Rudraksha - The Beads Known as Shiva's Tears

The word Rudraksh literally means “tears of Shiva”.

Rudraksh are the dried seeds of a tree, which grows in a select locations of South East Asia, predominantly in the upper Himalayan mountain range of the Indian subcontinent bordering Nepal. A few Rudraksh trees have also been sighted in parts of the Velliangiri Mountains, in the Western Ghats.

There are many legends in Indian scriptures and mythology that describe the divine origin of the Rudraksh tree. According to one legend, Shiva sat in meditation for many millennia with his eyes closed. Upon opening his eyes, he shed tears of ecstasy, which fell to the earth and became the holy Rudraksh tree. Rudraksh beads were Shiva’s gift to the world.

The fundamental nature of the Rudraksha is to cleanse your aura. An aura can be pure white to pitch black and in between there are million shades. The person’s aura can tell you about that person’s health and mental state and his karmic structure.

It doesn’t mean that the moment you put on a Rudraksha, you’ll have a halo around your head or neck. When a person tries to purify himself every little support helps. A Rudraksha mala becomes one of those supports.

Medically research has proven that a Rudraksha mala lowers blood pressure and calms your nerves down. People with many skin ailments also seem to find relief after wearing the Rudrakhsa mala. The Rudraksha also protects you from negative energies around you. It Is especially good for people who travel a lot because traveling and different kind of foods cause a havoc in the person’s system.

We usually prefer that it be worn alone in a silk thread. Often when it is strung in silver or gold, the beads tend to get cracked.

You can wear it after purifying it 24 hours in ghee and 24 hours in milk. Wipe the beads with a clean cloth, but do not wash them with soap. Conditioning should take place every six months.

It is good to wear it at all times and even during the bath if you are not using with hot water or chemical soaps.

Rudraksh should not come in contact with metal, therefore it is advisable not to place them in metal containers.

A Rudraksha is supposed to be a one time buy, and a lot of fake Rudraksha malas are being sold in the market. In fact there is a very poisonous seed called Badraksha, and that mala too is being sold in the market. It looks a lot like the Rudraksha.

Buy the mala from a reliable source, as it is not easy for a layman to know the real mala from a fake one.

The following is a list of Rudraksh available through the Isha Yoga Center, which have been selected by Sadhguru for use by the common man, with the corresponding attributable properties:

Panchmukhi : These are five-faced Rudraksh which can be worn by anyone above 14 years of age. It helps cultivate inner freedom and purity.

Dwimukhi : These are two-faced Rudraksh intended for married persons. It is supportive for marital relationships and should be worn by both husband and wife.

Shanmukhi : These are six-faced Rudraksh intended for children below 14 years of age. This Rudraksh aids in proper physical and mental development and draws qualities of motherly love toward the child.

Gowrishankar : These are beads which look like two beads fused together and can be worn by anyone above 14 years of age. It aids in prosperity and balancing the Ida and Pingala nadis (energy channels) and activates the seven chakras.