Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Book 11, Chapter 3

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The Srimad Devi Bhagavatam

 

 

 

 

The Srimad Devi Bhagavatam

 

Translated by Swami Vijnanananda,

 

Originally published in 1921-1922,

 

Inscribed to the memory of Rai Bahadur Srisa Chandra Vidayarnava.

 

 

 

Book Eleven, Chapter Three

 

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1-21:

 

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Sri Narayana said:- " O Narada! There are six kinds of Achamana:- (1)

Suddha, (2) Smarta, (3) Paranik, (4) Vaidik, (5) Tantrik and (6)

Srauta. The act of cleaning after evacuating oneself of urine and

faeces is known as Suddha Saucha. After cleaning, the Achaman, that

is performed according to rules, is named as Smarta and Pauranik. In

places where the Brahma Yajna is performed, the Vaidik and Srauta

Achamanas are done. And where acts e.g. the knowledge of warfare are

being executed, the Tantrik Achaman is done. Then he is to remember

the Gayatri Mantra with Pranava (om) and fasten the lock of hair on

the crown of his head, thus controlling all the hindrances (Bighna

Bandhanam). Sipping again, he is to touch his heart, two arms, and

his two shoulders. After sneezing, spitting, touching the lower lip

with teeth, accidentally telling a lie, and talking with a very

sinful man, he is to touch his right ear (Where the several Devas

reside). On the right ear of the Brahmanas reside Fire,

Water, the Vedas, the Moon, the Sun and the Vayu (wind). Then one is

to go to a river or any other reservoir of water, and there to

perform one's morning ablutions and to cleanse his body thoroughly.

For the body is always unclean and dirty and various dirts are being

excreted out of the nine holes (doors) in the body. The morning bath

removes all these impurities. Therefore the morning bath is

essentially necessary. The sins that arise from going to those are

not fit for such purposes, from accepting gifts from impure persons

or from the practice of any other secret vices all are removed by the

morning ablutions. Without this bath, no acts bear any fruit.

Therefore everyday, this morning bath is very necessary. Taking the

Kus'a grass in hand, one is to perform one's bath and Sandhya. If for

seven days, the morning ablutions are not taken, and if for three

days, the Sandhya are not performed, if for twelve days, the daily

Homas be not performed, the Brahmanas become Sudras. The time for

making the Homa in the morning is very little; therefore lest

ablutions to be done daily which would take a long time and hence the

time for the Homa might elapse, the monring bath should be performed

quickly. After the bath the Pranayama is to be done. Then the full

effects of the bath are attained. There is

nothing holier in this world or in the next than reciting the

Gayatri. During the time of Pranayama, one must control one's Prana

and Apana Vayus i.e. make them equal. The Brahmin, knowing the Vedas

and devoted to his Dharma, must practice Pranayama three times with

the repetition of Gayatri and Pranava and the three Vyarhitis (Om

Bhu, Om Bhuvar, Om Svah).

 

 

 

While practicing, the muttering of the Gayatri is to be done three

times. In Pranayama, the Vaidik manta is to be repeated, never a

Laukika Mantra is to be uttered. At the time of the Pranayama, if

anybody's mind be not fixed, even for a short while, like a mustard

seed on the apex of a cowborn, he cannot save even one hundred and

one person's in his father's or in his mother's line. Pranayama is

called Sagarbha when performed with the repetition of some mantra; it

are called Agarbha when it is done simply with mere meditation,

without repeating any mantra. After the bathing, the Tarpanam with

its accompaniments, is to be done; i.e. the peace offerings are made

in reference to the Devas, the Risis, the Pitris (whereby we invoke

the blessings from the subtle planes where the highsouled persons

dwell). After this, a clean pair of clothes is

to be worn and then he should get up and come out of the water. The

next things preparatory to practise Japam are to wear the Tilaka

marks of ashes and to put on the Rudraksa beads. He who holds thirty-

two beads of Rudraksa on his neck, forty on his head, six on each ear

(12 on two ears), twenty-four beads on two hands (twelve on each

hand), thirty-two beads on two arms (sixteen on each), one bead on

each eye and one bead on the hair on the crown, and one hundred and

eight beads on the breast (251 in all) becomes himself Maha Deva. One

is expected to use them as such. O Muni! You can use the Rudraksas

after tying, stringing together with gold or silver always on your

Sikha, the tuft of hair on the head or on your ears. On the holy

thread, on the hands, on the neck, or on the belly (abdomen) one can

keep the Rudraksa after one has repeated sincerely and with devotion

the five lettered mantra of Siva, or one has repeated the Pranava

(Om). Holding the Rudraksa implies that the

man has realized the knowledge of Siva-Tattva. O Brahmin! The

Rudraksa bead that is placed on the tuft or on the crown hair

represents the Tara tattva i.e., Om Kara; the Rudraksa beads that are

held on the two ears are to be thought of as Deva and Devi.

 

 

 

22-37:

 

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The one hundred and eight Rudraksa beads on the sacrificial thread

are considered as the one hundred and eight Vedas (signifying the

Full Knowledge, as sixteen digits of the Moon completed; on the arms,

are considered as the Dik (quarters); on the neck, are considered as

the Devi Sarasvati and Agni (fire). The Rudraksa beads ought to be

taken by men of all colours and castses. The Brahmans, Ksattriyas and

Vais'yas should hold them after purifying them with Mantras i.e.

knowingly; where the Sudras can take them without any such

purification by the Mantras i.e. unknowingly. By holding or putting

on the Rudraksa beads, persons become the Rudras incarnate in flesh

and body. These is no doubt in this. By this all the sins arising

from seeing, hearing, remembering, smelling, eating prohibited

things, talking incoherently, doing prohibited things, etc. are

entirely removed with the Rudraksa beads on the body; whatever acts,

eating, drinking, smelling, etc. are done, are as it were, done by

Rudra Deva Himself. O Great Muni! He who feels shame in holding

Rudraksa beads has defects in his birth (is a bastard). There is no

doubt in this. It is by holding on to Rudraksa that Brahma has

remained steady in His Brahmahood untainted and the Munis have been

true to their resolves. So there is no act better and higher than

holding the Rudraksa beads. He who gives clothing and food to a

person holding Rudraksa beads with devotion is freed from all sins

and goes to the Siva Loka. He who feasts gladly any holder of such

beads at the time of Sradh, goes undoubtedly to the Pitri Loka. He

who washes the feet of a holder of Rudraksa and drinks that water, is

freed of all sins and resides with honour in the Siva Loka. If a

Brahmana holds with devotion the Rudraksa beads with a necklace and

gold, he attains Rudrahood. O Intelligent One! Wherever whoever hold

with or without faith and devotion the Rudraksa beads with or without

any mantra, is freed of all sins and is entitled to the Tattvajnana.

I am unable to describe fully the greatness of the Rudraksa beads. In

fact, all should by all means hold the Rudraksa beads on their bodies.

 

 

 

Note:- The Number one hundred and eight (108) signifies the One

Hundred and Eight Vedas, the Brahman, the Source of all Wisdom and

Joy.

 

 

 

Here ends the Third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the glories of

the Rudraksa beads in the Maha Puranam Sri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of

18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda

Vyasa.

 

 

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