Graho Ane Ratno - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Graho ane Ratno" (Planets and Gemstones) by Gajendrashankar Lalshankar Pandya and Ramashankar Muktshankar Joshi, published by Harihar Pustakalaya, Surat, based on the provided text:

Overall Purpose and Philosophy:

The book aims to provide the general public with practical guidance on understanding the influence of planets and the appropriate gemstones to wear for pacifying malefic planetary influences and deriving benefits from auspicious ones. The authors emphasize that in modern times, people face numerous difficulties and often waste money on unqualified advisors. This book intends to offer a scientific and practical approach to overcoming planetary challenges by understanding the connection between planets, gemstones, colors, and even certain foods.

Core Concepts:

Planetary Influence and Karmic Connection: The text explains that planetary influences are not arbitrary but are tied to one's past karma. When a person experiences issues related to a specific planet, it signifies a deficiency in the elemental essence associated with that planet, stemming from ancestral karma. The goal is to replenish this elemental deficiency.
Dual Approach to Mitigation: The book outlines two primary approaches for strengthening weak planetary influences:
- Divine Efforts (Daeve Prayatna): Primarily through mantra recitation, leveraging the scientific power of sound vibrations.
- Human Efforts (Manushi Prayatna): Involving the consumption of specific substances, including gemstones, cereals, and wearing particular colors. These are believed to provide the elemental essence associated with different planets.
Gemstones as Elemental Carriers: Gemstones are presented as powerful conduits for specific elemental energies associated with planets. By understanding the qualities of each gemstone and its corresponding planet, individuals can choose the right gemstone to balance their energies.
Importance of Purity and Authenticity: The book strongly emphasizes the necessity of using pure and authentic gemstones. Imitation or flawed gemstones are deemed ineffective and potentially harmful.
Astrology as a Guiding Science: Astrology is referred to as the "eyes" (nayan) for understanding these cosmic influences.

Detailed Breakdown by Planet and Gemstone (as presented in the sampled pages):

The book dedicates sections to each of the nine planets, explaining their influence, the corresponding gemstone, its properties, selection criteria, auspicious and inauspicious positions, and remedies.

