What is Rudraksha according to Hindu Vedas?

Rudraksha is a Sanskrit compound phrase that includes Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्र) and akṣa (Sanskrit: अक्ष). Rudra is one of the Shiva names. The Rudraksha is considered Lord Shiva’s eye. Lord Shiva is denoted by Rudra, and Aansu by Aksha (tears).
Rudraksha is thought to be made from Lord Shiva’s tears, according to Hindu mythology. It is the sole variety of fruit that is worn; in English, it is known as a “Utrasum Bead,” and in Latin, it is known as “Elaeocarpus ganitrus”.

There are 123 varieties of rudraksha in the world, but only 25 of them are found in India. Most people are familiar with the first 1–14 varieties, while the remaining 16–25 varieties are known as Bhadraksha or Shubhaksha.

Rudraksha’s cleft shows the face of it. Rudraksha is worn for both therapeutic and spiritual purposes. Rudraksha is thought to be the representation of Lord Shiva, according to the Shiva Purana. It is a manifestation of a cosmic force reality. It is thought that wearing a rudraksha will prevent negative energy from contacting the wearer.

Rudraksh is worn by Yogis and Munis for spiritual and meditational purposes. But these days, more and more people are drawn to it since it is thought that Lord Shiva—the All-Powerful God—has a large following in India and that Shiva is represented by Rudraksh.

Types of Rudraksha Beads

The “faces” (mukhi) of rudraksha beads are said to be separated by a line or split along the length of the stone. Beads typically contain 1 to 21 faces, with the majority having 4 to 6 faces. The least common are those with a single face. Between 5 and 25 mm and 20 to 35 mm (0.79 to 1.38 in) are the sizes of rudrakshas from Indonesia and Nepal, respectively (0.20 and 0.98 in). The majority of rudraksha beads are brown, although they can also be white, red, yellow, or black.

There are numerous stone types described. Gauri Shankar is made up of two beads that are bonded naturally. One of the linked beads in the Gauri Shankar known as Sawar has just one face. Ganesha is represented by beads with an outgrowth that resembles a tree trunk. Three beads that are naturally linked together form a trijuti. Other uncommon varieties include dwaita and Veda, which have four linked sawars (2 conjoined sawars).

1 Mukhi Rudraksh                        2 Mukhi Rudraksh                      3 Mukhi Rudraksh
4 Mukhi Rudraksh                       5 Mukhi Rudraksh                       6 Mukhi Rudraksh
7 Mukhi Rudraksh                       8 Mukhi Rudraksh                       9 Mukhi Rudraksh
10 Mukhi Rudraksh                    11 Mukhi Rudraksh                      12 Mukhi Rudraksh
13 Mukhi Rudraksh                    14 Mukhi Rudraksh                      15 Mukhi Rudraksh
16 Mukhi Rudraksh                    17 Mukhi Rudraksh                      18 Mukhi Rudraksh
19 Mukhi Rudraksh                    20 Mukhi Rudraksh                      21 Mukhi Rudraksh
       Ganesh Rudraksh                    Garbh Gauri Rudraksh              Gauri Shankar Rudraksh

Benefits of wearing Rudraksha

1. Reduces the impact of karmas
2. Offers defense against dangerous mishaps and bad circumstances.
3. Eliminates planetary evil.
4. Supports memory retention and judgment.
5. Controls blood pressure.
6. Reduces stress and promotes mental relaxation.
7. Helps in the awakening of Kundalini (Latent feminine energy is thought to coil at the base of the spine).
8. Brings Peace and harmony.
9. Regulates blood pressure, hypertension, and stress.
10. Increases inner strength.
11. Provides mental clarity, mental stimulation, and intellectual acuity for the wearer.
12. Balances the chakras (energy centers) and heals diseases in the body.

How much time does Rudraksha take to show their effects?

When you possess Rudraksh time of effect doesn’t matter, what matters is the positive effects you are experiencing.

1. The initial effects of losing negative energies, and ablation of some negative karmic thoughts will be noticeable.
   Replace them with positive thoughts, and with Japa or mantra recital.
   This process will help in speeding up the process.
2. For each Rudraksh bead, one wears on the body, the body has to make adjustments. Probably one may not be aware of these adjustments but they take place nonetheless. Often it is both subtle and “delayed” (meaning that you don’t notice until it is “obvious”). It may be even a slight feeling of euphoria. What isn’t obvious is that our brain, chakras, Nadi systems, subtle bodies, and other neurophysiological mechanisms take a great deal of pranic energy to run and adjust.
3. A Rudraksh needs time to integrate with the fields already running [your “native” fields], and jewelry (some beads you already have).
   Wearing a Rudraksh bead gradually begins to generate effects on your body as the beads tune in through resonance with the body chakras.
4. Beads worn start getting activated within 8-10 days of wearing and you start noticing a lessening of stress and body pains in this period. This is followed by a more energetic feeling in the mind and a focused mind.
   Nepal beads start working in a time of as less as 4 days of wearing.
5. People who meditate on a regular basis, find the effects of the bead in a very short duration of time. Know that beads activate your chakras till the level that you are ready to withstand at that moment of time.

Pranapratishtha pooja of Rudraksha Beads

Praan Pratishtha means filling a diving object with “prana”, the life force. Pran Pratishta of a Rudraksha is done to make the bead Jagrut (awake). In the Pran Pratishta ritual, the Pran Pratishta mantras are chanted to energize the Rudraksha bead. A Rudraksha bead that has been energized through a Pran Pratishta puja is considered very powerful and Divine.

Rudraksh beads activate by continuous wearing also, the time duration can vary depending on the variety and size of the Rudraksh bead. Generally, wearing the beads for 2 weeks continuously activate the beads wherein they start resonating with the Chakras of the Human Body: Pran Pratishtha is performed to expedite this process or to enhance the energies of the Rudraksha. Pran Pratistha with Sankalp (intention) of the wearer helps one manifest their desires for which they have adorned the Rudraksha beads or combination. Pran Pratistha elevates the energies of the Rudraksha to their full potency.

Daily worship of Rudraksha Beads

Rudraksh beads are Divine beads in the true sense. There is nothing more sacred and holy for a Lord Shiva devotee than a Rudraksha bead. Rudraksh bestows spiritual, mental, and physical benefits to its wearer when used appropriately as prescribed in the scriptures. Rudraksh beads provide maximum benefits when they are worn after they are energized.

Rudraksh Bead can be energized on any day, although Mondays and other days like Mahashivratri or Shivratri (monthly), Shravaan maas, Sharwan Somvar, and Poornima (full moon day). Amavasya (new moon day) is also considered highly auspicious to energize Rudraksha Beads.

Duration of Wearing Rudraksha

The beads work best when worn 24×7. If you have seen Rishis and Sadhus, they make it part of their body and wear it all the time. However, if you are uncomfortable wearing them during the night, you may take them off and keep them in a clean place and wear them again in the morning after a bath. Once you start wearing Rudraksha, they take 7-8 days of continual touch on the skin to get activated. After that try not to keep them away from the skin for longer than 10 hours or else they will go into slumber once again.

Family members should not keep interchanging Neck Malas, Japa Malas, or Rudraksha beads. The bond created between a wearer and Rudraksh is based on frequency tuning and hence the wearer must not share her/his Rudraksh with a third party as they lose energy immediately in contact with a different body and need to be energized again. But it can be willed and passed on to another person.