Update from my guruji:
Note this is just one of the many aspects to consider: Fifth house lord if placed in a good nakshatra (i.e. not in vipat, pratyak, naidhana), then the gem stone corresponding to that fifth lord can be worn. Realized guru is in pratyak tAra, so removed my yellow sapphire after 9 years of wearing it.
Why this translation?
One thing, I always tell myself is, not to be possessed by things, I possess. Things come and go. A time for everything and everything in its time. So, if I could give up something, without craving for it, I go ahead and own it. Reminds me of asteya (non covetousness) and aparigraha (non possessiveness). According to Swami Harshananda's discourse on Patanjali's yoga sutras - a person who practices
asteya for 12 years - not taking anything that does not rightfully belong to him,
sarva ratna upasthaanam. All wealth without asking will come and fall at his feet. Probably after 12 years, a person would lose all interest in his childhood toys.
Also from kaṭhopaniṣad
śvobhāvā martyasya yadantakaitat sarveṁdriyāṇāṁ jarayaṁti tejaḥ |
api sarvaṁ jīvitamalpameva tavaiva vāhāstava nṛtyagīte || 26||
- Ephemeral are all these pleasures! They wear out our senses; we become feeble and old after their enjoyment.
The philosophy of gemstones is to strengthen the weak benefics, is what I had read. Any planet which has the least kashta phala, the most ishta phala should be worn. In the long run, all planets bestow only benefits. In the short run, during transit periods, it is better to be safe than sorry. So even though, diamonds are my favourite, I didn’t want to aggravate the kashta phala before the right time, so I went for the safe bet of yellow sapphires – the so called vaishya category gemstones representing kapha/immunity.
Examining Gemstones
Thirteen years ago, a jeweler in a small first floor shop of periyakadai veedhi, taught me how to study a gemstone and I simply love gazing at a flawless gemstone with the hand loupe. It is quite another experience to see our clothes, skin with that loupe. So more than a decade ago, I had read about the stone’s doshas and I knew what not to buy, but I forgot, what were the specific ill effects of the particular dosha. After poring through a dozen stones, I found one yellow sapphire, that was near perfect with just one tiny air bubble and was wondering, if I could go ahead and buy it. No matter, how much I could rake my memory, I forgot the effects of bubble in the yellow sapphire and finally decided not to buy it. Back home, I was searching for that book, but could not find it. Instead mom found this book -
Book: Thiruviladayal puranam aka Shiva Leelai By R. Ponnammal
Sale of Navaratnas
Veerapandian the son of Ukrapandian had many evils sons from his numerous concubines. The legitimate queen did not have any children. Hence the king undertook many fasts like astami vrith, Monday fasts, chathurti fasts and as a result the queen bore him a good son.
When the son was five years old, Veerapandian was killed by a tiger during a hunting expedition. Veerapandian’s evil sons escaped after stealing the crown jewels and other valuable items. The good ministers, wanted to crown the prince and decided to rule on his behalf till the prince attained the right age. But there was no crown or jewels to adorn the crown.
The ministers went to the temple and prayed to lord for flawless jewels. The immanent god appeared before them as a jeweler with a backpack full of precious stones.
As if someone who didn’t know anything, the Easan, in form of jeweler inquired why the ministers looked worried. The minister said that the child king needed flawless gems. Immediately, the jeweler spread his ware right there.
The ministers had not seen the jeweler before and wanted to test him. Hence they asked him, as to what he knew about the jewels.
With an understanding smile, the lord eesan spread the jewels on mount covered with velvet and said the jewels should be worshipped as navagrahas in a temple. Sun-ruby, moon-pearl, mars –coral, mercuy-emerald, Jupiter – yellow sapphire, venus – diamond, Saturn – blue sapphire, rahu – komed, ketu – vaiduriyam (cats eyes)
Another minister asked, do you know the history of jewels? The lord replied: There was a demon called Valan. He was a great shiva devotee. He did an austere penance. Pleased with the penance, shiva appeared before valan and asked, what he desired. Valan beseeched, he should be not defeated by anyone in any war. That his body should become a precious material which everyone would desire for. Easan blessed him so.
