Rudrashtakam
Every question on the site tagged Rudrashtakam, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
An eight-verse devotional hymn to Shiva in his Rudra form, recited as a remedy for a flaw or affliction incurred toward Him.
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Rudrashtak with kesar water: the Shiv Navratri remedy for dosh and curses
Every kundali throws up a dosh or two, the speaker says — grahan dosh, pitru dosh, Kaal Sarp Dosh — and a dosh means some shraap received; without a kundali the signs are repeated miscarriages, vehicle troubles and the like. For release from any dosh — dev dosh, pitru dosh, a curse from parents or anyone — the first thing to do in Shiv Navratri: put kesar in a brass lota, add water, hold it in both hands, recite Rudrashtakam at least 8 times (27 if there is time), then pray to Sadashiv to free you from every kind of shraap, including the baddua someone spoke from a hurt heart — Bhagwan removes such a curse by changing that person's bhaav toward you. Do it daily from 10 to 18 February. For work stalled a long time despite every effort, do it all nine days with full surrender; it is not a totka.
Daily morning Shiva puja that must accompany the Kalika Kavach sadhana
The speaker says the worship of Shiva ji is absolutely compulsory in this vidhan, because it is a most ugra prayog and you are a householder who must not incur any dosha; those who leave the video halfway will have trouble later. Every morning from the first day to the last, at the same temple where you do the Kali sadhana if it has a Shivling — otherwise at a Shiva temple nearby — do abhisheka of Shiva with milk, curd and jaggery, light a ghee lamp, and recite the Rudrashtakam or Shiva's 108 names, whichever you can manage, or jap five or ten malas of the Panchakshari Mantra. Whether or not you wear a Yajnopavita, jap without Pranav; women also jap without pranav.
What is the remedy once a dosha has already been incurred from careless sadhana?
A devotee describes falling ill after unknowingly doing an ugra mantra and stotra, and being cured after reciting Shiv Rudrashtakam. The speaker confirms this: whenever an apradha has occurred — a mantra shraap, deva shraap, mantra dosha, deva dosha or pitru dosha from ugra sadhana or careless havan — Bhagwan Shiva himself protects through Rudrashtakam, and one should seek kshama while performing his abhishek.
What is the Akhand Deepak and Japa requirement across the four Prahars?
Light an Akhand Deepak from the morning of Mahashivratri to the following morning (or from the first evening Prahar until 7 AM), ideally with a night vigil (Ratri Jagran) — chant at least 5 malas per Prahar if 108 isn't possible, or alternatively Shiva Sahasranama or Rudrashtakam with devotion.
Daily vidhi of the Panchakshari purashcharan: materials, lamps, sankalp, smaran, abhishek, japa and aarti
For the daily sitting the speaker asks for yellow cloth and a yellow asan, a Shivling for daily abhishek, Bilva patra, kaner, aakavan and shami leaf or flower, and cow's milk — or a gandhodak of roli, crushed camphor and agar or rose water in water. Sit facing east or north in yellow or white, light two lamps — mustard oil for the protective shaktis (Bhairav, Hanuman, Kali, the yoginis), ghee for Shiva, Parvati, the nourishing shaktis and the kul devi-devatas — and do Achamana, pavitri dharan, shikha bandhan, bhumi sparsh and asan shodhan. Then Swastivachan (or the Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu mantra), guru smaran — Dattatreya if you have no guru, since Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are in him, or Shiva or Narayan — and the day's Sankalpa with akshat, flower and water, naming yourself, Gotra, tithi and nakshatra: for Shiva's pleasure, for the siddhi of the Panchakshar mantra, for the destruction of sins of all births and of all known and unknown doshas, for the pleasure of the Pitr devas, I resolve to do yathashakti japa today. Then Ganesha by the Sankat Nashan Stotra, Batuk Bhairava by his stotra and shatanamavali, and Bhagwati by the Saptashloki or her stotra — five minutes in all — then abhishek of Shiva by the names of the twelve Jyotirlingas and shringar, optionally a Shiva Kavach, stotra or the Rudrashtakam, and the japa itself on a Rudraksha mala kept inside a Gomukhi. Afterwards samarpan, a stuti such as the Shiv Tandav Stotra or Lingashtakam, and camphor Aarti. Three hours at most, he says.
