Standardize Vedic Planetary Gemology

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Standardize Vedic Planetary Gemology

 

>From Richard S. Brown, GIA, PG, Acting Secretary of

the Graha-anukul ratna-visheshajna parishad or

Planetary Gemologists Association (PGA)

 

Respected readers,

 

Recently I was approached by a client wanting a flawless ruby for

his wife. The ruby was prescribed by a Vedic astrologer. We checked her

janma-patri and Sun, the lord of ruby, was debilitated or giving

"maximum harm;" Sun was the worst planet in his wife's horoscope and

yet she was advised to use ruby!? Practically all Vedic astrologers

advise gems for the client's BAD planets, and thus they may inflict

harm on them. I hope this appeal will save any Vedic astrologers and/or

Planetary Gemology Service Providers, from misleading those clients

wanting to benefit by wearing ‘auspicious’ Vedic gems.

 

FACT: Vedic Planetary Gemology can be divided into two (2) distinct

schools of the thought/belief which could be called the “negative”

method (gems for negative planets) and the “positive” method (gems for

positive planets). I firmly believe in the “POSITIVE” method; and I am

not alone in this conclusion. A member of the TM Movement recently told

me that ALL their astrologers recommended gems for good, positive

planets and NEVER for negative planets. And Dr. Khilanath Bastakoty of

Nepal, Gemologist Howard Beckman of the USA, Astrologer Shyamsundara of

the USA, Mony Singh, Harish Johari, Thailand’s Chief Astrologer Pandit

Vidyadhar Shukla, and many other leading practioners of Planetary

Gemology, strictly follow the “positive” method.

 

Now to the subject…

 

 

SUBJECT: Standardization of the Vedic Science of Planetary Gemology.

 

I would first like to address the question of how gems should be

chosen and what their effects will be. One group opines that gems

should

be used to "pacify" harmful planets through sacrifice (donate the bad

planet’s gem); another group believes that gems should be used to

"strengthen" weak planetary influences; while yet another belief is to

"harness" beneficial or auspicious planets.

 

I GEM COLOR (planetary associations):

 

According to Late Prof. Dr. B.V. Raman, India's leading astrologer,

"A planet in it's own sign is rendered powerful to do good. A planet in

its sign of exaltation is rendered even more powerful to do good than

in it's own

sign. A planet in it's sign of mulatrikona is rendered powerful to do

good similar to when in exaltation." Planets that are in an enemy

sign

or which are debilitated usually have a harmful or inauspicious

influence. Thus Professor Raman also states that planets which are

debilitated give results opposite of when they are in strong sign

position - in other words, bad results. (Ref. Astrology for Beginners.

IBH Prakashana, Fifth Main, Gandhinagar, Bangalore 560 009, India.

1983)

 

When using any planet's gem, the result will depend on the condition

of the planet in one's horoscope (as per the above conclusion of Prof.

Raman). Gems DO magnify the energy and influence of a planet, but gems

DO NOT change the angle or position of a planet in one's horoscope. The

idea that gems will strengthen weak planets (like those in an enemy

sign

or sign of debilitation) and thereby make them auspicious is, in my

opinion, an incorrect understanding.

 

This conclusion, which I believe to be erroneous, leads to the

belief

that wearing the gem of a BAD (weak) planet will move the planet into a

good position or angle in one's horoscope. This makes no sense.

Stronger

yes, but in a different angle, condition or position, how is this done?

 

I believe that a gem WILL increase the influence of it's ruling

planet, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, depending on the position or angle that a

planet is placed in one's horoscope. To make a BAD planet stronger will

only increase its bad influence.

 

For example, whenever people ask me what [gem] is good for them

(according to their janma-patri) I CANNOT point out their debilitated

Mars and say that Coral for Mars is good for them. It is common

knowledge that having any planet in debilitation is NOT GOOD! Prof.

Raman says that it would be a BAD influence on the person.

 

No one has ever shown nor even referred me to any Shastric evidence

stating that gems should be worn to pacify or strengthen bad or ill

placed planets. And it defies common sense …

 

In 1982 and again in 1988 I published a book called "Handbook of

Planetary Gemology." In this book I also advocated the negative idea

that gems should be chosen for bad (weak) planets to strengthen their

weakness. In fact, I actually practiced this negative method of gem

selection for clients from 1974 to 1989, and now I can understand why

my

first 15 years were so discouraging. I was not giving people what was

GOOD for them; rather I was dispensing the very worst gem they could

use.

 

An illustration of this concept can be taken from one of my own

experiences with gem therapy. Saturn in particular is a krura-graha,

or

cruel planet, and its position in my horoscope is even worse. Still, I

was advised by most sidereal astrologers to use a blue sapphire, the

gem

for Saturn, in order to "pacify" Saturn's harmful influence on me.

