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yajvan
10 August 2010, 07:58 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ

oṁ I bow (salutations) to rudra, the praiseworthy One.

Rudra रुद्र we know as roarer or howler; 'rud' we know is to cry or weep, lament. This root rud रुद् is equal to वृध् vṛdh to cherish , foster, praise ,elevate , exalt , gladden, cheer , exhilarate.
So when we look deeper into the meaning of rudra we find śiva is being hailed as the roarer or howler, yet He is the praiseworthly (vṛdh) One.

I thought to offer what I know regarding rudrākṣa. My information will be taken from various upaniṣad-s e.g. rudrākṣajābala upaniṣad, the śiva mahāpurāṇa, my studies and where appropriate my personal experiences. I ask others to join in and contribute as they wish.

What types of questions are usually asked about rudrākṣa ? Let me offer a few:

Can women wear rudrākṣa ?
How many types of rudrākṣa are there? e.g. how many 'faces' mukhi-s ( from mukha or faces, mouth )?
Is one better then the other?
What are the merits of wearing rudrākṣa ?
What is the proper garland (mālā ) to wear ? How many seeds ( 108, 27, 54) ?
Where is it improper to wear the rudrākṣa mālā e.g. toliet, cremation grounds,etc.
What is the proper start for wearing rudrākṣa ? e.g. pūja or purification?
Should I wear the mālā to bed?
Is there a 'test' to insure a rudrākṣa bead is authentic?
What foods should a wearer of rudrākṣa avoid ( as found in the śiva mahāpurāṇa )?
Can I make orniments or rings from rudrākṣa ?
Can other family members wear the same mālā ?
Is it advisable for children to wear rudrākṣa ?
What is the best size of the rudrākṣa seed ( some call seed bīja; some write it as vīja )
Do you, yajvan wear a mālā ? Yes.
Is there a botanical name for rudrākṣa ? Yes, Elaeocarpus ganitrus.
Will I feel something when I wear rudrākṣa ?

These are some of the questions I have heard throughout the years. Perhaps you have others?

Let me start with the first idea and information based upon its definition:
We have read rudrākṣa is highly sanctifying. It removes sins by sight, contact and japa. Many see rudrākṣa (rudra + akṣa) as the tear of śiva. There is also another slightly different view held; that rudrākśa are the eyes of śiva. How so?

rudra रुद्र- we know as crying , howling , roaring , dreadful , terrific , terrible , horrible;
yet this rudra is also red , shining , glittering from its root rud or rudh. And we know this rudra is another name for śiva, so no news here.
akṣa अक्ष is for for akṣi the eye; also it’s a seed; it is also considered the beam of a balance or string which holds the pivot of the beam; and this akśa is also a measure of weight.

So one can say by definition that the bead is his akṣa , eye. Others say it is his tears. And others say rudrākṣa means it is pleasing to the eyes (akṣa) of rudra.

Another view I just was thinking of as I read mālinī-vijayotara tantra is the following.
We reviewed this format rudrākśa (rudra + akṣa) above. Yet another form is rud + rākṣā.

rud रुद्- is grief, pain, wailing, weeping or crying.
rākṣā रक्षा- the act of protecting or guarding , protection , care , preservation , security

Put together - rudrākṣā is that which protects one from grief and pain; and if one would say rud is also another way of saying rudra, then the notion is 'rudra' the one that protects the native from grief and pain.
( I'm of the opinion this is the best fit/definition for rudrākṣā ).

ॐ महेश्वराय नमः
om maheśvarāya namaḥ


praṇām

yajvan
11 August 2010, 10:52 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namast

ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ

Some information from the rudrākṣajābala upaniṣad.

The white colored rudrākṣa is for the brāhmaṇa ; rudrākṣa of red color is for the kṣatriya ; yellow for the vaisya and black
for the sūdra.

I have yet to see white, yellow or black rudrākṣa. I mostly see red-to-brown beads.

A seed that is sturdy, spherical uniformity, smooth of surface, and yet with horn's ( the protrusions we see on the bead) is considered the best. There are 6 kinds : rudrākṣa eaten by insects, split , without horns, bored-through by insects, ugly ( mis-shaped ) - these are unacceptable, but the 6th, a rudrākṣa with a natural hole running through the center ( allows for stringing) is stated as the best.


Most people do not have naturally occuring holes in their rudrākṣa beads and they are drilled accordingly to hold the
thread.

The size of each bead that appears on the mālā should be common ( or uniform ).

Now this size is an interesting thing. The upaniṣad offers the seed the size of a jujube . This jujube ranges from the size of a cherry to that of a plum.
There is an Indian jujube ( Ziziphus mauritiana Lam) and it is 1/2 to 1 inch (1.25-2.5 cm) in diameter yet can grow even bigger ( by 2X) . So what this upaniṣad is saying a fuller-sized bead is more appropriate ? We shall see in post 3.
But you ask , what about a small bead ? The upaniṣad says the seed that is the size of a gram ( ~mung bean~ sized) are 'mean' or adhama ( lowest, but there is more to come).

Perhaps others on HDF can attest to this size indication? I myself am blesses with large and small ( yet not as small as a mung bean).

praṇām

words & references

rudrākṣajābala upaniṣad
the key to this upanisad is offered in its name: rudra + akṣa +jā +bāla
The strength (bala) or purity (bāla) born or produced ( ja or jā) by the eye (akṣa) or a seed (akṣa ) of which mālā's (rosaries )are madeof rudra. We know this as rudrākṣa.
Hence this upaniṣad informs us about the types and use of rudrākṣa.
jujube - in Tamil as I understand it, is called ilanthai pazham. Why mention this ? There is an Indian jujube called Ziziphus mauritiana Lam for those botanist on HDF.

yajvan
11 August 2010, 01:44 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ


atharvaśira upaniṣad
We find Rudra as the theme and is addressed in this upaniṣad. The deva's ask, Who are you?
Rudra answers,I am one; I am past , present and future. There is nothing except Me. Everything is embedded within Me.


From the vidyeśvara saṁhitā (chapter 25) found in the śiva mahāpurāṇa, we find the following on rudrākṣa.

regarding size... (a continuation from post 3 above ). Rudrākṣa the size of a gooseberry¹ is considered best. Rudrākṣa the size
of a jujube is considered middling (medium, moderate, or average in size, quantity, or quality ).

A gooseberry can easily exceed 2 inches (5.08 cm) in diameter.

The vidyeśvara saṁhitā confirms rudrākṣa the size of a gram ( ~mung bean~ sized) are 'mean'.

Hence we can confirm then one should consider size. Let's continue.

Śiva informs maheśvarī ( pārvatī) that rudrākṣa the size of a jujube increases the comforts and fortunes in the world.
And the rudrākṣa the size of the gooseberry destroys all the misfortunes. Śiva continues and says that rudrākṣa the size of a guñja fulfills all desires.

This guñja¹ is again a berry albeit from a poisonous plant. It is also called a rosary pea, jequirity, Indian Licorice, or jumbie bead.
The size of the rudrākṣa is quite small. So here is what śiva says in the next śloka:
The smaller it (rudrākṣa) becomes in size the greater the benefit yielded by it. Each one of these is fruitful. Each one bestows
1/10th the merit of the other ( as the size changes). This has been the opinion of learned people ( wise).


praṇām

words

gooseberry -emblica myrobalans is Amla or Amlaka, Amlaki; The fruit is similar in appearance to the common gooseberry , which is botanically unrelated to amla.
More here if there is interest: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/amla.htm (http://www.itmonline.org/arts/amla.htm)
guñja - do not confuse this word with gañjā - a tavern

photo's of the rosary pea for size comparisons: http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T4GGLL_en___US358&q=Abrus+precatorius&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=-e5iTPL0CoH78AaK65iRCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDkQsAQwAw&biw=1659&bih=837

yajvan
12 August 2010, 07:44 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté

ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ

kṛṣṇa yajur ved - taittirīya saṁhitā 1.8.6.iii
eka eva rudro na dvitīiyāya
rudra is the sole one, there is no second


Śiva informs maheśvarī ( pārvatī) that rudrākṣa should be undoubtedly worn by devotees (bhāgavata-s) of viṣṇu and other devatā; rudrākṣa, says śiva, is essential for the devotee (bhakta-s) of Him.

With the next post let's start with the number of mouths (mukha-s) for rudrākṣa. Śiva calls out 14 mouths, yet you may find information for up to 21 mouths.
The number 14 makes sense to me as 1+4 = 5 and this 5 is very significant to śiva, in which we can reivew later. I will also offer the seed sound (bīja) that is called out in the śiva mahāpurāṇa.

Before that lets answer some of the questions from post 1:

Can women wear rudrākṣa ?

Yes, rudrākṣa can be worn by all. Yet it is said, the mālā should be removed during the 4 or 5 days of a woman's cycle.

Can other family members wear the same mālā ?

It is advisable that each family member have their own mālā and the mālā is not loaned to others - family or friends.

Can children wear rudrākṣa ?

It is my understanding that children below 8 years of age should not wear a rudrākṣa mālā. Yet it is my opinion this age should be 14 from an astrological POV ( again my opinion , others may vary).

Is there a 'test' to insure a rudrākṣa bead is authentic?

Yes. According to the experts a rudrākṣa bead is not supposed to float in water ( lighter density). Another is placing a bead between two copper coins. The bead is suppose to move/turn left or right (slightly). Beads that rotate to the right are most desirable.
Note too, I have not tried these two test - my approach has always been to purchase rudrākṣa from a reputable source.

Should I wear the mālā to bed?

It is advised not to. Some offer a 'mystery' about this - as if it will negatively affect one's dreams. The practical reason is one can break the mālā when tossing and turning. Some people keep their mālā under their pillow . I do not - I keep mine on a night stand next to the bed.

What is the proper start for wearing rudrākṣa ? e.g. pūja or purification?

It is advised that a ruda pūja is done with the mālā i.e. rudra abhiṣekam.
There is part of puja (puj पूज् to worship) of śiva where there is an ablution of water, a sprinkling. This is called abhiṣeka अभिषेक- ablution; bathing of the divinity to whom worship is offered ; ritual bathing. It comes from these words abhi अभि- over, upon ; also towards + śīkāya शीकाय- to rain fine drops; drizzle , sprinkle.

Where is it improper to wear the rudrākṣa mālā e.g. toliet, cremation grounds,etc.

We place the mālā in a clean place before we go for toilet. This is out of respect. It is said rudrākṣa is not to be worn when visiting/attending the cremation ground.
I have often gone to furnerals and do not have my mālā with me, nor do I wish to test this. Rudra is there already.

What are the merits of wearing rudrākṣa ?

There are many merits for wearing a rudrākṣa mālā and I will review them. Yet let me offer what the śiva mahāpurāṇa says - lakṣmī does not leave that place where rudrākṣa is adored.

praṇām

yajvan
13 August 2010, 11:56 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ


ॐ पञ्चवक्त्राय नमः oṁ pañcavaktrāya namaḥ
oṁ I bow (salutations) to pañcavaktrāya


Pañcavaktrāya पञ्चवक्त्राय pañ पण् is to honor or praise; pañca is 5; vaktra वक्त्र is face or mouth. Hence śiva is being hailed as the 5 faced One.
What are those 5 faces? Some call this pañcakṛityavidhiḥ - śiva's 5 great acts.
They are:

sṛiṣṭi - the creative act
sthiti - the protective or maintenance ( stability) act
saṁhāra - the destructive act
tirodhāna - the act of enfolding or concealing His nature
anugraha - that act of revealing his nature - His GraceSo , starting with the mukha-s (the mouth , face) we find on rudrākṣa I chose to start with the 5th, (for obvious reasons).

