The Navaratna or the necklace of nine gems is an exquisite piece of jewelry. A combination of nine auspicious stones strung together ensures the well being of the wearer. The Nine jewels can cure every Ailment. The Navaratna consists of the vajra or diamond, manika or ruby, marakata or emerald, vidruma or coral, mukta or pearl, Nila or sapphire, gomedaka or garnet, pusyaraga or topaz and vaidurya or cat's eye. This combination of gems is considered highly auspicious for the wearer and also acts as protection against danger and disease.
According to astrology, the planets watch over each gem to give it their potency. Saturn is the planet for the sapphire, Rahu for garnet, Ketu for cat's eye, Sukra, for the diamond, the Sun for ruby, the Moon for pearl, Guru for topaz, Budha for emerald and Angaraha for coral. Nine, the magical number. It is extremely fascinating that only nine jewels are selected for the ornament. Nine has always been a magical number. In classical dance, worship in the nine directions is called Navasandhi. There are nine rasas and nine tandavas (dances) of Shiva. The basic movement, the karanas are hundred and eight, (the digits when added together make nine) and one of the finest varnams in Bharatanatyam is composed in nine ragas. In religious texts, the Bhagvad Gita has eighteen chapters, again digits add up to a total of nine, as in the rudraksha mala, which has hundred and eight beads. Satyabhama, the beloved of Krishna as related in the Bhagavatam (a religious text), decorated her bed with nine gems-Navaratna Vinmrittam. The Goddess is worshiped for nine nights during the Navaratri festival. Even in the English language, an incident that creates excitement is a nine days wonder! A formally attired person is 'dressed up to the nines' and there are probably many more meanings to the number nine in other cultures. |
