Beads for rosaries

General information

A holy thing worn by devotees. In the पुराणस् much importance is attached to रुद्राक्ष . In देवी भागवत , स्कन्ध 11, there is a story stating how रुद्राक्ष came to be honoured in this way.

Once there lived an असुर chief who was mighty and valiant. His name was त्रिपुर . He defeated देवस् and deva chiefs and became emperor of the असुरस् . The देवस् were much grieved because of him. They went to शिव and represented their grievances. शिव thought for a while, how to kill त्रिपुर , and sat with open epes. This sitting continued for a thousand divine years. After this prolonged time शिव winked his eyes and tears fell down from them. The रुद्राक्ष tree originated from these tears. From the Sun-eye of शिव twelve types of रुद्राक्षस् came into being; from the moon-eye sixteen kinds of रुद्राक्षस् and from the fire-eye ten kinds of रुद्राक्षस् originated. Those which originated from the Sun-eye are blood coloured, those from the moon-eye white रुद्राक्षस् and from the fire-eye black रुद्राक्षस् . Boiled रुद्राक्ष is considered a ब्रह्मिन् caste, red रुद्राक्ष a क्षत्रिय caste, white one a वैश्य caste and the black रुद्राक्ष a शूद्र caste.

Division of रुद्राक्ष based on quality

The division of रुद्राक्ष according to the number of faces, and qualities thereof are given below:

With one face:

रुद्राक्ष with only one face is the figure of शिव . By wearing this remission from the sin of ब्रह्महत्या could be procured.

With two faces:

रुद्राक्ष with two faces is the figure of देवीदेव . This is known by the name " गौरीशङ्कर ". By wearing this remission from all sins committed knowingly and unknowingly, would be obtained.

With three faces:

This is the figure of अग्नि (fire). By wearing this the sin incurred by स्त्रीहत्या (killing a woman) would be washed away.

With four faces:

रुद्राक्ष with four faces is the figure of ब्रह्मा . By wearing this, the sin incurred by नरहत्या (killing a man) could be got rid of.

With five faces:

This is the figure of कालाग्नि (Fire of काल the God of death). By wearing this, remission of sins incurred by eating food which ought not to have been eaten and enjoying woman who ought not to have been enjoyed, could be obtained. All sorts of sins would be absolved by फ़िवे-फ़चेद् रुद्राक्ष .

With six faces;

सिx -faced रुद्राक्ष is the six-faced god कार्त्तिकेय . By wearing it on the right hand, remission from all sins, beginning with ब्रह्महत्या could be obtained.

With seven faces:

रुद्राक्ष with seven faces is the figure of कामदेव (Cupid). If this is worn, sins such as theft of gold etc. could be removed.

Eight faces;

रुद्राक्ष with eight faces is the figure of विनायक , the general of the great army. By wearing this, sins incurred by deceit such as selling rice of low quality as good quality, keeping false weights and measures, giving gold of lower carat as good carat gold, by enjoying woman of wicked families, touching the wife of teacher, and so many other kinds of sins would be absolved, and impediments would be avoided and finally one can attain supernal bliss.

With nine faces:-

This रुद्राक्ष is the figure of भैरव . This should be worn on the left hand. By doing so one would become as mighty as god and would become devoted to god and would attain salvation. The sins incurred by killing the child in the womb a thousand times and killing ब्रह्मिन्स् a hundred times would be got rid of by wearing this रुद्राक्ष .

With ten faces:

--This is the figure of the real जनार्दन . If one wears this, the devils, wicked planets. Ghosts, goblins, spirits haunting funeral places, ब्रह्मराक्षसस् (a kind of demon) etc. will not come near him. Moreover, snake-bite would not affect him.

With eleven faces:

Rudrākṣa with eleven faces is the figure of the Eleven Rudras. This should be worn on the head. By doing so one could obtain the fruits of performing a thousand horse-sacrifices and a hundred Vājapeyayāgas (A kind of sacrifice)

With twelve faces:

रुद्राक्ष with twelve faces is the dwelling place of the twelve आदित्यस् . This should be worn on the ear. If it is done so, the sun-god will be pleased. The wearer will obtain the fruits of performing horse-sacrifice, cow-sacrifice etc. He will not be wounded by animals with horns, or quills or teeth. He need not fear disease or worry. He need not fear to go anywhere. Wherever he goes he will be honoured as God. All the sins incurred by slaughter of elephant, man, snake, rat, frog etc. will instantly be absolved.

With thirteen faces:

--He who wears रुद्राक्ष with thirteen faces will be equal to कार्त्तिकेय . All his wishes will be realized. He will get रस ( मेर्चुर्य् ) and रसायन (sweetened medicine) and all the pleasures and luxuries of the world. The great sins of killing parents, brothers etc. will be removed.

With fourteen faces:

--He who wears रुद्राक्ष with fourteen faces will be exactly like the real परमशिव . --

The mode of wearing रुद्राक्ष

He who wears thirtytwo रुद्राक्षस् on the neck, forty on the head, six on each ear, twelve on each hand, sixteen on each of the upper arms, one on each eye, one on the lock of hair, and one hundred and eight on the chest is really श्री नीलकण्ठ परमशिव Himself.