365bet娱乐

[Full title: Item-wise Discussion on Gems with Decreasing Hardness; (13): Pearl (Mukta)]

There are many kinds of pearl-like substances in nature, but we are concerned mainly with the pearl produced by the molluse: or oysters Meleagrina margaritifera (fresh water species). The pearl is the response of the mollusc to the stimulus afforded by local irritation of the mantle. A small foreign body acts as the nucleus, and the concentric material deposited on it are alternate layers of calcium carbonate (as aragonite) and the protein conchiolin both produced and secreted internally by the organism; this is also the constitution of the inner coating of the shells known as the 'mother of pearl'. Thin alternate laminated layers of aragonite and conchiolin result in the gem of various sizes, specific gravity 2.65-2.68 and

VII-62 hardness around four in the Moh's scale. Light penetrates the first few translucent layers and then get reflected; the combined reflection causes the play of colour and what we know as 'pearly lustre'. Thinner the calcareous laminae, the more beautiful is 1 the lustre. The pearls produced by the marine moluses are far superic to those produced by the fresh water species. In terms of hardness, diamond (10) and pearl (4) are poles. apart. On account of the high content of organic material (early 10-12 percent of conchiolin), pearl gradually decays and becomes brittle after a long time. Yet, its beautiful lustre has made it as popular as diamond. On the beauty, popularity and worth of the lustrous pearl, Buddhabhatta wrote eloquently, and his composition (Ratna-pariksha 69) was repeatedly quoted later by other authors: vicitra ratnadyuti carutoya catuhsamudrabharanabhirama mulyam na va syat iti niscayo krtsna mahi tasya suvarnapurvi 'I am sure that the whole earth surrounded by four oceans, overflowing with waters sparkling like gems, is not an adequate price for this (pearl), even if this earth is filled with gold' (Ratna-pariksha 69; Garuda-purana 1.69.17). Before we quote references on the beautiful oyster-pearl, let us mention the other kinds of pearls which have received minor attention in the Sanskrit literature.

VII-63 Buddhabhatta wrote about different kinds of pearls: 'Pearls are found in lordly elephants, clouds, wild boars, shells, fishes, cobras, oysters and the bamboos. Pearls in oysters are more abundant' (Ratna-pariksha 52). Some details were given in Ratnapariksa 53-68, and the entire material was reproduced almost verbatim in Garuda Purana 1.69.1-16. Similar lists have been provided in Agastimata 83-106, Navaratnapariksa 60-68, Manimala 243-258, 261 & 265, RS 6, and in Rayanaparikkha 39-48. It is a common misconception that pearls are produced only by the pearl oysters and the other seven types are imaginary. In this regard, Sarma (1984:54-56) has put the record straight. The cloud pearl is of course mythical, but other kinds are not fictition though rare. The common conch-shell (Strombus gigas) or large conch (Cassis corunta) produce pearls of ornamental value, and these are called conch pearls or pink pearls (Herbert Smith, 'Gemstones', p. 472). These pearls are pink or white, non-nacreous, and have porcelain-like surface with a peculiar appearance and sheen like watered silk (Robert Webster, 'Gems', London 1962, Vol. 1, p. 387). Conch-pearl has been probably the gem, earliest recorded in the Indian literature. In the Rgveda and in the subsequent Vedic literatures, sankha (conch) and kisan (conch-pearl) were mentioned together (Vide chapter 2 and 3). Kautilya recognised that oysters as well as conch-shells were the sources of pearls (AS 2.11.3). Buddhabhatta (Ratna-pariksha 57) and Garuda Purana (1.69.6) mentioned that

