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Rudraksha is a Sanskrit compound word consisting of Rudra (Sanskrit: ?????) and ak?a (Sanskrit: ???? ). Rudra is one of Shiva's vedic names and Ak?a means 'teardrops'. Thus, the name means ""Lord Rudra's teardrops"" Rudraksha is a seed of the genus Elaeocarpus Ganitrus tree. It is used as a prayer bead in Hinduism, especially in Shaivism. When they are ripe, rudraksha seeds are covered by a blue outer shell and are sometimes called blueberry beads or Rudraksha beeds. They come in various varieties. The number of lines or faces (mukh) a bead can have varies from a single face (Ek Mukhi) up to 21 faces (Ekkis Mukhi). Rudrakshas are white, red, brown (most common) yellow, and black. Today, they are mostly found in countries of Nepal, Burma, Thailand or Indonesia, and in some parts of the Western Ghats in South India. The seeds are associated with the Hindu deity Shiva and are commonly worn for protection and for chanting mantras such as Om Namah Shivaya