Rudrākṣa – The Divine Magical bead!
The holiest bead recommended in the Hindu scriptures unequivocally, is the Rudrākṣa (commonly spelt as Rudraksha). Literally, it means the Tears of Lord Rudra, the Destroyer. His tears are to be compared with His compassion for the Creation and to uplift the consciousness of those who seek the Truth and wish to ascend.
There is no better remedy prescribed in the Purāṇas, Upaṇiṣads and Tantra manuals than the Rudrākṣas for wearing purposes and deriving immense benefits. Lord Rudra clearly states that it is really unnecessary to describe the benefits of these beads, as they’re simply innumerable and there is absolutely nothing that cannot be achieved by wearing the 1 to 14 faced Rudrākṣas.
The Rudrākṣa is a fruit nut of the purple olive Elaeocarpus genus trees, specifically the Elaeocarpus Angustifolius (previously referred to as Ganitrus). There are more than 500 varieties of the Elaeocarpus species, but only a few of them bear fruits and the nuts that are derived from these fruits are the Rudrākṣas. The widest distribution of these trees is in Indonesia, which is the largest supplier of these beads. The most popular beads seem to be the ones originating from Nepal, of the same Elaeocarpus Ganitrus trees, with a slight variation among the seeds with deeper ridges and bigger in size proportion. The Indonesian beads are smaller in size compared to their Nepali cousins but are much smoother in appearance. The South Indian and Sri Lankan varieties are called Bhadrākṣas and are generally larger in size. They are cashew nut shaped elongated oval beads and are coarse in appearance and come from the Elaeocarpus Serratus species, which is also a purple olive tree. The fruits and leaves of these trees are used for food preparations as well as for medicinal and religious purposes in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain traditions and are quite popular in South India and mainly Sri Lanka. From a size perspective, the largest beads are usually Nepali or the Indonesian Papua Rudrākṣa beads as well as the Bhadrākṣas. The ones from Hawaii and Australia are smooth and limited to a few faces only.
The Rudrākṣas of each variety are classified on the basis of the number of ridged lines on the beads giving it a “face” like appearance. The lines generally correspond with the number of actual seeds present within the beads. A Rudrākṣa with just 1 line is called a 1 face or Ekamukhī Rudrākṣa and is considered to be Lord Rudra Himself and is the most auspicious amongst all! It is almost always oval in appearance and is found only in Indonesia and amongst the South Indian Bhadrākṣa beads. A round 1 face Rudrākṣa is generally a malformed 5 faced Rudrākṣa with the lines fudged or not formed properly. Similar is the case with the zero faced Rudrākṣa called the Nirākāra (no face appearance). The round Rudrākṣas are the 4 to 6 faced ones and they begin to get more oval shaped with the 7 and higher facets. It is also quite common to see the conjoined beads referred to as Gaurī Śaṅkara Rudrākṣa. Most common among them is a 5 + 5 or 5 + 6 beads attached to each other. Much rarer and expensive is the Trijuṭi or 3 conjoined Rudrākṣa beads. There is also a protruding shaped Rudrākṣa that is called the Gaṇeśa Rudrākṣa and a more well-defined protrusion variety called the Nāga savar Rudrākṣa.
The scriptures that have an exclusive Rudrākṣa Prakaraṇa (Division) describing the benefits and importance of the Rudrākṣas are namely –
- Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam.
- Śrī Śivamahā Purāṇam.
- Padma Purāṇam.
- Akṣamālikopaṇiṣad.
- Mantra Mahārṇava.
- Mahākāla Saṃhita.
- Nirṇaya Sinduḥ.
- Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad.
- Śivasvarodaya.
- Liṅga Purāṇam.
The above scriptures describe the various combinations of the Rudrākṣas, their colors and suitability for wearing for worshipping purposes. The various benefits of these Rudrākṣas are also described. However, only the 1 to 14 faced Rudrākṣas have been described in detail for the stated benefits, which as Lord Rudra mentions, are innumerable and pointless to describe any further. There is absolutely nothing that cannot be achieved by wearing the Rudrākṣas of the 1 to 14 faces. The wearer of these Rudrākṣas will derive every single benefit that he/she could ask for, provided these are energized in the proper manner. Wearing the unenergized Rudrākṣas is strictly prohibited and considered sinful and punishable from a karmic standpoint.
The 15 to 21 face Rudrākṣas are said to be documented in some manuscripts that are not available in the public domain or in any library of manuscripts. Some websites mention Viśvakarma Purāṇam and Kātyāyaṇī Tantram for references to these higher Mukhi (Faces) Rudrākṣas. The manuscripts and published versions of these scriptures do not have any such references and their very reference in the context of the Rudrākṣas for gaining relevance, seems to be dubious. However, the mantras and procedures that we obtained from unverifiable sources, seem to suggest that their benefits correspond with the 3 to 9 faced Rudrākṣas and are almost equivalent in most respects. Their only specialty seems to be towards higher spiritual purposes and nothing much from a material standpoint, if one were to examine the mantras and their hidden meanings.