Śiva informs us in the śiva mahāpurāṇa that rudrākṣa with 5 mukha is rudra Himself and is known by the name kālāgni. It fulfills desires says śiva, and bestows salvation to the bhakta ( devotee).

The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is hrīṁ ह्रीं . We will find that 10 of the 14 bīja sounds for the rudrākṣa we will discuss includes or is the sole sound of hrīṁ.

More to follow in the next post.

praṇām

reference: This can also be written as follows: hṝṃ हॄं

yajvan
13 August 2010, 07:55 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté

ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ

from the last post,


So , starting with the mukha-s (the mouth , face) we find on rudrākṣa I chose to start with the 5th.
I will now get back in line and start with a 1 mukha rudrākṣa.

Śiva informs us in the śiva mahāpurāṇa that rudrākṣa with a single face/mouth or mukha is indeed the form of śiva which bestows comforts as well as salvation. He says even the very look at it relieves a person of the sin of brahmahatyā ( brahmin slaying). He contines and says the place where that single mukhya rudrākṣa is adored, lakṣmī does not leave that place. The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is hrīṁ ह्रीं

Śiva informs us that a rudrākṣa with two mouths (mukhya) fulfills all desires. This rudrākṣa especially removes the sin of brahmahatyā ( brahmin slaying).The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is namaḥ नमः

The rudrākṣa with three mouths (mukhya) provides all the means always; with its influence all the lores (learning, knowledge) are firmly estaablished.The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is klīṁ क्लीं

More mukha-s to follow in the next post....

By wearing rudrākṣa during the day, the sins of night are destroyed; by wearing rudrākṣa during the night the sins of the day are destroyed, says śiva

praṇām

yajvan
14 August 2010, 10:07 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ

on eating...



What foods should a wearer of rudrākṣa avoid ( as found in the śiva mahāpurāṇa )?

Both the rudrākṣajābala upaniṣad & the śiva mahāpurāṇa give guidance on food-stuffs that are to be avoided for those that wish to pursue the benefits of rudrākṣa. This information seems to cause some clamor as onions and garlic are quite popular in India ( and all over the world).

garlic & red garlic
onion
śigru - a kind of horse-radish
liquor
flesh ( meat ) - 'pigs of rubbish' are called out (viḍvarāha)
glutinous fruits
potherb

So, one may ask - why not eat these items? Let me offer my conjecture. From an ayurvedic point of view these items listed above increase pitta doṣa in one's constitution (dhātu).
An over abundance of these foods aggravates pitta¹. Pitta is tightly coupled to agni , that quality that govens not only our metabolism but agni directly influences intelligence, understanding & comprehension and perception.
Not only that, agni is found in the 7 dhātu-s within our system e.g. plasma, blood tissue, muscle tissue, bone tissue, marrow, and reproductive tissue. Also note that excessive pitta drives rago-guna ( anger and the like). So, one may think pitta is 'bad' - this would be an incorrect conclusion to draw.

Those are my views , others may differ.

praṇām

1 source: Ayurveda by Dr.Vasant Lad ( one of the better books on ayurveda I possess)

yajvan
17 August 2010, 08:54 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté

ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ


In post 5 above , the 5 faced ( mukha) rudrākṣa was addressed. We contine with 6, 7 and 8 faced.

Rudrākṣa with 6 faces ( mukhya¹) is kārttikaya and should be tied to the right arm which relieves a person of the sin of brahmahatyā ( brahmin slaying) and other pāpa (sin , vice , crime , guilt).

Who is kārttikaya ? The son of śiva and pārvatī. One view has him as the son of śiva without the intervention of pārvatī , the generative energy of śiva being cast into the fire and then received by gaṅgā¹ ( the Ganges River) , whence he is sometimes described as son of agni and gaṅgā ; When born he was fostered by the six kṛttikās , and offered their six breasts to the child. He became six-headed to address the 6 kṛttikās; Kārttikeya is also called kumāra , skanda , and subrahmaṇya. His name kārttikeya may be come from his mothers or some say from the month kārttika as the best for warfare.

Śiva informs maheśvarī ( pārvatī) that rudrākṣa with 7 mouths is called ananka. By wearing the same even the pauper becomes wealthy.

For this name 'ananka' I cannot connect it back to lakṣmi as several of my resource books suggest. I will need to do more looking
on this matter. I look to others with ideas and insights on this word.

Rudrākṣa with 8 mouths is called vasumūrti and considered to be the form of bhairava¹; by wearing this rudrākṣa one enjoys a full life and becomes (merges) with śiva after death.

'Vasu' is a symbol for the number 8. The vasu's , according to the viṣṇu-purāṇa , are , āpa (connected with ap or water ), dhruva , the pole-star, soma , the Moon , dhava or dhara , anila , the wind , anala or pāvaka or fire, pratyūṣa the Dawn and prabhāsa or light . But their names are variously given. Ahan or the day is sometimes substituted for āpa or water.

The bīja sounds (phonemes) are as follows:

6 faced = hrīṁ हुं huṁ ह्रीं ( 2 sounds)
7 faced = hrīṁ हुं
8 faced = hrīṁ हुं
More to follow on the next post.

praṇām

words

mukhya - being in or coming from or belonging to the mouth or face ; note mukha is the mouth , face
gaṅgā means swift goer ; the river; there is also a gaṅgā in the sky ,ākāśa or vyoma-gaṅgā
bhairava - http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=17892&postcount=52 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=17892&postcount=52)

yajvan
18 August 2010, 07:38 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ


We continue the count...

Rudrākṣa with 9 mouths (mukhya) is called bhairava or kapila¹ . The devatā of this rudrākṣa is maheśvarī. This rudrākṣa is to be worn over the left arm and by doing so one becomes sarveśvara (the lord of all ) like me, says śiva.


Rudrākṣa with 10 mouths (mukhya) is janārdana himself. All desires are fulfilled by wearing the same.

We know janārdana is as another name for viṣṇu or kṛṣṇa . This is called out in the viṣṇusahasranāma (a thousand names of viṣṇu) .
Some say this word means One who inflicts suffering on evil men. Others offer He to whom all devotees pray for worldly success and liberation.For those interested, janārdana = janār+ dana ; janā is 'generating' , also birth, living being , man , person , race + dāna meaning purification, splitting or dividing. It is in this manner janār+ dāna that one could arrive at the purification of the race of men. I cannot unfold 'suffering on evil men' via this word structure.
This also can be looked at as ja + narda + na but I will leave that for a different post.

One who wears rudrākṣa with 11 mouths becomes rudra Himself and is victorious everywhere.

The bija sounds for 9, 10 and 11 faced rudrākṣa are:
_9 faced = huṁ हुं
10 faced = hrīṁ ह्रीं
11 faced = hrīṁ हुं huṁ ह्रीं ( 2 sounds like in the 6 faced mukta)


praṇām

words

kapila - the ancient sage identified by some with viṣṇu and considered as the founder of the sāṃkhya system of philosophy
mukhya - being in or coming from or belonging to the mouth or face ; note mukha is the mouth , face

Eastern Mind
18 August 2010, 07:46 PM
Vannakkam Yajvan:

Large trees ... grow fast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrR9CeVn9q4

Aum Namasivaya

Ao
18 August 2010, 08:35 PM
Namaste Yajvan,

Many thanks for the very informative thread!

I have been searching for rudraksha japa mala to use in meditation; do you know of any reputable sites I could order from?

I found this:
http://www.rudraksham.com/category.asp?page=1&category=japamala&type=%20more#

And this:
http://www.yogabasics.com/japamalabeads/mala-beads/wrist-malas/rudraksha-and-lapis-mala

But both look to be on the smaller side (10-20mm) and the second site is quite expensive (and that price nearly doubles with shipping to Japan). Also, regarding size, your posts above initially indicate that a larger size is preferable (that of a gooseberry, for instance), but then that smaller is preferable (the smaller the size the greater benefit). This is understandably a little confusing.

Many thanks again.

yajvan
18 August 2010, 09:48 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ


Several have asked me on where one could purchase rudrākṣa. I have several mālā-s from many places and always like to purchase in person when ever possible.
Yet if I were to purchase on-line I would consider the Rudra Centre...

http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/contactus.php (http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/contactus.php)

They have a broad selection and good quality.

Note the mālā-s are called out at the right hand side of this page , they call them rosaries and 'power mala's' :
http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/ (http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/)


Before they ship the mālā they will perform pūja , ask them to do this ; yet I still advise that a ruda pūja is done with the mālā i.e. rudra abhiṣekam while one attends this pūja.

Please note I am not connected with the Rudra Centre nor benefit from any sale or gain favor from this establishment.


praṇām

yajvan
23 August 2010, 08:42 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namast


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ


The one who wears rudrākṣa with 12 mouths (mukhya) over the head becomes illustrious like the 12 āditya-s

The bīja sound for 12 faced = kaṣuṁ क्षौं rauṁ रौं

praṇām

yajvan
23 August 2010, 08:47 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ

Rudrākṣa with 13 mouths (mukhya) represents viśvadeva¹ and wearing it all desires of the person are fulfilled,
besides ( including) fortunes. Good Fortunes always overshadow his house.

viśvadeva - viśvá = all divine ; The viśvadeva-s is a way of collecting all the devatā. We find this name called out in the ṛg ved (1.3.7 to 1.3.9)
Viśvadevāḥ who never error, are freemoving , without treachery, take delight in this sacrifice (medha) as it upholds - ṛg ved 1.3.9
One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Viśvadeva says the śrīmad bhāgavatam (2.3 to 2.7)


The bīja sound for 13 faced = hrīṁ ह्रीं

praṇām

yajvan
23 August 2010, 08:51 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ


Rudrākṣa with 14 mouths (mukhya) represents sadāsiva which should be worn over the head with devotion ; all sins are washed out.

sadāśiva सदाशिव sadā + śiva : sadā सदा- always , ever, continually + śiva शिव the Auspicious One. This word śiva is defined as propitious , gracious , favourable , benign , kind ,
benevolent , friendly , dear and is rooted in śī which is ' in whom all things lie' ; śī also defined as tranquility, devotion, repose, rest.
Hence sadāśiva is the ever and continually tranquil & auspicious, kind and benevolent One.




The bīja sound for 14 faced = namaḥ नमः

praṇām

brahman
12 June 2012, 03:42 AM
Dear Members,

A collection containing a variety of sorts of Rudraksha seeds.

Click (http://www.cosmoki.com/gallery.htm)


Disclaimer: A sense of common concern must be kept in mind; not validating the authenticity of these products, which is totally up to the viewer.

Love:)

Mana
14 August 2012, 05:09 AM
हरिः ओम्


Namaste yajvan,


Thank you kindly for this informative thread; might I ask that you share your knowledge of the use of pearls in a mAlA,
I believe that they are in resonance with the moon, is this correct?
I should love to know of how and why one chooses to include them in a mAlA.

I am also intrigued to know more of the choice of quantity of seads; why 108, 54 or 27?



Thank you kindly.

praṇāma

mana


ॐ नमः शिवाय
Aum Namaḥ Śivāya

bijugeorge456
21 August 2012, 04:47 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namast

ॐ रुद्राय नमः
oṁ rudrāya namaḥ

from the last post,
I will now get back in line and start with a 1 mukha rudrākṣa.
Śiva informs us in the śiva mahāpurāṇa that rudrākṣa with a single face/mouth or mukha is indeed the form of śiva which bestows comforts as well as salvation. He says even the very look at it relieves a person of the sin of brahmahatyā ( brahmin slaying). He contines and says the place where that single mukhya rudrākṣa is adored, lakṣmī does not leave that place. The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is hrīṁ ह्रीं
Śiva informs us that a rudrākṣa with two mouths (mukhya) fulfills all desires. This rudrākṣa especially removes the sin of brahmahatyā ( brahmin slaying).The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is namaḥ नमः
The rudrākṣa with three mouths (mukhya) provides all the means always; with its influence all the lores (learning, knowledge) are firmly estaablished.The bīja sound (phoneme) for this rudrākṣa is klīṁ क्लीं

More mukha-s to follow in the next post....

