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Thread: The Power of Rudraksha

  1. #1
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    The Power of Rudraksha

    Hari Om!

    Have been studying rudraksha for some time and wearing beads of different muktis with great benefit as part of my devotion to Lord Siva.

    Does anyone have any experiences with them that they'd like to share? Anyone else wear them or use mala of such? I'd really be interested in hearing such.

    Listed below from my research is a list of beads from 1 to 14 mukti with the respected god represented. I have verified this with several sources, but some sites vary slighly. Please feel free to submit corrections or additions as they apply.

    1- Lord Shankar
    2- Ardhanareeshwara
    3- Agnidev
    4- Brahaspati
    5- Rudra Kalagni
    6- Kartikeya
    7- Mahalaxmi
    8- Ganesha
    9- Durga
    10- Krishna
    11- All Rudras
    12- Surya
    13- Kamadeva
    14- Hanuman

    Beads continue beyond 14 mukti but are more rare and of course more expensive.

    Om Namah Sivaya!

  2. #2

    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Quote Originally Posted by c.smith View Post
    Have been studying rudraksha for some time and wearing beads of different muktis with great benefit as part of my devotion to Lord Siva.
    Could you expand on this? Do you wear them as a bracelet, necklace or on your head?

    How do you wear it on your head?

    Do you wear multiple, or just one? I was under the impression it was inappropriate to wear more than one when not in prayer or meditation.

    I used to carry a 5 faced rudraksha with me. I was told to wear it around my neck by a friend and I have ever since. I remove it before bed and place it on my home shrine. I go out to bars and other events with friends and remove it before attending some of those, as well.

    One particular experience that I found interesting had to do with "one of those days" where the morning just doesn't quite work out.... I was late for work and the traffic report looked terrible... I had forgotten to buy milk or anything else that would have been useful for breakfast. I put the wrong shoes on... The day wasn't going so well..... And I had rushed out to the car without my rudraksha!

    When I was first instructed to wear it around my neck.... of course, in my usual way, I felt it very presumptuous and assumed it would have no benefit. I sometimes alternated between wearing it and not wearing it.

    I have personally observed that I felt more peaceful when I have my rudraksha.

    To return to the story... I went most of the day feeling pretty relaxed but awake and otherwise "on point" in regards to work. I remember thinking, "Maybe I was wrong about wearing my rudraksha... today seems to be exceptional and I feel exactly as if I was wearing it...."

    Here's the twist - it seems I had put my rudraksha on before rushing out of the door and didn't even realize it I had been wearing it all along.

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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Namasté, C. Smith,

    I have a few rudraksha experiences to share as well. My first one came when I looked at rudrakshas higher than 14-mukhi, shrieked in terror at the prices listed, and closed the search window immediately.

    To respond seriously, I wear a string of small 5-mukhi neck beads and a single 13-mukhi bead strung on thick silk thread. The 5-beads are quite small, and the 13-bead is worn across the torso - with the thread on the right shoulder and falling to the left side of the abdomen - so I look kind of like I'm wearing a necklace of pebbles and sporting a tumor on my side.

    (Interestingly, neither product is now available from the website where I originally bought them. The 5-mukhis are strung into mālās now instead of the double-looped necklace that I have, and the 13-beads are sent loose or made into left-arm bracelets or armbands, instead of this weird banner-like configuration. Perhaps the fashion-conscious complained.)

    The string of 5-mukhi beads is like a serene guide; it produces a feeling of calm and steadiness when worn, and the feeling I get from it is definitely that of Shiva-as-yogi. It seems to wisely influence and inspire. I've meditated with a rudraksha mālā in the past and did not like the feel of it, but wearing the beads is a blessing indeed. I think that anyone who wants to develop a regular meditation practice, or meditate at all, would benefit from at least one 5-faced bead.

    My 13-mukhi - which belongs to Lord Indra as well as Kāmadeva - is rather different altogether. I should have paid attention to both of the Devas ruling this one, because I struggled with lusty/romantic feelings more than usual in the first few weeks of wearing it, and then realised DUH. This bead centers on desire, and it's a kind ally in such, whatever your desire may be. The 13-mukhi has a warm, tender energy that seems to patiently rest, waiting for me to decide what I want so we can get to work. Because I've noticed being more attractive (in the literal sense of "drawing people") since wearing it - friends I haven't seen for years are contacting me, for example - I wouldn't recommend it to anyone whose desire is "renunciation"! For any other wish, though, a 13-mukhi is a good friend.

    Water is right in that wearing rudrakshas of several different faces can be a problem if the energies conflict with each other. I haven't experienced any difficulties wearing the 5 and the 13 at the same time. In fact, I hate removing them and often stay awake a little longer just to keep wearing them...

    The only "correction" I might offer is that I've read before that the 11-mukhi is ruled by both Hanuman and Indra. I can't recall the source, though, and could be completely wrong.

    I look forward to reading other replies. And what about you, C. Smith; what tales do you have to share?