Even Indira could not defeat Valan. Indira said, that he would offer any boon to Valan that he desired. Valan retorted haughtily - what boon could defeated Indira offer him. Instead Valan could offer whatever boon Indira desired. Clever Indira said that valan should become the sacrificial cow for his yajya. Valan happily followed Indira after crowning his son. Saptarishis started the yagya on the behest of Indira.
The sight of Valasura tied to darbha grass was akin to a lion bound by spider webs. Indira killed Valasura with Vajrayudha and put the flesh pieces required for the yagya in the fire. A light from Vala’s body went towards the sky.
Had not Drona asked for Eklavya’s thumb as dakshina, similarly, even though Valan was sacrificed, his body parts became immortal. Just like Shiva had blessed Valan, his body parts became the seeds for precious stones. His bones became diamond. Teeth became pearls. Blood became ruby. Hair became cat’s eyes(vaiduriyam). Flesh became coral. Eyes became blue sapphire. (Kapha) Phelgm became yellow sapphire. Pitta became emerald. Fat became komedagam. We have not heard so many details. Do you know the guna and doshas of stones asked another minister?
Characteristics of Diamonds
I will state to the extent to which I know, replied the three eyed, omniscient lord with a knowing smile. Diamond can cut anything, but nothing can cut diamonds. A person who wears a diamond without flaws like - lacking lustre, lines, tremors, crow’s leg, pigment drops, will get health, victory, auspiciousness. Diamonds grow wherever, Datteshmuni and Valasura’s bones fell down.
Kosala diamond looks like vaahai flower, Kalinga diamond is with a yellow water flow, mathanga diamond is like a jasmine flower, Himalayan mountain diamonds are pristine white, Maharashtra diamonds have red waterflow, poundra diamonds have blue waterflow, Souveera diamonds have black waterflow, magada diamonds are golden.
Vishnu diamonds are like vaahai flower, plaintain, like bamboo leaves. Six petalled pristine white one is Indira diamond. With earthish water flow, coloured like bumblebee are yama diamonds. Weightless are vayu diamonds. Varuna diamonds are like Karnikara flower. Diamond which look as if they have water are Chandra diamonds. Surya diamonds show many colours like vanathu poochi. Firey coloured are the agni diamonds.
One should not put diamonds in mangal sutra. The multi-coloured diamonds belongs to the king. Buying gems on the days they belong to brings wealth and fame to the buyer.
Characteristics of Pearl
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| Src:allaboutpearl.org |
Now we will see the characteristics of pearl. They are of two types – formed in the water and formed on the land. Vallasura’s teeth shattered on 13 places - which are conch, fish’s head, clouds, bamboo, pig’s teeth, snake’s hood, elephant’s trunk, stork’s neck, nama sugarcane’s node, rice grains, pearl shells, kovera donkeys’ fore legs, virgin mangai (18-25 years)’s neck.
The pearl from a white conch is white as a dove’s egg and special. The pearl from fish’s head looks like paatali flower. Cloud pearls look like early morning rays. A person wearing hailstone coloured bamboo pearls attains fame and wealth. Pig’s teeth pearl is slightly reddish. Snake’s pearl emits a bluish hue. Grain’s pearl, nama sugar cane’s pearl, elephant’s pearl are slightly yellowish. Shell pearls have moon’s colour. Shell pearls gives many benefits to the wearer. No one kills a women, koveru donkey, stork for pearls and killing them is a sin.
Vishnu pearls are bluish. Indira pearls are yellowish. Yama pearls have clouds colour. Vayu pearls are blood red. Varuna pearls are whitish. Agni pearls are reddish.
All harms go away by wearing round, weighty, smooth, lustrous pearls. Wealth and life span increases.
Characteristics of Ruby
Rubies will be available in Makka in Kritha yuga, in Kalapura in Tretha yuga, in Thumbru in Dwapara Yuga, in Sinhala during Kali yuga. Rubies which are like red lotus, red Kalani flower, glowfly, star, fire, deepa flame, pomegranate grains, sun, pomegranate flowers, velvet bugs are best.