Lastly, from my own experience with the Rudrākṣas, my suggestion is to go with the ones that fit your needs and if unsure, then lookout for the 1 to 14 face māla, also called as the Sarva Siddhi māla – the all accomplishing string of beads! There are a lot of websites selling these beads and the prices also vary widely. There is absolutely no scriptural validation stating that the Nepali beads are more powerful than the Indonesian ones or that the Bhadrākṣas are inferior. Since the cost of the higher face (Mukhi) Rudrākṣas is astronomical, there are a lot of fakes with skillfully marked lines that are almost impossible to discern even for the trained experts. That being the case, it is best to settle for the cheaper Rudrākṣas from Indonesia, which again accounts for more than 70% of the world’s supply chain for these beads. Also, Indonesia has the abundant production of the higher faced beads, compared with Nepal or any other region in the world. But those looking for large sized beads, recommended by scriptures for the spiritually minded, may find comfort with the Nepal varieties vs any other, barring the Papua beads which are equal or larger. For the lower mukhis, the Bhadrākṣas are acceptable as well as they’re huge in size.
It is recommended to obtain the Rudrākṣas from one’s guru, temple or holy organizations not seeking any remuneration in return. From a practical perspective, it is recommended to purchase from a trusted vendor and not necessarily from the ones who are out there selling at a high premium.
I wear an Indonesian Rudrākṣa Sarva Siddhi māla that I purchased from a vendor in Rajasthan. I have also purchased previously from other online vendors and presented to many others who were facing difficulties. There was no noticeable difference in their lives after wearing the Rudrākṣas even after reciting the mantras that were mentioned on the websites and many related books listing the mantras from the Purāṇas. For many years I tried everything that I could find and gave up on the benefits of Rudrākṣas and then finally came up upon a manuscript that described the tantric method of energizing the Rudrākṣas. I have experienced some good benefits while I was translating the mantras and feel that these methods may yield results for all and are genuine. I will be energizing the Rudrākṣas that are in my possession to see if these work for the persons who have requested their energization and also try it out for myself and other family members to validate the results.
A consecrated Rudrākṣa can be worn on the body and not otherwise. Listed in this section are the mantras and the suggested method for energizing the respective Rudrākṣas. Some of the benefits listed in the scriptures are described below. It is to be noted that the ill effects of all grahas (planets) are nullified by the Rudrākṣas. It is to be remembered that the scriptures do not mention gemstones for removing the malefic effects of the grahas or to enhance the beneficial results either, whereas the benefits of the Rudrākṣas simply cannot be overemphasized or underestimated by limiting them to some units of measure. However, for setting our minds at rest and to gain some understanding, some of the benefits are described below :
[Plese note: when certain benefits that are mentioned here like pardon of murder etc. is only from a karmic perspective and not from the local law enforcement.]
|
S.No. |
Deity |
Benefits |
Source |
|
|
1 |
1 Face (Eka Mukhī) |
Lord Śiva. |
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|
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2 |
2 Face (Dvi Mukhī) |
Lord Śiva as Devadeveśa, the Supreme Lord. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
3 |
3 Face (Tri Mukhī) |
Lord Agni. |
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
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4 |
4 Face (Catur Mukhī) |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
5 |
Lord Kālāgni Rudra, Ardhanārīśvarā. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
6 |
6 Face (Ṣaṇmukha) |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
7 |
7 Face (Sapta Mukhī) |
Lord Ananta. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
8 |
Lord Gaṇeśa, Vaṭuka Bhairava. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
9 |
9 Face (Nava Mukhī) |
Lord Bhairava. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
10 |
10 Face (Daśa Mukhī) |
Lord Janārddana, the One who excites one and all. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
11 |
Lord Rudra. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
12 |
Lord Sūrya. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
13 |
13 Face (Trayodaśa Mukhī) |
Lord Indra, the king of all celestial deities. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
14 |
Lord Hanumān. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
15 |
Lord Agni. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
16 |
16 Face (Ṣoḍaśa Mukhī) |
Lord Brahma, Bhairava, Gāyatrī. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
17 |
17 Face (Saptadaśa Mukhī) |
Lord Rudra. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
18 |
Lord Kārtikeya. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
19 |
19 Face (Navadaśa Mukhī) |
Lord Ananta. |
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
20 Face (Viṃśati Mukhī) |
Lord Gaṇeśa, Vaṭuka Bhairava. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
|
|
21 |
21 Face (Ekaviṃśati Mukhī) |
Lord Bhairava. |
|
Śrīmaddevī Bhāgavatam. |
2. Rudrākṣa mantras from scriptures and other sources.
Tantric and non-tantric Rudrākṣa Mantras for wearing purposes, derived from various sources and beliefs (Paramparāgata) are described in the below table. The tantric mantras with the relevant procedures are described in separate articles linked at the bottom of this article.
