Memories on Trees: Rudraksha
I may not remember when I met a certain person first. I however remember when I first met a tree. That has surprised me and I can’t explain why it happens. Deep down in my mind, I must be prizing trees more than human beings. [Both do not seem to complain!].
I met Rudraksha tree in Nepal when I travelled there for work. Rudraksha trees are more common in the north part of this country than the south. I was surprised when I saw a Rudraksha tree in Chiplun! I do not remember exact location, all I remember is that it was close to the highway.
I again met Rudraksha tree in a farm near Dahanu. Last week. I confess I could not recognise it, my guide helped me identify it. My association with Rudraksha began, like many others, with a rosary long ago. It was gifted to me. I never wore it, I used it for prayers, for chanting mantra for a certain number of times.
Then came a younger cousin. She told me that it was absolutely wrong to count the number of chanting of a mantra. Her reasons: When you count it only helps you grow your ego [I did it 108 times! And you say ‘I did it.’] It is a distraction from prayer. I accepted this advice readily. Soon I gave up using the rosary.
The rudraksha which you normally get from the tree is ‘panchmukhi.’ I never believed in the power of rudraksha. All the talk about rudraksha only made me curious, but never a believer.
A fully grown tree attracts me, not the seeds. [This is true of me, not of others]. That’s interesting. A highly ‘evolved’ person influences me through his thoughts. That, I think, is one clear distinction between trees and human beings.
[Photograph shows Rudraksha Tree with raw Rudraksha fruits]
Vivek S Patwardhan
My photographs – Please do not use them without mentioning credit.
Interesting
Interesting
Nice article on Rudraksha(Elaeocarpus ganitrus)Tree.
Dear Vivek ji, Thanks for sharing your experience / encounters with the rudraksha tree at Chiplun & Dahanu. Regarding using of the rudraksha mala for the mantra chanting is good for the beginners however; as one progresses on the path of spirituality – the physical mala is to be dropped & the repetition of mantra must be tied with the breathing which we call the Ajapa Japa. Then we do not have any counting of our breathing. nor the mantra. We are just conscious of our breathing then , the mantra is already imbibed in the breathing. Apart from this the situation today has completely changed when it comes to the originality of higher mukhi beads because the market is now flooded with factory made beads – I have shared one such experience in my article below: https://therudrakshatree.org/fake-rudraksha-vs-original-comparison/
Jay Shri Mahakal.