Gemstones have been held in awe by humanity for ages. The lustre of the gem produces a lustre on the face of the beholder. They had added beauty to the ornament and the individual at all times. Once upon a time a huge diamond had adorned the crown of the eldest Pandava, Yudhishtra. The idol of Lord Shiva at Somnath once had a huge blue diamond adding to its beauty. The geological origin of gemstones are too well known and the astrological application of astro gemology is a vast ocean which rakes in millions everyday.
The great master Sri Suta Goswami spoke about the mythological origin of gemstones at a conference of sages long ago as part of his discourse on the Garuda Purana. He took the pains to not only explain the mythological origins but also the properties of the valuable gems to the people of yore. Besides all this , the Graha Gochara Jyotisha explains how the Navaratnas or auspicious gemstones help us to get rid of problems in our day to day life. The nine planets of our world of astrology are the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter, Rahu (the Moon's ascending node), Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Venus and Ketu (The Moon's descending node). The story of the gemstones throw much light into their divine origin.
Once upon a time there lived a mighty demon called Vala and he had overpowered Indra, the King of Heaven . As a result, the demon was able to establish his cruel dictatorship in all the worlds. The Devas devised a strategy to get rid of Vala and through deceit, they tricked him into offering himself as the sacrificial animal in a ritual performance and on getting him tied to the sacrificial stake, the Devas abandoned their mock sacrifice and killed him instantly. Vala had allowed himself to be slain for the benefit of the Devas and when they severed his various limbs, they got transformed into the creative seeds for precious gems. While the body was getting dismembered a roar sounded through the worlds and all the deities, demons, mystics, and Nagas anxiously picked up the gem seeds. The rush and clamour for the seeds caused tremors due to the movement of their chariots and eventually some mystical stuff got pushed into Planet Earth. The gem seeds fell into rivers, oceans, into forests and mountains too where they got germinated as mother lodes with the passage of time. These gems are said to possess mystical and curative powers therefore they have been sought by humanity for millennia. However one has to take the aid of the family jeweller, family astrologer and a qualified gemologist in order to reap benefits from the Navaratnas.
The great preceptor Suta Goswami states that the blood of the demon Vala was taken by Surya and the powerful Ravana created an obstacle for him. This caused the Sun God to drop the demon's blood and it fell into the deep pools of Bharata which were surrounded by forests of betel nut trees and from then on they became as sacred as the Ganges while also earning the epithet Ravana Ganga. The banks of these waters became the home to RUBIES. Rubies are known as Padmaraga or Manikya or Ravi Ratna in Sanskrit.
The teeth of Vala which had got scattered throughout the celestial regions, fell into the oceans and became the seed for gems with the lustre full of moon beans which entered the oysters and became PEARLS. The Pearl is known as Mukta or Sasi Ratna in Sanskrit.
The skin of Vala got transformed into seeds which gave us YELLOW SAPPHIRES. They fell on the lands crowned by the Himalayas and the sacred mines of those regions became the origin for this precious gem. The Yellow Sapphire is known as Pushparaga or Vachaspati Vallabha in Sanskrit.
The finger nails of the great demon got transformed into the seeds of Karketana or HESSONITE which happens to be a rare gemstone. The seeds got carried by the winds into the lotus ponds of Sri Lanka, India and Burma.The Hessonite is known as Gomeda or Rahu Ratna in Sanskrit.
The bile of Vala was taken away by the serpent Vasuki who had split the Heavens into two with one sweep of his strong tail. Bedecked with jewels on his crown he looked like a bridge across the Heavens. The carrier of Lord Vishnu, Garuda confronted Vasuki who dropped the bile into the Earth near the beautiful forests and perfumed trees of Mount Manikya. The bile got transformed into the seeds for the EMERALD. The places where these seeds fell are ever green. The Emerald is known as Marakata in Sanskrit.
The places where the bone fragments of Vala fell are places where we find the DIAMONDS for they became the seeds for the same. However they formed themselves into various types and colours. White diamonds are ruled by Varuna, Yellow by Indra, Copper hued diamonds by the Maruts who happen to be Wind Gods, Greenish diamonds are ruled by Surya, Brown coloured diamonds by Agni while blue tinged diamonds are ruled by the Lord of ancestors - Aryama. The diamond is known as Vajra or Bhargava Priya in Sanskrit.
On being arrested by the Gods, Vala had emitted a war cry which had got transformed into the seeds for the precious CAT' S EYE. They fell into the sea and eventually the agitated waves washed them ashore. Now they are found in the Vaidurya hills of Sri Lanka and hence known as Vaidurya. The war cry which got carried Heavenward impregnated the clouds and got carried to the Earth by rain and comets which formed smaller mines later on. The Cat's Eye is known as Vaidurya in Sanskrit.
The eyes of the demon were shaped and coloured like the blossom petals of the blue lily. They got transformed into the seeds that fell down on Sri Lanka which has given us the precious BLUE SAPPHIRE which is compared to the blue mountain flowers that grow in the island. The Blue Sapphire is known as Nilam in Sanskrit.