By wearing rudrākṣa during the day, the sins of night are destroyed; by wearing rudrākṣa during the night the sins of the day are destroyed, says śiva

praṇām:)

rudraksha is most important and hindu religious bead found in nepal and indonesia and many more places of india.Rudraksha is available in different types such as 1 mukhi to 21 mukhi rudraksha which have different ruling god and planets .Rudraksha (http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/) is also used to cure many diseases by using rudraksha beads every rudraksha bead have a different mantras to siddha that rudraksha .

divnelight
07 October 2014, 11:10 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~

namasté


ॐ रुद्राय नमः
om rudrāya namaḥ


Several have asked me on where one could purchase rudrākṣa. I have several mālā-s from many places and always like to purchase in person when ever possible.
Yet if I were to purchase on-line I would consider the Rudra Centre...

http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/contactus.php (http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/contactus.php)

They have a broad selection and good quality.

Note the mālā-s are called out at the right hand side of this page , they call them rosaries and 'power mala's' :
http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/ (http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/)


Before they ship the mālā they will perform pūja , ask them to do this ; yet I still advise that a ruda pūja is done with the mālā i.e. rudra abhiṣekam while one attends this pūja.

Please note I am not connected with the Rudra Centre nor benefit from any sale or gain favor from this establishment.


praṇām

Namaste,

Are Rudra Centre Rudraksha 100% real from your knowledge? I been told by many in India lots of cheating occurs. Have you ever purchased from them? What is your opinion on Nepal beads vs Javas beads vs Hawaiian beads?

Aanandinii
10 October 2014, 11:39 PM
Namaste,

Are Rudra Centre Rudraksha 100% real from your knowledge? I been told by many in India lots of cheating occurs. Have you ever purchased from them? What is your opinion on Nepal beads vs Javas beads vs Hawaiian beads?
Namaskar Divinelight,

Yes, Rudra Centre and their online website are indeed 100%, I can feel comfortable saying that after being a customer for a year. I am not affiliated with them nor do I receive any benefit from saying this.

My personal experience is that Nepal beads carry more power than Java, but I am partial to the beauty of the Nepal beads and their natural hole, so take that for what its worth. You will never find a 1-face Nepal Rudraksha, so in that case get the Java. I have not noticed a difference in the power dependent on the size of the bead, but then I've never held a Rudraksha bigger than 22mm so I can't really say beyond that size.

From what I understand, the Hawaiian beads are Elaeocarpus Gantrius, the Nepal variety, planted by the Saiva Siddhanta Adheenam.

Finally, thank you for reviving this thread. I had not yet seen this one before and have learned some new things. :)

~Pranam

PS, there is rumored to be an Australian variety, Elaeocarpus Grandiflora, which is bigger than the Nepal bead. But this variety has still not been scientifically described and so there is still some disagreement as to whether or not it is a different and larger species than the Nepal variety or the same but just adapted to the Australian environment in some way that makes them a bit bigger - perhaps older trees or something.

Eastern Mind
11 October 2014, 08:26 AM
Vannakkam: Rudraksha tree is one of a family of about 150 trees. I'm sure some have similar seeds, and similar qualities for making them. I know that if I was a botanist tree guy, I'd be experimenting with many. :)

Aum Namasivaya

Aanandinii
12 October 2014, 03:56 PM
Namaste ji,

I hope this doesn't side-track the thread, but speaking to EM ji's reply, I'm not a botanist but love gardening and have looked in to some of this. There are indeed many, but even more promising E. Gantrius is apparently incredibly hardy and adaptable to all kinds of environments and a wide range of temperatures. My own horticultural region (6b) is just shy of its lower tolerance, so I'm researching an idea in trunk grafting to more hardy root stock... But, many of the horticultural zones in the US should be able to support growth of Rudraksha, I have wondered why more people haven't tried to grow them here.

~Pranam

divnelight
15 October 2014, 01:51 AM
Namaskar Divinelight,

Yes, Rudra Centre and their online website are indeed 100%, I can feel comfortable saying that after being a customer for a year. I am not affiliated with them nor do I receive any benefit from saying this.

My personal experience is that Nepal beads carry more power than Java, but I am partial to the beauty of the Nepal beads and their natural hole, so take that for what its worth. You will never find a 1-face Nepal Rudraksha, so in that case get the Java. I have not noticed a difference in the power dependent on the size of the bead, but then I've never held a Rudraksha bigger than 22mm so I can't really say beyond that size.

From what I understand, the Hawaiian beads are Elaeocarpus Gantrius, the Nepal variety, planted by the Saiva Siddhanta Adheenam.

Finally, thank you for reviving this thread. I had not yet seen this one before and have learned some new things. :)

~Pranam

PS, there is rumored to be an Australian variety, Elaeocarpus Grandiflora, which is bigger than the Nepal bead. But this variety has still not been scientifically described and so there is still some disagreement as to whether or not it is a different and larger species than the Nepal variety or the same but just adapted to the Australian environment in some way that makes them a bit bigger - perhaps older trees or something.

Namaste Aanandinii,

Thank you for this amazing post. Thanks is not not needed for reviving this thread it is my pleasure. I can discuss Rudraksha with those who share the same love. As you can already tell I may have an obsession with Rudraksha.:D Together our knowledge will dispel misinformation.

When you say Nepali beads are more powerful then Java is that because they take a shorter peroid of time to take effect on a person? My main question is, do they eventually both have the same intended purpose or is the outcome better with Nepali beads. The price difference between the beads is vast ex. Rudra Centre's therapy combinations have huge differences between Nepal and Java beads. I wish to obtain Nepali beads (especially a 14 mukhi) but as a university student it all depends on what my parents can pay/afford.

From what I know/heard some of the bigger Rudraksha (collector sizes) should be placed at the alter and not worn since they are too powerful for a person. The 6 mukhi I wear is fairly large so I am not sure if this rule varies from person to person. You do make a good point about size vs power of a bead this has eased my mind in terms of not focusing on it as much.

I would stick to Rudraksha grown by the Elaeocarpus Gantrius tree. This is considered the true "Rudraksha". I briefly touch on it in another thread:

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=12253


There is much debate about this topic. The Elaepcarpus tree makes Rudraksha. Elaeocarpus ganitrus is what makes the round highly sought after Rudraksha. While Elaeocarpus tuberculatus tree produces the flat shaped 1 mukhis we see in the market (flat 1, 2, 3 mukhis comes from here). We would have to refer scriptures to determine what is right and wrong. From my understanding it is not a "real" Rudraksha it cannot be compared to a round 1 mukhi. 1-3 mukhi tend to collapse on themselves and the rare ones remain round. Many claim that these are okay to wear and that a Round 1 mukhi>Oval 1 mukhi> Cashew 1 mukhi. Very few 1 round mukhi a produced each year and are often never sold. The only way to obtain one is luck. They say in Nepal the king has a tree that produces 3 1 mukhi a year one automatically goes to the heavens, while one the king keeps and one is placed on the altar and later given out with prashad to a lucky person. 1 Mukhi will give you everything (make you a king etc.) but its real power is it draws you toward moksha, its makes you renounce everything; they say you become withdrawn from people and society your sole focus is God and becoming one with the supreme. So if your ambition is to become rich and successful then this Rudraskha is not the one. It will give you success but that success is renunciation and liberation which in my opinion is the only REAL success in this universe. -divnelight

divnelight
15 October 2014, 02:11 AM
Namaste ji,

I hope this doesn't side-track the thread, but speaking to EM ji's reply, I'm not a botanist but love gardening and have looked in to some of this. There are indeed many, but even more promising E. Gantrius is apparently incredibly hardy and adaptable to all kinds of environments and a wide range of temperatures. My own horticultural region (6b) is just shy of its lower tolerance, so I'm researching an idea in trunk grafting to more hardy root stock... But, many of the horticultural zones in the US should be able to support growth of Rudraksha, I have wondered why more people haven't tried to grow them here.

~Pranam

Namaste Aanandinii,

If you are interested in growing your own Rudraksha trees this clip may help you. In the documentary they mention that it is very difficult to grow a Rudraksha tree from seeds. Basically to grow a new tree they must graft an old tree. The individual briefly touches on how it is done hopefully this may help you. If you don't want to watch all of the clip go to the 5 minute mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKq1-oplqg

-divnelight

Aanandinii
15 October 2014, 12:48 PM
Namaste DivineLight,

First let me say Wow! and Thank You! :) for the link. I did watch the whole thing, though I regret I didn't understand most of it. I was gratified to realize my Hindi has gotten just a tiny bit better so I did catch some phrases and words here and there, but most of the information given was lost to me. This is a common challenge for westerners who have interest I am sure, there is little enough information but even less for those of us with little to no skill in Hindi or other Indian/Nepalese languages.

I am not certain it's really that difficult to grow the trees though. It strikes me that it would be a convenient thing for one invested in an orchard of such trees to say, in order to help keep competition down. But I think it's also more likely that it is difficult to keep up with demand, and even fast growing trees are going to need a lot of time to reach a size where they will produce the kinds of fruits/seeds that are the most profitable. And so a fast answer is to graft the branches of saplings to full-grown trees - this could also potentially extend the life span of the older trees as well. Certainly what they showed in the video was branch grafting and not full trunk grafting. And since any tree seedling will need to have branches cut as it grows, to help the growth-habit remain healthy, why waste those potentially useful branches that were cut? It would make a huge amount of good sense to graft them to older trees to boot productivity instead of just letting the cuttings die and throwing them away...

I say it seems unlikely it's so hard to grow the trees because of what we see in Hawaii and because of an online acquaintance I have made. In Hawaii, the Saiva Siddhanta Adheenam started a grove that rapidly spread to a full forest, and since then people have taken seeds from that forest and planted their own groves easily enough. As I understand it, there are Rudraksha groves on most of the Hawaiian Islands now. This would not be possible if it were so difficult to grow the trees, and these are indeed Nepalese variety.

The person I have traded a few emails with online has started her own grove as well. She found that most of the fruits you buy are not fully mature, so the seeds are in fact not viable, or the seeds have been partly eaten by beetles before the seeds were cleaned. She tells me that once the fruit turns blue, they are usually picked, but that doesn't mean they are fully mature yet, they are only viable and mature when they drop to the ground on their own - but a lot of the orchard sellers don't wait for that because that's when the beetles get to the fruits, lowering their value. I am told that in Hawaii though, all the fruits the Shaiva Adheenam sell on mini-mela.com are picked from the ground - I'm guessing they don't have the same level of predation and maybe don't even have that kind of beetle there, but even so my own experience is that some of the fruits I have gotten have some beetle larvae and the seed is itself undamaged and quite potent. I have only ever found one single one out of over 120 so far of those that had any damage from beetles. They usually eat the fruit pulp, it seems.

My acquaintance got some fruits from one of the Hawaiian groves, picked from the ground, and those did indeed sprout and are growing. They are even producing fruits now and she sells some of the mature seed. In the coming harvest I plan on buying some.

All this said, the Satsang Temple I go to has 7 Rudraksha seedlings, supposedly grown from seeds purchased from Rudra Center. I have no idea what they plan to do with them when they get bigger, but again, they were able to grow them fairly easily it seems.


I can discuss Rudraksha with those who share the same love. As you can already tell I may have an obsession with Rudraksha.LOL! You and me both, we seem to be in good company with each other! The more I learn the more I understand what a gift and a true marvel this tree is. Everything about it speaks deepest and truest beauty to me.

