Guest guest Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Namaste!!! Here is why we (PGA) don’t sell bad stone... Not to rich nor to poor... With either small or big or primary or uparatna, that is all dependant on price and visa versa. Poor people want to have Navaratna for a few thousand rupees but it is our job to teach them that GOOD gems are good and BAD gems are bad. If they cannot afford even a small Jyotish quality gem then they are dirt poor. And we shouldn't allow people to be in ignorance, like the poor. We must advise the real quality requirement, if they cannot afford a “jyotish quality” gem, then at least have a GOOD Rudraksha. Right now on your web site you have the BEST of Rudraksha, and the WORST of gems. And you are PGA members sworn off BAD gems. PGA members only carry GOOD (Jyotish) quality gems. And teach against the BAD quality of gems. It is an honour to be a PGA member because it means you follow the rules. But with $100 Navaratnas for sale any one can fail a complaint against your company, because for that price it must be the very BAD quality forbidden in Shastra. It makes PG look bad, and that is why rich don’t believe. In fact PG is a “Rich Man’s” luxury. And very flawed stones are repeatedly said (in Sri Garuda Purana, Agni Purana) to be bad luck for ALL. That includes the poor man. If he cannot afford a “jyotish quality” semi precious gem, then at least he can have a 5 mukhi Rudraksha. The Rudraksha will act as a talisman, BUT, the very flawed stones cause misfortune. So as PGA members it is our duty to teach the public what Shastra has most clearly said about gem clarity, i.e., gem MUST be “amala” or FLAWLESS (Eye clean). Like a ruby that is not even transparent is NOT a ruby, it is a “reddish corundum. And on your site there are such junk quality of rubies, not even transparent, and called as Clarity 100% (100% flawed is the fact). So it is not mercy to sell BAD stones to poor people. It is harmful to them according to Shastra... For more info please see below references (more personal letter follows these quotes)... Vedic References on Gem Clarity Before discussing the >gem clarity< issue first consider the following bona fide Sanskrit verse quoted in "Mani-mala" page 575, verse 79 by S. M. Tagore (1879), and also in the ancient "Jataka Parijata," chap. 2, sloka 21 compiled by Sri Vaidyanatha Dikshitar (son of Venkata-dhari), and reads in Sanskrit as follows: Manikyam taraneh sujatyam-amalam muktaphalam shitagoh maheyasya cha vidrumao nigaditah saumyasya-garutmakam devejyasya cha pushparagam asura-achryasya vajram shaneh nilam nirmalamanyayoshcha gadite gomeda-vaiduryake Translation: 1) Ruby for the Sun, 2) Pearl for the Moon, 3) Coral for Mars, 4) Emerald for Mercury, 5) Yellow sapphire for Jupiter, 6) Diamond for Venus, 7) Blue sapphire for Saturn, 8) Hessonite for Rahu (the ascending node of the Moon) 9) Cat's eye for Ketu (the descending node of the Moon), ---[these gems] must be high-born (top quality) and flawless (amala) In this important sloka the words, "sujatyam-amalam" (sujati = high born, and amala = completely pure or flawless) are very significant. According to bona fide Vedic authority only clean top quality gems are considered to be auspicious. QUOTES FROM SRI GARUDA PURANA AGAINST USE OF FLAWED GEMS: NOTE: Although in Sri Garuda Purana, Sri Suta Goswami has said nothing about gem choosing methods, nor planetary associations (except for alluding to gems for the Sun and Moon), nor has anything been said about synthetics, WHAT HE DOES REPEAT IS: “Clarity, quality, purity!!!” Over and over Suta Goswami says top quality, flawless gems ONLY! Also stating that very flawed gems are actually considered to be harmful! To further support this important yet mostly over-looked dictate we quote the following slokas from Sri Garuda Purana: ABOUT NATURAL RUBY: Sri Suta Goswami said, “A ruby, although genuine, should not be worn if it has strong color banding, excessive inclusions within like numerous internal cracks, a sandy appearance, a rough surface, or is dull and lusterless. Anyone using such a flawed ruby, even out of ignorance, will suffer from disease, or loss of fortune.” Chap. 70 ABOUT NATURAL PEARL: Sri Suta Goswami said, “A pearl of the auspicious quality should be (natural) white, translucent, round in shape, lustrous, and of good weight and size.” Chap. 69 ABOUT NATURAL YELLOW SAPPHIRE: Sri Suta Goswami said, “Yellow sapphires must be evenly colored, flawless and well shaped in order to be considered auspicious.” Chap. 74 ABOUT NATURAL HESSONITE (Karketana): Sri Suta Goswami said, “Hessonites which are flawed, lack luster, or white or bluish in color are considered inferior and inauspicious.” Chap. 75 ABOUT NATURAL