Indian Gemmology

[Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan]

In a message dated 1/3/99 6:50:55 AM Central Standard Time,
naga_ganesan at HOTMAIL.COM writes:

> Please inform me on anything you find on vaiDuurya, 'cat's eye'
>  gemstone. Its word meaning, possible derivations, occurences in
>  Indian literature, where these are unearthed, ...


Jan Gonda in Old Indian (1971) p. 198 says, "vaiDUrya- "cat's-eye gem" which
has now been explained as Dravidian (from the place-name vellUr) was according
to pANini 4,3,84 a derivative of vidUra- "very remote"."

Regards
S. Palaniappan