (thread)
• देव-नालस्य: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + नाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वर्जितः: avoided/devoid (of)
• वर्जितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) from √वर्ज् ‘to avoid’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s worship-instructions to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Rudrākṣa is not merely an ornament: when worn with bhakti (devotion) and śraddhā (faith) and supported by mantra, it becomes a Shaiva sādhana that harmonizes worldly aims (artha/kāma) with Shiva-oriented spiritual progress.

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

Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa with mantra is a Saguna-Shiva mode of worship—approaching Lord Shiva through sacred forms, names, and disciplines. It supports Linga-worship by keeping the practitioner continuously aligned with Shiva’s presence through japa and consecrated symbols.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear Rudrākṣa while performing mantra-japa (commonly the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and avoid inauspicious/unsuitable varieties indicated as “deva-nāla,” emphasizing purity of materials and intent in Shaiva practice.