A rudraksha mala has entered my life today. I don't know much about it. The beads seem quite small, but the last time I saw a Rudraksha mala was a couple of decades ago. The feel is slightly plastic, but I've never touched a rudraksha before, so not sure what to expect. There is a pleasant smell to it and the beads are irregular, which makes me think they might be genuine.
The photos on the internet show the beads with deep grooves, whereas mine are not very noticeable. I'm not sure if they are a mix of different mukhi beads as I've found one that feels like a 4 mukhi among 5 mukhis. On some beads, I can't see a delineation, but really, I don't know what I am looking for. On some, I see a faint line which delineates the faces.
The count is also odd at 107+1 instead of 108+1. Knotted with red cotton (?) thread. Provenance is unknown.
Any advice or information on this would be appreciated.
It is very hard to know what we are getting in the rudraksha, gemstone, and crystal industries these days. So many clever disguises and treatments, which can not only fly under the radar of the dealer but even the experts sometimes. I don't know much about rudrakshas.
Omen-wise, regarding what you've already shared about your chart, my first thoughts were of Jupiter and Rahu.
As Jupiter is the karaka of rudraksha beads, maybe Jupiter is finally reaching out to you after all this time due to working with Rahu (and/or you are reaching out to Jupiter), even if the beads aren't real.
They might be real since Jupiter is transiting your lagna lord. There is, however, still a chance they could be fake due to low uccha bala of Jupiter in the birth chart and being conjunct Rahu.
If it is real, maybe the fact that it is missing only one bead means you have only one more step to go? I think with Jupiter's high digbala in your chart you may be able to solve the mystery or make the appropriate decision.
Thanks for your interpretation, especially the one about the missing bead. I, too, hope that Jupiter finally enters my door. Just got to wait and see what guise he takes this time. The diety for the 5 mukhi beads is Kalagni Rudra, who is supposed to be Shiva as the Fire of Time or destructive fire. So your interpretation could well be true.
I decided to wash the necklace before putting it on, and the water changed colour. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but decided to continue washing and see what happened. I thought maybe the red thread was releasing it’s dye, but it could also have been the orange powder they put on it when blessing it. Soaked the beads in fresh water a few times until no further colour was released, and the feel of the beads changed, so maybe they’re real. I’ll get them checked one day, and I’ll definitely be touching some rudraksha beads next time I see someone selling them, just to feel them 😀
It all started with jade for some reason. Any idea who the karaka for jade might be?
@manisha Interestingly, Jade has a Jupiter crystal structure and relates to its power of ruling Pisces. Jade is usually green, which would put the energy into Libra, but it can also be yellow, brown, white, or multicolored, etc. bringing other rashis into play.
But that only applies in the context of gem therapy.
If you were looking at elegant jade carvings, murtis, bowls, cups, ect. those would be beautiful luxury items like they have in China, which I think would be more of a Venus thing. But even there, they use it as a mark of reverence, honor, abundance, and luck, which would bring Jupiter back into play again as well.
You said it started with Jade. As a gemstone, that would be Mars's remedial method of approaching Jupiter. Since your Ketu is conjunct Mars, you've mentioned an intuitive affinity for crystals and may have mastered that in a past life. You have used them in this life too in healing experiments.
But Rudrakshas are more of a direct Jupiter thing as Jupiter rules seeds, and Rudrakshas are used for prayer, mantras, and devotion. It is more of a Jupiter method of approaching Jupiter.
If you have been embracing Rahu, you may soon discover a direct energetic connection with rudrakshas like you did with crystals because Ju is on your lagna with high digbala.
And Shiva as Kalagni would not only help Rahu and Ketu, but would help you improve Mars for when you want to go back to Ketu!
If they turn out not to be real, then look for a real one.
Thanks for the detailed explanation. Funny that, this experience of ‘things come to those who wait’!!! 😆 And yet, there is so much going on in that waiting!
Do you use Rasi Sutras for determining the karakas for different gemstones? I am having a hankering for a honey-coloured amber mala, and would love to understand what I am trying to reach for.
@manisha I did Ernsts Gems, Jyotish, and Minerals course several years ago and just go by what I remember from that, except for using the newer modern colors he taught in the New Rashi Sutras course.
Amber is not technically a crystal or gemstone as it doesn't have a crystal structure, but it still has beneficial properties. Colorwise, though, it would correspond with Scorpio as scorpio is brown, golden brown, and orange shades.
However Jupiter rules resinous subtances eg. resin, sap, honey, oils, fats. and amber is a tree resin. So you may be stalking Jupiter again.
Since amber is fossilized tree resin, and Saturn rules nature and crystalization over a long period of time, amber may be a good way to harmonize Jupiter in Capricorn.
Amber has both purifying and positive, fortifying properties.
Despite having and using a rudraksha mala that I bought a few years ago from a trusted source I don't actually know that much them, which is sort of sad now that I think about it.
However, I do remember seeing this book about them: Rudraksha: Seeds of Compassion.
it's not uncommon for the bead count to be 108 total.. the extra/counter is not essential. 108 is the auspicious number anyway. So I wouldn't label it as 'missing', though it is interesting that you do.
Internet says the extra bead may represent a "guru" (though I haven't heard of it directly). Maybe with Rahu-Jupiter you are to be your own guru, and therefore that extra bead is unnecessary.
Thanks for the interpretation of the missing bead, I have found that to be true.
I was only going according to the current trend, and wondering why the one I have is ‘missing’ one, as the ‘guru’ bead is larger than the others. Just wondering if different parts of the world string them differently or whether someone didn’t count properly 😀 Just being curious as to the anomaly. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.
I would have thought that malas would only have the necessary count of beads, but from what I have seen they have added a number of beads, ranging from one to five, where the knot gets tied. Not sure if this is a new thing, or if it has always been so. It seems to be more to make it look nicer where the threads come together. I find it unnecessary and breaks the circle, and instead adds a point to it.
While researching about the rudraksha, I read that one turns the mala around at the ‘guru’ bead. Not sure why and I wish they would explain the reasoning behind it. I always thought you continue past the ‘guru’.
Also, it seems one is supposed to use the thumb and middle finger. Again, would love explanations, but none are to be found. Again, I don’t know if this has been quoted from ancient texts, or someone just made it up, but would love to know the ancient recommended way and the reasoning behind it, so that I can understand things better.