The origin of the word rudraksha can be traced down by the name itself, “Rudra” is one of the names of Lord Shiva and “Aksha” refers to tears in Sanskrit, therefore rudraksha is also known as the tears of Lord Shiva.

Rudraksha beads are dried seeds of several species of large, evergreen trees in the botanical group of Elaeocarpus, this is why the botanical name for rudraksha is Elaeocarpus Ganitrus. These divine seeds come in many forms and the most common ones are, Panchamukhi, Dwimukhi, Shanmukhi, Gowri Shankar and each kind has its own spiritual and healing powers. The rudraksha mala can be worn by anyone irrespective of their gender, age or religion.

With the huge variety of rudrakshas available in the market, it obviously gets very difficult to choose as to which one will work the best for us but before we figure that out, let's go through the general benefits of wearing a rudraksha mala.

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Benefits of wearing a Rudraksha Mala:

1. Rudraksha beads help with balance in life, be it mental balance or physical balance, Rudraksha can help one fix everything.
2. These beads are also known for acting as protection against any evil that may be coming your way. 
3. It also helps people with anxiety, as it is known as the symbol of calmness. 
4. The rudraksha mala helps in spiritual cleansing and therefore it is a powerful tool to help one with their spiritual growth.
5. It also helps with increased concentration and focus which is why it is suggested that students should wear it. 
6. Rudraksha spreads positivity, happiness and calmness in people’s lives.

Which rudraksha mala is good for me to wear?

• Panchamukhi: This is the five faced bead that helps with inner freedom, purity and growth. So it can be worn by anyone above the age of 14. It helps one get stability in life and attract positivity.
• Dwimukhi: The Dwimukhi bead is the two faced one and is to be worn by married people as it helps bring positivity and reliability in the sacred bond. It should be worn by both, the husband and the wife.
• Shanmukhi: These beads are the six faced beads, known for increasing concentration and focus by strengthening the development of the brain. Children below the age of 14 can wear a rudraksha mala with the shanmukhi beads.
• Gowri shankar: This bead looks like two beads fused together. It can be worn by anyone above the age of 14. It helps in activating the seven chakras.

Which rudraksha mala should I wear according to my date of birth?

• Aries (march 21 - april 19) - 6 mukhi or 14 mukhi
• Taurus (april 20 - may 20)- 7 mukhi or 13 mukhi
• Gemini (may 21 - june 21)- 15 mukhi or 19 mukhi
• Cancer (june 22 - july 22)- 2 mukhi, 13 mukhi or 16 mukhi
• Leo (july 23 - august 22)- 3 mukhi or 12 mukhi
• Virgo (august 23 - september 22)- 15 mukhi or 19 mukhi
• Libra (september 23 - october 23)- 7 mukhi or 13 mukhi
• Scorpio (october 24 - november 21)- 6 mukhi or 14 mukhi
• Sagittarius (november 22 - december 21)- 4 mukhi or 5 mukhi
• Capricorn (december 22 - january 19)- 17 mukhi or 14 mukhi
• Aquarius (january 20 - february 18)- 17 mukhi or 14 mukhi
• Pisces (february 19 - march 20)- 4 or 5 mukhi 

Rudraksha mala can be worn at all times, even while you are sleeping or bathing. Just make sure it does not come in contact with soap, or any chemical for that matter, and hot water.

Rudraksha is very auspicious and has shown its benefits for the people who wear it but as said earlier, there are a lot of options available in the market and it might come as a surprise but there are a lot of fake ones being sold. You need to make sure you are buying original rudraksha malas as only the original ones promise the above mentioned benefits. If you would like to know more about which rudraksha mala would work the best for you, try consulting with an astrologer online.