| Botanically Rudraksha is the seed of trees of the | | | | carefully chosen and then they are sanctified and |
| family Elaeocarpus. The term Rudraksha means tears | | | | purified as per Hindu rituals to make them fit to be |
| of lord Shiva. There is a Hindu legend that states that | | | | used in a Rudraksha necklace, many people believe |
| lord Shiva is suppose to have shed a tear, and the | | | | that without the proper rituals the effects of the |
| place where the tear landed on earth, the | | | | Rudraksha necklace are nullified and it just as good as |
| Elaeocarpus tree grew up. It is since then that the | | | | any other ornament, its properties and effects lost |
| Elaeocarpus tree is regarded as sacred in the Hindu | | | | forever. |
| religion, and the seed of the Elaeocarpus tree is used | | | | Effects of Rudraksha |
| to make rosaries and necklaces. Depending on the | | | | Depending on the wearer, It is believed that the |
| number of faces (number of grooves on the seed) | | | | Rudraksha has different effect on different people, |
| that the Elaeocarpus seed has the Rudraksha is | | | | the Rudraksha senses the problems that the wearer |
| termed as Pachamukhi (5 faces), Dwi Mukhi (2 | | | | is experiencing and has a calming and de stressing |
| faces), Eka mukhi (1 face) and so on, the rarest | | | | effect. Also it is believed that the Rudraksha is |
| form of the Rudraksha is the 14 faced (Chaturdasha | | | | supposed to improve conditions like high BP and sugar |
| mukhi) Himalayan Rudraksha. | | | | problems like diabetes etc. Among younger wearers |
| For thousands of years the Rudraksha has been | | | | the Rudraksha is used to improve concentration, |
| worn by Hindu sages for its calming and soothing | | | | decrease stress, and improve the attention span. The |
| influence on the wearer, the Rudraksha is supposed | | | | rare 14 faced Rudraksha is supposed to awaken the |
| to actually absorb the energy of its wearer and have | | | | inner powers of a person and if the person is |
| a calming and positive effect on the wearer. Sages | | | | suffering from any kind of ill effects from the lord |
| have claimed that the Rudraksha has allowed them | | | | Saturn then he or she gets immediate relief from |
| to brave even the harshest climates while continuing | | | | those astrological side effects. Similarly the 5 faced |
| their penance. The Rudraksha is made into a a | | | | Rudraksha is recommended for people who are short |
| necklace of 108 beads and then either worn by the | | | | tempered or easily excited, the Rudraksha has a |
| wearer, or wrapped around the hand as a rosary. | | | | calming influence on such individuals. |
| Due to the rareness of some Rudraksha especially | | | | The reason for the above mentioned effects is the |
| the Himalayan Rudraksha, more and more people | | | | supposedly electromagnetic and inductive properties |
| have started wearing a single bead of Rudraksha on | | | | that the Rudraksha is said to possess. In general the |
| a necklace. | | | | Rudraksha is associated with helping problems related |
| Not all seeds of the Elaeocarpus tree are chosen for | | | | to stress, mental distress, depression, short |
| making the Rudraksha necklace, depending on the | | | | tempered and excitability. The extent of the effect |
| quality and the intactness of the seed, the seeds are | | | | of the Rudraksha varies from person to person. |