VII-64 conch-pearl is yellow. Varahamihira wrote (BS. 81.28): samkhodbhavam sasinibham vrttam bhrajisnu rudhiramca The pearl bom of conch-shell is round, lustrous, beautiful and moon-like" In Navaratnapariksa (67 &82), conch-pearl was specifically mentioned as kisan since it was longish, like the egg of a pigeon, coming from Pancajanva (the famous name of conch) and lustrous like hail-stone: dirgham ca yat krsam proktam kapotanda pramanam varsopale samadipti pancajanya kulobhavam Pheru wrote (Rayanaparikkha 41) that conch-pearl with a reddish tint occurs in the right-whorled conch (daksinavarta sankha). Manimala (266-270) provided some collected information: 'Only the yellow-bodied and black-mouthed conch-shells produ pearls. Such a pearl has the dimension of a large plum, and is white as the inner surface of the coat of that shell fish. There are twenty-seven kinds of conch-shells, produced by as many stellar constellations. A conch-pearl could be white, black, yellowish, crimson blue, reddish, deep yellow, ash coloured or pale red'. The bamboo pearl is also quite real; some female bamboos produce a siliceous concretion in their joints which is called in Sanskrit vam samukta, vamsalocana, vam akarpura, tvaksera, tvaksira (Persian tabashir) etc. The Indians, Persians and Arabs were aware of its medicinal properties. (Edward Balfour, * Encyclopaedia Asiatica', New Delhi, 1976 volume 8, p. 797).

VII-65 Varahamihira wrote (BS. 81.28) that 'a pearl is to be known to have sprung from bamboo, if it resembles camphor or rock. crystal and is flat and uneven (or rough): karpura sphatikanimam cipitam visamam ca venujam jneyam The bamboo-pearl has been described as tvaksara or the essence of the plant-epidermis, varsopalasamadiptih, lustrous like the hailstone, clear as the moon, resembling the fruits of badari and kankolf or kakkol, a fragrant fruit, and the seeds. of gunja, Abrus precatorius etc. (Ratna-pariksha 61, Agastimata 100, Navaratnapariksa 66, Garuda-purana 1.69.9,Rayanaparikkha 43). Manimala (296) commented that there are five specie of bamboos, which produce five different kinds of bamboo-pearls. Gajamukta or elephant pearl, often described in the Sanskr literature, is a pearl-shaped growth found in the elephants' forehead. In Navaratnapariksa (Navaratnapariksa 62; also, Manimala 252), it is mentioned that this kind of pearl 'originates in the head of the elephants of Kamboja (Cambodia) and is as large as the fruit of the Emblic myrobalan, heavy and more yellow, but not more lustrous than the other kinds': kambojakumbhisambhutam dhatriphalanibham samam | atamra pimjaracchayam mauktikam mandadidhiti || 11 | The yellow colour of the elephant pearl is mentioned in other literatures also (Ratna-pariksha 56, and Garuda-purana, 1.69.5). Pheru compared the size of elephant-pearl with the fruit of amalaka or myrobalan the and described that the best kind of elephant-pearl has yellowish- -red colour but dull lustre (Rayanaparikkha 40).

VII-6 The boar pearl could also be an outgrowth or antidotal concretion developed in the body of the boar, somewhat akin to the bezoar stone. Varahamihira wrote: damstramule sasikanta saprabham bahugunamca varaham | 'Very valuable and lustrous like the moon is the pearl born of the root of the boar's tusks' (BS. 81.23) Manimala (261 & 265) described it as generally white like the tusks of that animal, and resembling a plum in shape. Pheru wrote that the boar-pearl is round, ghee-coloured and equal in size to salaphala, the fruit of Shorea robusta (Rayanaparikkha 44). saying Manimala contains extracts from the Sanskrit literature (Manimala 272-276) that pearls occurring in sea-fish are singular round, small, light and in colour like the back of the sheat fish, Silurus Boalis. The pearls orignating in whales are gunja shaped and patali coloured (Agastimata 90-91). The earlier writers (Ratna-pariksha 58, BS.81.23, Agastimata 90, Manasollasa 2.4.431) specifically mentioned timija or the pearl from whales. Sarma (1984:56) has suggested that this is ambara or ambergis which 'consists of the faeces of the Cachelot or Sperm Whale, Physeter macrocephalus, which inhabits the Indian ocean' Manimala compiled the Sanskrit texts on serpent pearls (Manimala 277-284) 'which adom the serpent's crest, are finely round and highly shining and reflect a beautiful blue halo like the

VII-67 flash of a polished sword' (Ratna-pariksha 62, Agastimata 92-93). Varahamihira admitte that many of the uncommon varieties of pearl, as mentioned above, rarely seen, and qualified many of his descriptions with the word kila denoting 'it is said. (BS. 81.21).