Rubies are of four types like – Saadarangam, kuruvindamSougandhikam, Kavangam or Neelagandhi.
If people related to politics wear
kuruvindam rubies, they become intelligent and attain victory. They can defeat enemies easily. If businessmen wear Sougandhikam, their business will flourish. Wealth will increase along with long life. If people involoved construction, jewelry makers, carpenters and sculptors wear Neelagandhi, they will attain great heights and fame.
Saadarangam has 10 hues of red lotus, red kalani poo, minmini glow/fire fly, fire, deepa flame, cuckoo’s eyes, pomegranate grains, sun, pomegranate seeds, velvet insect.
Kuruvindam has 8 hues of - hibiscus flower, kimsoo flower, ulothira flower, bandhuka flower, kundumani, sindhooram, rabbit’s blood.
Red cotton kolumbu, cuckoo’s eyes, Ilavu flower, 5 petalled flower, molten metal – these are the hues of
Sougandhikam.
Neelagandhi looks like Kusumba flower, guava flower, henna flower, manoranjitha. It is best, if light emits upwards in a ruby. If it emits light downwards is medium. If it emits light side ways, it is bad. Only sinless persons have the fortune of wearing a flawless ruby.
Emerald’s characteristics
When birds carried, Valasuru’s pitta fluid, it spilled them near Delhi. There are many emerald mines there. Vinadhai, the mother of Garuda had preserved the broken eggshell of her elder son Aruna. In order to ward of dristi dosha, she tied the black shell around the hip of Garuda. Wherever the egg shells fell down, emerald mines were formed. Mahavishnu took the avatar of Mohini to kill padmasura. After padmasura got reduced to ashes by keeping his hand on his hand, Shiva who was hiding till then, got enraptured with Mohini’s beauty. Emerald mines formed whereever, Shiva’s semen fell. Garuda ate the semen and flew. After crossing oceans, emerald mines got formed where ever Garuda’s saliva fell down. Hence these emeralds are called Garuda green or Karu utthu madham.
Flawless emeralds are kaadam which are coloured like aruham pul, Pesalam looks like thinai leaves, Pittaham looks like parrot feathers, Muttham is Tulasi green, Pirthuham is lotus leaves, Ullasitham looks like whole green moong dal.
Flawed Emeralds
ThosaleSaandhuVeedha emerald is lemon leaf green, arali leaf emerald is dushta, yellowlotus leaf green is doshamurchita. Doshalesa is green a like lotus leaf covered with dews. Peacock feather green is called mandha dosha.
A person wearing emerald with good qualities, defeats enemies and lives with all material comforts.
Blue Sapphire Characteristics
Neelam came from Valasura’s eyes. Uma devi clutched Shiva’s neck tightly, so that the poison did not affect Shiva’s body. Blue Sapphire was formed, wherever drops of Shiva’s blood fell down with the pressure of Uma Devi’s fingers. This is called MahaNeelam. When it is put in milk, it shines better than before.
In order to absolve of the sin of killing Vishwaroopam, Indira performed ashwamedha yagya. For the yagya, the horse roamed all day and night. Water fell down from its eyes at many places. After the yagya got over successfully, all places where the horse tears fell became neelam mines. This is called Indira neelam. It is very rare to get a Indira neelam which shows colours like rainbow.
A king’s crown should definitely have diamond, pearl, ruby, emerald, Indira neelam. Samikgnyai, thuvashta’s daughter is Sun’s wife. Unable to bear Sun’s heat, she created a lookalike called Chaya and left. Sun took the form of a horse and went in search of Samikgnyai. Whereever the horse’s semen fell, that became blue sapphire. This blue sapphire increases lifespan. One will gain expertise easily, and also accumulate wealth. If a destitute has blue sapphire in his hands, he will land on to treasure.
Slightly whitish blue sapphire is andhanar; reddish blue is a ksathriya blue sapphire which the kings and the ministers and people involved in politics wear. This ksathriya blue sapphire, gives great fame and excellent eloquence. Whitish, blackish mixed is worn by businessman. The most blackish blue sapphire which gives fame and wealth by increasing expertise when worn by construction workers, farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters, jewelers.