|
S.No. |
Rudrākṣa type. |
Mantra for wearing purposes. (IAST) |
Devanāgari |
Source |
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|
One Face (Eka Mukhī). |
|
ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ एँ हँ औँ ऐँ ॐ । |
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ॐ नमश्शिवाय । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ क्रीँ श्रीँ नमः । |
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|
ॐ एँ आँ सौँ एँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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|
ॐ रुद्रा वक्त्राश्या । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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|
ॐ ॐ दृशं नमः । |
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|
ॐ रुद्र । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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|
ॐ एँ नमः । |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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|
Two Faces (Dvi Mukhī). |
|
Śivamahāpurāṇam: Vidyeśvarasaṃhitā. |
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ॐ गौरी शङ्कराय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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|
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|
ॐ शम्भवे नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ श्री गौरी शङ्कराय नमः । |
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|
ॐ कँ द्विवक्त्राश्या । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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|
ॐ ॐ नमः । |
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|
|
|
ॐ खँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ श्रीँ नमः । |
Skanda Purāṇam. |
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|
|
|
ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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|
|
|
urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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|
3 |
Three Faces (Tri Mukhī). |
Śivamahāpurāṇam :Vidyeśvarasaṃhitā. |
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|
ॐ ॐ नमः । |
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|
ॐ ब्रह्म विष्णु महेश्वराय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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|
ॐ रँ इँ ह्रीँ ह्रूँ ॐ । |
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|
ॐ आँ बाँ त्रयवक्त्राश्या । |
Paramparāgata. |
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|
ॐ वुँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ धुँ धुँ नमः । |
Skanda Purāṇam. |
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ॐ रँ ह्रैँ ह्रीँ ह्रूँ औँ । |
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|
ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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|
Four Faces (Catur Mukhī). |
|
ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
Śivamahāpurāṇam :Vidyeśvarasaṃhitā, Mantra mahārṇava, Padma Purāṇam. |
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|
ॐ ब्रह्म देवाय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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|
ॐ वाँ क्राँ ताँ हाँ ईँ । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ चतुर्वक्त्राश्या । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ हूँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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5 |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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|
ॐ हूँ नमः । |
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ॐ ह्राँ आँ क्ष्म्यौँ स्वाहा । |
Rudrākṣa dhāraṇa vidhi. |
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ॐ ह्राँ पञ्चवक्त्राय । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ह्राँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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|
ॐ श्रीँ नमः । |
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|
ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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6 |
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ॐ ह्रीँ हुँ नमः । |
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ॐ श्री कार्तिकेयाय नमः । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ षड्वक्त्राश्या । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ हूँ नमः । |
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ॐ ह्रूँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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7 |
Seven Faces (Sapta Mukhī). |
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ॐ हुँ नमः । |
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ॐ श्री महालक्ष्म्यै नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ह्रूँ क्रीँ ग्लौँ ह्रीँ स्रौँ । |
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ॐ ह्राँ क्रीँ ह्रीँ सौँ । |
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ॐ ह्राँ सप्तवक्त्रास्या । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ह्रः । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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8 |
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ॐ हुँ नमः । |
Śivamahāpurāṇam :Vidyeśvarasaṃhitā. |
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ॐ श्री गणेशाय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ह्राँ ग्रीँ लँ आँ श्रीँ । |
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ॐ काँ अष्टवक्त्राश्या । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ सः हूँ नमः । |
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ॐ कँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ कँ वँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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9 |
Nine Faces (Nava Mukhī). |
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ॐ ह्रीँ हुँ नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ दूँ दुर्गायै नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ वँ यँ रँ लँ । |
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ॐ ब्रह्मदेवाय नमः । |
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ॐ जूँ नववक्त्राश्या । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ हँ नमः । |
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ॐ जूँ । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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Ten Faces (Daśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमो नारायणाय । |
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ॐ श्रीँ ह्रीँ क्लीँ व्रीँ ॐ । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ श्रीँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ क्षं दशवक्त्राश्या । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ क्षं । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
Skanda Purāṇam. |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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Eleven Faces (Ekādaśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ ह्रीँ हुँ नमः । |
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ॐ दूँ दुर्गायै नमः । |
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ॐ रूँ क्षूँ मूँ यूँ औँ । |
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ॐ श्री रुद्राय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ श्रीँ एकादश वक्त्रश्या । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ रँ मँ यँ ॐ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ श्रीँ नमः । |
Mantra mahārṇava, Padma Purāṇam, Skanda Purāṇam. |
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ॐ श्रीँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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12
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Twelve Faces (Dvādaśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ क्रीँ क्षौँ रौँ नमः । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ श्रीसूर्याय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ह्रीँ क्षौँ घृणिः श्रीँ । |
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ॐ श्रीँ घृणि श्रीँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ द्वदश वक्त्राश्या । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ क्रोँ क्षौँ रौँ नमः । |
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ॐ हूँ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ ह्राँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ ह्राँ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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Thirteen Faces (Trayodaśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ ह्रीँ नमः । |
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ॐ श्री इन्द्राय नमः । |
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ॐ ईँ याँ आप ॐ । |
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ॐ क्षाँ त्रयोदश वक्त्राया । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ क्षाँ चौँ नमः । |
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ॐ क्षौँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ क्षैँ स्तौँ नमः । |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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14 |
Fourteen Faces (Caturdaśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ नमः । |
Śivamahāpurāṇam :Vidyeśvarasaṃhitā. |
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ॐ औँ ह्स्फ्रेँ ख्फ्रेँ ह्स्रौँ ह्स्ख्फ्रेँ । |
Rudrākṣa dhāraṇa vidhi. |
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ॐ नमः चतुर्दश वक्त्राया । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ नमो नमः । |
Mantra mahārṇava, Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ न्राँ । |
Padma Purāṇam. |
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ॐ डँ माँ नमः । |
Skanda Purāṇam. |
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ॐ नमः शिवाय । |
Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ॥ |
ॐ त्र्यम्बकम् यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥ |
Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from Bṛhajjābalopaṇiṣad. |
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ॐ नमश्शिवाय । |
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ॐ हैँ सँ ह्रीँ ऐँ ॐ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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16 |
Sixteen Faces (Ṣoḍaśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ षोडशकलायै नमः । |
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ॐ वाँ क्राँ ताँ हाँ ऐँ श्रीँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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17 |
Seventeen Faces (Saptadaśa Mukhī). |
ॐ विश्वकर्मणे नमः । |
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ॐ हाँ क्राँ श्रौँ स्वाहा । |
Paramparāgata. |
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18 |
Eighteen Faces (Aṣṭādaśa Mukhī). |
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ॐ पृथ्व्यै नमः । |
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ॐ ह्रीँ श्रीँ क्लीँ सौँ ऐँ ह्रीँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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19 |
Nineteen Faces (Navadaśa Mukhī). |
ॐ नमो नारायणाय । |
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ॐ हँ सँ ऐँ ह्रीँ श्रीँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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Twenty Faces (Viṃśati Mukhī). |
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ॐ ब्रह्मदेवाय नमः । |
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ॐ ज्ञाँ ज्ञीँ लँ अँ ऐँ श्रीँ । |
Paramparāgata. |
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21 |
Twenty-one Faces (Ekaviṃśati Mukhī). |
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ॐ कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय महाराजाय नमः । |
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ॐ ऐँ ह्रीँ ह्रीँ ह्रीँ श्रीँ श्रीँ श्रीँ ऐँ । |
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Gaurī Śaṅkara Rudrākṣa. |
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ॐ नमश्शिवाय । |
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ॐ अर्धनारीश्वराय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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Nāga Rudrākṣa. |
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ॐ नमश्शिवाय । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ श्री कार्तिकेयाय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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24 |
Trijuṭi Rudrākṣa. |
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ॐ नमश्शिवाय । |
Paramparāgata. |
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ॐ ब्रह्मदेवाय नमः । |
Paramparāgata. |
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3. Rudrākṣas and Lagnas/Ascendants: Based on the Janma Lagna/Ascendant in one’s birth chart, one may wear the associated Rudrākṣas.
