About this piece
This mala strings 108 rudraksha beads of the five mukhi, or five-faced, type. Five mukhi is the most common mukhi and the usual choice for a japa mala. The beads here are 8 mm, the largest of the three sizes the seller offers.
The photos show a brown mala with a yellow tassel on a stand between two brass lamps, and on a person wearing it with a kurta. A free mala bag is included. It suits Shiva japa or a first mala.
How it is used
In japa, the beads are moved one at a time with the thumb as each mantra is said. At the larger guru bead, the seller says to turn the mala around and count back rather than crossing it. Keep it in its bag between sittings. The Shiva Purana (Vidyeshvara Samhita 25, verses 69 to 70) calls the five-faced bead Rudra himself, named Kalagni. Astrologers today pair this bead with Jupiter (Guru); the pairing is a later convention, not a statement of the Purana, and it is the one this site uses in its rudraksha guide and free kundali.
Looking after it
- Keep it in the bag to stay dry and free of dust.
