Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.567

c9.567

Once there lived an asura chief who was mighty and valiant. His name was Tripura. He defeated Devas and deva chiefs and became emperor of the asuras. The Devas were much grieved because of him. They went to Śiva and represented their grievances. Śiva thought for a while, how to kill Tripura, and sat with open eyes. This sitting continued for a thousand divine years. After this prolonged time Śiva winked his eyes and tears fell down from them. The Rudrākṣa tree originated from these tears. From the Sun-eye of Śiva twelve types of Rudrākṣas came into being; from the moon-eye sixteen kinds of Rudrākṣas and from the fire-eye ten kinds of Rudrākṣas originated. Those which originated from the Sun-eye are bloodcoloured, those from the moon-eye white Rudrākṣas and from the fire-eye black Rudrākṣas. Boiled Rudrākṣa is considered a Brahmin caste, red Rudrākṣa a Kṣatriya caste, white one a Vaiśya caste and the black rudrākṣa a Śūdra caste.