The word Rudraksha, comes from the two Sanskrit words Rudra, a synonym for Lord Shiva, and Aksha, meaning “eyes”. Botanically, the rudraksha tree is known as Elaecarpus ganitrus Roxb. The Seed of this plant has a rough surface and a hole running through it from top to bottom. Each seed also possesses from 1 to 21 vertical lines running down its surface, like the longitude lines on a globe. These lines are known as mukhas, or facets, and are natural formations of the seed. Seeds with one vertical line are known as Ek-mukhi (one facet); those with two lines are Do-mukhi (two facets), and so on. Each bead has a different effect on you, depending on the number of mukhis it has.
