Planetary Gemology: Conflicting Systems
by Richard Shaw Brown, PG

GEM: A natural pearl, coral, shell, seed, tooth, or mineral that is valued for its durability, rarity, portability, beauty, perfection, or piezo-electric energy.

GEMOLOGY: The study of naturally occurring gems.

PLANETARY GEMOLOGY: (Ratna-vijnana or Ratna-para-vidya) Ancient Vedic science of the relationship between 9 (categories of) GEMS and 9 (categories of ) PLANETS recognized as most important in Sidereal astrology. Based on the "Navaratna" philosophy of Asian Birthstones.

Some people might wonder about Planetary Gemology... But among those who KNOW, there is conflict. The Planetary Gemology World is divided into two (2) opposing philosophies, viz., Anukul-vad v/s Pratikul-vad.

ANUKULA-VAD: A Jyotish Gem will act "SAME" as it's planet - So gems should be chosen for Anukul (favorable) grahas

PRATIKUL-VAD: A Jyotish Gem will act "OPPOSITE" of it's planet - So gems should be chosen for Pratikul (unfavorable) grahas

Anukul Planet's gem choosing method for resorting to or harnessing one's auspicious (Anukul) planet(s) (exalted, mulatrikona, own sign, benefic, great friend, good house, owner of good house, etc.) based on the concept that lucky planet = lucky gem! In Jyotish there are basically two broad categories of planetary position, viz., favorable (to the chart) (Anukul) OR unfavorable (to the chart). One should avoid their weakness and cultivate their strengths. "Ratna-anukul" means the auspicious gem of strongest most desirable planet. Example: One has Leo Lagna - their lagna lord is Sun, who is exalted (100% strength) and posited in the 9th house which is all very auspicious. That person would be advised to use a fine ruby, the Sun’s gem, to attract or harness his auspicious influence. On the other hand if a person had Saturn debilitated (0% strength) and in the 8th house they would be advised to avoid Saturn’s gem blue sapphire and all other Saturnine things or activities. And better still they could donate a blue sapphire to pacify Shanideva. The followers of Anukul-vad believe that the pratikul-graha color is the unlucky color, and to magnify that bad color will simply increase the problems caused by that unlucky Planet. Both methods believe that gems increase cosmic colors of their planets, thus for an Anukuli (follower of the Anukul system) it is considered to be suicide to increase a pratikul-graha's color. In Anukul there is never a case where a Pratikul (harmful to the chart/native) planet's gem should be worn as it will surely increase the ill fortune; but such gems for a Pratikul planet can be used by DONATING them - giving them AWAY - according to Shastric directions. A pure anukuli believes that a pratikul-gem is NEVER good to use; it is increasing the cosmic poison, and ill fortune (a person's bad cosmic vibes) should NEVER be increased. Anukul means a planet that is beneficially disposed either by being strong in own sign, good house, ruler of houses which will bring positive results, or otherwise not ill disposed nor inclined to produce evil influence. A planet which is good for the chart either naturally or by house ruler ship yet somewhat weakened by placement may be strengthened through the gem, or a planet which already is strong and giving benefic influence may be further strengthened for gains in particular areas of life by wearing the gem.

Pratikul Planet's gem choosing method for changing a weak or evil planet, based on the misconception that a 'pratikul' (inauspicious) planet is strengthened by wearing it's gem and there by it changes from being inauspicious (pratikul) to become auspicious (anukul). ILLOGIC: By providing the gem for a malefic planet, benefic results will follow. Example: A person has Jupiter debilitated and a malefic which is inauspicious or pratikul, but by wearing Jupiter's gem, yellow sapphire or another yellow Jupiter jewel, it is believed that the 'weak' (troublesome) Jupiter gets strengthened and REVERSES to become auspicious. Some persons opine that a harmful planet means that the planet's "cosmic color" is weak. The gems for the planets are concentrated essential cosmic color rays; so by wearing the gem for the weak, Pratikul (harmful) color that weak color is strengthened, and when the weak color is stronger then the harmful influence will be REVERSED, removed or mitigated. Pratikul means a planet that causes evil influence or suffering to the native as seen through the horoscope. This may be a debilitated planet who is in a dusthana and enemy of the lord of the lagna, or otherwise disposed that the influence simply causes suffering.

Before describing the most popular methods, let me first say that choosing gems which are favorable (Anukul for the native's chart) as well as clean (amala) and auspicious, these two are a MUST in planetary gemology. Of the 6 PGA CODES the prohibition against astrological use of synthetics is the least of all PG evils as synthetics have no harmful effect because they have NO effect whatsoever. The most important considerations are Anukul-graha gem choosing and flawless gems - 100% loupe clean down to 80% loupe clean is an acceptable range in our experience. Always exercise CAUTION with any gem that has clarity below 80% loupe clean. Very flawed gems are dead due to serious life-ending defects, and according to Shastra, "If anyone wears a gem with many flaws (even) out of ignorance, then grief, anxiety, sickness, death, loss of wealth and other evils torment them."--- Sri Garuda Purana:1.70.19

When choosing gems we must add up the pluses in a chart. For example, one chart has Venus exalted in a good house but a malefic for the Lagna and lord of a bad house, so on the surface we have two pluses and two minuses or "+ + - -" , i.e., a good sign placement, a good house placement, but it is unfavorable by nature for the native, and is lord of a bad house. Another chart might have a debilitated planet as lord of their Moon sign, that is a benefic for the Lagna, and in a good house, and lord of a good house, so that means a "- + + +" In the first example we could rule the planet as borderline unfavorable (pratikul); but the 2nd case has the planet mostly favorable (anukul) - so that weak, beneficial planet could be made stronger. A strong anukul planet can also be made even stronger to attain certain goals, like making an exalted Sun even stronger because the native desires fame or increase in stature (provided the native HAS the karma to achieve that, because we cannot do BETTER than our karma).

Taking this further one could see house ownership, functional nature, periods in motion, movements of Saturn, Yogini-dashas, as well as aspects, navamsa positions, etc. to first of all conclude if the planet in question is FAVORABLE - OR - UNFAVORABLE for the chart, all things considered. It doesn't matter if a planet is strong or weak, it only matters that the planet is judged as favorable (anukul-graha) or unfavorable (pratikul-graha). An anukul-graha can always be strengthened, but a pratikul-graha should never be strengthened

That gems for Pratikul-grahas may be DONATED or GIVEN AWAY in a form of Vedic charity to achieve Graha-shanti is another subject known as, "Ratna-arpana." Using gem donations is he ONLY time an UNFAVORABLE planetary gem should be used by the native - by giving it AWAY. The native should be informed what planets are most FAVORABLE for them and then the native may choose from among their Anukul-graha-ratnas or favorable planetary gems.

Adding the plus and minus points to determine which planets are most favorable to the native enables us to proceed further.

Here is an ultra-simplified version of the Asian Sri Navaratna Astrological Birth Stones system based on one’s Lagna or Rising Sign Lord – the Planet ruling one’s Rising Sign (the zodiac sign in the 1st house of a horoscope). Thus if a person has Simha-lagna (Leo Rising) then their Rising Sign birthstone would be Ruby, which is the gem of the Sun the planet ruling the sign of Leo: