Malas or
Rosaries
As Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara, God is not conscious of a Trinity;
As the rose knows nothing of its fragrance, Men do not know their own Divinity -
Malas
(rosaries) are an integral part of
puja, being used to count the
mantra recited to the devata installed in image or yantra. According to
Devirahasya, the classic
Tantrika rosaries are made of conch- shell, pearls, rodhra (symplocos racemosa),
crystal, rudraksha, tulsi (basil), rubies, gold, lotus seeds, skull bone/teeth.
One
should commence by purifying oneself, doing the usual
nyasas, opening the temple, and
making the rosary. The number of beads may be 27, 54 or 108 -but there is always
an extra bead inserted -- called the meru, so that one knows when the cycle is
finished.
Breath
should then be installed in the rosary. Again, according to the
Devirahasya, the seer of
the purification is Kalagnirudra, the metre is Anushtubh, Shmashana Bhairavi,
the Night of Time, the Great Playful One adorned with Human Skulls is the devata.
Hsau is the Bija, Thah is the Shakti, Hrah is the Peg, and the object is the
purification of the rosary.
After
installing breath, the rosary should be bathed with the appropriate pure
substances (upachara).
The
mantras given in
Devirahasya are:
Conch: Om Shrim Shrim Om Shankhini Om Shrim Om.
Pearl: Om Hrim Hrim Om Muktamalini
Shrim Shrim Svaha.
Rodhra: Om Strim Om Raudre Rodhramalini Sah Svaha.
Crystal: Om Ah Hram Hram Arkamale Hram Svaha.
Rudraksha: Om Ah Shrim Hrim Rum
Rudrakshamalini Shuddha Bhava Svaha.
Tulsi: Om Shrim Om Strim Tulasi Vaishnavi Vaushad Svaha.
Ruby: Om Trom Dhum Manimale Manohare Svaha.
Gold: Om Shrim Trim Aim Klim Sauh Suvarnamale Sauh.
Lotus Seed: Om Prim Om Padma Akshamalini Hsauh Svaha.
Skull/Teeth: Hrim Shrim Klim Hram Sauh Dantamale Mundamale Prim Strim Hsauh
Svaha.
After
purifying the rosary with the appropriate mantra, one should then use it, using
one's root mantra, and worshipping it with scent, flowers &c.
Then one
should pronounce the following great mantra: Om Male Male Mahamale
Sarvatattvasvarupini Caturvargastvayi Nyastastasmanme Siddhida Bhava Svaha. (Om,
O Rosary, Rosary, Great Rosary, the true form of all things, place in me the
Four Aims of Mankind. Give siddhi! Svaha )
One
should then close the rite in the usual tantrika fashion, placing the breath in
the heart again &c. When using a rosary to recite mantras, the fruit of the
recitation should be given to the installed aspect in the yantra. Cycles of
mantra should be 27:54:108 and more, according to will. The index finger should
never be used when counting the beads, but the thumb and middle finger. The
rosary should be kept safely away from others when not in use, and should never
be allowed to touch the ground. If this happens, it must be reconsecrated. The
same procedure should be undertaken if the string is cut. The beads should be
scented with the eight great scents.
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