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