Remedy for prolonged financial distress: a Shivling at home, daily water and the Rudrashtakam
For someone who has been in severe financial trouble for some twenty years, the speaker says the most solid remedy, if one is able, is to have a Rudrabhishek done at night at Shivratri. If one cannot afford that and wants something simple, keep a Shivling at home if possible — it can be done at home — and regularly offer water to it while reciting the Rudrashtakam; even that much will be a great deal. He does not prescribe more without knowing what the person already does, and invites them to describe their situation in the Telegram group for closer guidance.
Origin of the Rudrashtakam: Kakbhushundi cursed by Shiva for not bowing to his guru
The speaker recounts from the Uttarkand of the Ramcharitmanas that Kakbhushundi, doing Japa of Shiva's name in a Shiva temple, did not bow to his own Guru when he arrived, out of pride (Abhimana). His guru, simple and compassionate, was not troubled, but Bhagwan Sadashiv did not let it pass: he said that not honouring one's guru when he arrives goes against the niti laid down by the Vedas, that those who envy their guru stay in hell for crores of yugas and then suffer through animal and bird births, and he gave Kakbhushundi a Shraap to sit before his guru like a python or fall into a degraded state. The speaker says the guru was pained that Shiva had cursed his disciple, and in that grief composed the praise of Sadashiv known as the Rudrashtakam, eight mantras of Rudra beginning "Namami Shamishan Nirvana Rupam". He draws the lesson that if one sees one's guru or a great scholar arrive while one is seated in japa or puja, the question of rising to honour them is a real one, and that one must never bear ill will toward one's guru.
Doshas the Rudrashtakam is said to remove
The speaker says the Rudrashtakam should be recited for the removal of doshas incurred knowingly or unknowingly: failing out of pride to bow to a learned person and drawing their wrath; some insult to one's ancestors in the course of events (Pitru Dosha); or, at a pilgrimage place, not bowing to deities one did not even know were there. He says it removes daivik doshas in particular, whether related to Upadevata, to deities, or to the shaktis of a specific place who gave a curse in anger, and that this pacifies the dosha.
How should the Rudrashtakam be recited to remove deva dosha?
Asked how the paath is done, the speaker says to begin on any monthly Shivratri, on Mahashivratri, or on any day of Shravan, with a Sankalpa spoken in these words: for the pacifying of every kind of daivik dosha and the anger of every kind of deity and Upadevata, I take the sankalp to recite the Rudrashtakam. After each of the eight mantras one Akshat is offered to Shiva, so eight grains in all, on a Shivling, a photo or a Vigreh at home. The recitation is done in the morning or at Godhuli Bela with one lamp lit and in one's ordinary puja clothes; even one paath counts, and more than one, up to five, is best, which he says should be done if the suffering is intense. He adds that if one never learns whether a deva-dosha exists, whatever is written must still be endured, but this recitation will lessen the deva dosha and the deities' anger.
Rudrashtakam beyond deva dosha: wider benefits and Rahu mahadasha
The speaker says Shiva calms everyone, so taking refuge in him through the Rudrashtakam for this purpose brings immense benefit. He says the hymn has many other vidhi-vidhan through which other kinds of wellbeing are achieved, and that it also works in jyotish, for instance when Rahu's influence is active or a Rahu Mahadasha is running, and can be done for that as well. But he says its special use, where it gives the greatest benefit, is for pacifying deva-dosha.
