What Is Rudraksha?

Rudraksha is one of the very prevalently used beads among Hindu people. Tree on which Rudraksha grows belongs to Elaeocarpus Ganitrus species, found in Himalayas. This fruit’s seed is utilized as a bead and is separated in 4 sections as per their sizes and shape. They are as follows –

• Rudraksha – It is large and round in size and prevalently used for medicines, prayers, and for making garlands.
• Indraksha – It appears in groundnut shape and is oval.
• Bhadraksha - It is smaller in round and size. As compared to Rudraksha it serves fewer benefits.
• Sahastraksha – It is shaped in Indraksha, it is just a little bit flat in shape.

The bead is categorized on the basis of number of mouths or lines running from bottom to top. The number of mouths can differ from 1 to 14. The beads having 5 mouths are most prevalent whereas those beads, which have 1 to 4 and 6 to 14, are most scarce, enticing the highest cost.

One faced bead is scarcest and person who has it will be free from cycle of rebirths and births. Double face bead is sacred to Shiv Shakti and Shiva. The 3-faced bead is one to trinity and 3 shaktis. The 4 –faced bead is connected to 4 Vedas and Brahma. The 5- faced bead is Shiva and 6- faced is Kartikeya. When person wears 7-faced bead, Mahalakshmi Goddess gets happy. The 8-faced bead is to Ganesha and 8-faced bead wearer is always victorious. 9-faced bead represents 9 shaktis of Maa Durga. 10-faced bead signifies 10 directions and is particularly useful. The 11-faced bead signifies Rudra; the 12- faced bead represents sun. 

Rudraksha Seeds & Its Various Types

Rudraksha is considered as the most scared and auspicious spiritual element due to its direct co-relation with the Lord Shiva. Many mythological books of Hindu culture say that the Rudraksha seeds are a symbol in which presence of Lord Shiva can be felt, due to this believe this symbol has been getting worshiped by numbers of devotees since ages. Rudraksha seeds are also termed as Rudraksha beads.

Rudraksha seeds have been getting used as a protecting element and for mediation purpose in India as well as in Nepal. It has been believed that worshiping these seeds or wearing Rudraksha seed helps an individual to seek the blessing of Lord Shiva and to enhance the spiritual quality in them.

Different types of Rudraksha Seeds:

It has been observed that on just one tree different types of Rudraksha seeds grow up. The Rudraksha seeds can mainly be distinguished, depending on its colour, size and mukhi of Rudraksha Seeds.

Rudraksha Mukhi or MuKhi of Rudraksha can be described as the number of clearly visible lines on one seed of Rudraksha. These lines are also considered as a symbol of different gods. For example, only one line clearly visible with bare eyes is termed as One Mukhi Rudraksha, similarly two, three and so on numbers of line visible on Rudraksha beads is termed as Two Mukhi Rudraksha, Three Mukhi Rudraksha respectively. There are total 21 types or mukhi of Rudraksha that has been found till date.