saptaratna (navaratna)

[Peter Bisschop]

Among brahmanical texts these seven ratnas turn up in some Puraa.nas,  
in connection with the Cakravartin.

Vi.s.nudharmottarapuraa.na 1.172.42ab--43ab:

1.172.42ab/ te.saa.m tu sapta ratnaani bhavantiiha mahiitale/
1.172.42cd/ hastya"svaratharatnaani bhaaryaaratna.m tathaiva ca//
1.172.43ab/ tathaivaayudharatna.m ca ma.niratnanidhis tathaa/

Brahmaa.n.dapuraa.na 1.29.74:

cakra.m ratho ma.nir bhaaryaa nidhir a"svo gajas tathaa  /
saptaitaani ca ratnaani sarve.saa.m cakravartinaam  // BdP_1,29.74 //

---
Dr Peter Bisschop
Asian Studies
University of Edinburgh
7/8 Buccleuch Place
Edinburgh EH8 9LW
Scotland, U.K.

e-mail: Peter.Bisschop at ed.ac.uk
phone: +(0)131 650 4174
http://www.asianstudies.ed.ac.uk/staff/bisschop.htm


On 17 Dec 2008, at 14:17, Arlo Griffiths wrote:

> 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
>


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