 

After a long search I found a flawless, unburned, top color Burmese

blue sapphire weighing just over 7 carats. I bought the gem, had it set

into a special gold ring, and on Saturday, two hours and forty minutes

before sunset (during the waxing Moon), and I installed the ring after

reciting the appropriate mantras to Shanideva.

 

I began having ill fortune as soon as I started wearing this most

auspicious and completely flawless blue sapphire, and the bad influence

was totally of a saturnine nature. I started getting frequent headaches

and my business started slowing down along with my energy level. Almost

everything I did was beset with obstacles and delays.

 

Finally, after using the gem for almost a year, I took it off in

frustration. And slowly I began to feel relief (Note: Our research has

shown that the influence of blue sapphire for Saturn takes about 30

days

to wear off). So the blue sapphire didn't 'pacify' my cruel Saturn, it

didn't strengthen my so-called weak Saturn; rather it increased

Saturn's

evil influence on me according to its bad position in my birth chart.

 

Later I had the opportunity to show my birth chart to Pandit

Vidyadhar Shukla, the current Chief Brahmin Priest and leading Vedic

astrologer of Thailand, who confirmed that Saturn was indeed a bad

influence for me. He further suggested that as the blue sapphire had

made matters worse, this was a good case against the theory that gems

"pacify" harmful planets.

 

In my chart Sun is exalted in Aries in the 9th house as lord of my

lagna, Leo. Pandit Vidyadhar suggested that I should wear a ruby to

"strengthen" the Sun in order to counteract or overpower Saturn's

harmful influence. Panditji also told me to "donate" a blue sapphire in

order to mitigate Saturn's harmful influence. Since following this

advice I have experienced much better effects on my health, business

and

attitude.

 

 

II GEM DONATIONS (using gems to pacify harmful planets)

 

Gems CAN be used to 'pacify' bad or ill-placed planets, but the

method is to sacrifice or DONATE the gem(s) for one's bad planet(s),

not

to wear the gem oneself. For example: To propitiate an evil

(ill-placed)

Rahu in one's horoscope, it is recommended that one should DONATE a

fine hessonite (gomeda) gem to a leper on Saturday evening during the

waxing Moon. This is the recommendation for using gems to PACIFY bad or

ill-placed planet(s) in one's horoscope.

 

 

III GEM CLARITY (Is a gem dead or alive?)

 

According to Shastra only EYE-CLEAN gems (free of visible flaws) are

auspicious and flawed gems "should not be used at all!" Ref. Chapter

246

of the Sanskrit classic "Agni-Puranam"...

 

"A gem which is cracked, fissured, devoid of luster, or appearing rough

or sandy, should not be used at all."

 

Or consider this bit of gemological advice spoken by Paramahansa

Sripad Suta Goswami in Chapter 69 of "Sri Garuda Purana"...

 

"A ruby, although genuine, should not be worn if it has strong

color banding, excessive inclusions within like numerous internal

cracks, a sandy appearance, a rough surface, or is dull and lusterless.

Anyone using such a flawed ruby, even out of ignorance, will suffer

from

disease, or loss of fortune."

 

Over and over the Shastras repeatedly order, "No flawed gems!" For

instance, here is another quote from Sri Garuda Purana about the use of

ordinary colorless quartz (Bishma-ratna),

 

"These [before mentioned auspicious] attributes pertain to pure

flawless quartz, and knowledgeable gemologists advise that flawed

varieties that are included, fractured, or discolored should be

completely avoided!"

 

The required quality standard for Vedic Planetary Gemology is quoted

in Sanskrit as "sujyam-amalam" or top color (sujati=high born) and

flawless (amala). This is the only good standard and all else would be,

by definition, sub-standard or even worthless; I ask who wants to wear

a

'flawed' gem if it is deemed harmful?

 

IV CONCLUSION (Harness the pure power of your lucky stars)

 

My conclusions are based on Vedic scripture, common sense, and a 25

year study of over 5,000 persons using gems for their strong or good

planets, as well as others using gems for their bad or weak planets.

Gems related to good planets produced good results, while gems for bad

planets produced BAD results. THIS is scientific!

 

I think that some of today's Kali-yuga astrologers are doing a great

disservice to the public by prescribing gems for BAD planets, and also

telling people that it is OK to use FLAWED gems, in complete

contradiction of the Shastras. Some are even so far fetched as to

advise

that synthetic (lab-created) gems are "real," i.e., that they have the

same real power of a real *natural* gemstone.