Sun (Surya) - Ruby (Manek/Lalmani):
- Connection: Ruby is associated with the Sun's rays and red color, which provides vital energy.
- Selection: Should be pure, clear, free of flaws, with a vibrant red color (like pigeon's blood), and of a suitable size (not too small, not too large).
- Auspicious Times: When the Sun is in the 3rd, 6th, or 11th houses (from Janma Rashi or Nama Rashi). It brings wealth, honor, intelligence, and family happiness.
- Inauspicious Times: When the Sun is in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, or 12th houses. It can cause accidents (fire), travel difficulties, anxiety, and financial loss.
- Remedies: Wearing a ruby set in gold, performing Surya mantra japa (28,000 times), offering donations (red ruby, wheat, red clothes, jaggery, gold, copper), and worshipping with red sandalwood and red flowers.
- Stotras/Mantras: Includes Vedic and Puranic mantras, Surya Kavach, and Surya Namasmaran Stotra.
Moon (Chandra) - Pearl (Moti):
- Connection: Pearl is associated with the Moon's soothing, silvery light and its cool, calming influence.
- Selection: Best pearls are naturally formed (from oysters), pure white or pale brown, lustrous, round, and free of blemishes. Imitation pearls made from glass or plastic are ineffective.
- Auspicious Times: When the Moon is in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 10th, or 11th houses. It enhances intellect, wealth, relationships, and spiritual inclination.
- Inauspicious Times: When the Moon is in the 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, or 12th houses. It can cause financial loss, obstacles in endeavors, fear, and even danger to life.
- Remedies: Wearing a pearl set in silver, performing Chandra mantra japa (44,000 times), offering donations (pearl, silver, white silk clothes, white cow with calf, ghee, camphor), and worshipping with white sandalwood and white flowers.
- Stotras/Mantras: Includes Vedic and Puranic mantras, Chandra Stotra, and Chandra Namasmaran Stotra.
Mars (Mangal) - Coral (Praval):
- Connection: Coral is associated with Mars, the planet of war and energy, and its red color stimulates action.
- Selection: Should be hard, smooth, lustrous, and of a vibrant red color (like a ripe berry).
- Auspicious Times: When Mars is in the 3rd, 6th, or 11th houses. It brings benefits from land, crops, health, wealth, victory over enemies, and royal favor.
- Inauspicious Times: When Mars is in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th, or 12th houses. It can cause heat-related ailments, skin diseases, blood disorders, unnecessary travel, disputes with friends, and potential danger.
- Remedies: Wearing coral set in copper or Panchdhatu, performing Mangal mantra japa (40,000 times), offering donations (red coral, wheat, lentils, red bull, jaggery, gold, red clothes, copper), and worshipping with Mangal Kavach and Stotras.
Mercury (Budh) - Emerald (Panna):
- Connection: Emerald is linked to Mercury, the planet of intellect, communication, and business, and its green color is essential.
- Selection: Should be clear, transparent, with a vibrant green color (like tender leaves), free of blemishes and cracks. The color should be like the neck of a peacock feather.
- Auspicious Times: When Mercury is in the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, or 11th houses. It enhances beauty, charm, intellect, brings good news, beneficial friendships, and good fortune.
- Inauspicious Times: When Mercury is in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, or 12th houses. It can cause financial loss, disputes with relatives, loss of happiness, impaired intellect, physical ailments, and enmity.
- Remedies: Wearing emerald set in gold or Panchdhatu, performing Budh mantra japa (16,000 times), offering donations (green cardamom, fragrant flowers, a servant girl, black clothes, brass, green gram), and worshipping with Budh Stotras.
Jupiter (Guru) - Yellow Sapphire (Pokhraj):
- Connection: Yellow sapphire is associated with Jupiter, the planet of wisdom, fortune, and expansion.
- Selection: The best are clear, lustrous yellow sapphires, from pale yellow to golden yellow. White sapphires are less effective.
- Auspicious Times: When Jupiter is in the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, or 11th houses. It brings happiness, strengthens relationships, enhances wealth, intellect, reputation, and new connections.
- Inauspicious Times: When Jupiter is in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, or 12th houses. It can cause financial crises, disputes, failures in endeavors, family disharmony, and mental distress.
- Remedies: Wearing yellow sapphire set in gold, performing Guru mantra japa (76,000 times), offering donations (yellow objects, turmeric, sugar, horse, yellow clothes, gold, lentils), and worshipping with Guru Stotras.
Venus (Shukra) - Diamond (Hira):
- Connection: Diamond is linked to Venus, the planet of love, beauty, luxury, and arts.
- Selection: Pure white, lustrous, colorless diamonds are most valuable. They should reflect rainbow colors when light passes through them.
- Auspicious Times: When Venus is in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, or 11th houses. It brings new acquaintances, joy, children, wealth, fame, and prosperity.
- Inauspicious Times: When Venus is in the 6th, 7th, or 10th houses. It can cause weakness, secret ailments, distress to wife and children, unnecessary expenses, headaches, opposition from friends, and distress to the mother.
- Remedies: Wearing a diamond set in gold or silver, performing Shukra mantra japa (64,000 times), offering donations (colorful clothes, white cow with calf, silver, diamond, expensive ornaments, fragrant substances, white flowers), and worshipping with Shukra Stotras.
Saturn (Shani) - Blue Sapphire (Neelamani):
- Connection: Blue sapphire is associated with Saturn, the planet of discipline, karma, and longevity.
- Selection: Should be pure, with a lustrous blue color (like a peacock's neck). Avoid flawed or dull stones.
- Auspicious Times: When Saturn is in the 3rd, 6th, or 11th houses. It brings wealth, honor, fame, benefits from friends, and success in endeavors.
- Inauspicious Times: When Saturn is in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, or 12th houses. It can cause financial loss, family disputes, mental distress, physical ailments, and general misfortune.
- Remedies: Wearing blue sapphire set in Panchdhatu or Triloha, performing Shani mantra japa (92,000 times), offering donations (black items like urad dal, black sesame seeds, black clothes, wool blankets, buffalo, iron), and worshipping with Shani Kavach and Stotras. The concept of Sade Sati (transits of Saturn) is also discussed in detail.
Rahu - Hessonite Garnet (Gomed):
- Connection: Hessonite garnet is associated with Rahu, the north node of the Moon, often linked to sudden events and illusion.
- Selection: Should have a color similar to burnt husk, be lustrous, and turn reddish-brown in dim light.
- Auspicious Times: When Rahu is in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 10th, or 11th houses. It can bring wealth, marital happiness, children, and overall well-being.
- Inauspicious Times: When Rahu is in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, or 12th houses. It can cause disputes with relatives, sorrow, financial loss, and physical ailments.
- Remedies: Wearing Hessonite garnet set in Panchdhatu or Triloha, performing Rahu mantra japa (72,000 times), offering donations (black items, black sesame seeds, oil), and worshipping with Rahu Stotras.
Ketu - Cat's Eye (Lasaniya):
- Connection: Cat's Eye is associated with Ketu, the south node of the Moon, often linked to spirituality, detachment, and sudden changes.
- Selection: Should resemble a peeled garlic clove in color and be opaque but able to absorb sunlight.
- Auspicious Times: When Ketu is in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 10th, or 11th houses. It can bring happiness, wealth, and peace.
- Inauspicious Times: When Ketu is in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, or 12th houses. It can cause financial difficulties, family disputes, and severe illness.
- Remedies: Wearing Cat's Eye set in Panchdhatu, performing Ketu mantra japa (72,000 times), offering donations (Cat's Eye, sesame seeds, sesame oil, musk, warm clothes, black clothes), and worshipping with Ketu Stotras.