I look forward to more discussion, and maybe we can draw in more people too. I would love to hear more of EMji's experience, for instance. He says 6 months to prepare after harvest? My own only take about 1 month so I would be interested to hear about the process, perhaps I am doing things wrong as I am certainly learning as I go and have found some of the things I did to begin with were less successful than some of the processes I use now...

I would stick to Rudraksha grown by the Elaeocarpus Gantrius tree. This is considered the true "Rudraksha". I briefly touch on it in another thread:

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=12253Yes, I have read your other posts with interest. :) As I said, I can only speak from my personal experience and I may have some personal bias... I have never touched or even seen a Rudraksha of that size, I didn't even know they got so large.

It's entirely possible that there is greater power to one so big, but my instinct tells me that the power is really inherent in the bead itself and its connection to an individual, not so much the size. As a for instance, I recently uncovered a 7-Mukh bead, but I immediately knew as I held it that it was not for me. The power might still be there if I kept it, but it wouldn't be as strong and could backfire. But the 4-Mukh I found was immediately powerful and definitely mine. I also wonder if the idea about not wearing one so large has more to do with the practicality of wearing such a large bead... You risk breaking some of the thorns/structures much more easily in wearing one like that, and it strikes me that such a size must be fairly less common, so it would be more precious than smaller ones already are. It may also make you a target of a mugging to wear something so large and probably very visible... I would be uncomfortable wearing it.

About which kind are more powerful... Well, I think that depends on the person. A similar question might be who is Supreme, Sri Shiva or Sri Vishnu. Both are Supreme, but one calls out to some more than the other. Similarly, some report a stronger power from the Java variety than the Nepal, and some prefer the Nepal variety. I prefer the Nepal, I definitely feel a stronger power from them, but I don't think it's because one is inherently better than the other in some way, more like the energy is a bit different so one draws some and the other draws others. I personally have felt an immediate benefit from both, so not depending on time to take effect. I've held a Nepal and a Java of the same size (13mm) though and the Nepal bead just feels stronger to me... more solid, more real, more energy... I don't really know how to describe it but you know it when you feel it - you've felt it, I'm sure, so you know what I mean. =)

The thing is, Java and Nepal trees are not the same exact species. One is a "branch varietal", or subspecies, of the other. Which came first will have to wait for full genetic sequencing and comparison before it could be answered. Also, I have a Srilankan mala, yet another variety, and it also has power. So because of these things I feel that all the species and sub-species of Rudraksha are potentially powerful and certainly special. But I think you may be right that it is these two main varieties that are the strongest, and so it's best to stick to them.

From what I have learned in my research, there are only rumors about the Nepal variety ever creating a round 1-Mukh bead. I had heard the rumor about the King in Nepal, and I also have heard a rumor that the Pashupatinath Temple has a tree in the inner sanctum where only monks go, which produces a few true, round 1-Mukh beads. The monks keep them for the Guru only and occasionally they are given as gifts to visiting Satgurus. But, these are only rumor, no one I have ever heard of telling these stories has ever seen one, nor do any pictures of a real one seem to exist anywhere in any records I can find... I am tempted to say the Nepal tree actually cannot make 1-Mukh at all. But then, that is also opinion and not fact. :)

As I understand it, the only 1-Mukh seen on markets today are from Java and Srilanka varieties, and both of those varieties produce far more 2 and 3-Mukh seeds than the Nepal variety.

That's kind of a quick memory-dump of the information I've picked up so far. Sorry for such a long post. :) Please share what you have learned, I would value it highly. You have access to information I can't get because of language barrier, and it's always wonderful to talk with another who has the same love for something, as you pointed out.


~Pranam

hengellisyydenoppilas
22 October 2014, 04:55 AM
Guys, can I chant other mantras than "om namah shivaya" with my 108bead japa rudraksha?

for example can I chant hare krishna`or can I chant guru guru waheguru guru ram das guru

markandeya 108 dasa
22 October 2014, 04:27 PM
Pranams,

http://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/2613.html

These are so beautiful, is it correct to sell something like this. And what would be the spiritual significance of the Shiva Parvati double rudraksha. I want one :)

Ys

Markandeya Dasa

divnelight
23 October 2014, 01:45 AM
Namaste DivineLight,

First let me say Wow! and Thank You! :) for the link. I did watch the whole thing, though I regret I didn't understand most of it. I was gratified to realize my Hindi has gotten just a tiny bit better so I did catch some phrases and words here and there, but most of the information given was lost to me. This is a common challenge for westerners who have interest I am sure, there is little enough information but even less for those of us with little to no skill in Hindi or other Indian/Nepalese languages.

I am not certain it's really that difficult to grow the trees though. It strikes me that it would be a convenient thing for one invested in an orchard of such trees to say, in order to help keep competition down. But I think it's also more likely that it is difficult to keep up with demand, and even fast growing trees are going to need a lot of time to reach a size where they will produce the kinds of fruits/seeds that are the most profitable. And so a fast answer is to graft the branches of saplings to full-grown trees - this could also potentially extend the life span of the older trees as well. Certainly what they showed in the video was branch grafting and not full trunk grafting. And since any tree seedling will need to have branches cut as it grows, to help the growth-habit remain healthy, why waste those potentially useful branches that were cut? It would make a huge amount of good sense to graft them to older trees to boot productivity instead of just letting the cuttings die and throwing them away...

I say it seems unlikely it's so hard to grow the trees because of what we see in Hawaii and because of an online acquaintance I have made. In Hawaii, the Saiva Siddhanta Adheenam started a grove that rapidly spread to a full forest, and since then people have taken seeds from that forest and planted their own groves easily enough. As I understand it, there are Rudraksha groves on most of the Hawaiian Islands now. This would not be possible if it were so difficult to grow the trees, and these are indeed Nepalese variety.

The person I have traded a few emails with online has started her own grove as well. She found that most of the fruits you buy are not fully mature, so the seeds are in fact not viable, or the seeds have been partly eaten by beetles before the seeds were cleaned. She tells me that once the fruit turns blue, they are usually picked, but that doesn't mean they are fully mature yet, they are only viable and mature when they drop to the ground on their own - but a lot of the orchard sellers don't wait for that because that's when the beetles get to the fruits, lowering their value. I am told that in Hawaii though, all the fruits the Shaiva Adheenam sell on mini-mela.com are picked from the ground - I'm guessing they don't have the same level of predation and maybe don't even have that kind of beetle there, but even so my own experience is that some of the fruits I have gotten have some beetle larvae and the seed is itself undamaged and quite potent. I have only ever found one single one out of over 120 so far of those that had any damage from beetles. They usually eat the fruit pulp, it seems.

My acquaintance got some fruits from one of the Hawaiian groves, picked from the ground, and those did indeed sprout and are growing. They are even producing fruits now and she sells some of the mature seed. In the coming harvest I plan on buying some.

All this said, the Satsang Temple I go to has 7 Rudraksha seedlings, supposedly grown from seeds purchased from Rudra Center. I have no idea what they plan to do with them when they get bigger, but again, they were able to grow them fairly easily it seems.

LOL! You and me both, we seem to be in good company with each other! The more I learn the more I understand what a gift and a true marvel this tree is. Everything about it speaks deepest and truest beauty to me.

I look forward to more discussion, and maybe we can draw in more people too. I would love to hear more of EMji's experience, for instance. He says 6 months to prepare after harvest? My own only take about 1 month so I would be interested to hear about the process, perhaps I am doing things wrong as I am certainly learning as I go and have found some of the things I did to begin with were less successful than some of the processes I use now...
Yes, I have read your other posts with interest. :) As I said, I can only speak from my personal experience and I may have some personal bias... I have never touched or even seen a Rudraksha of that size, I didn't even know they got so large.

It's entirely possible that there is greater power to one so big, but my instinct tells me that the power is really inherent in the bead itself and its connection to an individual, not so much the size. As a for instance, I recently uncovered a 7-Mukh bead, but I immediately knew as I held it that it was not for me. The power might still be there if I kept it, but it wouldn't be as strong and could backfire. But the 4-Mukh I found was immediately powerful and definitely mine. I also wonder if the idea about not wearing one so large has more to do with the practicality of wearing such a large bead... You risk breaking some of the thorns/structures much more easily in wearing one like that, and it strikes me that such a size must be fairly less common, so it would be more precious than smaller ones already are. It may also make you a target of a mugging to wear something so large and probably very visible... I would be uncomfortable wearing it.

About which kind are more powerful... Well, I think that depends on the person. A similar question might be who is Supreme, Sri Shiva or Sri Vishnu. Both are Supreme, but one calls out to some more than the other. Similarly, some report a stronger power from the Java variety than the Nepal, and some prefer the Nepal variety. I prefer the Nepal, I definitely feel a stronger power from them, but I don't think it's because one is inherently better than the other in some way, more like the energy is a bit different so one draws some and the other draws others. I personally have felt an immediate benefit from both, so not depending on time to take effect. I've held a Nepal and a Java of the same size (13mm) though and the Nepal bead just feels stronger to me... more solid, more real, more energy... I don't really know how to describe it but you know it when you feel it - you've felt it, I'm sure, so you know what I mean. =)

The thing is, Java and Nepal trees are not the same exact species. One is a "branch varietal", or subspecies, of the other. Which came first will have to wait for full genetic sequencing and comparison before it could be answered. Also, I have a Srilankan mala, yet another variety, and it also has power. So because of these things I feel that all the species and sub-species of Rudraksha are potentially powerful and certainly special. But I think you may be right that it is these two main varieties that are the strongest, and so it's best to stick to them.

From what I have learned in my research, there are only rumors about the Nepal variety ever creating a round 1-Mukh bead. I had heard the rumor about the King in Nepal, and I also have heard a rumor that the Pashupatinath Temple has a tree in the inner sanctum where only monks go, which produces a few true, round 1-Mukh beads. The monks keep them for the Guru only and occasionally they are given as gifts to visiting Satgurus. But, these are only rumor, no one I have ever heard of telling these stories has ever seen one, nor do any pictures of a real one seem to exist anywhere in any records I can find... I am tempted to say the Nepal tree actually cannot make 1-Mukh at all. But then, that is also opinion and not fact. :)

As I understand it, the only 1-Mukh seen on markets today are from Java and Srilanka varieties, and both of those varieties produce far more 2 and 3-Mukh seeds than the Nepal variety.

That's kind of a quick memory-dump of the information I've picked up so far. Sorry for such a long post. :) Please share what you have learned, I would value it highly. You have access to information I can't get because of language barrier, and it's always wonderful to talk with another who has the same love for something, as you pointed out.


~Pranam

Namaste Aanandinii,

Happy Diwali! You are welcome :). Shall we call each Rudraksha buddies? I am sure my family is sick and tired of me talking about this topic. I try to bounce ideas off them and I am met with a glazed over confused look hahahaha!!!! I am not sure if you are located in Hawaii but I feel that Rudraksha are easy to grow there because the volcanic soil is very fertile and the remote location of the Islands. I sense that Hawaii is a very spiritual place they also have a mother Goddess who protects the Islands so the combination off all these factors make it the perfect place to grow Rudraksha.

In terms of size vs power of the bead I believe it has to do with the surface area. The greater the surface area of the bead the more energy it can absorb and the more area that touches the body the faster it will effect you/the more powerful it becomes. I believe that is why Nepali beads are more sought after/considered more powerful because they tend to be bigger and have deeper mukhis. From what I gathered Java beads will range around 15-18mm when mature and Nepali beads will have much larger sizes, a medium bead is 18-22mm while larger collected beads will range from 24-31 mm. I also believe that the bead picks the person and a connection has to be made. That's why people say it is best to pick in one in person but since we don't live in India we cannot achieve this. I have also heard that people who are drawn to Rudraksha that nothing can stop from obtaining the bead that is written in the their destiny ex. if you are destined to obtain a 14 mukhi Rudraksha you get it not matter what, it will call you. I believe some of the more rarer Rudraksha are powerful regardless of their origin (Java vs Nepali). Lord Shiva is everywhere. The preference for Nepali beads also comes from scriptures where it states white and "Amla sized" Rudraksha are considered the best. Apparently different color beads are meant to belong to different castes ex. white for brahmin and red for warrior class. Nepali beads are generally lighter in colored (white) which also increases their desirability. Finally, if ones doesn't have faith and devotion then I doubt even the most powerful bead will be effective. A person who is a true devotee of the supreme who obtains a powerful Rudraksha can do wonders for this world.

