Rudraksha is a gem that helps to remove stress, sufferings, pain from life and destroys all the sins. According to the scriptures, the fruits of Rudraksha depend upon the size and colour of it. It is available in four colours, i.e, White, Yellow, Red and Black. Rudraksha is also classified on the basis of caste.

An Amla sized Rudraksha is considered best in quality. Whereas, Rudraksha which resembles Indian berry is of a medium quality and a pea sized Rudraksha is not considered good at all. Likewise, Rudraksha with natural dots is considered good, but the one in which dots are manually made is not considered suitable for worshipping. A devotee of Lord Shiva should definitely wear Rudraksha.

A devotee can attain infinite benefits by wearing 1000 beads of Rudraksha. He should chant “Eshtha Mantra” if he wears it on his forehead, “Tatpurusha Mantra” if worn in the neck and “Aghor Mantra” when Rudraksha is worn on the chest and hands.

Rudraksha Jabal Upanishad mentions a conversation between Santkumar and Kalagnirudra. In this conversation, Santkumar asks Kalagnirudra about the rituals to wear Rudraksha. Other saints including Nidaghya, Dattatreya, Katyayana, Kapila, Vashishtha and Pipplada also visit Kalagnirudra and show their curiosity to know the rules of wearing Rudraksha. Kalagnirudra tells everyone that, “Rudraksha is born from the tears of Rudra. A touch of it destroys all the sins. A person who wears it is able to achieve infinite and long lasting benefits from it”.

Classification of Rudraksha on the Basis of Size

Rudraksha have been classified in three categories based on its size and texture. These classifications are as follows:

First class Rudraksha

First class Rudraksha, as it suggests, is the best quality of Rudraksha. Its size is equivalent to Amla and is considered superior of all.

Second class Rudraksha

Second class Rudraksha is considered to be of a medium quality. It resembles the shape of Indian berries.

Third Class Rudraksha

Third class Rudraksha is considered inferior in quality. It is pea sized and does not give much good results.

Significance of size in selection of Rudraksha

Rudraksha is highly beneficial and helps to destroy the sins made in the past. It is important to wear it only after performing proper rituals to get benefits from it. A right sized Rudraksha provides happiness, prosperity and peace to the person holding it. An Amla sized Rudraksha is considered best and provides freedom from sins. A damaged or infected Rudraksha should not be used at all. All kinds of Rudraksha are different from each other on the basis of colour, texture, shape and give results accordingly.