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Rudraksha are the beads, which grow
on trees botanically belonging to Elaeocarpus Ganitrus Roxb
variety grown at select locations of South East Asia (Java, Korea,
Parts of Malaysia, Taiwan, China) and South Asia (Northern India
and Nepal). Rudraksha trees have interesting features. The leaves
are lik e mango tree, seriated and petiolate. Flowers are
hermaphrodite, found in auxiliary's rays measures about 12mm in
diameter and white in colour. The flowering takes place in summer
and the fruits ripe at the middle of the winter season around
November. The fruit is a drupe, globes, purple, tubercle grooved
distributed in sub-tropical regions. About 300 species of
Elaeocarpus have been reported so far out of which 35 are found in
India. According to 'The Wealth of India' - 1952 Rudraksha is a
large genus of trees distributed from South & East Asia
through Malaysia to Australia and the Pacific Island. In the
Indian sub-continent these trees are found mainly in Nepal, Assam,
Arunachal & near Dehradun. The popular species found in India
are Elaeocarpus Ferrugincus, Elaeocarpus Lanceacfolius Roxb,
Elaeocarpus Serratus linn, Elaeocarpus Tuber Culatus Roxb and
others. However the Rudraksha is specially identified as the
Ganitrus Roxb. In 1906 Dietrich Brandis wrote that Rudraksha trees
grow to a height of 60 to 80 feets. Its white flowers are shorter
than its leaves. According to the CSIR - dictionary of Flora, the
fruits are drupes deep or bluish purple globose or obovoid
enclosing hard longitudinally grooved, tuberclad, normally five
celled, called five mukhee, stone. Consequently Dietrich Brandis
recorded in the Indian Tree that the fruits are spherical and hard
and have various sizes which range from three quarter to an inch
in diameter.
In
Nepal good variety of plants are found in Bhojpur district in
Arunvalley area. According to Lt. Col. Kerber Drvry who recorded
in 1864 that the Rudraksha beads after having being taken out from
its shells is cleaned, polished and used as beads & rosaries.
He has also mentioned that these beads were set in gold and sold
as ornaments in England.
Every
Rudraksha has cells or Mukhis which differ in numbers. A facet is
a line or a deep groove which runs from one end of Rudraksha to
the other end.
In
ancient epics like Shiv Puran, Shri Mad Devi Bhagwat, Padmapuran
etc..Rudraksha upto 14 Mukhis have been described along with their
effects and purpose. Higher Mukhi Rudraksha from 15 to 21 Mukhis
have also been found and in later centuries their benefits
recorded as per experience of the learned people. There are other
Rudraksha like Gauri Shankar (two Rudraksha naturally joined on
the tree), Ganesha (a Rudraksha having trunk like protrusion on
its body), Sawar (a Gauri Shankar in which one bead has only one
line or Mukh), Trijuti (three Rudraksha beads joined naturally on
the tree).
Rudrakshas
are available in different sizes. The auspicious and effective
ones are those which are larger in size (15mm and above) and have
natural hole in it. The surface of the genuine bead should not be
over -thorny and should have good hardness.
Rudraksha
is a holy bead known to the mankind since last several thousand
years for its beneficial properties. It literally means
"Having eyes of Lord Shiva" or "Produced from the
eyes of Lord Shiva" or the one having Rudra all over it.
Rudra
and Aksha, thus merge to create Rudraksha - a power bead dear to
Lord Shiva, as Rudra has transformed to Lord Shiva with Aksha
denoting the "Eye" meaning thereby that it is a powerful
natural bead linked to the most powerful God of Hindu Trinity Maha
Dev.
The
Shrimad Devi Bhagwat says that one is benefited by simply looking
at or touching a Rudraksha. Many examples prove the splendor and
Mahima of the Rudraksha. In England Paul Hume in his celebrated
study has concluded that nothing is impossible with Rudraksha. It
can make one rich, change one's faith as well as influence people.
Else
where in the world its therapeutic effects are known to cure
diseases like cancer and ease personal traumas.
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