 

[And I have observed that whenever I tell most Asian people what I

do, viz., Planetary Gemology, their immediate thought is of a beggar

sitting in the gutter and selling people their CHART, their GEM

PRESCRIPTION A-N-D their GEMSTONE, for Rs.100 (around $ 3.00). I think

this is a disgrace and it is proof that the evil Kali Yuga is gaining

momentum. It is really unfortunate when an ancient and exalted Vedic

science like Planetary Gemology becomes so degraded as at the present

time.]

 

If it is true that bad planetary gems can harm a person and flawed

gems are actually inauspicious, then those who recommend such inferior

quality of stones are guilty of inflicting harm on fellow human beings.

 

V PRICE (Are flawless gems only for the rich?)

 

The question may be raised, "If only flawless gems are good luck, does

that mean that good luck is only for the rich people who can afford the

price of a flawless gem?" The question can be expanded: "Flawed, common

gems are available to every one, rich and poor alike, but flawless,

CLEAN gems are very expensive. Only the wealthy people can afford

flawless, top quality gems, and that leaves nothing for the masses. If

only CLEAN gems are auspicious, where does that leave the middle and

poor classes? Are flawless gems only for the rich?"

 

---Suppose a person is advised to use a Sun jewel because of the Sun's

being posited in an auspicious sign in their horoscope. If their budget

(the amount a person can spend) is only $100 then they are poor (for

totally poverty-stricken persons there is no question of gemstones); if

the amount is $1,000 then they are middle class; if the budget is

$10,000 or more then they are rich. But in every case they can have a

flawless, natural Sun gem, because Nature has provided a number of

natural alternative gems. So, in this case, everyone, the poor, the

rich, and the middle class could all be happy by purchasing either a...

 

1) Flawless red garnet for $100. (Poor)

2) Flawless red spinel for $1,000. (Middle)

3) Flawless red ruby for $10,000. (Rich)

 

Along with the Navaratna (viz., ruby, natural pearl, yellow

sapphire,

hessonite, emerald, diamond, cat's eye, blue sapphire, and red coral)

or nine primary gems, there are many other natural gemstone choices

based on color. These "upa-ratnas" are less expensive than their

precious counterparts and yet they conduct the same astral energy of

their associated planet. They are also easier to find without flaws or

treatment.

 

Here is a list of the foremost upa-ratna (semi-precious gems) known

to man, along with their ruling planets:

 

-(RUBY) Red spinel, red garnet and red tourmaline (rubellite) are ruled

by the Sun;

 

-(NATURAL PEARL) Moonstone & (natural-death) Ivory and white coral are

ruled by the Moon;

 

-(YELLOW SAPPHIRE) Yellow topaz, yellow beryl (heliodor) and citrine

are ruled by Jupiter;

 

-(HESSONITE) Spessartite, orange zircon and other orange garnets are

ruled by Rahu (North Node of the Moon);

 

-(EMERALD) Tsavorite, green tourmaline, diopside, peridot and jade are

ruled by Mercury;

 

-(DIAMOND) White (colorless) sapphire, topaz, zircon, beryl and quartz

are ruled by Venus;

 

-(CAT'S EYE CHRYSOBERYL) Beryl, apatite, fibrolite and tourmaline cat's

eyes are ruled by Ketu (South Node of the Moon);

 

-(BLUE SAPPHIRE) Tanzanite (blue zoisite), blue spinel, iolite and

amethyst are ruled by Saturn;

 

-(RED CORAL) Carnelian and bloodstone are ruled by Mars.

 

If one cannot afford the price of a flawless ruby or diamond, they

may opt instead for a flawless but far less expensive red garnet or

colorless quartz crystal. All of the Sidereal astrological planets have

several varieties of gems that transmit they're cosmic energies,

beginning with the primary, most precious gems and followed by

secondary, less expensive gems.

 

It's better, for example, to wear a flawless red garnet than a

flawed ruby. People interested in enhancing their lives through the

auspicious cosmic energies transmitted by planetary gemstones should

select only flawless specimens. It is in fact better to wear no gems at

all than to wear flawed stones. But since every planet offers a variety

of gems from "first class" to "economy class," one may easily pick a

flawless gem that suits one's

Individual budget as well as one's horoscope.

 

VI REQUEST FOR STANDARDIZATION:

 

In conclusion I would like to suggest that the PGA, in coordination

with the editor of the highly regarded authority, the Astrological

Magazine, recruit the world's leading astrologers to discuss and

standardize the system of Vedic Planetary Gemology. This

standardization will help to eliminate some of the current fraudulent

practices of crooks and deluded astrologers so that this ancient

science can benefit the population at large.

 

Thank you for reading this message and considering our opinion. Any

comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Please contact me by

sec or write care of PGA: http://www.p-g-a.org

 

Respectfully,

 

Richard S. Brown, GIA, PG

http://www.richardshawbrown.com

 

 

 

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