WHAT IS RUDRAKSH:-

There are different conceptions regarding Rudrakshas in Shiv Puran and other Pauranic scriptures but one thing is upheld in all of these that:-

DIVYA VARSHA SAHASRAM TU CHAKSHURUNMEELITMAYAA, PASCHANMAAKULAKSHIBHYAH PATITA JALBINDAVAH

SHIV UVACH : - For one thousand divine years I kept closed my eyes then tear drops fell from my eyes.

TATRASHRUBINDTO JAATA MAHARUDRAKSH VRISKSHKAH MAMAAGYAYAA MAHASEN SARVESHAM HITKAMYAYAA

Those drops of tear which fell from my eyes gave birth to the tree of Maharudraksh on my command for the benefit of all.

VARIETIES OF RUDRAKSH: -

There are different views on how many types of Rudrakshas can be found because at some places there are references of 32-faced Rudraksh. Therefore it is believed that 32-faced Rudrakshas were found in Satyuga whereas in Kaliyuga only 14-faced Rudrakshas can be found. Occasionally 18-faced Rudrakshas are also found.

EKAM VADANAMARABHYA SHODASHASHTADASHAVADHI KADACHID DEVI JAYANTE RUDRAKSHANI MAHITALE

In the same manner, sometimes Gaurishankar and Gomukh Rudrakshas are also found by someone who may be fortunate enough.

Gaurishankar Rudraksh is a kind of twin Rudraksh joined together like two bananas are sometimes joined together but are found somewhat rarely. These are known as Gaurishankar Rudraksh.

GAURISHANKARSANGYAM CHA TATHAA GOMUKHSANGYITAM RUDRAKSHAM JAAYATE DEVI KADACHID DAIVAYOGATAH

O Goddess! Gaurishankar and Gomukh Rudrakshas are born by divine coincidence in some trees and found by some fortunate person.

AYURVEDIC SIGNIFICANCE OF RUDRAKSH:-

There are many names of Rudraksh like:- 1. Rudraksh 2. Shivaksh 3. Neelkanthaksh 4. Haraksh 5. Bhutanashan 6. Shivpriya 7. Paavan 8. Sharvaksh. Rudraksh is also known by the name of Shivbindu.

Today Rudraksh is only worn on head, in neck etc. and it is made worshippable but it is put to no other use. Rudraksh is Aml, Ushna, Vataghna and Kaphanashak. It saves one from evil spirits and planetary malefic influences.

In Ayurveda it is said that if the paste of bead of Rudraksh is applied on boils it can cure it. Therefore Rudraksh works on septic.

In jaundice and other such diseases related to the Pitta Dosha in Ayurveda if seeds of papaya are worn with the beads of Rudraksh then it can cure the ailment.

Five Mukhi Rudraksh is useful in controlling high blood pressure and heart diseases.

Rudraksh is not only to be worn but it has great significance in Ayurveda also.

COLOURS OF RUDRAKSH : -

Usually Rudrakshas naturally occur in 4 different colours : -

1. White (Shweta Varna) Rudraksh 2. Crimson red (Rakta Varna) Rudraksh 3. Mixed Colour (Mishrita Varna) Rudraksh 4. Black (Krishna Varna) Rudraksh.

Even though sometimes Rudrakshas of other colours are also found but these are the main 4 colours in which Rudrakshas are found in nature.

HOW TO USE RUDRAKSH : -

Usually Rudraksh Rosary (Mala) of 108 or 54 beads are used and Rudraksh Rosary is especially to be used for chanting of Mahamrityunjaya Mantra.

By wearing 5-faced Rudraksh bead in a red thread high blood pressure can be cured whereas 1-faced Rudraksh should be worn in the neck or should be kept at the place of worship or should be kept in the locker.

Rudraksh can also be used in combinations like two beads of 6-faced Rudraksh and one bead of 4-faced Rudraksh are worn in a combination in a red thread by a student it gives improvement in education.

Even one bead of Rudraksh if worn can give improvement in health, education and wealth.