I totally agree about feeling the Power of Rudraksha in your hands. Since I don't live in the mother land. I obtained a few Rudraksha from my aunt and my dad brought back some Nepali beads from his trip. My aunts where from an ashram in Asaam where they grew Rudraksha. It seemed they where real but some were glued together to make Gauri-Shankars and Trijuti beads. I picked the good ones from the bunch. The Nepalis my dad brought seemed lighter in color but that could be to the fact they weren't yet oiled. Lots of suppliers do this practice. I believe feeling a connection with a bead is the most important factor.

You are right about seeds not being fully ripe. I have read about suppliers admitting through a few forums/research that they pick their Rudraksha early. This is why the floating and sinking test is not reliable because an unripe bead will float. They do this because they don't want the beads to be eaten by birds. So, if a high mukhi is spotted growing some farmers will pick it early so they don't lose their profits. Does this practice effect the power of the beads? Only an expert/God can tell us. That is why lots of beads on the market are heavily oiled due to early picking. The color of a mature Rudraksha is different from an immature one. I will ask Neetaji's opinion on this topic. This is what makes mini-mela different is that they only pick beads that have fallen on the ground (thanks to Aanandinii and Easter Mind for that info). In fact, from what I understand is that even a reputable seller cannot control if a farmer has picked the Rudraksha early or not. It's sad that for an extra dollar this occurs. I guess sellers have to pick their farmers just as wisely as have to pick our sellers. The last issue I heard about is scriptures only mentioning Rudraksha up 14 mukhi and anything above is just to make money and all lies. So if anyone could elaborate on this it would be greatly beneficial. Also, it seems the only real 1 mukhis on the market are from Java and are oval.

I will try my best to translate the video for you. Hopefully it will help. It seems they starting the segment in the middle of guys speech. Poor editing? haha. Also, half the things he says won't make sense in English so I will try my best. Here is my altered translated version:

"As far as age is concerned...sometimes we see a small tree has fruit. This is due to the fact we have transplanted it from a mature tree. You can see here we tied the offshoots (I believe he means the offshoots). We are going get more "roots/offshoots" ready (for transplant") so we can again multiply them. Before we tie them up we shave off some of the bark and then wrap moss around it. Once we do this we tie a plastic bag around it. After some time we will see roots emerge. We then use a cutter to cut it and transplant it to any sort of pot. In terms of germinating from seeds this is not really done/method is not used much."

I am assuming this method allows the tree to fruit faster.

Hopefully my translation helps. Let me know if I missed anything from your post above. I wish I could grow a Rudraksha tree I wonder how their fruits taste.

divnelight
23 October 2014, 02:07 AM
Guys, can I chant other mantras than "om namah shivaya" with my 108bead japa rudraksha?

for example can I chant hare krishna`or can I chant guru guru waheguru guru ram das guru

Namaste hengellisyydenoppilas,

I believe the maha mantra for all Rudraksha are "Om Namah Shivaya" If you feel a connection with Krishna and Waheguru you can chant you should be okay. Remember Shiva is Vishnu and Vishnu is Shiva. Chanting "Om Namah Shivaya" or "Hare Krishna" is one and the same. Guru Nanak wore Rusraksha so I think you are okay. Also, WaheGuru is the another name for the supreme form through each of the Yugas and all his/her forms. "Vaheguru" Va-Vishnu, He-Hari, Gu-Gobind, Ru-Ram"; also its Contains Shiva and Durga. So basically chanting WaheGuru is chanting the ultimate form of the supreme. Some may not agree but I am an open minded person I look beyond the politics of religion. God transcends all of man's fallacies. Those who divide have their own agendas. All Eastern religions are one and the same. When we realize the ultimate truth will see that there is no religion there is only one, the supreme.

-divinelight

divnelight
23 October 2014, 02:37 AM
Pranams,

http://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/2613.html

These are so beautiful, is it correct to sell something like this. And what would be the spiritual significance of the Shiva Parvati double rudraksha. I want one :)

Ys

Markandeya Dasa

Namaste Markandeya Dasa,

Is this person selling that exact mala? If so you should make sure it is genuine especially the Guari-Shankar beads seems to look altered (glued together/carved). The Rudraksha are joined vertically in that mala normally Guari-Shankar are joined horizontally and are spherical in shape. Hopefully another member can confirm this. Technically we are not supposed to sell any religious items but it is the world we live in today. What can we do? Basically a Guari Shankar creates peace in the family, between husband and wife, protects the family and lets the family prosper. You can either wear it or place it in the alter. If you are looking for genuine suppliers for Rudraksha you can check out my thread.

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=13392

Also the earlier pages in this thread talk about a few genuine suppliers. Hopefully this helps. I have attached a picture of what a Guari-Shankar Rudraksha should look like.

-divnelight

http://acharyajee.com/images/gauri-shankar.jpg

markandeya 108 dasa
24 October 2014, 07:44 AM
Pranams divnelight,

Thank you for your reply and I am just a poor Bhakta so I may have to wait until it comes as a Gift. I have been given some very nice gifts in the past, so I will not lose hope :) It was sightly mis worded that I said are they allowed to sell, I thought it maybe something only for museum quality of private worship.

Thank you also for the links to your threads.

I found some good reading here, in fact not just good but Absolutely fantastic, I am enjoying very much :) My initiated name is Markandeya and he was half Shaivite and half Vaishnava and I had my diksha in Bhubaneswar and I am kindling a synthesis between Vaishnavsim and Shaivism and understanding the svaurpa of my dasa.

http://bibleoteca.narod.ru/tantra/Jaideva_Singh_Siva_Sutras.pdf

and on page 23 there is this passage which I retyped ( because it does not allow me to copy and paste) so please forgive any errors. This helped me to understand more the meaning of the joined rudraksa. Please correct me if I am wrong.


1. THE TATTVAS OF THE UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE 1-5

As has already been said Parama Siva has two aspects viz, transcendental ( visvotiima) and immanent or creative. This creative aspect of Parama Siva is known as Siva tattva.

1. Siva tattva is the initial creative movement (prathama spanda) of Parama Siva.

2. Sakti tattva is the Energy of Siva. She polarizes Conciousness into Aham and Idam ( I and This )- Subject and object.

Shakti, however, is nothing separate from Siva, Siva in his creative aspect is known as Shakti. She is His ahamvimarsa (I-consciousness), His unmukhata or intentness to create.
Just as an artist cannot contain his delight within himself, but pours it out into a song, or a poem, even so Parama Siva pours out the delightful wonder of his splendour into manifestation.
In Sakti tattva, ananda aspect of the Supreme is predominant.
Siva and Sakti tattvas can never be separated.

3. Sadasiva or Sadakhya Tattva:

The will (Iccha) to affirm the "This" side if the universe Experience is known as sadasiva or sadakya tattva, Iccha ( Will) is predominant.
The experience of this stage is "I am this" but the "this" is only a hazy (asphuta) experience. The predominant side is still "I". The ideal Universe is experienced as an indistinct something in the depth of consciousness.

Sadasiva tattva is the first manifestation (abhasa). In this Universal Experience, both the subject and the object are consciousness. Consciousness in this aspect becomes perceptible to Itself; hence a subject and an object.

4.Isvara or Aisvarya Tattva

The next stage of the Divine experience is that where idam or the This side of the total experience becomes a little more defined (sphuta). This is known as isvara tattva. It is unmesa or distinct blossoming of the Universe. At this stage, Jnana or knowledge is predomininant.

The experience of Sadasiva is "I am this" . The experience of Isvara is: " This am I"

5.

In the Sadvidya tattva, the "I" and the "This" side of experience are equally balanced, like two pans of an evenly held balance (samadhrtatulaputanyayena). At this stage, kriya sakti is prdominant. The "I" and the "This", what is "This" is "I" i.e they have samanadhikarana. The "I" and the "This" are still identified, they can be clearly distinguished in thought. The experience of this stage may be called diversity-in-unity (bhedabheda-vimarsa-natma) i.e while the "This" is clearly distinguished from "I", it is still felt to be part of the "I" or Self

The experience of this is known as parapara dasa. It is intermediate between the para or higher apara or the lower.
Up to this stage, all experience is ideal i.e in the form of an idea. Hence it is called the perfect or pure order (Suddhddhva) i.e a manifestation in which the svarupa or the nature of the Divine is not yet veiled.

Ys

Md

Aanandinii
24 October 2014, 11:03 PM
Namaskar friends,


Is this person selling that exact mala? If so you should make sure it is genuine especially the Guari-Shankar beads seems to look altered (glued together/carved).
I initially agree, but it's quite good if it's a fake. It's possible it's a Gauri-Shankar of an elongated seed. But more convincing is the rest of this seller's shop, and now I really see what you mean about selling sacred objects, Markandaya. This seller is an antiquities/arts dealer in London, apparently with a high-priced enough collection that you only shop there by appointment and one "enquires" about prices. The Rudraksha necklace is purported to be from the 1800's.

When I see businesses like this I worry. It's entirely possible his business is completely above board and he's getting his inventory from estate sales and such. But you hear about thefts or families being scammed out of treasures... and I cringe at how he keeps making the point that it's a sacred ritual object that has had much use. In this case I don't think the necklace is worth it. If you really want one you can get a Java for $25 and a huge Nepal one for $130 and be certain it's not only real but also not missed by someone.

I agree, if you are meant to get something it will come to you. =) Simply work towards it in the meanwhile.

Happy Diwali! You are welcome :). Shall we call each Rudraksha buddies? I am sure my family is sick and tired of me talking about this topic. I try to bounce ideas off them and I am met with a glazed over confused look hahahaha!!!! I am not sure if you are located in Hawaii but I feel that Rudraksha are easy to grow there because the volcanic soil is very fertile and the remote location of the Islands. I sense that Hawaii is a very spiritual place they also have a mother Goddess who protects the Islands so the combination off all these factors make it the perfect place to grow Rudraksha. :D Hi there Rudraksha Buddy. I hope you had a lovely Diwali as well! I'm pretty sure my own family can sympathize with yours. LOL

I am in the Northeast Continental US, the lowest average temperature in winter here is about 5 to 10 degrees fahrenheit - lower if you look at it since the 70's. It's often not that low, but there are days... Apparently the lowest Temp E. Gantrius is known to handle is 19 degrees f. However there are some monks and teachers who claim they can be grown anywhere if given enough care and love. I wonder. If planted in a sheltered area and if the roots were kept protected until the plant was well established, it could be possible, just maybe, for me to grow one without grafting to different root stock.

I think you're right about Hawaii, not just because of the soil but also it's a tropical environment so most plants would love it. But E. Gantrius is well known to be incredibly adaptable and tolerant of all kinds of conditions and soils, including a lot of salt - something useful in my climate in winter.

