saptaratna (navaratna)

[Arlo Griffiths]

Dear colleagues,

I am interested in the concept of 7 (or 9) 'jewels' denoting certain  
standard lists composed of people and insignia at the king's court,  
as e.g. in Mahaavastu I.49 (ed. Senart):

tasya imaani sapta ratnaani abhunsu | sayyathiida.m cakraratna.m  
hastiratna.m a;svaratna.m
ma.niratna.m striiratna.m g.rhapatiratna.m parinaayakaratnam eva  
saptama.m

I have hitherto failed to find good examples of this meaning of  
saptaratna in brahmanical texts, nor am I aware of any discussions of  
this list (or similar lists) in secondary literature.

I would be very grateful for references.

Arlo Griffiths
École française d'Extrême-Orient (Jakarta)
Instituut Kern, Universiteit Leiden