EMERALD: Sri Suta Goswami said, “Emeralds considered inauspicious are blackish, devoid of luster, appearing dirty inside or dried and brittle. Anyone concerned with their own well-being should never purchase or wear any oiled, dyed, or treated emerald. Also, emeralds of mixed colors are strictly forbidden.” Chap. 71 ABOUT NATURAL DIAMOND: Sri Suta Goswami said, “Anyone wearing a seriously flowed or clouded diamond which refracts a reddish glimmer from defective facet edges, will surely be abandoned by the goddess of fortune. A diamond containing red spots will bring ruin.” Chap. 68 part 2 ABOUT NATURAL BLUE SAPPHIRE: Sri Suta Goswami said, “Blue sapphires and all other gems should never be subjected to burning for improving their color and clarity, as misfortune will certainly befall anyone doing so.” Chap. 72 ABOUT NATURAL RED CORAL: Sri Suta Goswami said, “A well polished, bright coral with rich, soothing dark-red colors and without flaws is considered very auspicious. It possesses power to increase the riches and wheat supplies of its wearer and also removes obstacles and dangers.” Chap. 80 ABOUT NATURAL RED GARNETS: Sri Suta Goswami said, “As with rubies, garnets colored like the petals of the red lotus are considered the rarest and most beautiful and possess the mystic virtue of increasing both the wealth and progeny of their owners.” Chap. 77 ABOUT NATURAL GREEN JADE: Sri Suta Goswami said, “Among all gems, fine quality jade has the greatest ability to remove negative karmic reactions.” Chap. 79 ABOUT NATURAL QUARTZ CRYSTAL: Sri Suta Goswami said, “Knowledgeable gemologists advise that flawed varieties that are included, fractured, or discolored should be completely avoided.” Chap. 76 We repeat: Although in the Puranas nothing has been said about gem choosing methods, nor planetary associations, nor about synthetics, WHAT HAS BEEN SAID IS: “Clarity, quality, purity!!!” Over and over it is stated that only top quality, flawless gems should be used, while very flawed gems cause “disease or loss of fortune.” If a person does not accept only Sri Garuda Puranam as an authoritative shastra, then how about this verse from Sri Agni Purana, “A gem free from all impurities and radiating its characteristic internal luster should be looked upon as an "escort" of good luck. A gem which is cracked, fissured, devoid of luster, or appearing rough or sandy, should not be used at all.” ---Sri AGNI-PURANAM: Chapter 246, Verses 7 & 8 Gemstones are the Earth’s natural conduit for piezoelectric energy waves that radiate from the Nine planets recognized by the Vedic science of "sidereal" astrology. It is both common sense and the traditional Vedic recommendation that only "clean" gems will receive and transmit "undisturbed" astral energy waves. Since there were no microscopes to detect flaws in those ancient times, clean to them meant eye-clean. At present, the gem trade has lost much of its integrity because of the widespread treatment of natural gems to conceal or change imperfections. The oiling of flawed emeralds as a routine proceedure is an obvious example of such treatment. The oil enters the gem through internal cracks which break the surface of the stone. After a period of time the oil drys and the flaws are again visible. A clean and auspicious emerald cannot be oiled because it has no internal cracks breaking the surface. There is no way for oil or anything else to enter into a non-cracked “single unit” gem crystal of auspicious health. Flawed gems are far less beautiful and can be a source of misfortune. Most people will not buy torn clothes or a new car with obvious defects. Almost no one uses cracked eyeglasses. Isn’t it odd that almost everyone uses flawed gems? A good way to think about gem clarity is to mentally compare the location and seriousness of flaws in a gem to similar defects in your own body. If there are minimal flaws in either a gem or your body, there is life and power. But if the defects are too severe, there is neither life nor power. Vedic texts state clearly that only “amala,” CLEAN gems are acceptable for use by thoughtful humans. Beside the Navaratana, or 9 primary gems, there are many other natural gemstone choices based on color.If one cannot afford the cost of a clean precious gem, one can choose an upa-ratna, or secondary gem. For example: Instead of selecting emerald for the planet Mercury (Budha-graha), one can also use tsavorite (green grossularite), chrome-green or green tourmaline, chrome-green or green diopside, green peridot or green jade. Jade, an "aggregate" (composed of tiny crystals all fused together) is less preferable than the other Mercury gems which are "single unit" crystals. There ARE beautiful, eye-clean, unburned precious gems on this planet, but they are scarce and costly. Rather than select a flawed primary gem, it is far wiser to choose a flawless upa-ratna, or secondary gem. These upa-ratnas are less expensive than their precious counterparts, and yet conduct the same astral energy of their associated planet. They are also easier to find without flaws or treatment. A list of all natural gems and their associated planets... 