How a havan with kishmish and honey removes an aparadh against the kula shakti
If you know the vidhi of havan — an ordinary sukshma havan, a simple havan — you should offer ahuti with these mantras by means of kishmish, kishmish and madhu. By this they will be pleased, will be strengthened, and will then do good. He compares it with the Rudrashtakam used for Shiva: if some dev dosh has attached or an aparadh has been committed knowingly or unknowingly, we get release through it; in the same way the Tantrokta Ratri Suktam removes our aparadh and our dosh, if we do it in the right way.
Those who wish to do it well may be told the Rudrashtak path and given aarti.
To those who wish to do it well, tell them the path of the Rudrashtak too, or have them do it along with you. If they wish to do aarti, make the arrangement for that as well. Keep a small setup.
What may be recited by those who do not know the Rudrashtadhyayi?
If at home you do not know the mantras of the Rudrashtadhyayi and cannot do the Ashtadhyayi path, and know no particular pauranik mantras — do it with the Rudrashtak if you know it, do it with Shiv ji's 108 names, do it with the twelve Jyotirlinga names, or do the abhishek reciting any stotra or his ashtottara shatanama.
What is done with the roli left on the Shivling after abhishek?
After doing the abhishek, the roli and camphor and the rest will remain stuck upon the Shivling. Removing that same roli — wiping it with your ring finger from off the Shivling — apply a tilak upon your forehead and upon your throat. Do this work, and along with it do the path of the Rudrashtak.
What exactly should be done to remove that dosha?
Doing the path of the kavach and the like at once in the house, sprinkling water and doing prokshan upon oneself; empowering water with the names of Bhagavan and empowering panchamrit and eating and drinking it; and doing abhishek and the rest of Bhagavan Shiva while reciting the Rudrashtakam according to capacity — by this the parihar of this dosha happens immediately. If you keep it stopped and do not do it, then difficulty begins to occur.
In what order should the parts of a nitya puja be done?
A listener recites his daily order: guru smaran, Datt mantra mala, then Sankat Nashan Ganpati stotra, then Bhagavati's Satnam kavach stotra, then Rudrashtak, then Bajrang Baan. The speaker answers that first comes guru smaran with the Datt mala; after that Ganpati; after Ganpati, Bhairav; then Hanuman ji; then Jagdamba, or Lakshmi Narayan; and Shiva ji should be done at the very end.
Stage one of Badavanal siddhi: Sitaram japa from Ekadashi to Ekadashi
The speaker says the vidhi begins on the Ekadashi of any month and runs to the Ekadashi of the next paksha. In that period one does 108 malas daily of the Sitaram nama on a genuine Tulsi mala of 108 beads plus a sumeru, to destroy one's paap and taap and to produce in the body the element that can hold the Badavanal vidya. It is done with Brahmacharya, sleeping on the ground if possible, after a morning bath and puja of Shri Ram's darbar, on a Kusha Asana laid with its head east, in yellow clothes, facing east only, with achaman and a Sankalpa naming the purpose and also all paap, shraap and kundali doshas; each day's japa is surrendered with water into Ram's right hand or Janaki's left. After the home puja one goes to a Shiva temple, lights five ghee lamps, does abhisheka with milk, curd and honey and then water, offers bilva and flowers and recites the Rudrashtakam eleven times; back home, one feeds the creatures around the house before eating. Kept up to the Ekadashi, this completes the first stage.
What is the Mahatmya of the Rudrashtakam?
Very great. If any offence against a deity occurs, or a mantra-curse, or anyone's curse (Shraap) — even a curse of Bhagavan Shiva himself — an Anushthan of the Rudrashtakam brings immediate release from it. It also pacifies the affliction of the ancestors.
Can a dosha attach to a Guru mantra?
A Guru mantra is a mantra upon which no dosha of any kind ever attaches. If you feel one has, the speaker's reading is that you told it to someone — and the dosha that comes of telling has already attached; forget that a Rudrashtakam recitation will remove it.
