Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates 鈥楶owerful and Powerless 鈥楻udraksha鈥欌�� of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲s are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.
5. Powerful and Powerless 鈥樃槌芑灏灏灬梗a鈥�
[...] 搁耻诲谤腻办峁j膩b膩la 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 verse 13
The best and most auspicious 搁耻诲谤腻办峁 is strong (like a nut), superficially and comparatively smooth (to touch), uniformly round (like a glass marble), having thick and well developed spine, tacks and spicules.
The following six types of beads are not considered good and should be avoided鈥�
- those with nibbling marks created by wood eating ants,
- those which are deformed or broken or split or chopped or scared anywhere,
- those that do not have a spine, tacks or spicules,
- those which are hollow due to some disease,
- those which do not generally look attractive, pleasant and good, and
- those which do not have any of the prescribed qualities or characteristic features described above.
The 搁耻诲谤腻办峁 with a natural hole (bore) running through it is considered as of a good quality.
The beads which need to be drilled through to bore a hole through them through which the thread can be passed to string them into a rosary or a garland, are considered to be of a medium or ordinary quality i.e the beads which have a natural bore hole passing through them are regarded as the best while those through which such hole has to be artificially made are considered medium.
[...] 搁耻诲谤腻办峁j膩b膩la 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 16,17
For the purpose of wearing them on the body, those beads which are of uniform size and shape, comparatively smooth, strong and hard as well as thick and robust should be selected, and they should be stringed together by a silk thread.
All the beads should be of a uniform shape, size and colour. The devotees of Lord 艢颈惫补 should use beads having a subtle golden thread or line marked on them when tested on a touch stone, should be known to be of superior quality and worn by devout worshippers of 艢颈惫补.