You make interesting observations on the size and surface ratio, thank you. I'm not sure I agree that if you don't have faith and devotion that you won't see benefit, though. These beads are gifts from the Divine to all of creation. We are all subject to Dharma and Karma and we are all His children, whether we know it and practice it in this life or not. Eventually we come back around. And these little gifts to us are small influences along the way, like breadcrumbs to Hansel and Gretel, leading us back slowly with a turn here or a nudge there. I think they always have power and always help, even if a person doesn't know enough to realise what it is that's helping them. :)

I'm sorry to hear what happened with the seeds your family got, I can see why you're being so careful, especially with the higher faces. It's interesting, I have been buying fruit now for almost a year and for all this time the seeds had a variation on a specific color and texture. The latest ones I got are definitely Nepalese seeds but the fruit itself is darker and the seeds far paler, almost yellow-white and they have a different texture - I'm really interested in how they'll turn out. I'm wondering if these things indicate different types of soil and nutrients the tree is getting, maybe different climate or elevation too. There's another reason the seed might float too. If it's very dry and has never been oiled it can float for a while, and if it is older and has been kept oiled and used for a very long time it becomes almost varnished, and those oils can sometime make it float a bit for a while. Eventually they will sink though. I oil my own seeds heavily the first few times I oil them, and then let them sit in the sun for a few days. I keep this up until they have a nice glaze to them, This might also be why they look so oily, otherwise they can look kind of dusty. I can't really vouch for the higher than 14 mukh seeds. I could make many guesses on if they are real why aren't they mentioned, but I don't even know for certain if they are indeed real. Perhaps Neeta might say.

Thank you so much for the translation! Wow, so what they're doing is propagating the plants by clones from cuttings instead of seeds! Well, that explains a few things, and it also makes sense in a few ways. Interesting method of getting the stems to root! Wow, thank you! Your assumption is correct, the tree will fruit fast. This can also lead to less fertility over many generations in many species of tree - trees don't have infinite lifespans and the offspring of trees in this manner are not actually any younger than the parent. I don't know if E. Gantrius is one of the few trees that can be propagated in this way indefinitely, but it would explain less fertility in the orchard and would also explain more incidence of higher-mukh beads, like 15 to 21 faces. Possibly in age-related mutation of the genes. These trees are probably quite old depending on how long ago the parent tress were cloned. Neat!

~Pranam

divnelight
03 November 2014, 12:49 AM
Namaskar friends,


I initially agree, but it's quite good if it's a fake. It's possible it's a Gauri-Shankar of an elongated seed. But more convincing is the rest of this seller's shop, and now I really see what you mean about selling sacred objects, Markandaya. This seller is an antiquities/arts dealer in London, apparently with a high-priced enough collection that you only shop there by appointment and one "enquires" about prices. The Rudraksha necklace is purported to be from the 1800's.

When I see businesses like this I worry. It's entirely possible his business is completely above board and he's getting his inventory from estate sales and such. But you hear about thefts or families being scammed out of treasures... and I cringe at how he keeps making the point that it's a sacred ritual object that has had much use. In this case I don't think the necklace is worth it. If you really want one you can get a Java for $25 and a huge Nepal one for $130 and be certain it's not only real but also not missed by someone.

I agree, if you are meant to get something it will come to you. =) Simply work towards it in the meanwhile.
:D Hi there Rudraksha Buddy. I hope you had a lovely Diwali as well! I'm pretty sure my own family can sympathize with yours. LOL

I am in the Northeast Continental US, the lowest average temperature in winter here is about 5 to 10 degrees fahrenheit - lower if you look at it since the 70's. It's often not that low, but there are days... Apparently the lowest Temp E. Gantrius is known to handle is 19 degrees f. However there are some monks and teachers who claim they can be grown anywhere if given enough care and love. I wonder. If planted in a sheltered area and if the roots were kept protected until the plant was well established, it could be possible, just maybe, for me to grow one without grafting to different root stock.

I think you're right about Hawaii, not just because of the soil but also it's a tropical environment so most plants would love it. But E. Gantrius is well known to be incredibly adaptable and tolerant of all kinds of conditions and soils, including a lot of salt - something useful in my climate in winter.

You make interesting observations on the size and surface ratio, thank you. I'm not sure I agree that if you don't have faith and devotion that you won't see benefit, though. These beads are gifts from the Divine to all of creation. We are all subject to Dharma and Karma and we are all His children, whether we know it and practice it in this life or not. Eventually we come back around. And these little gifts to us are small influences along the way, like breadcrumbs to Hansel and Gretel, leading us back slowly with a turn here or a nudge there. I think they always have power and always help, even if a person doesn't know enough to realise what it is that's helping them. :)

I'm sorry to hear what happened with the seeds your family got, I can see why you're being so careful, especially with the higher faces. It's interesting, I have been buying fruit now for almost a year and for all this time the seeds had a variation on a specific color and texture. The latest ones I got are definitely Nepalese seeds but the fruit itself is darker and the seeds far paler, almost yellow-white and they have a different texture - I'm really interested in how they'll turn out. I'm wondering if these things indicate different types of soil and nutrients the tree is getting, maybe different climate or elevation too. There's another reason the seed might float too. If it's very dry and has never been oiled it can float for a while, and if it is older and has been kept oiled and used for a very long time it becomes almost varnished, and those oils can sometime make it float a bit for a while. Eventually they will sink though. I oil my own seeds heavily the first few times I oil them, and then let them sit in the sun for a few days. I keep this up until they have a nice glaze to them, This might also be why they look so oily, otherwise they can look kind of dusty. I can't really vouch for the higher than 14 mukh seeds. I could make many guesses on if they are real why aren't they mentioned, but I don't even know for certain if they are indeed real. Perhaps Neeta might say.

Thank you so much for the translation! Wow, so what they're doing is propagating the plants by clones from cuttings instead of seeds! Well, that explains a few things, and it also makes sense in a few ways. Interesting method of getting the stems to root! Wow, thank you! Your assumption is correct, the tree will fruit fast. This can also lead to less fertility over many generations in many species of tree - trees don't have infinite lifespans and the offspring of trees in this manner are not actually any younger than the parent. I don't know if E. Gantrius is one of the few trees that can be propagated in this way indefinitely, but it would explain less fertility in the orchard and would also explain more incidence of higher-mukh beads, like 15 to 21 faces. Possibly in age-related mutation of the genes. These trees are probably quite old depending on how long ago the parent tress were cloned. Neat!

~Pranam
[/font][/color]

Namaste Aanandinii,

How is my Rudraksha buddy keeping ;). Your welcome translating is the least I could do :). My Diwali went well.

You are right it may be real. I should have emailed Neetaji this week about the elongated beads. My mind has been working slow lately. Regardless if the bead is real or not it will be considered an antique. I also, forgot to ask her about why higher mukhis are not mentioned in scriptures. I asked her a million questions already, she probably thinks I am Rudraksha obsessed. From what the folks at minimela said they only sell up to 14 mukhi because anything above is way too expensive. So we can assume 14+ are real? If you check on Rudra Centre's website there are some new Java beads that are up to 25 mukhi. This is probably related to what you mentioned above about how grafting allows faster fruiting but the age of the tree remains the same thus, producing higher mukhis. I overgeneralized you are right Rusraksha will work on everyone and will bring a person towards the divine if they wear them (love your breadcrumb analogy). It just depends on the speed in which it will happen (if we continue to do good vs "bad"); the chakras opening up faster or slower. What I learned from Neetaji is that it is not always a question of Nepali vs Java vs Power etc. From what I understood from our conversation is that the duration you wear them matters as well. If you wear a mala/Rudraksha for 8-9 hours a day and for everyday both Java and Nepali will be effective because you are allowing plenty of time for your chakras to open up and balance. Basically, a change will be felt in 5-10 days.

I never thought about how a newly oiled bead can float and an old oiled one wont. Yeah we are a little careful because in India there is a lot of cheating in the Rudrasha market plus,the fact that they are fairly expensive. I wish I could grow my own but living in Canada I don't know if they will survive the winter. Maybe one day I will build a green house :). I am guessing the differences in the seeds you received may have to do with quality and how old they are (the differences in fruit); also we can't rule out the factors you mentioned. Your yellow-white seeds may produce better Rudraksha (according to scriptures lighter ones are superior). The next opportunity I have I will ask Neetaji about which scriptures mention 14 mukhi + and about the antique super long Rudraksha bead. Having a session with her you realize how wise she is, she puts things so simply it is amazing. I just hope what she recommended for me helps me overcome the obstacles I face. I just have put my trust in the divine.

-divinelight

divnelight
09 November 2014, 11:30 AM
Pranams divnelight,

Thank you for your reply and I am just a poor Bhakta so I may have to wait until it comes as a Gift. I have been given some very nice gifts in the past, so I will not lose hope :) It was sightly mis worded that I said are they allowed to sell, I thought it maybe something only for museum quality of private worship.

Thank you also for the links to your threads.

I found some good reading here, in fact not just good but Absolutely fantastic, I am enjoying very much :) My initiated name is Markandeya and he was half Shaivite and half Vaishnava and I had my diksha in Bhubaneswar and I am kindling a synthesis between Vaishnavsim and Shaivism and understanding the svaurpa of my dasa.

http://bibleoteca.narod.ru/tantra/Jaideva_Singh_Siva_Sutras.pdf

and on page 23 there is this passage which I retyped ( because it does not allow me to copy and paste) so please forgive any errors. This helped me to understand more the meaning of the joined rudraksa. Please correct me if I am wrong.



Ys

Md





Namaste Markandeya 108 Dasa and Aanandinii,

Markandeya 108 Dasa you have a good understanding that all the different names we call the supreme are all the one and the same. So many spend time fighting Shiva is better, Vishnu is better etc. The true devotee realizes they are the same, Shiva is Shakti, Shakti is Shiva, Shiva is Vishnu and Vishnu is Shiva. They are the same just different aspects/manifestations of energy from the Supreme. We feel a connection with certain energies sometimes we pray more to Shiva , Vishnu or Hanuman because that aspect of energy/God is needed to help guide us in obtaining our goals for our current birth. We are put on this earth to learn lessons and grow thus; we feel a connection to that energy that will help us reach this goal. The same can be said about the Grahas they are here teach us what we need to know for this lifetime. It is up to us to understand that this is all Gods leela and we should realize that all these different aspects are from the Supreme whether you say Shiva/Shakti/Vishnu they are all the same.

In terms of the Guari-Shankar you wanted or liked from the collectors site. It is fake I have confirmed with Neetaji. It has been glued together and carved. If you truly would like a Guari Shankar then I suggest you look at Rudra Centre's website (or any other source you trust). Depending on your budget you can pick one. Nepali being more expensive and Java beads being very affordable. Also, if you want the Rudraksha for a specific purpose or for a specific problem I suggest a session with Neetaji via email or skype. She is very knowledgeable and really puts things into perspective. Never give up you will attain what you seek. If a Guari Shankar is written in your stars you will attain it nothing can stop you from getting one. Here is the link to the Guari Shankars:

http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/gauri-shankar_20.php3

Hi Aanandinii, basically Neetaji told me that Rudraksha that are 15 mukhi + are mentioned in what is known as the Katyani (Katyayani) Purana/Tantra and that many of our scriptures for some reason have erased information on Rudraksha and other things. I guess this has to do with the fact that knowledge should divulged to those who can handle it and respect it (plus we are in the Kalia Yuga). Basically what she found out about Rudraksha are from scriptures, Katyayani Purana and her own research. So if you or anybody else has any information on the Katyayani Purana/Tantra or know where I can get a copy please let me know.

-divnelight

Aanandinii
14 November 2014, 02:33 PM
Namaste Divinelight,

Wow, some great info in your last couple of posts! Thank you so much for sharing what you learned from your sessions with Neetaji. She sounds like a wonderful person. :)

I am not at all surprised she is so wise in this, she has spent a very long time studying and learning about Rudraksha and gems/minerals uses in Holistic therapies. I remember while doing a lot of my own first research on Rudraksha, I ran into very old Usenet threads she wrote in from the 90's, both a long time ago to me and not. :)

What she says about the faces greater than 14 makes sense. As I understand it a lot of knowledge has never been written down and is still passed in the traditional verbal ways, and whole lineages that were lost, their knowledge was also lost. It also occurs to me that things to do with Tantra can be powerful, and that kind of knowledge would likely be kept to the Ashrams for seekers and Teachers. This is also likely where you would find very old and long-cared for trees with people who will collect and care for the seeds. Thus higher-faced seeds would not really be circulated among every-day people, so less would be known about them in common knowledge that was later written down... Complete speculation, though.