Additional Important Sections:

Can Gemstones Influence Planets? This section delves into the scientific basis of how distant planets can influence humans through their rays and how gemstones act as conduits to capture and transmit these rays. It draws parallels with modern scientific phenomena like radio waves and X-rays to explain this subtle energy transfer.
Which Gemstones to Wear? This section discusses the rationale behind wearing specific gemstones and offers a perspective that rather than directly appeasing malefic planets, it might be more effective to propitiate a benevolent and powerful planet (like Jupiter) to counteract the negative effects of a malefic one.
In Which Finger to Wear the Ring? It explores the connection between fingers and planets based on palmistry and suggests wearing gemstone rings on the ring finger (associated with the Sun) for general benefit.
In Which Metal to Wear the Ring? Discusses the traditional associations of metals with planets (e.g., gold for the Sun, silver for the Moon, copper for Mars, lead for Saturn and Rahu, tin for Jupiter, brass for Mercury, and possibly iron/steel for Ketu) and suggests using the most appropriate metal for each gemstone.
Determining the Correct Gemstone: Emphasizes that identifying the correct gemstone requires careful analysis of the birth chart and consideration of the individual's unique karmic patterns.
Rules for Wearing Gemstones: Stresses the importance of purity, proper rituals, mantra chanting, and maintaining a clean lifestyle (especially for Saturn and Mars) for the gemstone to be effective.
Real vs. Artificial Gemstones: Warns against imitation gemstones and the importance of authenticity.
The Practice of Wearing Gemstones: Briefly touches upon the historical and philosophical underpinnings of wearing gemstones.

Appendices:

Appendix 2: Lists each zodiac sign, its nature (movable, fixed, dual), ruling planet, and the gemstone to wear.
Appendix 3: Details gemstones to wear on birthdays for benefits, common afflictions they address, and monthly gemstone recommendations. It also includes daily prayers and affirmations.

Overall Tone and Approach:

The book adopts a devotional yet practical tone. It blends astrological principles with a belief in karma and the efficacy of spiritual practices like mantra chanting and gemstone therapy. The authors aim to empower readers with knowledge to navigate their life challenges through a balanced approach to spiritual and material well-being.