1) SUN: RUBY (unheated), red spinel, red garnet and red tourmaline (rubellite) for enhancing the Sun; 2) MOON: NATURAL (uncultured) PEARL, white coral and moonstone for enhancing the Moon; 3) JUPITER: YELLOW SAPPHIRE (unheated), yellow topaz, yellow beryl (heliodor) and yellow tourmaline for enhancing Jupiter; 4) RAHU: HESSONITE, orange zircon, spessartite, malaya and other orange garnets for enhancing Rahu (Moon’s North Node); 5) MERCURY: EMERALD (non-oiled), tsavorite, green tourmaline, green diopside, peridot and green jade for enhancing Mercury; 6) VENUS: DIAMOND, white (colorless) sapphire (unheated), white topaz, white beryl (goshenite) and colorless quartz for enhancing Venus ; 7) KETU: CAT'S EYE (chrysoberyl), beryl, apatite, fibrolite and tourmaline cat's eye for enhancing Ketu (Moon’s South Node); 8) SATURN: BLUE SAPPHIRE (unheated), blue tourmaline (indicolite), blue spinel and amethyst for enhancing Saturn; 9) MARS: RED CORAL (undyed) and red carnelian for enhancing Mars --\ ---- I know that you understand that BAD stones and bogus pearls should be warned against buying. "Cheap" is not a quality. And PGA member companies shouldn’t keep even one BAD gem in inventory. Because that bad gem is going to cause harm to somebody, and that somebody might be a poor person. If you show only GOOD quality gems then no one can fault you. Because you have no defense what-so-ever. In the PGA selling BAD (junk) gems is a NO NO!!! And being a PGA member tells the public that YOU only sell GOOD quality gems. Besides, dealing in Jyotish quality gems, and selling Rudraksha to poor people will help, not harm, your future. What ever junk gems you might have in stock you could round them all up and send out on the market and get what you can for them. You won’t get much for junk. But you’ll be FREE of the bad influence and practice of selling BAD gems. And any gem with a Purity % lower than 80%-70% (clean) is BAD quality (heavily to excessively included). Please understand I’m trying to get PGA members out of the firing line by removing the “target” (bad gems). Please dispose of the junk ASAP, and drop them from your web site. Then no one can file a complaint with the PGA against you. I’m sure you understand. Putting an end to the selling of junk stones for Jyotish use is one of the reasons the PGA was formed. No one should use BAD stones. And there is no excuse to use bad stones, when for little cost one can get a 5 faced Rudraksha and benefit (rather than suffer from bad stones). So pushing “Amala” gems will certainly help you to sell more Rudraksha. And if people with money really want a jyotish gem, then I’m sure you can provide. There ARE “good” stones on the market, and those are the only ones we can use for jyotish. Otherwise Rudraksha. Om svastyastu!!! Warm rgds, Richard Richard Shaw-Brown, PG Designer & Gemologist http://www.richardshawbrown.com http://www.agt-gems.com http://www.astralgemstonetalismans.com http://www.themisunderstood.com http://www.hrisikesh.com http://www.hrisikesh.net http://www.p-g-a.org http://www.satyavrat-shastri.net http://www.generalprem.com http://www.navaratna-museum.info http://www.sacred-objects.info sacred-objects/ planetary-gemology/ Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 dear friend richard namaste your open letter to PGA members on maintaining only good quality flawless gems is praiseworthy and shows your genuine concern for the buyers to stand benefited. unfortunately, atleast in india several astrologers and gemologits having learnt the basics of astrology have started selling uparatnas as the main gems and overcharged the innocent suffering natives. due to kaliyuga affect, even fakes for these uparatnas came in large quantities so much so that in several wholesale markets in india these useless fakes of uparatnas are sold like potatoes at dirt cheap prices. but i too have heard hundreds of successful stories where people wearing genuine gems from burma be it original gems or uparatnas got benefited. due to the above, people have switched to rudraksha in the recent years and rudraksha are gaining high popularity mainly due to their low prices. unfortunately even in this trade also few people having shops at pilgrimage centres have started selling fakes of rudraksha viz. rudraksha made of wood and few extra lines