|
S.No. |
Janma Lagna |
Rudrākṣa. |
Source |
|
1 |
Meṣa Lagna (Aries) |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
2 |
Vṛṣabha Lagna (Taurus) |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
3 |
Mithuna Lagna (Gemini) |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
4 |
Kartkāṭaka Lagna (Cancer) |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
5 |
Siṃha Lagna (Leo) |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
6 |
Kanyā Lagna (Virgo) |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
7 |
Tulā Lagna (Libra) |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
8 |
Vṛścika Lagna (Scorpio) |
Dvi Mukhī (2 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
9 |
Dhanur Lagna (Sagittarius) |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
10 |
Makara Lagna (Capricorn) |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
11 |
Kumbha Lagna (Aquarius) |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
12 |
Mīna Lagna (Pisces) |
Dvi Mukhī (2 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
4. Rudrākṣas and Rāśis: Based on the Janma Rāśis/Moon Sign in one’s birth chart, one may wear the associated Rudrākṣas.
|
S.No. |
Janma Rāśi |
Rudrākṣa. |
Source |
|
1 |
Meṣa Rāśi (Aries) |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
2 |
Vṛṣabha Rāśi (Taurus) |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
3 |
Mithuna Rāśi (Gemini) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
4 |
Kartkāṭaka Rāśi (Cancer) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
5 |
Siṃha Rāśi (Leo) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
6 |
Kanyā Rāśi (Virgo) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
7 |
Tulā Rāśi (Libra) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
8 |
Vṛścika Rāśi (Scorpio) |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
9 |
Dhanur Rāśi (Sagittarius) |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
Makara Rāśi (Capricorn) |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
11 |
Kumbha Rāśi (Aquarius) |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
12 |
Mīna Rāśi (Pisces) |
Paramparāgata. |
5. Rudrākṣas and Grahas.
Based on the grahas/planets afflicted in one’s birthchart or those whose transits daśas/antardaśas are currently running, one may wear the associated Rudrākṣas. One may also choose to wear the associated Rudrākṣas of the most beneficial planets as per one’s birth chart.
|
Janma Rāśi |
Rudrākṣa. |
Source |
|
|
1 |
Sūrya (Sun) |
Eka Mukhī (1 Faces), Ekādaśa Mukhī (11 Faces) |
|
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2 |
Candra (Moon) |
||
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3 |
Kuja/Maṅgala (Mars) |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
4 |
Budha (Mercury) |
||
|
5 |
Guru/Bṛhaspati (Jupiter) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
6 |
Śukra (Venus) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
7 |
Śani (Saturn) |
||
|
8 |
Rāhu (Dragon’s Head/North Lunar Node) |
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|
9 |
Ketu (Dragon’s Tail/South Lunar Node) |
Nava Mukhī (9 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
6. Rudrākṣas and Nakṣatras: Based on the Nakṣatras/constellations(asterisms) afflicted in one’s birthchart or in whose transits of grahas one is experiencing great difficulties or benefits, one may choose to wear the associated Rudrākṣas.
|
S.No. |
Nakṣatra |
Rudrākṣa. |
Source |
|
1 |
Aśvinī |
||
|
2 |
Bharaṇī |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
3 |
Kṛttikā |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
4 |
Rohinī |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
5 |
Mṛgaśīrṣā |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
6 |
Ārdhra |
Aṣṭa Mukhī (8 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
7 |
Punarvasu |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
8 |
Puṣyamī |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
9 |
Āśleṣa |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
10 |
Magha |
Nava Mukhī (9 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
11 |
Pūrva Phālgunī |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
12 |
Uttara Phālgunī |
Eka Mukhī (1 Faces), Ekādaśa Mukhī (11 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
13 |
Hasta |
Dvi Mukhī (2 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
14 |
Citrā |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
15 |
Svāti |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
Viśākhā |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
Anurādhā |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
18 |
Jyeṣṭhā |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
19 |
Mūlā |
Nava Mukhī (9 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
20 |
Pūrvāṣāḍha |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
21 |
Uttarāṣāḍha |
Eka Mukhī (1 Faces), Ekādaśa Mukhī (11 Faces) |
|
|
Śravaṇa |
Dvi Mukhī (2 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
Dhaniṣṭhā |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
Śatabhiṣā |
Aṣṭa Mukhī (8 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
25 |
Pūrvābhādra |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
26 |
Uttarābhādra |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
Revatī |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
7. Rudrākṣas for various purposes.
Based on the purpose and tasks that one wishes to accomplish, the following Rudrākṣas can be worn.
