Shloka 144

Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya

Devanagari script

रुद्राक्षं द्वादशास्यं च त्रयोदशमुखं तथा । चतुर्दशास्यसंयुक्तं स्वयमुक्तं च शंकरम्

Transliteration

rudrākṣaṃ dvādaśāsyaṃ ca trayodaśamukhaṃ tathā | caturdaśāsyasaṃyuktaṃ svayamuktaṃ ca śaṃkaram

Translation

ਰੁਦ੍ਰਾਕਸ਼ ਦੇ ਬਾਰਾਂ-ਮੁਖੀ ਵੀ ਹਨ, ਤੇਰਾਂ-ਮੁਖੀ ਵੀ, ਅਤੇ ਚੌਦਾਂ-ਮੁਖਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਵੀ—ਜੋ ਸਵਯੰ-ਪ੍ਰਕਟ ਹਨ; ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ੰਕਰ (ਸ਼ਿਵ) ਆਪ ਵੀ।

Word by Word

• रुद्राक्षम्: Rudrākṣa (bead/seed of Rudra)
• रुद्राक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्वादशास्यम्: twelve-faced
• द्वादशास्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रुद्राक्षम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्रयोदशमुखम्: thirteen-faced
• त्रयोदशमुखम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (रुद्राक्षम्)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• चतुर्दशास्यसंयुक्तम्: endowed with fourteen faces
• चतुर्दशास्यसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण (रुद्राक्षम्)

• स्वयम्: by oneself; personally
• स्वयम्: Sambandha/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उक्तम्: said/declared
• उक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण (रुद्राक्षम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma/Upapada-sambandha (Object/संबन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (रुद्राक्षस्य देवता/अधिष्ठाता इति)

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Adhyaya 59)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चतुर्दशास्यसंयुक्तम् इति तत्पुरुषसमासः (चतुर्दशास्यैः संयुक्तम्)। स्वयम् + उक्तम् = स्वयमुक्तम् (सन्धिः)।

Characters & Entities

• Rudrākṣa
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the main subject of this verse?

It enumerates Rudrākṣa beads classified by the number of “faces” (mukha)—12, 13, and 14—and links them to Śaṅkara (Śiva), implying their Śaiva sanctity and special status.

What does “many-faced” (dvādaśāsya, trayodaśamukha, caturdaśāsya) mean for Rudrākṣa?

It refers to the number of natural longitudinal segments/lines on the bead, traditionally counted as “mukhas” (faces), used in Purāṇic and later ritual traditions to classify Rudrākṣas.

What is the theological implication of mentioning Śaṅkara here?

By naming Śaṅkara alongside the Rudrākṣa types, the verse frames Rudrākṣa as a sacred Śaiva object—associated with Śiva’s presence, blessing, or manifestation.