The serpent Vasuki took away the intestines of the demon Vala and placed them in the oceans of Earth and they became the seeds which gave us the CORAL which possesses energy to increase the wealth of the wearer while also removing obstacles and risks. The coral is known as Vidruma or the Bhauma Ratna meaning gem of Mars in Sanskrit.
The toenails of Vala were converted into RED GARNET seeds and the same were worshipped by the Nagas who carried them in their mouths and dropped them in the lands surrounding the Himalayas. Garnets coloured like the petals of the red lotus are considered to be the best for they are rare and they have the power to increase the wealth and progeny of the wearers. Red Garnets are known as Pulaka in Sanskrit.
Lord Balarama scattered the fat of the demon Vala over vast areas of China, Nepal and the lands of the Mongols. Wherever they fell, they got transformed into the seeds for the JADE. A fine quality Jade has the ability to remove negative karmic reactions. Some types of Jade are conch shell white or lotus stem green while also found in pink, lavender or black. Its known as Yasava in Sanskrit.
The potent semen of Vala got transformed got itself transformed into the seeds of ROCK CRYSTAL or Quartz which is known as SPATIKAM. This happened in the Himalayas and in the northern regions. They are transparent and the wearer will attain good fortune if set in gold and worn. He or she will be protected from wild animals and its also got powers to grant extra ordinary sexual prowess. Its worn while performing rites to the ancestors and it saves people from drowning, burning or theft. In Sanskrit the Rock Crystal is known as Mukura.
The complexion of Vala was taken by the God of fire - Agni and it got transformed into the seed for the BLOODSTONE or Raktamani in Sanskrit. These seeds got dropped into the River Narmada. These stones are said to increase the wealth of the wearers.
The Nine Gem Stone Talisman known as Navaratna is said to bring in good fortune to the wearer and the combination has the Ruby representing the Sun in the centre, Diamond for Venus, Pearl for Moon, Coral for Mars, Hessonite or Gomeda for Rahu, Blue Sapphire for Saturn, Cat's Eye for Ketu, Yellow Sapphire for Jupiter and Emerald for Mercury.
The Slokham "Om Brahma Murari, Tripuranta Kari,Bhanu, Sasi, Bhauma Suto, Buddhascha, Guruscha, Shukra, Rahu, Shani, Rahu, Ketu kurvantu sarve mama su pravartam" should be recited before wearing the Navaratna ornament and the sacred slokham means, "I invoke the Supreme deity who is the creator, maintainer, destroyer of the Universe, and the deities presiding over the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu - May they bestow their benediction upon us."
The great master Sri Suta Goswami spoke about the mythological origin of gemstones at a conference of sages long ago as part of his discourse on the Garuda Purana. He took the pains to not only explain the mythological origins but also the properties of the valuable gems to the people of yore. Besides all this , the Graha Gochara Jyotisha explains how the Navaratnas or auspicious gemstones help us to get rid of problems in our day to day life. The nine planets of our world of astrology are the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter, Rahu (the Moon's ascending node), Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Venus and Ketu (The Moon's descending node). The story of the gemstones throw much light into their divine origin.
Once upon a time there lived a mighty demon called Vala and he had overpowered Indra, the King of Heaven . As a result, the demon was able to establish his cruel dictatorship in all the worlds. The Devas devised a strategy to get rid of Vala and through deceit, they tricked him into offering himself as the sacrificial animal in a ritual performance and on getting him tied to the sacrificial stake, the Devas abandoned their mock sacrifice and killed him instantly. Vala had allowed himself to be slain for the benefit of the Devas and when they severed his various limbs, they got transformed into the creative seeds for precious gems. While the body was getting dismembered a roar sounded through the worlds and all the deities, demons, mystics, and Nagas anxiously picked up the gem seeds. The rush and clamour for the seeds caused tremors due to the movement of their chariots and eventually some mystical stuff got pushed into Planet Earth. The gem seeds fell into rivers, oceans, into forests and mountains too where they got germinated as mother lodes with the passage of time. These gems are said to possess mystical and curative powers therefore they have been sought by humanity for millennia. However one has to take the aid of the family jeweller, family astrologer and a qualified gemologist in order to reap benefits from the Navaratnas.
The great preceptor Suta Goswami states that the blood of the demon Vala was taken by Surya and the powerful Ravana created an obstacle for him. This caused the Sun God to drop the demon's blood and it fell into the deep pools of Bharata which were surrounded by forests of betel nut trees and from then on they became as sacred as the Ganges while also earning the epithet Ravana Ganga. The banks of these waters became the home to RUBIES. Rubies are known as Padmaraga or Manikya or Ravi Ratna in Sanskrit.
The teeth of Vala which had got scattered throughout the celestial regions, fell into the oceans and became the seed for gems with the lustre full of moon beans which entered the oysters and became PEARLS. The Pearl is known as Mukta or Sasi Ratna in Sanskrit.
