Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Rules for wearing Rudraksha

Rules for wearing Rudraksha

We must to know the basic Rudraksha rules before wearing a Rudraksha. No doubt, It is not allowed to wear Rudrakshas without accepting the Lord. What about other rules? What do the Puranas and Tantras tell about caste, creed and sex? Let us concentrate on these topics.

1. Don't wear Rudrakshas without believing Lord Shiva:

Rudrakshas are not Gems. Rudrakshas are not beads. They are tears of Lord Shiva. Wearing Rudrakshas without accepting Shiva (Rudra) results in dangerous consequences. The reason is simple. People who don't believe in Shiva tend to disobey the remaining guidelines too.















What about the people from other religions?
They are allowed, if they accept Lord Shiva. (Observe, only acceptance needed. Changing their custom is nowhere mentioned.) Rudrakshas greatly help in attaining best results with chanting or meditation. They are useful in raising Kundalini and are needed by all religious people. There may be their own methods to boost their worship. But, Rudraksha is incomparable.

Other Rudraksha rules:

2. Character is must. Ahimsa (Don't harm anyone), Satyam(Don't say lies) Asteyam (Don't steal anything) Brahmacharyam(Don't go passionate) Aparigraham (Don't beg anybody). All these five principles are important but the priority goes to the first ones.

3. Non-vegetarian diet, eggs, and Alcohol are strictly prohibited. Luxurious diet (Rajasikahara) and Unhealthy diet (Tamasikahara) are also not allowed.

4. Smoking and other Tobacco related habits are banned.

5. Participating in sexual activity either completely or partially is not at all permitted.

6. Saucham (Cleanliness): Rudraksha should be kept aside while going to toilet. Women should not wear Rudraksha in menstrual period (4 days). Avoid Rudrakshas in the days of Asaucha (if a birth or death occurred in that home, for birth: 3 days, for death: 10 days).
Santosham (Happiness): Don't wear Rudrakshas in the time of grief.

7. Don't touch people who are in above 6 disallowed conditions. No restrictions are mentioned regarding caste, creed or nationality.

Feeling very difficult? O.k, I can suggest a solution. Rudraksha rules 1 and 2 are mandatory. We can avoid wearing Rudrakshas in the remaining conditions.
There are traditions looking contradictory to these rules. I accept. but, they are too difficult to follow in remaining aspects and not meant for normal people.

Finally, Is it allowed to wear Rudraksha while taking bath? Yes. It is even encouraged. But, don't forget to protect costly Rudrakshas from soap and water

Types of Rudraksha : Rudraksh varieties based on Faces / Mukhi

Types of Rudraksha : Rudraksh varieties based on Faces / Mukhi

What are different types of Rudraksha? How to identify them? These are the basic questions for a beginner. He gets confused with the innumerable varieties of Rudraksha. Today I'm going to explain this topic in detail.

What is the Face of a Rudraksh?

Rudraksha is the nut of Rudraksha fruit. It generally contains 5 compartments with a single seed in each compartment. The joining wall between two compartments is represented by a grove / line on the surface of the nut. It is called as Face (Mukhi), key to identify different Rudraksha beads. Rudrakshas are normally categorized and named based on these Mukhi. For example, Panch mukhi Rudraksha is the one with five lines on it.

How many types of Rudraksh are present?

Many. But, all of them are not available equally. I'll list the varieties in the order of availability.
  1. Panchmukhi Rudraksh : Five face Rudraksha
  2. Charmukhi Rudraksh : Four face Rudraksha
  3. Chemukhi Rudraksh : Six face Rudraksha
  4. Teenmukhi Rudraksh : Three face Rudraksha
  5. Sathmukhi Rudraksh : Seven face Rudraksha
  6. Domukhi Rudraksh : Two face Rudraksha
  7. Athmukhi Rudraksh : Eight face Rudraksha
  8. Naumukhi Rudraksh : Nine face Rudraksha
  9. Dasmukhi Rudraksh : Ten face Rudraksha
  10. Ekadasmukhi Rudraksh : Eleven face Rudraksha
  11. Dwadasmukhi Rudraksh : Twelve face Rudraksha
  12. Ekmukhi Rudraksh : One face Rudraksha
  13. Trayodasmukhi Rudraksh : Thirteen face Rudraksha
  14. Chaturdasmukhi Rudraksh : Fourteen face Rudraksha
Remaining Rudraksha described bellow are present in the nature but are very very rare.
  1. Fifteen mukhi
  2. Sixteen mukhi
  3. Seventeen mukhi
  4. Eighteen mukhi
  5. Nineteen mukhi
  6. Twenty mukhi
  7. Twenty one mukhi
There were descriptions of Twenty four mukhi(!) and Twenty seven mukhi(?) Rudrakshas in some village tales. But, Puranas and Tantras don't even mention them.

Sometimes, due to anomalies in the development, two or three Rudrakshas join together to form Rare Rudrakshas like Gauri Shankar or Trijuti

Shiva Rudraksha : Rudraksha Meaning & it's Secrets

Shiva Rudraksha : Rudraksha Meaning & it's Secrets
Origin of Rudraksha is linked with the Story of Tripurasura Samhara. It has many Secrets which tell us about the Meaning and Benefits of Rudraksha. Let us concentrate on those topics.

