The Siva Purana 1.25.80 associates 14 faces with the highest Siva, with head wearing.
Source: The Siva Purana, Part I — Vidyesvara-samhita, Chapter 25 · Vidyesvara-samhita, Chapter 25 · Verse 80
14 Mukhi Rudraksha
14 Mukhi Rudraksha has 14 principal natural faces. The Siva Purana gives the highest Siva, with head wearing; the Rudraksajabala witness gives origin from Rudra’s eye; Devi Bhagavata 11.4 gives the body/form of Siva, with head wearing and 11.7 gives origin from Rudra’s eye with a scriptural health fruit. These readings are retained separately.
Canonical identity
Rudraksha bead (Elaeocarpus angustifolius endocarp) · botanical fruit endocarp
Identification and authenticity
Trace 14 principal natural clefts continuously between both poles. Inspect both poles and a full rotation. A photograph cannot prove internal locules, species, origin, rarity or an unaltered bead. Reject carved or deepened grooves, filler, glued halves, moulding and undisclosed repairs.
Wearing or use
The Siva Purana mantra table gives “Om Namah”. This is an edition-specific reading. Source-specific wearing instructions are reported without turning them into one universal rule; seek competent guidance for bija pronunciation.
Preparation and purification
Inspect with clean hands. If the setting permits, wipe briefly with clean water and dry fully in shade. The consulted sources do not establish one purification method as compulsory for every tradition.
Maintenance and precautions
Keep dry; use a soft dry brush; avoid detergent, perfume, varnish, prolonged soaking and heavy oiling. Neurological, spinal, endocrine, disease-curing, planetary, third-eye and guaranteed-protection claims remain unsupported. Religious fruit-statements are not medical evidence or guaranteed outcomes.
Evidence and sources
The Siva Purana mantra table gives Om Namah for 14 faces.
Source: The Siva Purana, Part I — Vidyesvara-samhita, Chapter 25 · Vidyesvara-samhita, Chapter 25 · Mantra table after verse 81
Morphology and X-ray can document some structures but do not by themselves prove species, origin, rarity or sacred efficacy.
Source: Morphometric Characteristics of Endocarp, Seed and Embryo of Elaeocarpus ganitrus · Results and Figures 1–4 · pp. 172–177