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A Rudraksha Rosary of 108
Five Faceted Rudraksh Beads
Rudraksha popularly known as the
Utrasum Bead Tree is botanically
known as Elaiocarpus / Elaeocarpus
Ganitrus Roxb. It's medicinal
and divine properties have been
known from times immemorial. It
is said that only one who has
the divine blessings of
Lord Shiva (The
destroyer in the Trinity of
Gods) gets the opportunity of
wearing this divine bead. Rudra
means Shiva and Aksh means eye.
The Legend:
According to the religious text
Devi Bhagwat Puran there was a
Demon known as Tripurasur who
was very strong and had divine
energy and power. Due to these
qualities he became proud and
started to trouble deities and
sages. No one was able to defeat
this strong demon in war. On
seeing his immoral actions
Brahma, Vishnu and Other deities
prayed to the Devadhidev
Mahadeva Shiva (The greatest,
lord of Lords Shiva) to destroy
evil Tripurasur. Lord Shiva
closed his eyes and meditated
for some time. When he opened
his lotus shaped eyes tears fell
from them on the earth. Wherever
his tears fell the Rudraksha
tree Grew. The fruits that grow
on this tree are known as
Rudraksha Beads. Lord Shiva then
used his deadly divine weapon
known as Aghor and destroyed
Tripurasur.
According to another religious
text Shiva Mahapuran, Parvati
the divine consort of Lord Shiva
asked him the origin of
Rudraksha. On hearing her
question Shiva said that he did
penance for a thousand years.
Tired of keeping his eyes closed
for so long, Shiva opened them.
A few teardrops fell to the
ground and from these tears, the
Rudraksha tree was born. The
seeds of the tree were
distributed on the earth.
Religious significance of the
Rudraksha Bead:
The mantra of
Lord Shiva Mahamrityunjaya
if chanted can only be done so
on a Rudraksha rosary/Rudraksha
Mala. Lord Shiva's mantra cannot
be chanted on any other bead.
Shiva says in different
religious texts:
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Individuals
of all castes, ashramas,
varnas should wear the
Rudraksha bead. Brahmins
should wear it after
consecrating the bead with
the appropriate mantra.
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The
individual who wears the
Rudraksha with devotion is
like Rudra (Shiva) himself.
-
The man
wearing the Rudraksha is
Rudra himself. If he drinks
then Rudra drinks. The food
he eats is equivalent to the
food partaken by the
deities. All his sins are
alleviated.
-
One who
feels any shame in wearing
this divine bead can never
be free from the cycle of
birth and death even after
taking a million births.
-
One who
criticizes a Rudraksha
wearer is a sinner.
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No pleasure
is greater in the world then
wearing a Rudraksh.
-
One who
wears the Rudraksh bead is a
divine being and all his
sins get destroyed.
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