|
Purpose |
Rudrākṣa. |
Source |
|
|
1 |
Health Improvement |
Eka Mukhī (1 Face) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
2 |
Mental balance, Psychic treatment, ADHD, Autism etc. |
Dvi Mukhī (2 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
For marriage or finding a suitable partner. |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
4 |
Maṅgala/Kuja Doṣa causing delays in all aspects of life. |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
5 |
For better education and help with all aspects associated with it. |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
6 |
Seeking suitable employment, promotion etc. |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
|
|
Repaying debt and all forms of relief from karmic debts as well. |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
8 |
Business growth and prosperity. |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
9 |
Sāḍhe-sātī (Seven and a half years of transit of Saturn in the 12th, 1st and 2nd zodiac sign from the position of the Moon placement in one’s birth chart. It is a period of great distress to the individual.) |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
10 |
Sarpa Doṣa (Placement of grahas between Rāhu and Ketu or similar combinations in one’s birth chart. This causes immense loss, hardship and worries throughout the life of the individual. It is a huge karmic burden). |
Aṣṭa Mukhī (8 Faces) |
|
|
11 |
Begetting children, child birth related issues, impotency etc. |
Nava Mukhī (9 Faces) |
|
|
12 |
|||
|
Gaining immense wealth. |
Dvādaśa Mukhī (12 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
14 |
Political power or leadership in organizations etc. |
Caturdaśa Mukhī (14 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
8. Rudrākṣa Varṇas (Colors) and their uses: There are cream, red, yellow and black colored Rudrākṣas and each are suitable for certain purposes. Below is the list.
|
S.No. |
Rudrākṣa Varṇa (Color) |
Purpose |
Source |
|
1 |
Cream color |
Suitable for learned scholars, teachers, sādhakas and all religious and spiritual minded people. |
|
|
2 |
Red color |
Suitable for people in law enforcement, military, government and leadership positions. |
Paramparāgata. |
|
3 |
Yellow color |
Suitable for people involved in all types of business dealings. |
Paramparāgata. |
|
4 |
Black color |
Suitable for people employed in organizations, farming and for all types of working-class people. |
Paramparāgata. |
9. Rudrākṣas and cure of diseases.
Listed below are various diseases that may get cured by the grace of the Rudrākṣas and proper medical treatment.
|
S.No. |
Disease |
Rudrākṣa Type. |
Source |
|
1 |
Tuberculosis, Asthma. |
Eka Mukhī (1 Face) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
2 |
Dvi Mukhī (2 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
3 |
Jaundice. |
Tri Mukhī (3 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
4 |
Anxiety, depression and all other mental issues. |
Catur Mukhī (4 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
5 |
Heart disease, high cholesterol etc. |
Pañca Mukhī (5 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
6 |
Fainting, losing consciousness often (absent mindedness), epilepsy, seizures, Tuberculosis, Asthma, high cough and excess mucus and all types of allergies. |
Ṣaṇ Mukhī (6 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
7 |
Untimely death and other major life debilitating diseases. |
Sapta Mukhī (7 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
8 |
Issues related to conceiving child birth, miscarriage, stillborn and related issues with babies and children. Major heart ailments are also eliminated or contained. |
Aṣṭa Mukhī (8 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
9 |
Begetting children, child birth related issues, impotency etc. Major heart ailments, cholesterol etc are also contained. |
Nava Mukhī (9 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
10 |
Apamṛtyu doṣa nivāraṇa (Untimely death prevention), whooping cough (pertussis) and all other allergies. |
Daśa Mukhī (10 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
11 |
Gynecological issues, blood pressure etc. |
Ekādaśa Mukhī (11 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
Skin diseases, pigmentation, hypoallergenic conditions and all other mental issues are also contained. |
Dvādaśa Mukhī (12 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
|
13 |
Every disease or medical condition is eliminated. |
Trayodaśa Mukhī (13 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
|
14 |
Nervous ailments such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinsons etc are contained or entirely eliminated. Any weakness related to bodily conditions and intenstinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease etc. Sarva roga nivāraṇa – Elimination of all types of disease and health conditions. |
Caturdaśa Mukhī (14 Faces) |
Paramparāgata. |
This article is written by Krishna Vallapreddy and can be contacted at Krishna@manblunder.com
January 15, 2024 09:01 PM
Thank you for sharing authentic information on Rudrākṣas! Quite a lot of information found online and in books are biased as they're written or sponsored by Rudrākṣa vendors. In my discussions with a few scholars, senior accomplished upāsakas and ācāryas, they have revealed that there is no difference in the benefits seen between Nepali and Indonesian/Java beads. They do, however, lay a lot of emphasis on doing consistent and disciplined anuṣṭhānam to reap the maximum benefits of possessing and wearing Rudrākṣas. Without anuṣṭhānam, the benefits will be greatly diminished. Here are a few more points that I've gathered from various discussions: Rudrākṣa mālās that are used for japa-count should not be worn, and vice versa. Some suggest Rudrākṣa mālās can be worn 24×7 - making it a part and extension of the body. Others recommend that it should be removed and kept aside while attending to “impure” activities. It can also be exclusively only during spiritual practices. The benefits of Nepali beads over Indonesian/Java beads is mostly claimed by Rudrākṣa vendors, as there is a huge price difference between the two types of beads. There are far too many fake Rudrākṣas available in the market, especially with the higher face Nepali beads. The only way to ensure that the Rudrākṣas are genuine is through X-ray testing. The traditional tests are being circumvented very easily these days. It's important to buy Rudrākṣas from genuine vendors who provide lab certification from an authentic lab. The 15-21 face beads are mostly being marketed by Rudrākṣa vendors at very high price, while the scriptural references for them is questionable. Some vendors claim that the benefits are as per their research and rare manuscripts. They claim to be researching the benefits of the beads up to 32 face. Such claims should be viewed with a lot of skepticism, as there are no proper scriptural references. Lastly, Krishna ji, I request you to please share the manuscript that describes the tāntric method of energizing the Rudrākṣas for the benefit of all.