carved manually on the genuine smaller mukh rudraksha. any buyer of a remedial item shall browse through the net or search manually and rely upon the old standing sellers of these genuine items so that they stand benefited instead approaching any local seller roadside, buy a fake and then criticise the holy item in public forums. making the public aware through such messages shall be a constant endeavour on our part who have been supplying these genuine items for long. with best wishes pandit arjun vedic astrology, Richard Shaw Brown <rsbj66 wrote: > > TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: > > Namaste!!! Here is why we (PGA) don't sell bad stone... Not to rich nor > to poor... With either small or big or primary or uparatna, that is all > dependant on price and visa versa. Poor people want to have Navaratna > for a few thousand rupees but it is our job to teach them that GOOD > gems are good and BAD gems are bad. If they cannot afford even a small > Jyotish quality gem then they are dirt poor. And we shouldn't allow > people to be in ignorance, like the poor. We must advise the real > quality requirement, if they cannot afford a "jyotish quality" gem, > then at least have a GOOD Rudraksha. Right now on your web site you > have the BEST of Rudraksha, and the WORST of gems. And you are PGA > members sworn off BAD gems. PGA members only carry GOOD (Jyotish) > quality gems. And teach against the BAD quality of gems. > > It is an honour to be a PGA member because it means you follow the > rules. But with $100 Navaratnas for sale any one can fail a complaint > against your company, because for that price it must be the very BAD > quality forbidden in Shastra. It makes PG look bad, and that is why > rich don't believe. In fact PG is a "Rich Man's" luxury. And very > flawed stones are repeatedly said (in Sri Garuda Purana, Agni Purana) > to be bad luck for ALL. That includes the poor man. If he cannot afford > a "jyotish quality" semi precious gem, then at least he can have a 5 > mukhi Rudraksha. The Rudraksha will act as a talisman, BUT, the very > flawed stones cause misfortune. So as PGA members it is our duty to > teach the public what Shastra has most clearly said about gem clarity, > i.e., gem MUST be "amala" or FLAWLESS (Eye clean). Like a ruby that is > not even transparent is NOT a ruby, it is a "reddish corundum. And on > your site there are such junk quality of rubies, not even transparent, > and called as Clarity 100% (100% flawed is the fact). So it is not > mercy to sell BAD stones to poor people. It is harmful to them > according to Shastra... For more info please see below references (more > personal letter follows these quotes)... > > Vedic References on Gem Clarity > > > > Before discussing the >gem clarity< issue first consider the following > bona fide Sanskrit verse quoted in "Mani-mala" page 575, verse 79 by S. > M. Tagore (1879), and also in the ancient "Jataka Parijata," chap. 2, > sloka 21 compiled by Sri Vaidyanatha Dikshitar (son of Venkata- dhari), > and reads in Sanskrit as follows: > > > > Manikyam taraneh sujatyam-amalam muktaphalam shitagoh > maheyasya cha vidrumao nigaditah saumyasya-garutmakam > devejyasya cha pushparagam asura-achryasya vajram shaneh > nilam nirmalamanyayoshcha gadite gomeda-vaiduryake > > > > Translation: > > > > 1) Ruby for the Sun, > > 2) Pearl for the Moon, > > 3) Coral for Mars, > > 4) Emerald for Mercury, > > 5) Yellow sapphire for Jupiter, > > 6) Diamond for Venus, > > 7) Blue sapphire for Saturn, > > 8) Hessonite for Rahu (the ascending node of the Moon) > > 9) Cat's eye for Ketu (the descending node of the Moon), > > ---[these gems] must be high-born (top quality) and flawless (amala) > > In this important sloka the words, "sujatyam-amalam" (sujati = high > born, and amala = completely pure or flawless) are very significant. > According to bona fide Vedic authority only clean top quality gems are > considered to be auspicious. > > > QUOTES FROM SRI GARUDA PURANA AGAINST USE OF FLAWED GEMS: > > > NOTE: Although in Sri Garuda Purana, Sri Suta Goswami has said nothing > about gem choosing methods, nor planetary associations (except for > alluding to gems for the Sun and Moon), nor has anything been said > about synthetics, WHAT HE DOES REPEAT IS: "Clarity, quality, purity!!!" > Over and over Suta Goswami says top quality, flawless gems ONLY! Also > stating that very flawed gems are actually considered to be harmful! > > > > To further support this important yet mostly over-looked dictate we > quote the following slokas from Sri Garuda Purana: > > > > ABOUT NATURAL RUBY: Sri Suta Goswami said, "A ruby, although genuine, > should not be worn if it has strong color banding, excessive inclusions > within