Story of Rudraksha:

Tripurasuras are three Demons who have Innumerable Powers. They live in three Purams which are built in the sky and revolve in space (Can be compared to very big Flying saucers). The Puramsare protected by a boon from Lord Ganesh and nobody can harm them, unless they come into a single axis. That moment comes only once in every Thousand years.

Prayed by all gods Lord Shiva decided to kill those Demons. He did a big Tapasya with half-closed eyes. (Ardha Nimeelita neetra). He opened his eyes, concentrated on the axis and burnt Tripurams. Due to the stress caused by Tapasya, tears came out his eyes while opening them. They turned into Rudrakshas.
















Meaning of Rudraksha:

Rudra + Aksha = Rudraksha. It is well known. 
What does "Rudra" mean? Rudra is Lord Shiva in his most fierce form.

The most important word is "Aksha", which tells us many details about Rudraksha. Aksha means "Eye". It resembles the Third eye of Lord Shiva, Fire, which protects us from Passion and Death. Aksha means "Borne out of eye". The tears, which came after 1000 years Tapasya done by Lord Shiva.Rudraksha relieves stress and greatly helps in reaching desired goal. Aksha means "Axis". The concentration of Shiva in the war. Everybody needs concentration. Aksha means "View to chase the target": A Clear Vision to reach goal. 

Another important meaning of Aksha is "Joining axis ofTripurams". This gives a purely Philosophical meaning.Tripurasuras resemble Trigunas (TamasRajas and Satwa). They live in Tripurams (SthulaSukshma and Karana Sareerams) One can attain Salvation only after winning these three. We can't win them one by one. They merge at a single point called "Deha bhranti" (Feeling of one-self as a separate identity) . We have to target it and win them at once.

O.k. We went very deep into Philosophy. One thing finally, Rudraksha is not just a Nut. It is a resemblance of Lord Shiva. Wearing Rudraksha is attaining Shivatwa. Benefits will automatically follow.

When to wear Rudraksha : Best times to wear Rudraksh

When to wear Rudraksha : Best times to wear Rudraksh

With a pure heart we can wear Rudraksha on any moment. Nothing bad happens. But, Astrology tells us some important timings to attain very best results from a Rudraksha.

1. No doubt. Shivratri is the best day. If it is not possible to start wearing Rudraksha on Shivratri, it is better to chose an eclipse day (Solar eclipse or Lunar eclipse).
2.Tithi: Paurnami and Krishna Chaturdasi (Masa Shivaratri) are the best. VidiyaPanchamiDasamiTrayodasi are also good.

3. Vara: Sunday, Monday.

4. Nakshatra: AshwiniMrigasiraPushyami, SwathiSravanaare good. It is better to see Chandra bala and Tara bala while selecting a Nakshatra.

5. Lagna: MeshaKarkatakaTulaVrischikaMakaraKumbha.

6. Paksha: Shukla paksha is good for normal people. Krishna paksha is good for saints.

7. Masa: SravanaBhadrapadaAshwiyujaKarthika,MargasiraMagha.

8. Ayana: Uttarayana.

Some people even choose a specific Muhurtha for a specific desire. Muhurthas will again change from person to person. So, it is better to ask an Astrologer for such things. 

Empowering Rudraksha with Mantra japa is also good. You can do it both before and after wearing. Worship Rudraksha and consider it as Lord Shiva himself. Real devotion is important to obtain good results from any Rudraksh.

How to wear Rudraksha Important days & Required puja

How to wear Rudraksha  Important days & Required puja

There are some auspicious days to start wearing Rudrakshas. And it is also better to do the suggested Puja (worship to specific deity) before wearing each Rudraksha variety. Let us discuss today on these topics related to Rudraksha dharana.

RudrakshaDayOccasionsWorships
EkamukhiSundayShiva rathri, DeepavaliShiva, Lakshmi
DwimukhiMondayShiva rathriUmamaheshwara
TrimukhiThursdayDatta jayanthiDattatreya
ChaturmukhiWednesdayGuru paurnamiRudrabhisheka
PanchamukhiMondayDatta jayanthiRudrabhisheka
ShanmukhiTuesdaySkandha shashthiSubrahmanya
SapthamukhiSaturdayDeepavaliLakshmi
AshtamukhiSundayGanesha ChaturthiVinayaka
NavamukhiFridayNavarathriDurga
DasamukhiWednesdayShayana ekadasiRudrabhisheka
Ekadasa mukhiMondayShiva rathriRudrabhisheka
Dwadasa mukhiSundayRatha sapthamiSurya
Trayodasa mukhiTuesdaySkandha shashthiSubrahmanya
Chaturdasa mukhiTuesdayHanuman jayanthiAnjaneya

These festivals and Pujas are only meant for people belonging to Hinduism. Others can select a sacred day of their custom. Anybody can wear Rudrakshas with a pure heart.

It is also told that the best time to wear any Rudraksha is between 6.00 A.M to 7.30 A.M, with an exception to Ashtamukhi. 4.30 P.M to 6.00 P.M is good for Ashtamukhi.

