If you are into religions and spirituality, then you should be familiar with this seed-beaded mala. Rudraksha Mala is a popular religious and spiritual accessory in South East Asia and is widely used by the practitioners of both Hinduism and Buddhism. This popular beaded mala Necklace is used for religious, spiritual, and meditational practices – but what even is a Rudraksha Mala? Why is it called Rudraksha Mala?
Here we will cover the answer to these questions and many more. And before we begin, do note that we had covered a similar topic before, where we answered some of the FAQ’s of Rudraksha Mala Bracelets and wrist mala. So if you want to know the answer to the FAQs regarding Rudraksha mala, give it a read after this.
Anyways, without any further ado, let’s get started.
What is a Rudraksha Mala?
Rudraksha Mala is simply a beaded necklace made by threading the rudraksha beads and an additional guru bead. As we mentioned earlier, this beaded mala is widely used in regions where practices related to Buddhism and Hinduism are practised. This includes but is not limited to different forms of meditation and Yoga. The Rudraksha beads themselves are a seed of stone fruit from the tree of Elaeocarpus Ganitrus.
Now, why is this breaded necklace so popular? Well, there are various reasons behind this, and a part of its popularity has to do with the myth behind the origin of Rudraksha and, consequently, rudraksha mala, along with the benefits it provides.
Mythic origin of Rudraksha Mala
The details of the myth behind the origin of the Rudraksha bead and, consequently, Rudraksha mala are a bit too long to include here. But here is an overly simplified version of the story.
In the mythic era, Lord Shiva was in a state of penance for a long time. He was immersed in the state of self, and this penance lasted for a long time. When he finally woke up, tears of bliss fell from his eye into the ground. These tears from the lord of wind and storm, lord Shiva, also known as Rudra, later became what we know as Rudraksha Tree and sprouted the first rudraksha beads. Sadhus and Rishis later used these beads to get the grace of lord Shiva.
As we mentioned earlier, this is just the summary of the origin story. But besides this, another reason behind its fame is the benefits of rudraksha.
What are the benefits of wearing Rudraksha Mala?
The most obvious benefit of wearing rudraksha is that it protects the wearer from all evil influences. The name of this beaded mala contains Raksha, which directly translates to “protect.” In addition to this, another benefit is that this beaded bracelet grants the wearer the grace of lord Shiva.
Some other benefits of wearing Rudraksha Beaded Mala Necklaces and bracelets are:
- Protects you from dark energies
- Removal of unnecessary fear
- Improved feeling of detachment
- Balances inner energies
- Removes the fear of death
Now, this is where the obviousness ends, as there are 21 types of rudraksha based on their faces or Mukhis, and each mukhi rudraksha has its own set of benefits based on its ruling planet and ruling lord.
We covered this topic in greater detail when discussing the Best Rudraksha Bracelets for Men and Women. If you are interested in the benefits of rudraksha beads, then feel free to give it a read.
In addition, we covered questions like “How to wear Rudraksha Beads” and “How to energize rudraksha beads” in our link about the benefits of rudraksha mala.
How to Condition a Rudraksha Mala?
If you need to learn what conditioning a rudraksha mala is, you would not be the only one because if you are new to this field or use rudraksha mala casually, this topic is less talked about. Rudraksha conditioning is the process that prolongs the lifespan of the beads in the Rudraksha Mala bracelet. As the beads are organic seeds, they cannot last forever like the stone beads. But do not worry, as conditioning the rudraksha mala is simpler than you think.
- Step 1: Immerse the bracelet in clarified butter (Ghee) for 24 Hours
- Step 2: Take the beads out of the ghee, wipe the excesses and then immerse the beads in Full-fat milk for another 24 Hours
- Step 3: Wash the bracelet with clean water
- Step 4: Wipe the beads with a clean cloth
Side note: It is not advised to use soap or any other cleaning agent during this practice.
Now that we have covered most of the uncovered topics let’s quickly go through some questions we have answered briefly.
How many Beads are there in a Rudraksha Mala?
The answer is “it depends on your purpose.” If you are wearing rudraksha mala for casual or fashion purposes, then the number of beads does not matter. On the other hand, if it is for a general purpose, then the rudraksha mala will have 108 plus one guru bead,
If you want to follow strict practices, then the rudraksha mala should have the following:
- 26 beads on rudraksha mala meant for head
- 50 beads on rudraksha mala meant for the chest
- 16 beads on rudraksha mala meant for arms
- 12 beads on rudraksha mala worn on the wrist (also known as rudraksha wrist mala bracelets)
What are the Restrictions for Rudraksha Mala?
This is a common concern for many people who want to wear rudraksha mala. However, if the intention is to wear the beads necklace for casual or fashion purposes, there are virtually none.
But, if the intention is to wear it to reap the benefits, you will need to follow a few restrictions. Some of the core rules and restrictions of Rudraksha are:
- Do not carry or wear rudraksha mala bracelets in events related to death
- Do not wear rudraksha during intercourse or sexual activities
- Do not eat meat or other meat-related products while wearing rudraksha (Milk is acceptable)
- Do not wear rudraksha before the bath
- Do not use fake rudraksha mala for religious, meditational, or spiritual practices.
The only question is –
How to tell if a rudraksha is genuine or not?
We can use a few methods to find genuine rudraksha beads and rudraksha mala. As a layperson, you can use the following three methods.
- Boiling: The color of genuine rudraksha beads will not change when boiled
- Drowning: Genuine Rudraksha beads float in water
- Mustard oil: The color of genuine rudraksha beads and rudraksha mala will get darker when mustard oil is applied.
So now you know what this bead is, the origin lore, the benefits, the process of making the mala last longer, and more. Now the only question is –
Where can I buy the best Rudraksha Mala Necklace?
If you are searching for a place to buy the best and most genuine rudraksha mala bracelets, you should search for reputed sellers around religious hotspots of south Asian nations like Nepal, India, and China. However, if this is inconvenient for you and you seek an online distributor, you can buy the best rudraksha mala and wrist mala at the best price right here at Nirvana Mala.
In the end
Rudraksha is a popular bead in religious, meditational, and spiritual activities globally. This simple-looking bead has its lore as an origin story and is deeply associated with one of the Holy trinity of lords in Hinduism, Lord Shiva. Here we talked about the origin story and the uses, along with some of the most talked about topics like the bead number and obscure ones like clarifying process. So-
We hope you found this interesting and helpful. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
FAQ
Q: Can I share my rudraksha with someone else?
A: No, you cannot. Rudraksha mala adapts its energy to its wearer, and changing it abruptly can lead to negative consequences.
Q: What do to with the Ghee after clarifying the Rudraksha?
A: The ghee can be used as plant food, oil lamp, or another round of conditioning.
Q: What are the best vessels to store rudraksha mala?
A: The best vessels are the ones made from mud, wood, or Class.