like numerous internal cracks, a sandy appearance, a rough > surface, or is dull and lusterless. Anyone using such a flawed ruby, > even out of ignorance, will suffer from disease, or loss of fortune." > Chap. 70 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL PEARL: Sri Suta Goswami said, "A pearl of the auspicious > quality should be (natural) white, translucent, round in shape, > lustrous, and of good weight and size." Chap. 69 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL YELLOW SAPPHIRE: Sri Suta Goswami said, "Yellow sapphires > must be evenly colored, flawless and well shaped in order to be > considered auspicious." Chap. 74 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL HESSONITE (Karketana): Sri Suta Goswami said, "Hessonites > which are flawed, lack luster, or white or bluish in color are > considered inferior and inauspicious." Chap. 75 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL EMERALD: Sri Suta Goswami said, "Emeralds considered > inauspicious are blackish, devoid of luster, appearing dirty inside or > dried and brittle. Anyone concerned with their own well-being should > never purchase or wear any oiled, dyed, or treated emerald. Also, > emeralds of mixed colors are strictly forbidden." Chap. 71 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL DIAMOND: Sri Suta Goswami said, "Anyone wearing a > seriously flowed or clouded diamond which refracts a reddish glimmer > from defective facet edges, > will surely be abandoned by the goddess of fortune. A diamond > containing red spots will bring ruin." Chap. 68 part 2 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL BLUE SAPPHIRE: Sri Suta Goswami said, "Blue sapphires and > all other gems should never be subjected to burning for improving their > color and clarity, as misfortune will certainly befall anyone doing > so." Chap. 72 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL RED CORAL: Sri Suta Goswami said, "A well polished, > bright coral with rich, soothing dark-red colors and without flaws is > considered very auspicious. > > It possesses power to increase the riches and wheat supplies of its > wearer and also removes obstacles and dangers." Chap. 80 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL RED GARNETS: Sri Suta Goswami said, "As with rubies, > garnets colored like the petals of the red lotus are considered the > rarest and most beautiful and possess the mystic virtue of increasing > both the wealth and progeny of their owners." Chap. 77 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL GREEN JADE: Sri Suta Goswami said, "Among all gems, fine > quality jade has the greatest ability to remove negative karmic > reactions." Chap. 79 > > > > ABOUT NATURAL QUARTZ CRYSTAL: Sri Suta Goswami said, "Knowledgeable > gemologists advise that flawed varieties that are included, fractured, > or discolored should be completely avoided." Chap. 76 > > > > We repeat: Although in the Puranas nothing has been said about gem > choosing methods, nor planetary associations, nor about synthetics, > WHAT HAS BEEN SAID IS: "Clarity, quality, purity!!!" Over and over it > is stated that only top quality, flawless gems should be used, while > very flawed gems cause "disease or loss of fortune." > > > > If a person does not accept only Sri Garuda Puranam as an authoritative > shastra, then how about this verse from Sri Agni Purana, "A gem free > from all impurities and radiating its characteristic internal luster > should be looked upon as an "escort" of good luck. A gem which is > cracked, fissured, devoid of luster, or appearing rough or sandy, > should not be used at all." ---Sri AGNI-PURANAM: Chapter 246, Verses 7 > & 8 > > > > Gemstones are the Earth's natural conduit for piezoelectric energy > waves that radiate from the Nine planets recognized by the Vedic > science of "sidereal" astrology. It is both common sense and the > traditional Vedic recommendation that only "clean" gems will receive > and transmit "undisturbed" astral energy waves. Since there were no > microscopes to detect flaws in those ancient times, clean to them meant > eye-clean. > > > > At present, the gem trade has lost much of its integrity because of the > widespread treatment of natural gems to conceal or change > imperfections. The oiling of flawed emeralds as a routine proceedure is > an obvious example of such treatment. The oil enters the gem through > internal cracks which break the surface of the stone. After a period of > time the oil drys and the flaws are again visible. > > > > A clean and auspicious emerald cannot be oiled because it has no > internal cracks breaking the surface. There is no way for oil or > anything else to enter into a non-cracked "single unit" gem crystal