Rudraksha is the fruit of a tree. Rudraksha can be worn by people of all castes, tribes, men, women, and children. A Rudraksha mala (necklace) consists of 108 Rudraksha beads. A mala of 27 beads is worn around the neck. Rudraksha beads have faces. A face is a straight line running from the top hole to the bottom of the Rudraksha. Rudraksha beads have thorns. The number of faces on a Rudraksha bead indicates its type. Currently, Rudraksha beads available have one to fourteen faces. Rudraksha beads with 1, 3, 5, 9, and 13 faces are considered excellent. The face of a Rudraksha bead has an indistinct shape resembling a Shiva Lingam, which is considered highly auspicious. Two Rudraksha beads joined together are known as Shiva-Parvati. If someone does not have a Shiva Lingam, performing abhishek (ritual bathing) on the Rudraksha reaches Shiva.

Rudraksha is acidic, hot in potency, and helps in reducing air and phlegm disorders. Those suffering from high blood pressure should definitely use Gauri-Shankar Rudraksha. Keeping Rudraksha in a copper vessel and drinking that water in the morning helps control blood pressure. Such Gauri-Shankar Rudraksha should be worn from Monday. It should be kept away from water during bathing, as per scriptures. Wearing a Rudraksha mala around the neck prevents the harmful effects of consuming impure substances. Additionally, wearing Rudraksha improves blood circulation and ensures a good supply of blood to the heart. Those with a cold constitution should definitely use Rudraksha. The larger the Rudraksha, the greater its effect.

At the time of death, those wearing Rudraksha attain a good state in the next birth, meaning they are born in a higher lineage. After death, before the funeral rites, there is a tradition of placing pearls, gold, and Rudraksha in the deceased body to prevent evil forces from entering it. Obtaining Rudraksha from authorized persons is considered fortunate. Wearing it around the neck creates a sense of purity in the mind and attracts a person towards spirituality.

|| shree gurudev datta ||