How to test Rudraksha"s

 How to test Rudraksha"sRudraksha borne out of tears of Lord Shiva. It is divine. It is holy. Original Rudraksha gives us enormous fortune by the grace of Shiva. But how to find it?Rudraksha test:Many people think that we can find Real Rudraksha by a single test. That is only half-true. Sadhus identify Original Rudraksha by a collection of tests. The tests are simple. Now I'm going to illustrate them.Appearance of Rudraksha:
Rudraksha beads are nuts of Rudraksha trees. They will be in Reddish-brown / Pale-Yellow color with many groves on their surface. There are three sizes of Rudrakshas. Amla fruit size (Dhatri phalapramana), Zizyphus fruit size (Badari phala pramana) and Chick pea size (Chana matra).O.k. Let us concentrate on important tests to identify Real Rudraksha.Magnetic field test: Original Rudraksha will have a magnetic field around it. This character can be used to find out a Real one. Place Rudraksha between two copper coins. Rudraksha rotates itself.Precautions:Place Rudraksha on the coin vertically with it's poles facing up and down. Bring the second copper coin slowly, so that you can see the movement.Results:Rudraksha must rotate in Clockwise direction (Pradakshina). There will be some Rudrakshas which rotate Anti-clockwise (Apradakshina). But never take them. They are also Rudrakshas but will have Negative energy.Density test:Real Rudraksha will sink in water or milk. Rudraksha beads from unripe fruits will also float on water. But they are useless.Thermometer test:It is a simple test which explains an important property of Rudraksha. Place Rudraksha in a glass with small amount of water (just enough to cover Rudraksha). Record temperature by using a Thermometer. Record the temperature after 30 minutes. You can observe 1 or 2 degrees centigrade rise of temperature.Milk test:It is a time consuming test. But, it shows the superiority of Ek mukhi Rudraksha over all remaining Rudrakshas. Place Rudraksha in a glass of fresh milk. See after 2 days. The milk will not spoil. Some quality Rudrakshas can protect milk for even 3 days. Ek mukhi Rudraksha will work for 5 to 7 days. Really!Tantrics and Yogis can identify the Power of Rudrakshas by keeping Rudraksha in their fist and observing pulse (Nadi spandana) . That is impossible for normal persons. But, we can use above tests to find out Original Rudraksha.

Rudraksha Properties : Physical Chemical and Biological

Rudraksha Properties : Physical Chemical and  Biological 


Physical and Chemical Properties of Rudraksha are a topic of interest for many people. What do they tell us? Can we prove Rudraksha Power with these properties? Do they have any importance in Rudraksha therapy? Let us first concentrate on the Benefits. I will give the stuff below.



Uses of Analyzing Rudraksha:

1. If we know the Properties of a Real Rudraksh, we can easily eliminate Fake ones. We can also find Best Rudrakshas. This is the first use.
2. Chemical and Biological properties of Rudraksha are very much useful in Rudraksha therapy. We may not prove the Spiritual effects of Rudraksha with them. But, they tell us the logic behind Therapeutic effects of Rudraksha.
3. Ayurveda, Siddha vaidya and some Local remedy systems of India have described the usage of Rudraksha in many diseases. But, they require substantial scientific proof. That can be obtained by these tests.
4. Rudraksha are very much useful in controlling Mental illnesses. Some studies are suggesting the Magnetic effects of Rudraksha as a reason for this.

Rudraksha Physical Properties:
Specific gravity for Rudraksha is above 1.05. This rises up to 1.70 depending upon the dryness of Rudraksha and also type of Rudraksha bead. If the moisture content is more, the Rudraksha may also float on water.

PH value for Rudraksha is above 4.82. Rudraksha is basically acidic. But, the acidity is also dependent on many factors. Nuts from Unripe fruits are more acidic.

Rudrakshas have Powerful Electro-magnetic and Para-magnetic inductive properties. Each variety of Rudraksha beads show different effects. These effects are used for positive results in Neurophysiology and Psychiatry.

Rudraksha Bio-Chemical properties:

Chemical analysis reports suggest the presence of Citric acid, Vitamin C and Rudraksha oil with Multiple alkaloids. Pharmacological effects of Rudraksha indicate more than one active Principle element in it. Rudraksha extract has Anti Viral, Anti Bacterial, Anti Protozoal, Anti Fungal, Anti Helminthic properties.

Rudraksha oil:
It is a Pale yellow colored liquid with a Refractive index of 1.46. Specific gravity of Rudraksha oil is around 0.93. Fatty acid analysis tells presence of Iso palmitic oil, Iso stearic oil and traces of many other oils.

Rudraksha water:
If Rudraksha is placed in water for some time, it's temperature will rise slightly. Water becomes acidic and it's Electrical conductivity increases up to 24 Hrs. Rudraksha water improves health.

Can we prove the Spiritual effects of Rudraksha with these tests?
Personally, I believe that this may not be possible. Science has not yet reached God! But, Sacred books clearly described the effects of various Rudraksha beads. Sayings of Vedas and Upanishads are never false