Komedha’s Characteristics
Komedha mines formed whereever Valasura’s fat fell. If komedha looks clear like honey drops, cow’s urine, molten ghee, it is special. Komedha removes sins and gives purity of mind. It is associated with rahu among planets. If it is worn during rahu dasha and rahu bhukti, graha’s ill effects get reduced. It gives victory and fame to kings.
Yellow Sapphire
Maha Vishnu took Varaha avatar to save mother earth and kill Hiranyaksa. When the varaha ran in anger, wherever kapha fell from Varaha’s nose, yellow sapphire got formed. Even though Valasura was born in demon clan, he was a Shiva devotee. A good charactered Valasura’s kapha became yellow sapphire and became worthy of royal person wearing it.
That yellow sapphire is best when its upper portion is curved and attracts mind. It is also called Padmaragam. It is found at Pariyatra hilltop and edges of mandhra mountain. Since it captivates Brihaspati, it can found in hoards in Amaravathi. Indira wears lots of yellow sapphire. If one wears yellow sapphire during guru dasha and guru bhukti, graha doshas get removed and one can attain bliss.
Cat’s Eyes
Valasura’s hair are vaiduriyam. When thunder strikes the earth, cat’s eyes are formed. If it emits light towards right, it is best. Everyone can wear it. When the king, ministers, and politicians wear a moonstone which emits light towards left, even unsolved problems gets solved, and one gets victory and fame, enemies keep away. If it emits light behind, it is good for businessmen, if it emits in the front, it is for the troubled soul and this ketu’s gemstone does not harm with poverty during its dasha and bhukti periods.
It is found in Magadha kingdom, korakkam (Greece), Persia, Srilanka, Malaysia and Trikuta mountans. Bamboo leaves, cat’s eyes and peacock’s neck coloured vaiduriyam are best. One should carefully buy vaiduriyam which is smooth, lustrous and without threads.
Coral’s Characteristics
Valasura’s flesh became coral. If one wears it during mar’s dasha and bhukti, they get relief from Mar’s harshness. Coral reduces in size with usage. If virgin girls wear it, they get married soon, since mar’s dosha gets reduced. The king can easily overcome his enemy in the war by wearing coral.
Earlier, mountains had wings. They could fly at will. People suffered a lot, when mountains suddenly came down. The devas prayed to Indira and Indira cut off the mountain’s wings. Wherever the wings of mountains fell down, they became corals. These corals looks like blossomed kimsukh flowers. When Mahavishnu killed Madhu kaitavars, their flesh became corals. Vinadha took out Aruna, sun’s charioteer, before he could attain full maturity from a jar. The blood drops that got spilled became coral. The coral which looks like Kovai fruits, hibiscus, parrot’s beak is best.
Eaten by bugs, holes, and association with mud are the flaws of coral. If one wears flawless coral one gets longevity, good people, disease free life, cosy family life.
Varna of Navaratnas
Diamond and pearl are Brahmin gems. Ruby and coral are ksathriya. Yellow sapphire, komedha and vaiduriyam are Vaishya. Neelam and emerald are the fourth varna.
Suryakantha gemstone, which flares up like fire when sun’s rays fall on it, gives mental and physical strength and eyes shine brightly.
Chandrakatha gemstone, cools down the body when moon rays fall on it. Intelligence blooms on the wearer. Even if one has/is a sick mother, one becomes healthy and lives for many years. If he is a king, he will be victorious even after crossing seas. One gets intelligence, happiness, art, fame, expertise, beauty, equanimity, fragrance, luxurious living. It is difficult to get these stones in kaliyugam.
It is good if one buys Ruby on Sunday, pearl on Monday, komedha and coral on Tuesdays, pushparagam on Thursdays, diamonds on Friday, and vaiduriyam and sapphire on Saturday.
The pandiya ministers were amazed to hear so much about gemstones. They appreciated the jeweler’s knowledge on gemstones. After procuring a mount, the jeweler sat facing north. He spread a new cloth on the mount, placing ruby in the center, and placing pearl and eight stones starting from east in the eight directions. After doing a navagraha pooja, he blessed all auspicious things for the kid and he gave all highly priced flawless gemstones. The joy attained by the ministers was limitless.