HOW TO PURIFY RUDRAKSH : -

Purification of Rudraksh is of as much significance as is the purification of gemstones. At Astrological Research Centre (ARC) we have experimented and observed a number of times that Rudraksh works only when it is original and is purified with the help of correct mantra otherwise there is no such difference between a Rudraksh on tree or a Rudraksh worn by someone. On the other hand, we also tried to purify Rudrakshas but we found that different mantras should be used for purifying different faceted Rudrakshas. (which we will describe in our future articles related to Rudraksh).

MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING RUDRAKSH : -

Today Rudraksh is viewed like if someone will wear a Rudraksh he will become a great devotee of Lord Shiva and will be freed of all the sufferings.

We found at Astrocent that whereas Rudraksh can be used as a medicine in Ayurveda it is merely made a worship item and even duplicate Rudrakshas are available in the market nowadays and the genuine Rudraksh produced in a year of 365 days makes up for only 15 day stock of the market. Therefore, to make up for the rest of 350-day stocks duplicate Rudraksh is being sold in the market.

There are a number of different views regarding the purification of Rudrakshas as well. But we have found in our experience that to purify a Rudraksh in the morning of the bright half Monday the Rudraksh should be purified with its specific corresponding mantra in keeping with the different faceted Rudrakshas and then worn.

There is a great need for pursuing research on Rudrakshas.

CAN ANYONE WEAR A RUDRAKSH : -

Usually it is thought that Rudrakshas are beneficial for everyone but at astrocent we found in our experiments that everyone cannot wear Rudrakshas. They have also to be tried first like gemstones and then worn. Because when we tried Rudraksh on different people we found that sometimes some Rudrakshas did not suit some people. And when we tried different faceted Rudrakshas on those (whom Rudrakshas did not suit) we found that none of the Rudrakshas suit them.

Therefore we found in our research at astrocent that Rudrakshas also did not suit everyone.

HOW ARE RUDRAKSHAS RELATED TO PLANETS : - Rudrakshas are also thought to be related with planets as we have also found at astrocent.

One Mukhi Rudraksh neutralizes the influence of the Sun and helps in leadership and on the other hand is also useful in increasing wealth and reducing the losses from enemies.

In the same manner, Two Faced Rudraksh neutralizes the malefic influences of the Moon (which we will discuss in our future articles). Therefore, at astrocent we have tried to assess the significance of Rudraksh in our original research.

RULES TO BE OBSERVED FOR THE WEARING OF RUDRAKSHAS : -

The one who wears the Rudraksh should not drink liquor or eat flesh etc. and also should not use garlic and onion and also at the time of sexual intercourse it should be kept aside. But even then if someone of these activities is undertaken by mistake while wearing a Rudraksh then it should be purified again with pure water and then again worn.

CONCLUSION : -

Where by wearing Rudraksh the malefic influence of planets can be reduced it can also be used as a medicine in Ayurveda. On the other hand, we have also researched at astrocent that although Rudraksh usually should suit everyone but still it need not necessarily suit everyone. Whereas the white, Crimson red, Mixed and Black colours of Rudraksh are also related to the caste of a person in which if a person wears a Rudraksh corresponding to his or her caste it should be more fruitful instead of the Rudraksh corresponding to a different caste.

Sunil Sharma

Pt. Sunil Sharma was serving as assistant director from 1990 till 2002 and as director of Astrological Research Centre since then which was established in 1952 by late Pt. Raja Ram Shastri. This organization has made outstanding contributions in the field of research and personal predictions. A postgraduate in Political Science and Sanskrit, he has been involved in original research work on astrology for past 15 years. He also launched the website of this august institution on 24th December, 2004 which makes accessible to all original research work, criticism and a host of other concepts associated with astrology in the form of research and criticism articles which are nowhere else to be found on the world wide web. Another special feature of this website is manual horoscope which is a completely novel concept on the web. He does not believes in computerized astrological predictions as well as calculations and has also given the reasons in his research articles on the website.