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| | The "Nine Gem" Jewel |
 | | 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. |
 | | 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. |
 | | Among the Burmese the value for occult purposes of the nine gems composing the naoratna, or navaratna, is strictly determined in the following order: first, the ruby; second, the diamond, or rock-crystal; third, the pearl; fourth, the coral; fifth, the topaz; sixth, the sapphire; seventh, the cat's-eye; eighth, the amethyst; and ninth, the emerald. |
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