Thank you too for confirming about the "antique" Gauri-Shankar. It figures, but I am also comforted to know it's not really someone's family relic being sold in this way. :) Markandeya, it's very true that when something is meant for you nothing will stop it from coming to you. You will get that Gauri-Shankar someday, certainly.

So the difference in the seeds I have gotten recently may have been region/elevation/soil grown in. They aren't older or younger as Neetaji gets new stock regularly, but I'm sure they must be from other regions. I also don't think its a quality issue. Not all of them are stellar, but the majority are great. What is interesting though is that the difference in the pigment of the seed shell that I noted has made a big difference in the actual color of the finished bead! The first batches I worked with are a red-ish color. In comparison these are a deer-skin brown. And one of the ones I recently cleaned and which is now in the drying stage, had respectively very little pigment in the meat of the fruit and almost none to the seed itself. I have a hunch this one is a "white" Rudraksha. I can't wait to see what it looks like when finished. When I have some time I will post some pictures - I am not home right now so can't. So it looks like this is a case of the colors that Rudraksha are reported in. :D

~Pranam-s

divnelight
20 November 2014, 03:21 PM
Namaste Divinelight,

Wow, some great info in your last couple of posts! Thank you so much for sharing what you learned from your sessions with Neetaji. She sounds like a wonderful person. :)

I am not at all surprised she is so wise in this, she has spent a very long time studying and learning about Rudraksha and gems/minerals uses in Holistic therapies. I remember while doing a lot of my own first research on Rudraksha, I ran into very old Usenet threads she wrote in from the 90's, both a long time ago to me and not. :)

What she says about the faces greater than 14 makes sense. As I understand it a lot of knowledge has never been written down and is still passed in the traditional verbal ways, and whole lineages that were lost, their knowledge was also lost. It also occurs to me that things to do with Tantra can be powerful, and that kind of knowledge would likely be kept to the Ashrams for seekers and Teachers. This is also likely where you would find very old and long-cared for trees with people who will collect and care for the seeds. Thus higher-faced seeds would not really be circulated among every-day people, so less would be known about them in common knowledge that was later written down... Complete speculation, though.

Thank you too for confirming about the "antique" Gauri-Shankar. It figures, but I am also comforted to know it's not really someone's family relic being sold in this way. :) Markandeya, it's very true that when something is meant for you nothing will stop it from coming to you. You will get that Gauri-Shankar someday, certainly.

So the difference in the seeds I have gotten recently may have been region/elevation/soil grown in. They aren't older or younger as Neetaji gets new stock regularly, but I'm sure they must be from other regions. I also don't think its a quality issue. Not all of them are stellar, but the majority are great. What is interesting though is that the difference in the pigment of the seed shell that I noted has made a big difference in the actual color of the finished bead! The first batches I worked with are a red-ish color. In comparison these are a deer-skin brown. And one of the ones I recently cleaned and which is now in the drying stage, had respectively very little pigment in the meat of the fruit and almost none to the seed itself. I have a hunch this one is a "white" Rudraksha. I can't wait to see what it looks like when finished. When I have some time I will post some pictures - I am not home right now so can't. So it looks like this is a case of the colors that Rudraksha are reported in. :D

~Pranam-s

Namaste Aanandinii,

Neetaji is indeed a wonderful person. Yeah I have seen some of her posts (or her company's) from the early 2000s on another forum "indiadivine" and even read about some of the drama her competitors tried to create. I would love to read her posts from the 1990s (can you direct them to me in a PM or here). Yes, she has mentioned in our conversations about doing research on Gems as well. She plants Rudraksha trees just like you. So, I decided to show them the grafting video I showed you. Guess What? Neetaji told me that the Rudraksha in the video are not real and that the trees are not as well. Basically people pass off certain Bhadraksha off as 2-3 mukhis in the market place. This due to the fact that people have a lack of knowledge and spend all of their time and energy growing something that isn't genuine. Only a true expert could pick all this up from a video!!!!

You're welcome :). I am glad as well it is not a family relic that is being sold. It is amazing to hear about the different color seeds you produce. I don't know much about why this happens. The only thing I can refer back is to how different colors belonged to different castes. So I am assuming their energies are different and suited for the lifestyles different people lived. I guess that a "white Rudraksha" is considered "Brahmin" so its energy maybe more inclined towards allowing a person to meditate and connect with the divine. While a "red Rudraksha" is considered a Kshatriya class so its energy may affect the chakras that are more active giving a warrior more energy and better decision making skills to lead an army/kingdom. Maybe you could do a comparison of how the energies differ between same mukhis of different colors. In today's world we are lucky to even obtain real Rudraksha let alone pick colors according caste/profession; To those that are able too that would be the icing on the cake!! I would love to see pictures of your trees and the Rudraksha you grow. When you have time please post some pictures, it would be amazing to see.

-divnelight

Aanandinii
25 November 2014, 08:31 AM
Namaste Divine Light,

When I have some time I will hunt down links to the Usenet groups Neeta-ji posted in. :) It may be some time though, it's getting very close to Holidays and I'm "in the weeds", as we say, preparing gifts which must take priority. When I catch up to where I should be I'll take some pictures and share - there are other sets of pictures I need to organize and upload too, so I will be sure to do this as well. :)

I really think the caste assignments to colors in the seeds is a Human thing. We like to see patterns and assign them meaning, sometimes that's true and beneficial, and sometimes not so much. Neeta-ji and others have pointed out that nowhere in scripture they have studied are the colors assigned specifically to caste and certain castes can only use different colors. Those that have studied them through scripture go out of their way to assert that there are no such limits or designations placed on the seeds anywhere. And while it's interesting that these colors exist, it's also true that more often than not the beads can carry combinations, speckles and swirls of colors, most are not only one whole color or another - at least not in the roughly 220 ones I've cleaned to date. They each also have different vibrations to them, but each feels equally strong to me, even the smaller ones - well, except for one, which had some insect damage to it. But then I am a student and probably not as sensitive as many of the learned people who work with them.

I must apologize if I have mislead you in any way, I have not planted any trees yet. I want to and am working out a plan to do so, but at the moment I have no place to plant them once they are large enough to take permanent root. I want to have good plans in advance before I start to try and raise trees, because I feel like the trees that produce such holy seeds are as sacred as the seed itself, so I want to take care that I have a set up that is very likely to succeed and not harm such a tree. But, once I have a full plan and some seedlings, I would be more than happy to share. :)

I learn something new every day! I had never heard of Bhadraksha! Thank you very much for sharing that, how interesting!

~Pranam-s

saswathy
25 November 2014, 08:30 PM
dear friends
I was under the impression that rudrakshas are the solidified tears of Shiva . But here it is being referred as shiva's eyes . Any explanation ?

Aanandinii
30 November 2014, 02:27 PM
Namaste Saswathy ji,

It seems to me that both are true. Like anything, there are many ways to look at it. Yajvan ji's description at the start of this thread says it best, for me.

~Pranam

divnelight
10 December 2014, 12:09 AM
Namaste Divine Light,

When I have some time I will hunt down links to the Usenet groups Neeta-ji posted in. :) It may be some time though, it's getting very close to Holidays and I'm "in the weeds", as we say, preparing gifts which must take priority. When I catch up to where I should be I'll take some pictures and share - there are other sets of pictures I need to organize and upload too, so I will be sure to do this as well.

I really think the caste assignments to colors in the seeds is a Human thing. We like to see patterns and assign them meaning, sometimes that's true and beneficial, and sometimes not so much. Neeta-ji and others have pointed out that nowhere in scripture they have studied are the colors assigned specifically to caste and certain castes can only use different colors. Those that have studied them through scripture go out of their way to assert that there are no such limits or designations placed on the seeds anywhere. And while it's interesting that these colors exist, it's also true that more often than not the beads can carry combinations, speckles and swirls of colors, most are not only one whole color or another - at least not in the roughly 220 ones I've cleaned to date. They each also have different vibrations to them, but each feels equally strong to me, even the smaller ones - well, except for one, which had some insect damage to it. But then I am a student and probably not as sensitive as many of the learned people who work with them.

I must apologize if I have mislead you in any way, I have not planted any trees yet. I want to and am working out a plan to do so, but at the moment I have no place to plant them once they are large enough to take permanent root. I want to have good plans in advance before I start to try and raise trees, because I feel like the trees that produce such holy seeds are as sacred as the seed itself, so I want to take care that I have a set up that is very likely to succeed and not harm such a tree. But, once I have a full plan and some seedlings, I would be more than happy to share. :)

I learn something new every day! I had never heard of Bhadraksha! Thank you very much for sharing that, how interesting!

~Pranam-s

Namaste Aanandinii,


Happy Holidays! I hope all is well with you :). Sorry for the late reply everything has been crazy busy plus I have been under the weather lately so I often opt to sleep instead go on the computer lol. No rush on the Usenet links whenever you have time... You are right the caste thing may have just been something people made up. There seems to be lots of information out there that has no backing.

No need to apologize. I am really excited to hear about your plans for planting Rudraksha trees in the future. You are right the trees themselves are special and must be respected. They need proper space to grown which can be a problem if you live in the city!

I received my Rudraksha from Neetaji :). They are very nice and well sized (Java collector beads). I am guessing it will take some time for me to feel the full effects of my Rudraksha. I hear some people say 5-10 days some say a month and some say 40 days. I have one arm band and wrist band. The arm band is taking me some time to get used to lol ( I adjusted it in public once and got stared at haha!). The only concern I had was my 14 mukhi there seems to be a chip in the top left corner of it (I believe a thorn or two are missing). Its next to a mukhi and sort of cuts into it. I believe they were chipped away so the Rudraksha could fit in its "cage" for the wrist band (unless some thorns fall off naturally). Neetaji assured me that the inner seeds are the thing that is important for a Rudraksha's energy (I assume clear mukhi are important as well.) I hope this doesn't really effect the Rudraksha's energy or power. Counting the mukhi on a Javanese Rudraksha can be challenging lol, sometimes the mukhis are well defined like Nepalese and sometimes they are mere lines. I have also noticed, that mukhis on top of a bead can be different than the bottom ex. the top can have a grooves and the bottom maybe have lines/ridges instead or vice versa. Hopefully your experience with Rudraksha can clear my doubts :).

-divnelight

Aanandinii
10 December 2014, 08:01 AM
Namaste Divine Light,

I am so excited to hear about your new seeds, congratulations! Honestly, I think it also depends on the person as to how long before they feel benefit. My very first seeds were in a Mala given to me by a friend and is Sri Lankan seeds - considered to be inferior compared to Java and Nepal beads. But I felt them right away. This is the mala so many different people on different occasions told me to never take off. I have restrung it several times, and I love it. Some of the seeds on it are even quite broken, but I don't think I will ever replace them, the mala still has power.

I don't know enough to comment on Neeta ji's statement about the seeds being the biggest part of their power, but she would certainly know and it makes sense to me. There is a seed in each chamber, each mukhi has a chamber for a seed. This is why the faces are important, it tells you how many seeds. Mukhis can certainly start deep on the top and be very shallow on bottom, I see this in Nepal beads as well, I imagine it would be much more the case with Java beads with start with shallower lines to begin with. As long as the line travels along the whole of the beads, top to bottom, and is unbroken and has not been partially carved to complete the line, then it is a true Mukhi line.