January 16, 2024 12:01 AM
Thank you for the input. I totally agree that japa mālas should not be worn. I remove my sarva siddhi māla when I go to sleep and take a bath. Otherwise it is generally always on me. Of course, I do remove it when I check in at the airport as it beeps due to the silver. Another suggestion I would give to those purchasing these malas, is to buy beads that have silver cappings and a silver chain. Most beads do not have holes in them since the fruits are not allowed to fully ripen and fall on the ground and commercial farmers are too eager to pluck them early and sell. Drilling holes may damage the bead, so silver cappings are a better trade-off vs purchasing a māla with threads. Everything that is desired and can be achieved is possible with the 1 to 14 Rudrākṣas. Die-hard collectors with deep pockets can go for the higher mukhis and pay a fortune for these olive fruit beads! But those looking for benefits should consider only the 1 to 14 as per their requirement or get the sarva siddhi māla from their trusted vendors. There are many fakes so best to stick ONLY to the Java beads as they're numerous in numbers. Avoid the Nepali beads other than the 5 mukhis which are almost free and constitute about 80% or more of all naturally formed beads. No one will bother faking a 5 Mukhi, whereas they would use that to create a 10 mukhi! It is difficult to fake an odd mukhi compared to an even mukhi. Regarding the manuscript, all I have are the mantras that I took from it and these will be published shortly with the proper vidhis and description of the mantras, dhyāna etc.
January 16, 2024 01:01 AM
Regarding the X-Ray testing and certification. I totally agree with you. The only concern is how do we ensure that the tested Rudrākṣas are being shipped? It still comes down to trusting the vendor and in my honest opinion, large organizations cannot be trusted as they are just too big to go through this rigmarole and their reputation and size alone is sufficient to sell. How many folks really do the research and buy? There are also books that talk about the 1 to 21 Indrākṣi māla without finding its mention in any genuine text or an aged manuscript. It is not that the 15 to 21 have not existed in the past, it is just that they're not relevant or have any special benefits that are not covered by the 1 to 14, which encompass everything that is known and unknown as Lord Rudra mentions. Even the Gaṇeśa, Nāgasavar, Kamalā, Gaurī Śaṅkara, Trijuṭi Rudrākṣas have no significance beyond the number of mukhis and have the same benefits as the regular Rudrākṣas with the same number of mukhis.
January 16, 2024 12:01 PM
As per what was told to me by a siddha guru, wearing Rudrākṣas while taking bath has immense benefits. I don't think there are any significant difference between a thread mālā vs silver capped mālā if holes need to be drilled. Silver capped mālā will have lesser chance of breaking with age. Collector beads are priced high thanks to the marketing exercise of the vendors, mostly for beads' visual appeal. There are no extra special spiritual benefits to them regardless of what the vendors say. For spiritual purposes Java/Indonesian beads are sufficient. Five-mukhi mālās are the safest option as the beads are abundantly available. I am looking forward to the article on the manuscript! It will be beneficial to the practitioners.
January 16, 2024 12:01 PM
Given how unorganized the Rudrākṣa market currently is, it really does boil down to trusting the vendor. There is no guarantee that tested Rudrākṣas are being shipped. Of course, if anyone is up to it, they can go down the path of procuring individual beads, getting them X-rayed from perhaps a local dental X-ray services, and then having them strung together with the help of a jeweller. This option might not be feasible for most people. I've had good experience with multiple purchases from one of the larger reputable vendors who have been around for a long time. My take is that they will probably have better internal processes to reject fake/faulty beads as they need to maintain their trust and reputation in the market. The quality of the beads I've bought from them has been very good, although I haven't gone to the extent of X-ray testing the beads. Another option I have had success with is to ask for vendor references from head arcakas at prominent temples and from reputed maṭhas. Through both options I've received good vendor references. Indrākṣi Mālā only has vague scriptural references that are mentioned by the vendors. None of the upāsakas, ācāryas etc., I've met have spoken about it or validated it. In fact, they go to the extent of saying it's the anuṣṭhānam/sādhana which is more important than what Rudrākṣas are being worn or used. Therefore, the Sarva Siddha Mālā should be sufficient for most practitioners. Apart from this, the only mālā explicitly recommended by an accomplished Upāsaka based on his own personal experience is a 27 or 32 bead Gaurishankar kanṭha mālā which he claims to help with quick mantra siddhi.
