1.2. Materials (a): Vajra (Diamond)

Diamond is a hardest and highly priced gem used to make all sorts of ornaments. Purāṇas deal elaborately with diamond. Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra, Bṛhatsaṃhitā and Mānasollāsa also give a detailed account of diamond.

According to Garuḍapurāṇa^[1], diamond is obtained from six sources and they differ in colour. The classification is as follows.

Source	Colour
Veṇātatva	Red
Sauvīra	Similar to dark cloud
Kaliṅga	Colour of gold
Kosala	Yellowish shade
Puṇdra	Black
Mātaṅga (Temple of elephant)	Dark yellow

Regarding the signs of an excellent diamond, it is said that those that are very tiny, glossy, having equally softened sides and sharp ends, without any scratches, spots, dots, lines or marks are good. A diamond with all the above mentioned qualities is considered as the dwelling of deities. Even a minute damage of diamond is considered inauspicious. Diamonds of different colours are presided over by different deities. They are also associated with different Varṇas.

The tables given below explain it^[2].

Colour	Deity
Green	Viṣṇu
White	Varuṇa
Yellow	Indra
Tawny	Agni
Dark	Yama
Red	Maruts
Colour	Varṇa
Similar to conch, white lotus and crystal	Brāhmaṇa
Looks like hare’s eye	Kṣatriya
Resembles a plantain leaf	Vaiśya
Like a well polished sword	Śūdra

For a king, diamond with colours of turmeric juice or similar to the colour of a Japā flower is prescribed.

An excellent diamond can drive out snake’s poison. It keeps away the fear of fire, tiger thieves and water. It is said to be useful in the rituals related to sorcery. Since diamond is the hardest of all objects in the world, it is impossible to cut or even make a scratch on a diamond with any objects other than another diamond^[3].

Mines, flow of water and temples of elephants are the main sources of diamond, mentioned in Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra^[4]. Of these, diamonds got from the mines and flow of water was known by the term Prakīrṇaka.

In addition to these, Kauṭilya gives special references to another six places, where diamonds are found. They are -

1. Sabhārāṣtra (Near Bombay),
2. Kāstirarāṣtra (Region of Śrīkhaṇṭa mountain),
3. Uttara (Maṇimantha mountain) and
4. Indravāna (Kaliṅga region).

Kauṭilya describes a lot about the quality of a good diamond. Regarding its defects, he agrees with the Purāṇas. References to various colours of diamonds are seen in Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra. Thus diamonds with colours similar to Śirīṣa flower, cow’s urine, Gorocana etc. are described^[5].

To the Purāṇic list of sources of diamond, Bṛhatsaṃhitā adds Himālaya region. Its colour is said to be similar to copper. According to the text, the diamond mined from the bank of Veṇā river is the purest of all. Bṛhatsaṃhitā also associates the various colours and shapes of diamonds with various deities^[6].

They are—

Colour	Shape	Deities
White	Hexagonal	Indra
Dark	Snake’s mouth	Yama
Resembling plantain leaf	Varied	Viṣṇu
Similar to Karṇikāra	Female genital organ	Varuṇa
Looks like tiger’s eye	Triangular	Agni
Of Aśoka flower	Corn of barley	Vāyu

The price of a diamond is calculated proportionate to its quality and weight. The normal weight of a diamond is equal to twenty rice grains. Such a diamond drifts on water and is considered the best. Wearing diamond by a woman desiring a child is generally not encouraged. But Bṛhatsaṃhitā recommends diamonds of good trait for women longing for a child^[7].

P.C Ray^[8] gives details of three categories of diamond -male, female and hermaphrodite. Their shape, size and colour are different. These are again divided into Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra on the basis of their colour. The text also discusses the chemical processes related to diamond such as melting, purification, ‘killing’ and reducing into ashes.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.68.17

[2]:

I.68.21, 22

[3]:

I.46.48, 68.23, 27, 33, 34

[4]:

II.11.77

[5]:

Ibid

[6]:

80.6-7

[7]:

LXXIX.12-18

[8]:

AHHC, pp.100-104