According to shasthra, they made a beautiful crown, and crowned the prince after making homams and giving charity. Till then, they asked the jeweler to remain there. After the crowning ceremony, when they went to pay their respects to the jeweler, he merged with the linga as a ray of light with a smile. The ministers got ecstatic on realizing that the jeweler was non other than the lord himself.
Now the ministers got assured that the prince, will have long life and fame. Since the lord himself participated in the crowning ceremony, the kid got a special name - Abhisheka Pandian. When he attained the right age, he retrieved the possessions from the thieves.
Now there is one mountain, whose wings are not cut. When Hanuman went in search of Sita in Srilanka, the mountain which rose in the middle of the sea, Mainaaka is that one. With four armies like Manu chakravarthi, Abhisheka Pandian ruled for a long time. If one just thinks about the 17th thiruvilayadal, one gets gemstones and lives happily. If one reads, listens or is the cause of 17th thiruvilayadal being read daily with a devout mind, they get all gemstones. They will not get any troubles in life. They will also benefit with the results of auspiciousness of wearing gemstones.
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Also see my favourite site:
http://www.barbarapijan.com/bpa/Ratna/bGems.htm
Flaws in Gemstones from www.horosoft.net
A Ruby is considered to have a flaw if it is dull, silky, has crack in its texture, feathery, displays ambiguous colors, has bluish tint and is honey colored or has a spot like a drop of honey.
A blemished and defective Ruby brings many troubles for the wearer. Double colored ones causes distress to the native and his father.
Cracks in its skin, a thin line, mole on the pearl, spots and wood like material in the middle are the flaws found in the Pearls. The wearing of defective Pearl brings many troubles. The one in which there is a spot like the hole is likely to cause leprosy to the wearer.
Coral is considered to have a flaw if it has a black or white spot in the composition, crack on the surface of the body, more than one shades of color in the same piece and has a depression, bend or twist on the surface.
Blue Sapphire is considered to have a flaw if it is dull, feels rough when touched, not solid, not transparent and reflects colors other than its own. A blemished Sapphire is the cause of many troubles.
This Gem should always be worn only after a trial period of 4-5 days.
Gomeda or Hessonite Garnet is considered to be inauspicious if it shows a light blackish shade from a distance, is without radiance, rough, flat, full of layers and looks like a piece of glass.
A blemished Gomedha proves harmful to the wearer and destroys wealth. The one with red color is injurious to health. If the gem has a mixture of mica, it ruins wealth.
Cat's Eye is considered to have flaw if it is dull, has a web in it or if it has a depression.
Cat's Eye is a quick acting gemstone and should only be worn after a trial.
A blemished Cat’s eye proves harmful to the wearer. The one with spots causes trouble from enemies and the one with depression creates stomach disorders.
Thick water, depression, cracks, double colored without luster, black or yellow spots, rough surface and brittleness are the flaws found in Emeralds. An emerald that does not glow, appears transparent in the center, or has a lighter tone, is not a first-class stone. An emerald is also considered inferior if it is too dark. Do not wear a mixed-colored emerald.
Yellow Sapphire is considered to have a flaw if it is dull and does not display yellow radiance, feel rough like sand when touched, has black drops like spots, is not symmetrical, is brownish in color and has mixed red and yellow color.
A Yellow Sapphire with cracks invites theft. Milky stone invites injury to the body. The one with red dots destroys wealth. The one with a web causes stomach disorders.
The appearance of an impression of drop of water or a dot on the diamond is an important flaw. Filth in the corners and middle of the diamond is also considered a flaw. Black dots are considered inauspicious. Ones with red dot or drop is the most inauspicious.
Sarvam shrikrishnarpanmastu
Oh God! source of all wisdom and knowledge, grant that i remember what i have learnt and recall it when necessary. I offer thee my work, my endeavours, my sucesses and failures. Forgive my faults and give me courage to follow thy holy will in all things.