January 20, 2024 11:01 PM
To the best of my knowledge, all the references to the Indrākṣi Mālā are not validated scripturally and any references to Kātyāyaṇī tantra or Viśvakarma Purāṇa are probably just insertions in someone's family collection or are just bogus. Interestingly, if you check the mantra procedures of the 15 to 21 mukhi Rudrākṣas, they are similar to that of the 3 to 9 mukhi Rudrākṣas. The 21 mukhi in my personal opinion is the "Kubera" of spirituality and does not grant any material benefits (it will take away for sure, considering the exorbitant cost). The activation procedures for the 1 to 21 mukhi Rudrākṣas are posted in the Rudrakshas category. I sincerely thank and dedicate these mantras to Shri Ramesh Kutticad guruji for his guidance and blessings. As always, all articles are dedicated in memory of Shri Ravi guruji, who continues to guide us in our spiritual journey. We sincerely hope that sincere sādhakas and others wearing rudrākṣas, may benefit from these activation procedures.
January 26, 2024 04:01 AM
Paroksha, Please share the link to your trusted vendor.
February 03, 2024 01:02 PM
Koman ji, you can look up Rudraksha Ratna. I've bought many Rudrakshas from them in the past, and they have been reliable. They had a shop in Bengaluru where you could place order, and upon arrival inspect the rudrakshas before making the payment. I'm not sure if the shop is still operational. Their website lists the touchpoints they have in different cities. Apart from them, the other vendors i purchase from don't have any online presence and operate out of small shops in the temple towns of South India. Disclaimer: I'm in no way associated with the vendor and have shared the name only upon request. The vendors quality of service might change over time, so i request the readers to kindly do their due diligence before proceeding to make a purchase from the above-mentioned vendor.
February 03, 2024 10:02 PM
Namaste Paroksha, thank you for the information. I will do my diligence before purchasing.
January 21, 2024 04:01 PM
Krishna ji, thank you for sharing the rare details of the energizing process and dharana vidhi articles. Just to clarify, suppose one has to energize a 5-mukhi 54-beads mālā for wearing, then 1000 repetitions of the mantra for the 5-mukhi has to be chanted and if one has to energize a Sarva Siddha Mālā, then 1000 repetitions for each of the mantras listed for 1-14 mukhi has to be chanted as per the vidhi provided in the articles. Is this understanding correct? Also, does japa mālā need to be energized?
January 22, 2024 03:01 AM
Based on my understanding, we perform 1,000 counts (10 mālas) of the associated mantra, then the rudrākṣas are placed in front of us, with a water pot to our left. Another 10 mālas are recited followed by sprinkling of water on the rudrākṣas corresponding to the recited mantra and then these are worn. So in this scenario, you can recite the Rudra mantra associated with the 5 Mukhi bead and energize the entire māla at once for wearing purposes. For using the māla for japa purposes, the associated māla mantras that we have listed for many mantras on our site, may be deployed. The dhāraṇa mantras are for wearing purposes only. In the case of the Siddha māla, the above rules would apply for each mukhi, so the 1 to 24 mukhi bead mantras should be recited for energizing the associated beads. It may not be possible to do this in a single day, so energize 1 bead per day and in 2 weeks time, you would have energized the entire māla. Since these mantras require an initiation, it may not be possible for everyone to recite them and they may opt for other procedures to energize the beads. The simpler Purāṇic mantras may be used for these purposes or the Śiva Pañcākṣarī or the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra may be used as well as documented in this article. Based on the desired power, sādhakas potential etc., one can choose what works best for their scenario. There is also the option of having someone else perform these on behalf of the recipient, in which case an appropriate Saṅkalpa (pledge/dedication) must be recited prior to the activation process.
January 26, 2024 01:01 AM
When we are energizing the water with the mantra, is there any plausible benefit to reciting aloud, or is internal recitation with focus on the water pot definitely optimal?
January 25, 2024 11:01 PM
Has anyone tried to examine the effects of Rudraksha in an experimental manner, and/or kept careful notes on their experiences with Rudraksha? Tangentially, I wonder if trial and error experimentation with various Rudraksha forms, arraignments, and mantras might lead to more optimized guidelines for use, although perhaps the effects are mostly individual and tied to karmas, and so hard to generalize.
January 26, 2024 01:01 AM
I have requested a few people to try out the mantras using their proper vidhi. i also have three 1 to 14 Mukhi Siddha mālas. I will be energizing them starting tomorrow and probably lasting 2 weeks or so. Once complete and handed over to the beneficiaries, I will await their input and post here if there is anything notable. In the past I donated numerous siddha mālas to friends, strangers and gurus and did not observe or receive any great feedback from them. I used to wear one of them for a year or so and didn't see any benefits. Nothing from Śāligrāmas either. Most people are not aware of how to energize a Rudrākṣa in a prescribed manner and generally go by the Purāṇic mantra, that does not seem to work in many cases. I have requested the gurus and advanced sādhakas wearing this māla to also try out the mantras and hopefully we will hear from them as well. At the least, you will definitely hear from me within the next 3 months if there are any meaningful results from the energization. I understand that karmic effects play a large role but these are tools to overcome the same.