In my experience, sometimes thorns do break off, either spontaneously in the cleaning process or through wear. I have found my bracelet in particular has lost a few thorns due to wear and tear. This is okay as long as it's not a lot of them and the seed shell is not itself broken. It shouldn't affect the power of the bead.

I am really excited because I'm almost done finishing my seeds and am about to start taking some pictures. I will be able to share some to illustrate some of these points. :)

I wish I could write more but have to go as I'm on the run to an appointment at the moment. Happy Holidays to you as well and talk to you again soon!

~Pranam

divnelight
16 December 2014, 01:35 AM
Namaste Divine Light,

I am so excited to hear about your new seeds, congratulations! Honestly, I think it also depends on the person as to how long before they feel benefit. My very first seeds were in a Mala given to me by a friend and is Sri Lankan seeds - considered to be inferior compared to Java and Nepal beads. But I felt them right away. This is the mala so many different people on different occasions told me to never take off. I have restrung it several times, and I love it. Some of the seeds on it are even quite broken, but I don't think I will ever replace them, the mala still has power.

I don't know enough to comment on Neeta ji's statement about the seeds being the biggest part of their power, but she would certainly know and it makes sense to me. There is a seed in each chamber, each mukhi has a chamber for a seed. This is why the faces are important, it tells you how many seeds. Mukhis can certainly start deep on the top and be very shallow on bottom, I see this in Nepal beads as well, I imagine it would be much more the case with Java beads with start with shallower lines to begin with. As long as the line travels along the whole of the beads, top to bottom, and is unbroken and has not been partially carved to complete the line, then it is a true Mukhi line.

In my experience, sometimes thorns do break off, either spontaneously in the cleaning process or through wear. I have found my bracelet in particular has lost a few thorns due to wear and tear. This is okay as long as it's not a lot of them and the seed shell is not itself broken. It shouldn't affect the power of the bead.

I am really excited because I'm almost done finishing my seeds and am about to start taking some pictures. I will be able to share some to illustrate some of these points. :)

I wish I could write more but have to go as I'm on the run to an appointment at the moment. Happy Holidays to you as well and talk to you again soon!

~Pranam

Namaste Aanadinii,

I think a connection with the Rudraksha beads is more important then where they come from. I wonder if location truly matters. I believe that the quality of the bead is what matters; this is where I assume Nepali Rudraskhas got their reputation for their size, quality and power.

It must be really encouraging to hear from others that the Rudraksha mala you own is good and to never take it off. The only person I told about purchasing my Rudraksha armband and bracelet was my aunt. She was in fact very negative stating that India is full of cheaters and people from Mumbai/India will run circles around us they have no integrity religion is a business to them. It really put me off and made me doubt my decision even after all the research I put into selecting the best supplier. I guess she may have bad experiences with people that is why due diligence is a must you cant simply hop from "pandit to pandit"; or she believes who ever she knows is genuine no one else. I even had people ask me where to buy genuine beads from, when I tell them where they just look at me and snark; I guess its because I am significantly younger then them or that I am not wearing orange robes haha! One of the most interesting discussions I had was with a friend of my aunt (yes same aunt!) his guru manifested a Rudraksha from a rose which he wears ( I believe it is a 1 mukhi). Next time I see him I will look at it closer from what I now know the Java 1 mukhi is the only legit 1 mukhi us common folk can buy. My brother the "skeptic" always chuckles at the Rose story while I look up at the sky to see if a lightening bolt is heading in our direction.

I was able to get collector Java Rudraksha from Neetaji they look quite different from the normal/non-collector beads. Their grooves look similar to that of Nepalis on the top but they still have "lines" as mukhis. I wanted to post a picture of my 14 mukhi to show you the chip but its location is awkward (the silver band runs between the chipped area sigh!) On further inspection it seems the thorns that "fell off" interfere with the "mukhi groove"; but the actual mukhi "line" itself is still intact and runs all the way through from top to the bottom. I hope I am making sense here (Java beads have mukhis as lines)!! The chip makes me a little sad but I read an old post similar to mine about a child who fell and damaged his 14 mukhi bead. Neetaji said the same thing about the seeds being the most important aspect; in addition the bead was given to a friend to wear who stated its energy was correct for a 14 mukhi and the damage did not affect it (I have no clue how one determines this.). I guess I like things perfect (lol) and nature cannot be perfect it's something I have to accept and must have faith the Rudrakshas will work. I am not trying to discourage those who read this and honestly Neetaji's quality is really good compared to what other legit sites offer for Java Rudraksha. I will go as far as saying others cannot match what shes provides because she genuinely cares about her clients and encourages them that they can overcome it all to achieve (preach!). Overall, the Rudrakshas and other products I received from Rudra Centre are impeccable in terms of quality and are "on point" ;). (If I am able I will post pictures of the Rudraksha.)

Side Note: Through my research I found out that Rudra Centre ,Rudra Life and Rudra Jyoti are all the same company. I have to update my other thread with the details.

I am really excited to hear about your progress. I can't wait to see your pictures! How long did it take for the Rudraksha seeds to germinate? In fact I found another youtube video :). It's of a young boy in Toronto who grew his own Rudraksha tree from clippings. He actually shows you the method. I honestly think the love and care he puts into planting them is the reason he is able to grow Rudraksha with such ease. I hope this video helps :)!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPXv7ttBP-8

-divinelight

Aanandinii
23 December 2014, 02:45 PM
Namaste Divine Light,

Apologies for the long delay in response.

I think a connection with the Rudraksha beads is more important then where they come from. I wonder if location truly matters. I believe that the quality of the bead is what matters; this is where I assume Nepali Rudraskhas got their reputation for their size, quality and power.Interesting observations, and worth thought. The differences I notice could definitely be due to how I use them and where I keep them, and some could be just psychological. They say symbols only have the power you allow them to have. That said, my Aunt who has never seen or heard of Rudraksha before felt their energy immediately...


It must be really encouraging to hear from others that the Rudraksha mala you own is good and to never take it off. The only person I told about purchasing my Rudraksha armband and bracelet was my aunt. She was in fact very negative stating that India is full of cheaters and people from Mumbai/India will run circles around us they have no integrity religion is a business to them. It really put me off and made me doubt my decision even after all the research I put into selecting the best supplier. I guess she may have bad experiences with people that is why due diligence is a must you cant simply hop from "pandit to pandit"; or she believes who ever she knows is genuine no one else. I even had people ask me where to buy genuine beads from, when I tell them where they just look at me and snark;Your Aunt is not wrong about this, and she is correct to be skeptical of anyone she hasn't personally vetted. I would add that such charlatains who prey on the faith of others are common not just in India and not just in Hindu faith. This happens everywhere and in all faiths. There are always those ready and willing to take advantage of others. If I recall this happened to your own family in bringing back some Rudraksha from an actual Temple once - it's no wonder she is so wary.

One of the reasons I trust Neetaji so much is how long she has been online, learning and posting information, and how freely she shares her information - she doesn't keep it hidden and give knowledge only for money. And because she also offers so many other things to the whole world, not just people in India. The puja items and temple prasadam, among other things, are things that are very hard to come by where I live. I was able to share bel leaves last Maha Shivaratri, with friends who had no idea where to find any, because Neetaji offers them and can ship them quickly halfway across the world. In my mind she is a true devotee. Certainly it is also a business for her, and as such there has to be some part of it that makes profit for her, but as far as businesses that offer religious and spiritual healing things go, I feel like she is one of the few good ones out there and doesn't seek to take advantage and cheat as so many do.

But, this is just my personal feeling, any are free to disagree. But you shoudln't feel bad about your decision and purchase after such research in what to do, because of this. You researched and did what you felt was right, and with money you could afford to spend. There is no reason to feel badly about it. If others are skeptical, it's because they have their reasons and they may be good ones. They shouldn't impact you as long as your are careful about your own decisions.

I guess its because I am significantly younger then them or that I am not wearing orange robes haha! One of the most interesting discussions I had was with a friend of my aunt (yes same aunt!) his guru manifested a Rudraksha from a rose which he wears ( I believe it is a 1 mukhi). Next time I see him I will look at it closer from what I now know the Java 1 mukhi is the only legit 1 mukhi us common folk can buy. My brother the "skeptic" always chuckles at the Rose story while I look up at the sky to see if a lightening bolt is heading in our direction.Many manifestations are indeed sleight of hand to trick the easily lead. Bhagavan allows these things and allows skepticism without bolts of lighting to smite either side. :) Again, your brother is smart to be skeptical. Your aunt's friend may be right and it is genuine though. It's up to you to decide which.

You may be scoffed at because of your age, yes. There is little you can do to stop that. Don't worry about it too much, just let it be. if you leave it alone, it will pass.

I was able to get collector Java Rudraksha from Neetaji they look quite different from the normal/non-collector beads. Their grooves look similar to that of Nepalis on the top but they still have "lines" as mukhis. I wanted to post a picture of my 14 mukhi to show you the chip but its location is awkward (the silver band runs between the chipped area sigh!) On further inspection it seems the thorns that "fell off" interfere with the "mukhi groove"; but the actual mukhi "line" itself is still intact and runs all the way through from top to the bottom. I hope I am making sense here (Java beads have mukhis as lines)!!Yes. Nepal species beads also have the lines, but deep channels created by the whorls, also called 'thorns', around them. Java beads have much more shallow thorns, when there are any, so often it is just the lines defining the faces, or as you state, some beads will have some thorns creating a channel similar to what your see with Nepal beads for part or all of the length of the line, but it is not usually as deep a channel. In Nepal beads, sometimes the thorns on each side of the channel can grow together a bit and cover part of the line/channel, creating a kind of tunnel, too. :)

The chip makes me a little sad but I read an old post similar to mine about a child who fell and damaged his 14 mukhi bead... ...I guess I like things perfect (lol) and nature cannot be perfect it's something I have to accept and must have faith the Rudrakshas will work.Exactly. Nature is rarely 'perfect' by Human definitions.

Overall, the Rudrakshas and other products I received from Rudra Centre are impeccable in terms of quality and are "on point" ;). (If I am able I will post pictures of the Rudraksha.)
I am glad to hear you find them so. I would love to hear your thoughts after wearing them for a time, too.

Side Note: Through my research I found out that Rudra Centre ,Rudra Life and Rudra Jyoti are all the same company. I have to update my other thread with the details.
Very interesting! I will go looking for that information when I have a little time.

I am really excited to hear about your progress. I can't wait to see your pictures! How long did it take for the Rudraksha seeds to germinate? In fact I found another youtube video :). It's of a young boy in Toronto who grew his own Rudraksha tree from clippings. He actually shows you the method. I honestly think the love and care he puts into planting them is the reason he is able to grow Rudraksha with such ease. I hope this video helps :)!!!!
I have pictures of the beads and the mala I made and will post to my blog soon - probably when I return home from Florida. I would like to post sooner, but am really enjoying spending time with Family. ^_^

I don't have any seedlings yet though. I want to have a plan and a place to plant trees when they are old enough, and I don't have that at this time, so I haven't tried to grow any. The kind Pandit Swamyji and the Temple I made the Mala for said he would try and get me a tree though! I told him thank you but I don't know if one would grow where I live. But the video you linked gives me hope that if the poster can grow one in Toronto I might be able to as well. But his is in a pot so will always be stunted unless he plants it in soil. That is what I would like to do, and have a full-sized tree one day. I just don't know, because we do get just a little bit colder where I live than any information I can find about their cold tolerance...

Regardless, when I do try and grow some I will also post about it and will definitely share pictures. And thank you so much for the link to that video! I like that he also has Tulsi and other plants. I got a Tulsi at the Satsang I go to but I gave it to my neighbor who had been wanting one badly, but I also have two lovely red Hibiscus plants which I keep indoors in the winter. They bring lovely color to the house.

~Pranam