    Edited to add: Another effect I have noticed of wearing rudraksha is that of becoming more sattvic, whether you intended it or not! I used to be a social drinker, have an occasional cigarette, and drink caffeinated energy drinks daily. All of those habits are gone, without much effort at all; they fell away from me one by one. Has anyone else noticed something similar?

    Indraneela
    ===
    Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
    Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.
    Last edited by Arjuni; 16 April 2011 at 08:58 PM. Reason: Adding one more point, because I obviously didn't ramble enough. :P

  4. #4

    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Quote Originally Posted by Indraneela View Post
    The only "correction" I might offer is that I've read before that the 11-mukhi is ruled by both Hanuman and Indra. I can't recall the source, though, and could be completely wrong.
    I also thought the 11 mukhi was for Sri Hanuman as the 11th Rudra.

    I'm not sure what the relationship with 14 mukhi would be.

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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Namaste,

    I feel like such a rookie with my rudraksha, even though I've been using it for years now. The rudraksha mala I have is not really a fully rudraksha, it must be said. It's interspersed with crystal beads, which gives it a nice change of texture when you're moving your middle finger across each bead. Anyone mind telling me how you can tell the mukhi of the rudraksha on your mala? Or if you know the rudraksha beads you have are authentic? Can't believe I have never questioned any of this until now.

    Om namah Shivaya
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    You can count the straight lines that run from top to bottom of the rudraksha to know how many mukhis it has. Most rudrakshas are pancha mukhi.

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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Namast,

    Sunyata, the first clue that you are far less a rookie than me is that letter "s" attached to the word "year" in your post. I've had my rudrakshas for about six months.

    If you look at the hole on a rudraksha bead, you'll see finely incised lines radiating around that hole, like the spokes on a wheel; count them, and that tells you how many mukhi. Of course, this is a more difficult task with higher mukhi beads (larger, knobblier surface area, harder to tell what's a line and what's just a bump), or if the bead is strung on a mālā or necklace (because the hole-area is blocked by other beads).

    It also hints at one method that people use to fake rudraksha: cut a few extra lines in the top, and a common, affordable bead "magically" becomes a higher-mukhi, rarer, more expensive one.

    There are a few "tests" that supposedly determine a real rudraksha, but as this bit explains, factors like age and moisture can make a genuine bead fail those tests. I've seen an x-ray film on one website that identified a fake, by showing how the interior seeds were fewer than the surface lines, but I imagine most of us don't have x-ray machines at home. So, to answer your other question, I'm not sure how a layperson would go about identifying false beads for sure; certainly they would have a different "feel" to them energetically, but that hardly serves as objective proof...

    Indraneela
    ===
    Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
    Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha



    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~


    namast

    ॐ रुद्राय नमः
    oṁ rudrāya namaḥ
    oṁ I bow (salutations) to rudra, the praiseworthy One.


    More on rudrākṣa here if there is interest: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=6228


    praṇām
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  9. #9
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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Hari Om!

    Thanks for the replies - please keep them coming as they are very interesting!

    My own experiences have all been very positive. I've nearly always used a rudraksha mala of 5 mukhi beads. I feel that it enhances my japa which often leads to a meditative state.

    My first "necklace" included 3, 6 and 12 mukhi beads strung on red thread. I feel that the 12 mukhi bead is especially powerful and also feel a sense of peace when wearing the necklace. It was prescribed for a certain condition in my life and I'd like to attribute the improvement, at least in part, to wearing of and my faith in rudraksha.

    I've also worn a single 5 mukhi bead, but have heard that it must be worn in a set of 3 to be effective. Don't know if that holds true or not.

    Just got an 11 mukhi bead, and yes, Hanuman also rules over this bead. My intention in wearing it is to help in my sadhana and to hopefully progress along the path of brahmacharya.

    I would like to purchase a 14 mukhi bead as it is supposed to be especially powerful when meditating with it on the 3rd eye. It's a purchase that will have to wait however because I find that it is very expensive. It is attributed to Hanuman as well and I'm told to wear in on my arm. We'll have to see how that pans out wearing it under my work clothes.

    I also have an ek bead but would like to learn more about it.

    Finally, I have 108 beads in my lingam.

    All for now.

    Om Namah Sivaya!

  10. #10
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    Re: The Power of Rudraksha

    Namaste,

    Interesting responses regarding where other members wear their rudraksha beads. I wish now I had bought separate rudrakshas to thread myself, but I'm probably going to have to save up quite a bit before I can afford any rudraksha with a double-digit mukhi!

    I've been looking closely for the lines on the beads of my own mala, but yes, it is a bit tricky to do. They look smaller than normal, and have a waxy look about them. Actually, it just occured to me these could well be counterfeits that I have. I wonder is anyone here experienced enough with rudrakshas that they can tell in one or two glances if a mala is fake?



    This is a close-up of the rudrakshas I currently use. What do you think? Are they real?

    Om namah Shivaya
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

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