Is there any bar of varna or kula on learning?
In whatever varna, in whatever kula you took birth, nothing is forbidden anywhere, he says. What is meant by adhikar? Learn, brother. Come out of your own kula and family and learn. When a Brahmin can go and do fourth-class work in the railway, then when you are in the fourth varna, go and learn. Who has forbidden it? Learn to recite the Rudrashtak. Learn from those who are teaching.
What is the simplest path if you can do nothing else at the temple?
When you have completed the shringar and everything else, the simplest and most ordinary vidhan there, if you do nothing else, is the path of the Rudrashtakam. For the rest, if you can do a full abhishek with panchamrit, or an abhishek with curd and jaggery, then do as much as you are able.
What is the remedy for a mantra shraap or deva shraap?
First of all, if the problem is very great, let a Rudrabhishek be done with the Rudri path, having taken a sankalp. Let the sankalp be that whatever mantra or deva shraap or dosha has attached, whatever offence has come about, forgiveness for it be obtained and the anger be pacified. Then daily let the abhishek of Bhagwan Shiva be done with curd and jaggery, with the karma sakshi deep kindled, and the Rudrashtakam recited while asking his pardon.
What closes the daily sequence after the havan?
After this comes the Rudrashtakam, which should be done by singing it — singing is best. So sing the Rudrashtakam, and then there is the kshama prarthana to Bhagavan Shiva, and then the aarti and so on. After the aarti there is again the kshama prarthana. All these things you can do. Take benefit of this whole subject connected with Bhagavan Shiva and Shravan, he says — everyone.
Rudrashtakam for Mahadev and the kshama verse for any Devi form
Asked what to do when the dosh is with Mahadeva rather than Bhagwati, the speaker says the Rudrashtakam should be recited every day, at least 27 times. For any form of Bhagwati, the remedy is done with the "Kshama-Rupena Samsthita" verse.
Sadashiva, Bhairav and Hanuman must be worshipped alongside the Navratri navgrah jap
The speaker says that in all this pujan the worship of Bhagwan Sadashiva and of Bhairava and Hanuman ji is compulsory. It may be as little as lighting one Deepak in their names, or a path of the Hanuman Chalisa, the Shiv Panchakshar Stotra, the Rudrashtakam or the names of Bhairav ji, but it must be done. If it cannot be done in the morning, do it in the evening; these deities are not to be left out.
Keep each deity to the rite made for them — the speaker rejects the Rudrabhishek done in Radha's name
Doing a deity's rite in another deity's name — he cites videos telling people to perform the Rudrabhishek in Savan taking Bhagavati Radha's name in place of Shiva's. Please avoid these things, he says; let what was made for which deity remain limited to them.
In that atmosphere he forgot the whole Rudrashtakam mid-japa
He says he was doing an ordinary japa of the Rudrashtakam and forgot — he forgot the whole Rudrashtakam. What is going on, he asked himself; where have we got stuck, what place have we come to, what is happening. Those who disturb themselves, he says, will disturb others too.
What comes after the Jyotirlinga Stotra?
After that, the speaker says, one should know how to sing the Shiv Mahimna Stotra, or should know how to recite the Rudrashtak of Shiva ji. What the Rudrashtak is, is that it works swiftly: for obtaining whatever thing you need right now, the Rudrashtak is amogh. For raksha, going further, if you especially need it, then do either the Amogh Shiv Kavach or the Shiv Raksha Kavach.
May a rhino-horn bangle given by someone be worn, and how much Rudrashtak in Shravan?
A listener says the rhino-horn item was presented to him by a Girish ji, who gave it only to be worn. Then wear it, the speaker says; there is no difficulty, and since he gave it, take directions from him. Asked how much Rudrashtak should be recited in Shravan, he says: do eight paths each day, or do nine paths.
What should a daughter who dreams of Shivling worship be taught?