of > auspicious health. > > > > Flawed gems are far less beautiful and can be a source of misfortune. > Most people will not buy torn clothes or a new car with obvious > defects. Almost no one uses cracked eyeglasses. Isn't it odd that > almost everyone uses flawed gems? > > > > A good way to think about gem clarity is to mentally compare the > location and seriousness of flaws in a gem to similar defects in your > own body. If there are minimal flaws in either a gem or your body, > there is life and power. But if the defects are too severe, there is > neither life nor power. Vedic texts state clearly that only "amala," > CLEAN gems are acceptable for use by thoughtful humans. > > > > Beside the Navaratana, or 9 primary gems, there are many other natural > gemstone choices based on color.If one cannot afford the cost of a > clean precious gem, one can choose an upa-ratna, or secondary gem. > > > > For example: Instead of selecting emerald for the planet Mercury > (Budha-graha), one can also use tsavorite (green grossularite), > chrome-green or green tourmaline, chrome-green or green diopside, green > peridot or green jade. Jade, an "aggregate" (composed of tiny crystals > all fused together) is less preferable than the other Mercury gems > which are "single unit" crystals. > > > > There ARE beautiful, eye-clean, unburned precious gems on this planet, > but they are scarce and costly. Rather than select a flawed primary > gem, it is far wiser to choose a flawless upa-ratna, or secondary gem. > These upa-ratnas are less expensive than their precious counterparts, > and yet conduct the same astral energy of their associated planet. They > are also easier to find without flaws or treatment. > > > > A list of all natural gems and their associated planets... > > > > 1) SUN: RUBY (unheated), red spinel, red garnet and red tourmaline > (rubellite) for enhancing the Sun; > > > > 2) MOON: NATURAL (uncultured) PEARL, white coral and moonstone for > enhancing the Moon; > > > > 3) JUPITER: YELLOW SAPPHIRE (unheated), yellow topaz, yellow beryl > (heliodor) and yellow tourmaline for enhancing Jupiter; > > > > 4) RAHU: HESSONITE, orange zircon, spessartite, malaya and other orange > garnets for enhancing Rahu (Moon's North Node); > > > > 5) MERCURY: EMERALD (non-oiled), tsavorite, green tourmaline, green > diopside, peridot and green jade for enhancing Mercury; > > > > 6) VENUS: DIAMOND, white (colorless) sapphire (unheated), white topaz, > white beryl (goshenite) and colorless quartz for enhancing Venus ; > > > > 7) KETU: CAT'S EYE (chrysoberyl), beryl, apatite, fibrolite and > tourmaline cat's eye for enhancing Ketu (Moon's South Node); > > > > 8) SATURN: BLUE SAPPHIRE (unheated), blue tourmaline (indicolite), blue > spinel and amethyst for enhancing Saturn; > > > > 9) MARS: RED CORAL (undyed) and red carnelian for enhancing Mars > > - ----------------- > I know that you understand that BAD stones and bogus pearls should be > warned against buying. "Cheap" is not a quality. And PGA member > companies shouldn't keep even one BAD gem in inventory. Because that > bad gem is going to cause harm to somebody, and that somebody might be > a poor person. If you show only GOOD quality gems then no one can fault > you. Because you have no defense what-so-ever. In the PGA selling BAD > (junk) gems is a NO NO!!! And being a PGA member tells the public that > YOU only sell GOOD quality gems. Besides, dealing in Jyotish quality > gems, and selling Rudraksha to poor people will help, not harm, your > future. What ever junk gems you might have in stock you could round > them all up and send out on the market and get what you can for them. > You won't get much for junk. But you'll be FREE of the bad influence > and practice of selling BAD gems. And any gem with a Purity % lower > than 80%-70% (clean) is BAD quality (heavily to excessively included). > > Please understand I'm trying to get PGA members out of the firing line > by removing the "target" (bad gems). Please dispose of the junk ASAP, > and drop them from your web site. Then no one can file a complaint with > the PGA against you. I'm sure you understand. Putting an end to the > selling of junk stones for Jyotish use is one of the reasons the PGA > was formed. No one should use BAD stones. And there is no excuse to use > bad stones, when for little cost one can get a 5 faced Rudraksha and > benefit (rather than suffer from bad stones). So pushing "Amala" gems > will certainly help you to sell more Rudraksha. And if people with > money really want a jyotish gem, then I'm sure you can provide. There > ARE "good" stones on the market, and those are the only ones we can use > for jyotish. Otherwise Rudraksha. > > > Om svastyastu!!! > > Warm