The skin of Vala got transformed into seeds which gave us YELLOW SAPPHIRES. They fell on the lands crowned by the Himalayas and the sacred mines of those regions became the origin for this precious gem. The Yellow Sapphire is known as Pushparaga or Vachaspati Vallabha in Sanskrit.
The finger nails of the great demon got transformed into the seeds of Karketana or HESSONITE which happens to be a rare gemstone. The seeds got carried by the winds into the lotus ponds of Sri Lanka, India and Burma.The Hessonite is known as Gomeda or Rahu Ratna in Sanskrit.
The bile of Vala was taken away by the serpent Vasuki who had split the Heavens into two with one sweep of his strong tail. Bedecked with jewels on his crown he looked like a bridge across the Heavens. The carrier of Lord Vishnu, Garuda confronted Vasuki who dropped the bile into the Earth near the beautiful forests and perfumed trees of Mount Manikya. The bile got transformed into the seeds for the EMERALD. The places where these seeds fell are ever green. The Emerald is known as Marakata in Sanskrit.
The places where the bone fragments of Vala fell are places where we find the DIAMONDS for they became the seeds for the same. However they formed themselves into various types and colours. White diamonds are ruled by Varuna, Yellow by Indra, Copper hued diamonds by the Maruts who happen to be Wind Gods, Greenish diamonds are ruled by Surya, Brown coloured diamonds by Agni while blue tinged diamonds are ruled by the Lord of ancestors - Aryama. The diamond is known as Vajra or Bhargava Priya in Sanskrit.
On being arrested by the Gods, Vala had emitted a war cry which had got transformed into the seeds for the precious CAT' S EYE. They fell into the sea and eventually the agitated waves washed them ashore. Now they are found in the Vaidurya hills of Sri Lanka and hence known as Vaidurya. The war cry which got carried Heavenward impregnated the clouds and got carried to the Earth by rain and comets which formed smaller mines later on. The Cat's Eye is known as Vaidurya in Sanskrit.
The eyes of the demon were shaped and coloured like the blossom petals of the blue lily. They got transformed into the seeds that fell down on Sri Lanka which has given us the precious BLUE SAPPHIRE which is compared to the blue mountain flowers that grow in the island. The Blue Sapphire is known as Nilam in Sanskrit.
The serpent Vasuki took away the intestines of the demon Vala and placed them in the oceans of Earth and they became the seeds which gave us the CORAL which possesses energy to increase the wealth of the wearer while also removing obstacles and risks. The coral is known as Vidruma or the Bhauma Ratna meaning gem of Mars in Sanskrit.
The toenails of Vala were converted into RED GARNET seeds and the same were worshipped by the Nagas who carried them in their mouths and dropped them in the lands surrounding the Himalayas. Garnets coloured like the petals of the red lotus are considered to be the best for they are rare and they have the power to increase the wealth and progeny of the wearers. Red Garnets are known as Pulaka in Sanskrit.
Lord Balarama scattered the fat of the demon Vala over vast areas of China, Nepal and the lands of the Mongols. Wherever they fell, they got transformed into the seeds for the JADE. A fine quality Jade has the ability to remove negative karmic reactions. Some types of Jade are conch shell white or lotus stem green while also found in pink, lavender or black. Its known as Yasava in Sanskrit.
The potent semen of Vala got transformed got itself transformed into the seeds of ROCK CRYSTAL or Quartz which is known as SPATIKAM. This happened in the Himalayas and in the northern regions. They are transparent and the wearer will attain good fortune if set in gold and worn. He or she will be protected from wild animals and its also got powers to grant extra ordinary sexual prowess. Its worn while performing rites to the ancestors and it saves people from drowning, burning or theft. In Sanskrit the Rock Crystal is known as Mukura.
The complexion of Vala was taken by the God of fire - Agni and it got transformed into the seed for the BLOODSTONE or Raktamani in Sanskrit. These seeds got dropped into the River Narmada. These stones are said to increase the wealth of the wearers.
The Nine Gem Stone Talisman known as Navaratna is said to bring in good fortune to the wearer and the combination has the Ruby representing the Sun in the centre, Diamond for Venus, Pearl for Moon, Coral for Mars, Hessonite or Gomeda for Rahu, Blue Sapphire for Saturn, Cat's Eye for Ketu, Yellow Sapphire for Jupiter and Emerald for Mercury.
The Slokham "Om Brahma Murari, Tripuranta Kari,Bhanu, Sasi, Bhauma Suto, Buddhascha, Guruscha, Shukra, Rahu, Shani, Rahu, Ketu kurvantu sarve mama su pravartam" should be recited before wearing the Navaratna ornament and the sacred slokham means, "I invoke the Supreme deity who is the creator, maintainer, destroyer of the Universe, and the deities presiding over the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu - May they bestow their benediction upon us."