Rudrakshas from the book Sripada Srivallabha Charitamrutam

         Devotees of Shiva should compulsorily wear Rudrākshas.
     Among them rudrākshas of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shūdra castes are there.

1. White rudrākshas belong to the Brahmin caste. They are rarely available. 
2. Red, honey coloured rudrākshas are of the Kshatriya caste.
3. Rudrākshas of tamarind seed colour relate to the Vaishya caste
4. and black ones belong to the Shūdra caste.

     Generally, Rudrākshas with five to sixteen faces are largely available. Rudrākshas drown, when placed in milk or water. Light rudrākshas or tender rudrākshas should not be worn. When a rudrāksha is placed below a copper spoon and if a copper plate is kept underneath, it should be understood that it is of good quality if it rotates like a sāligrama[2]. It means that they are of good quality. Some rudrākshas rotate anti-clockwise. They bring poverty. So householders should not use them. If householders use them bad effects like death of wife, dissolution of family and renunciation from family happen. Ascetics may, however, use them.
Kālāgni Rudra said that Brahmins should use white rudrākshas, Kshatriyas should use red rudrākshas, Vaishyas should use light yellow rudrākshas and Shūdras should use black rudrākshas. Then they will get favourable results, their sins are destroyed, and all their desires will be fulfilled. 

The special features of rudrākshas with different number of facets are as follows:

• One-faced rudrāksha is the form of Shiva;
• Two-faced rudrāksha is the form of Ardhanārīswara;
• Three-faced rudrāksha is the form of Agni;
• Four-faced rudrāksha is the form of Brahma;
• Five-faced rudrāksha is the kālāgni form of Rudra;
• Six-faced-rudrāksha is the form of Kārtikeya;
• Seven-faced rudrāksha is the form of Manmadha;
• Eight-faced rudrāksha is the form of Rudra Bhairava;
• Nine-faced rudrāksha is the form of Sage Kapila.It is difficult to get it. In nine-faced rudrāksha nine forces called vidya shakti, jnāna shakti, kriya shakti, sānta shakti, vāma shakti, jyestha shakti, rūdra shakti, anga shakti and pasyanti are embedded. Therefore, nine-faced rudrāksha is the form of Dharma Devata.
• Ten-faced rudrāksha is the form of Vishnu;
• Eleven-faced rudrāksha is verily the form of Rudra;
• Twelve-faced rudrāksha is the form of the twelve Ādityas[3].

In this way there is a close connection between rudrākshas and different forms of Deities.
Srīpāda Srīvallabha had within His form of consciousness the nature of Ganesha, who is the Lord of the troops of attachment and detachment. Therefore, He is the divine personification of thirty-three crore deities. Not only that. Without His will, not even one atom or molecule in this Creation can move or stir. He is the cause responsible for all movements. He is the cause of all causes. He appears as Vishnu to those who consider Him as Shiva. He is felt as Shiva by those who regard Him as Vishnu. He appears in His real form when we eliminate the argumentative nature in our mind and surrender to Him.”

In this way Dharma Gupta explained vividly about the methods of worshipping Shiva and many other matters relating to rudrākshas. Then he expressed his desire to go along with me to Kurungadda and have the dārshan of Srīpāda to make his birth purposeful.
Both of us came to Kurungadda and had the dārshan of Srīpāda Srīvallabha Guru Sārvabhūma[4]. He opened His eyes from yogic sleep and remarked, “Oh, what sort of discussions! What discussions! There is One called Srīpāda! He is Shiva Swarūpa! Am I Srīpāda? Or has Srīpāda come in My shape? Actually who am I? Sir! Dharma Gupta, please explain a little.”
Then Dharma Gupta said to Srīpāda, “Swamī, when I started from Pīthikapuram for the dārshan of Srī Maha Guru, my brother-in-law Pynda Venkatappayya Sreshti cautioned me not to fall into ignorance by arguments and counter arguments with Srīpāda but only to seek His refuge and gain His grace. So I will observe silence for any questions posed by you. When even the Vedas could not explain your nature and remained dumb, what am I, a layman before you? What is my knowledge?”
Srīpāda became gracious. He granted for me and for Dharma Gupta salutation to His Feet. When we touched His Feet, we lost consciousness and remained in a state of meditation for a very long time. It was getting dusk. Srīpāda instructed us to leave Kurungadda and reach the opposite bank of Krishna River. We followed the instructions. Srī Dharma Gupta and myself spent that night in talking about the divine plays of Srīpāda. It is not possible to say that His plays will be in a particular fashion. We slipped into sleep. We heard an invisible melodious voice from somewhere. Some yogis were chanting the name of Srīpāda Srīvallabha Digambara[5].


[1] The seed of a tree termed as Elaeocarpus ganitrus

[2] A species of ammonite worshipped as Vishnu

[3] Twelve sons of Āditi, the highest Light; solar gods

[4] The Emperor

[5] Wearing no clothes