rgds, > Richard Richard Shaw-Brown, PG > Designer & Gemologist > http://www.richardshawbrown.com > http://www.agt-gems.com > http://www.astralgemstonetalismans.com > http://www.themisunderstood.com > http://www.hrisikesh.com > http://www.hrisikesh.net > http://www.p-g-a.org > http://www.satyavrat-shastri.net > http://www.generalprem.com > http://www.navaratna-museum.info > http://www.sacred-objects.info > sacred-objects/ > planetary-gemology/ > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Hello All: I am asking that those people who read this post please forgive me for my directness and rather hard-nosed views--it's not my basic nature. But speaking as a practicing vedic astrologer, I have had a number of experiences with gem dealers over the years and I wish to share some of my observations (though I've not had any direct experiences with this particular person whose post I am responding to and maybe he's just fine. But I'm uncomfortable with his writings and that's why I decided to comment). More below: vedic astrology, Richard Shaw Brown <rsbj66 wrote: > > TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: > > Namaste!!! Here is why we (PGA) don't sell bad stone... Not to rich nor > to poor... With either small or big or primary or uparatna, that is all > dependant on price and visa versa. Poor people want to have Navaratna > for a few thousand rupees but it is our job to teach them that GOOD > gems are good and BAD gems are bad. Here's a new idea: Let's substitute "people on limited incomes" for "poor"; otherwise, pardon my directness, it has the ring of superiority and sounds very elitist. This is the 21st Century and even people on very low incomes have internet access through libraries and cafes and can be more knowledgeable than one might imagine. > If they cannot afford even a small > Jyotish quality gem then they are dirt poor. And we shouldn't allow > people to be in ignorance, like the poor. People of limited income need "affordable" quality gems even if it's not a primary gem. Let's get rid of the term "dirt poor" even if it is descriptive and happens to be true. Those on *limited incomes* are not necessary ignorant either. If they are on limited incomes the 2H of their rasi chakras related to the ownership of gems might not be that strong to begin with, and if they have a stronger 5H or 9H they might get better results with mantras or rituals than with gems. NOTHING is for everyone, but yet some gem dealers propose them for everyone. It's like going to a surgeon with a sore throat and he sees the removal of your tonsils as the solution because it's what he believes in and what he's been trained in. But there are alternatives when price becomes an object and the person still wants to change his or her life for the better--and can! > We must advise the real > quality requirement, if they cannot afford a "jyotish quality" gem, > then at least have a GOOD Rudraksha. Right now on your web site you > have the BEST of Rudraksha, and the WORST of gems. And you are PGA > members sworn off BAD gems. PGA members only carry GOOD (Jyotish) > quality gems. And teach against the BAD quality of gems. Membership in an official organization dedicated to gems is no *guarantee* of honesty or integrity, in the same way that all doctors or all astrologers are honest. I mention astrologers because I happen to be one and I'm aware of the temptation to offer gem remedies because the astrologer generally gets a 10 percent referral fee. There is nothing necessarily wrong with such a fee. BUT maintaining one's scrupulous sense of integrity in recommending the right planetary remedy is sometimes challenging when there's the possibility of personal gain involved. So unless the client goes to someone--a gem dealer--who knows enough to look at that person's chart and see that maybe wearing a gem is not the best or most affordable choice, the client should beware. I happen to have a fairly strong 2H for the wearing of gems and I have two, but the 5L in my chart happens to be afflicted by Ketu and I haven't had that much success using chants or mantras (though I often play chants or mantras on CDs). How many gem dealers have the skill to read a client's chart all the way through and understand the strengths and weaknesses of that person's chart and how those influences are going to play out in their health, profession, relationships, etc.? Maybe these gem dealers/astrologers are out there and I've just missed them, but what I've seen instead are gem dealers who are mostly partially trained. They will look at someone's chart and say: "The lord of your 9th and 10th house is in the 11th"--and that's what they usually base their gem recommendation on. But I've yet to see a dealer