There are two (2) opposing philosophies of recommending the gemstone , first Anukul-vad second Pratikul-vad:
ANUKULA-VAD/FAVURABLE THEORY: A gem will act “SAME” as its planet – So gems should be chosen for Anukul (favorable) grahas PRATIKUL-VAD/UNFAVOURABLE THEORY: A gem will act “OPPOSITE” of its planet – So gems should be chosen for Pratikul (unfavorable) grahas IMPORTANT: LOGICALLY/ SCIENTIFICALLY WE MAY CONCLUDE TO BELIEVE IN “ANUKUL-VAD” – A gem will act “SAME” as its planet – So gems should be chosen for Anukul (favorable) grahas.
Anukul Planet’s gem choosing method for resorting to or harnessing one’s auspicious or 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) – Pratikul. 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 ill-placed 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 Shani. 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 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.
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 strengthening a weak or evil planet, based on the misconception that a ‘pratikul’ (inauspicious) planet is strengthened by wearing it’s gem and thereby it changes from being inauspicious (pratikul) to become auspicious (anukul) seems 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. Pratikul means a planet that causes evil influence or suffering to the native as seen through the horoscope. This may be a debilitated planet that is in a duh-sthana and enemy of the lord of the lagna, or otherwise disposed that the influence simply causes suffering.
When choosing gems we must mentally take note and add up the pluses in a chart. We want to determine which graha or astral demigod is the chart holder’s best friend. We should avoid our enemies or ill wishers, and shouldn’t associate with them more than necessary. If we have a powerful friend then they can help us, and if we have a weak friend then we could make them stronger. But we should not strengthen our enemies. It is a mistake to equate strength/weakness with friend/foe in astrology or any field – that is common sense. A planet being weak does not mean it is inimical, and a planet’s being strong doesn’t automatically make it favorable. We want to determine which planets are the most anukul (auspicious); strength is another matter.
For example, one chart has a planet exalted in a good house but a functional malefic and lord of two bad houses, so on the surface we have two pluses and three 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 two bad houses. Another chart might have a debilitated planet that is a functional benefic and in a good house, and lord of two good houses, 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 a weak, beneficial planet can 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 or worse than our karma). Taking this further one could see planetary 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 RATNA-ARPANA: 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…
1. First look to the lagna or rising sign and then check the lord of the rising sign to see if it is in an auspicious condition in the rasi chart. If this is the case then we wholeheartedly prescribe the gemstone ruled by the lagna’s lord. Example: If one has Leo rising we look to the position of the Sun (Lord of Leo) in the chart. If the Sun is posited in an auspicious sign, e.g., sign of exaltation, own sign, trine, or at least a friendly sign, it will act in a beneficial way. If any of these are the case then we may recommended ruby or another “Sun jewel” as one’s first gem choice. NOTE: If the birth time is unknown or unsure then skip this method… A list of the primary rising sign gems is given as follows:
2. PLANETARY PERIODS: Every person is born into a planetary period. The period will be good or bad depending on the period’s ruling planet. Like if one is in a Sun period, and Sun is GOOD in their chart, then that will be a good period characterized by the Sun (leadership, courage, etc.); but if the position of the Sun is harmful then it would be a bad period of life. For GEMS we check the position of the planet ruling one’s mahadasha or major planetary period. If this planet is well-placed in the rasi chart then we prescribe that planet’s gemstone(s) for use during the duration of the mahadasha period. Example: If one is in or entering a Jupiter mahadasha and if Jupiter is posited in an auspicious sign and/or house position, then we recommend yellow sapphire or another natural yellow gemstone. At the time of ones birth a certain planetary period will be in motion. If a person is born in the middle of a Venus major period then they still have 10 more years of major Venus influence before they change into their Sun period at the age of 10 years. Each major planetary period follows a certain order and is of a fixed period of time – this information is given as follows:
Depending on the period in operation when one is born, the soul will pick up the periods and pass through them in succession in the order given above.
Next we look to one’s birth sign or Moon rasi , i.e., the sign in which the Moon is posited at the time of one’s birth. In sidereal astrology the Moon’s sign position is considered very important. Example: If one’s Moon sign is Leo, a sign ruled by the Sun, then we must look to the sign and house position of the Sun in the horoscope. If the Sun is located in an auspicious position in both the rasi chart and the navamsa chart then we can recommend a ruby or other red Sun jewel as one’s “birth stone.” The list of these Vedic “birthstones” is given below for easy reference: BIRTHSTONE RULING PLANET MOON SIGN
4. We then check the janma-naksatra or the constellation in which the Moon is posited at birth. Each of these 27 birth stars is ruled by one of the nine planets recognized in sidereal astrology. Example: If one’s birth constellation is “punarvasu” (the 7th constellation), which is ruled by Jupiter, then we look to the position of Jupiter in the horoscope. If Jupiter is located in an auspicious sign and/or house position in both the rasi chart and the navamsa chart, then we can recommend yellow sapphire or another yellow “Jupiter” jewel. Following is a list of the 27 constellations, their ruling planet and corresponding gemstone:
5. Next we examine all the nine planets in the rasi chart to see if any are exalted. Planets which are in their sign of maximum strength (exaltation) give positive and beneficial results, and their gemstone(s) may be used with advantage.
7. A further consideration is any planet which is in it’s sign of mulatrikona or trine. A Planet in mulatrikona gives beneficial results similar to an exalted planet, and their gem(s) may be used to advantage.
8. A planet which is located in a friendly sign will also give beneficial results, and it’s gemstone may be used to advantage.
9. Our final consideration is preference based on the characteristic “planetary influence.” Example: If a person wishes to use a Sun jewel like ruby or red spinel to increase their name and fame, then we will recommend that stone provided the person’s Sun is not located in an unfriendly or inauspicious sign and/or house position in their sidereal horoscope.
