The "Nine Gem" Jewel

One of the oldest and perhaps the most interesting talismanic jewel is that known as the naoratna or naratatna, the "nine-gem" jewel. It is mentioned in the old Hindu ratnaçastras, or treatises on gems, for example, in the Nararatnaparîkshâ, where it is described as follows: (Finot, "Les lapidaries indiens," Paris, 1896.)

In the centre	The Sun	The Ruby
To the East	Venus	The Diamond
To the Southeast	The Moon	The Pearl
To the South	Mars	The Coral
To the Southwest	Râhu	The Jacinth
To the West	Saturn	The Sapphire
To the Northeast	Jupiter	The Topaz
To the North	The descending node	The Cat's-eye
To the Northwest	Mercury	The Emerald

Such is the planetary setting.

From this description we learn that the jewel was designed to combine all the powerful astrological influences. The gems chosen to correspond with the various heavenly bodies, and with the aspects known as the ascending and descending nodes, differ in some cases from those selected in the West. For instance, the emerald is here assigned to Mercury, whereas in Western tradition this stone was usually the representative of Venus, although it is sometimes associated with Mercury also. (Morales, "De las piedras preciosas," Valladolid, 1604 (fol. 16 verso)). On the other hand, the diamond is dedicated to Venus, instead of to the Sun as in the Western world.

In the naoratna the five gems known to the Hindus as the mahâratnâni, or "great gems,"--the diamond, pearl, ruby, sapphire, and emerald,--were, as we see, associated with the Sun and Moon, Venus, Mercury, and Saturn, while the four lesser gems (uparatnâni)--namely, the jacinth, topaz, cat's-eye, and coral--represent Mars, Jupiter, Râhu, and the descending node. The two last named are very important factors in astrological calculations and are often called the Dragon's Head and the Dragon's Tail. These designations signify the ascending and descending nodes, indicating the passage of the ecliptic by the Moon in her ascent above and descent below this arbitrary plane.

In three somewhat obscure passages of the Rig Veda there are references to the seven ratnas. Whether these were gems cannot be determined, since the primary meaning of the word ratna is "a precious object," not necessarily a precious stone; but it is possible that we may have here an allusion to some earlier form of talisman, in which only the Sun, Moon, and the five planets were represented.

It is easy to understand that such a talisman as the naoratna, combining the favorable influences of all the celestial bodies supposed to govern the destinies of man, must have been highly prized, and we may well assume that only the rich and powerful could own this talisman in a form ensuring its greatest efficacy. For the Hindus believed that the virtue of every gem depended upon its perfection, and they regarded a poor or defective stone as a source of unhappiness and misfortune.

In modern times this talisman is sometimes differently composed. A specimen shown in the Indian Court of the Paris Exposition of 1878 consisted of the following stones: coral, topaz, sapphire, ruby, flat diamond, cut diamond, emerald, amethyst, and carbuncle. Here the cut diamond, amethyst, and carbuncle take the place of the jacinth, pearl, and cat's-eye.

Instead of uniting the different planetary gems in a single ring, they have sometimes been set separately in a series of rings to be worn successively on the days originally named after the celestial bodies. We read in the life of Apollonius of Tyana (first century A.D.) by Philostratus: "Damis also relates that Iarchas gave to Apollonius seven rings named after the planets, and the latter wore these, one by one, in the order of the week-days." (Philostrati, "De Vita Apollonii,".) Although it is not expressly stated that the appropriate stones were set in the rings, the custom of the time makes it probable that this was the case.

THE NINE GEMS:

English	Sanskrit	Burmese	Chinese (Canton)	Arabic
Diamond	Vajra	Chein	Chun-syak	Mâs
Ruby	Manikya	Budmiya	Se-fla-yu-syak	Yâkût bihar
Cat's-eye	Vaidurya	Châno	Mâu-ji gan	Ain al-hirr
Zircon	Gomeda	Gomok	Pi-si	Hajar yamânî
Pearl	Muktâ	Pa-le	Chun-ti	Lûlû
Coral	Pravâla	Tadâ	Sau-ho-chi	Murjân
Emerald	Marakata	Mujâ	Luk-syak	Zumurrud
Topaz	Pushyaraga	Outfiyâ	Si-lang-syak	Yâkût al-azrak
Sapphire	Nîla	Nîlâ	Chang-syak	Yâkût al-açfar