A listener says his daughter always dreams of a Shivling or of worship connected with it and asks which sadhana should be done. First of all, the speaker says, your daughter is having such a good dream: inspire her to perform Shiva pujan. Teach her to sing the stuti of the Rudrashtak — not to recite it but to sing it, and to sing it well. Let her do abhishek of the Shivling every day, do its shringar, and recite the Rudrashtak alongside. Begin her from here.
Can the Rudrashtakam be used for gaining wealth?
Absolutely, the speaker answers. Doing the paath of the Rudrashtak over nag kesar, that nag kesar is offered upon the shivling. It is among the unfailing upays for gaining wealth — but this work should be done continuously for at least seven days, beginning from the Tritiya or Panchami tithi of the Shukla Paksha.
Daily morning panchbali for the pitrs with an atta lamp at a Shiva temple
The first task the speaker gave the family was a daily morning Panchabali for every kind of Pitr — feeding five kinds of beings. From the day's first fresh rotis take four: one to a cow with gur, one to a dog with gur, one broken up with gur and left somewhere for crows, and the fourth taken to a lonely spot under a tree with a little sugar or gur mixed in for the ants. Fifth, make an atta-deepak with mustard oil, do abhishek of Shiva at a Shiva temple with sweet water, light the lamp and ask Bhagavan Mahadeva to protect all the pitrs of the kul and make them pleased. Optionally sit there and recite the Rudrashtakam eight times. One person was assigned this; feeding the animals and lighting the lamp is something anyone in the house can do.
What is prescribed for someone severely afflicted by Rahu?
He describes the case: Rahu seated squarely in the lagna, the feeling of being about to die, thoughts of suicide, continual bad dreams day and night, wrong thoughts in the mind, thinking oneself a person of base tendency. In such a state, he says, do the abhishek of Bhagwan Shiva with dahi and gud. Note that when introducing this he had said ghee and gud, and when giving the instruction he said dahi and gud — the transcript carries both readings.
How many Rudrashtakam paths and lamps go with the Rahu remedy?
Along with the abhishek, do the paath of the Rudrashtakam, at least eight daily. Light two ghee lamps in a Shiva temple. Then a most special kripa will be obtained by you and the shanti of Rahu will happen with the greatest speed. Along with it, if possible, also do the japa by the Panchakshari japa vidhi he has described.
What is prescribed for financial trouble and lack of barkat?
For financial advancement, he says, do the abhishek of Mahadev with dahi and gud, with sugar mixed in, with khand mixed in; or do his abhishek with madhu, throughout Sawan. And doing the paath of the Rudrashtakam, do the anushthan of the Daridra Dahan stotra in Sawan. That will be the best.
What should be done when a brahmacharya sankalp taken in a Shiv temple is broken?
He first asks why so difficult a sankalp was taken at all, and why the questioner had such confidence in himself as to take so great a sankalp in a Shiv temple; a sankalp should be taken only up to one weapon's length, according to one's own capacity. Then: do a path of the Rudrashtak before Shiv ji, make kshama yachana, and pray again to him that you may obtain the capacity to carry brahmacharya through unbroken.
How does the Rudrashtak destroy the effects of tantra?
Asked to explain the subject of tantra being destroyed by a path of the Rudrashtak, he says there is a whole video on it on the channel, and states that whether it be dev dosha, pret or pitr dosha, or a shraap, all of them are uprooted by the Rudrashtak.
What is prescribed for a weak Chandra and Shukra?
Nothing much, he says: special pujan of Shiv ji, and a little practice — at least kapalbhati and bhastrika among the yoga kriyas, these two things to be attended to. Along with that, pujan of Shiv ji, a path of the Rudrashtak, and abhishek of Shiv ji with milk, with water, and with a fragrant substance such as rose water — in a temple, not at home. Begin this from the Phalgun Purnima, that is from this very Monday; if you can continue even for 15 days, there will be much benefit.
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