akshamala
The Akshamālā (Sanskrit: अक्षमाला) is a rosary and is made of beads. It may be either of the ‘rudrāksha’ variety, in which case it may be associated with the Rudra cult, or the ‘kamalāksha’ variety, probably associated with the Vishnu cult.
The Hindu Creator-god Brahmā also carries a rosary in one of his hands. The rosary he carries is representative of ‘Time’. Sarasvāti, the consort of Brahmā, and Śiva also carry it, as also do other deities.
The rosary is also held by some of the Buddhist deities. Beal tells the story of the Bodhisattva Akshyamati who thus addressed the Buddha: ‘World Honoured One, let me now present an offering to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.’
Thus saying, he offered to the Bodhisattva a valuable necklace, who accepted it and dividing it into two parts, he presented one to Śakyamuni and another to the Buddha Prabhutaratna. The rosary is the special symbol of Avalokiteśvara, Prajñāpāramitā, Cundā, Bhṛikuṭī, Vasdhārā, etc.
Akshamala