January 26, 2024 06:01 AM
My experiences with rudrakshas and Śāligrāmas I think has been very similar to yours, although I’ve not yet tried with a sarva siddhi mala. It’s a bit perplexing to me because the portions of famous holy texts discussing rudrakshas, as far as the little I’ve studied them has taught me, didn’t seem to go into much detail about activating and charging the seeds, and the way they lavished praise and recounted stories about how even inadvertently being above or below a single rudraksha leads to enormous grace/other supernatural and spiritual benefits makes one wonder why the seeds are not innately active when they receive such high acclaim and not much indicating effortful energizing and enlivening requirements for successful use. Anyway, I’m very much looking forward to seeing your experiences published here. If you find great results with the prescribed mantras and methods, then it seems like the activated rudrakshas could be the sort of low hanging fruit that conveys the magically powerful benefits people seek, and which would draw them to more spiritual paths via seeing miraculous results. I purchased a mala of trimukhi rudrakshas from a reliable merchant and attempted the self-initiation procedures for all the associated mantras this past trayodashi. I will first experiment with om klim namah with the procedure you shared in another comment, and wait a week or so before trying some other mantras. My thinking is that, because I’ve been initiated into Sri Bala’s mantras by a real human guru, that may mean I can carry the activation of the Klīm bija from those mantras into the om Klīm namah mantra as if I had been properly initiated into that latter mantra. Does that follow? I will report back on this page if I have any success or good lessons from failure
January 26, 2024 10:01 PM
An initiation or permission from your guru would be ideal. The chances of success are much higher this way than otherwise. There are no guarantees, but a lot has been said in many scriptures on Rudrākṣas. It is also very common for spiritual minded persons to wear it.
February 03, 2024 02:02 AM
Once the rudrakshas are putatively charged and active, is it acceptable to wear them all the time, or are the rules and guidelines to keep the energy and effects? If something happens, like dropping on the ground, are there procedures for restoring the energy, or are the popular rules around rudraksha use, such as do not take into restroom, or sometimes, do not wear while eating, potentially routed more in superstition than reality?
February 03, 2024 01:02 PM
Nesh ji, there are different schools of thought for the rules and guidelines of wearing rudraakshas. The rules and guidelines should ideally received from a qualified guru. I have come across instances where wearing it 24x7 was prescribed, and in other instances where wearing it only during the time of saadhana was prescribed. If you read through the scriptures, guidelines and rules are mentioned in them as well.
February 03, 2024 09:02 PM
Thanks very much for this clarification Paroksha ji. I will keep the mala I attempted to activate on while I turn to the scriptures for guidance, then proceed as such. What does one do if one scripture says one thing and another scripture says the opposite? I was gifted several rudrakshas from a very friendly yogi guru in Chennai, who wears many rudrakshas all the time, and he’s achieved some truly impressive feats of yoga and inhuman breathing, but he also says all tantra is only bhakti with unique meditative methods, so I don’t know what to make of him.
February 05, 2024 09:02 AM
Dear Nesh ji, the apparent scriptural contradictions needs to be clarified by your guru. In my understanding on spiritual aspects, there's no one-size-fits-all. A qualified guru will prescribe instructions specific to the disciple's needs at that point in time. Since you mentioned that several rudrakshas were gifted to you by a yogi guru, you could consult him on the dos and don'ts of wearing them.
February 06, 2024 04:02 AM
Dear Paroksha ji, many thanks for this wise advice!
August 30, 2024 11:08 PM
Nesh ji, Can you tell me a bit more about the friendly yogi guru in Chennai. These days it is rare to see people who are achieving impressive feats. Would be good to know more about this guru ji.
February 06, 2024 09:02 AM
The ॐ धुँ धुँ नमः । mantra for trimukhī rudraksha activation is intriguing. This is one of Grandmother Dhūmāvatī’s mantras, is it not? I would love to understand the esoteric meanings and significance here. Does Śrī Dhūmāvatī Devi have a special relationship with Mesha and or Kuja Deva? Does Lord Agni or Svāhā Devi/ Tripura Bhairavi vibe with the dhum bija? Are some deeper levels of meaning of this bija publicly available?
February 24, 2024 03:02 AM
Namaste Krisna, I have just bought a 5-mukhi mala. It’s very well done but it has only 107 beads, plus the meru bead will total 108. For the purpose of wearing, is there any bad effects? The reason I didn’t want to send back because it will take several days, and also the vendor may not accept return for this reason because they advertised as 108 beads and they delivered just that.
February 25, 2024 01:02 PM
For mantra japa, it should be 108 + 1. For wearing purposes, you can use the current māla. Before wearing it, I would recommend energizing it with the prescribed mantras.
March 07, 2024 01:03 PM
Question by a beginner who owns a five mukhi kantha (Nepal beads) and a kantha of 32 beads of various mukhis with the Indian one mukhi (ardha chandra) as sumeru: If the energization mantras mentioned here are tantric and require initiation, how can lay people like me who are spiritually inclined but not initiated, energize their rudrakshas? At the time of purchase, I was told that merely chanting the Siva panchakshari should suffice. Request patience if I am missing something. Would be grateful for the guidance. Many thanks, saketa
March 08, 2024 10:03 AM
The Purāṇic mantra have been specified in this article and you may use them for energizing the Rudrākṣas. If you are looking towards unlocking the greater potential of the beads, then I would recommend that you seek an initiation from a Śaiva guru preferably or a Śrīvidyā guru who is familiar with the vidhi of the Rudrākṣas. If you are Pūrṇādīkṣita (have the Mahāṣoḍaśī initiation or similar Mahāvidyā initiation), then you may self-initiate to activate the Rudrākṣas. Alternately, you may seek the services of any guru familiar with the tantric processes, to take up a saṅkalpa in your presence on your behalf and then start the Rudrākṣa activation on your behalf. Once activated, you can start wearing the beads. For mantra japa purposes, you do not need to use these mantras. The common japamālā mantram is sufficient.
March 18, 2024 04:03 PM
Thank you so much for your response sir. I don't have diksha so will perhaps bug you over email or something. Please don't mind.
July 03, 2024 10:07 AM
The description of 8 and 9 Mukhi is incorrect. 8 Mukhi representing Lord Ganesha is the lord of Ketu and similarly, Maa Durga is the lord of Rahu.