whose skill as an astrologer in on the same level of knowledge as their skill as a gem dealer. The problem with this is that the dealer will sometimes interject them between the client's astrologer and the client and offer a contradictory gem recommendation that might be completely off the beam. Then the astrologer has to deal with a confused client and try to straighten out this mess, all because the gemologist thought he or she knew better though they may have been recommending gems for the functional malefic planets in their client's charts for years without knowing it. The biggest mistake some of these gemologist make is to recommend gems without taking into account the functional nature of each planet in the horoscope. So some of them end up recommending such gems as a Saturnian Blue Sapphire for a Leo lagna and wonder why the client is not being helped. Without taking into account the functional nature of each planet, there's no way to understand why the astrologer would ever recommend a gem for a natural malefic like Saturn or Mars. But if Mars happens to be the 9L and it's debilitated in Cancer, the astrologer would not be incompetent to suggest a Red Coral ring or pendant to boost that Mars and invoke more energy and even grace in that person's life. > It is an honour to be a PGA member because it means you follow the > rules. If only ensuring honour was that simple! And this is not to suggest that this particular gem dealer is anything less than sincere and honest. He may carry very excellent gems. It's just that I have a particular aversion to the way the presentation on gems is presented, the language and the lack of specificity of methods seems to be missing--and that causes confusion to the novice and makes the gem dealer appear to have "magical" knowledge. I am not for this kind of mystification. > But with $100 Navaratnas for sale any one can fail a complaint > against your company, because for that price it must be the very BAD > quality forbidden in Shastra. It makes PG look bad, and that is why > rich don't believe. Here we go again with language: the "rich" don't believe. > In fact PG is a "Rich Man's" luxury. There are very affordable secondary stones for those on limited or small incomes whose charts support the wearing of some kind of gem. > And very > flawed stones are repeatedly said (in Sri Garuda Purana, Agni Purana) > to be bad luck for ALL. Most reputable dealers do not carry flawed gems, and it's not as difficult as it might seem to get recommendations on gem dealers throughout the world. Or talk to people who are happy and satisfied with their gem purchases. It does however require a little research and patience. Some dealers are willing to ship stones wherever you happen to live. > That includes the poor man. The "poor man"... > If he cannot afford > a "jyotish quality" semi precious gem, then at least he can have a 5 > mukhi Rudraksha. The Rudraksha will act as a talisman, BUT, the very > flawed stones cause misfortune. No reputatble gem dealer offers flawed stones. But it does mean that the person in search of the right stone do some research and continue to ask around. This is basic common sense when hundreds or even thousands of dollars are at risk. > So as PGA members it is our duty to > teach the public what Shastra has most clearly said about gem clarity, > i.e., gem MUST be "amala" or FLAWLESS (Eye clean). Most reputable gem dealers explain what the person should be looking for, and except for the most careless of buyers, this information is easy to come by. > Like a ruby that is > not even transparent is NOT a ruby, it is a "reddish corundum. And on > your site there are such junk quality of rubies, not even transparent, > and called as Clarity 100% (100% flawed is the fact). So it is not > mercy to sell BAD stones to poor people. It is harmful to them > according to Shastra... For more info please see below references (more > personal letter follows these quotes)... No one who is knowledgeable of the power of gems would ever say otherwise. There are MANY, MANY gem dealers who carry these kinds of QUALITY, FLAWLESS gems. No one has exclusive access to them because no one has ever cornered the market for themselves, and these gems come from around the world. It is hoped that my rather turse and aserbic comments will be viewed in context of placing the *client's* needs first rather than the needs of any particular gem dealer who might just happen to feel that gems are for everyone. Gems can be great. Gems are indeed powerful. But they are not indespensible to shift one's life around, and the most powerful planetary remedy can be as simple as consistent *prayer*. It's cheaper too! So let's everyone bring *our language* into the 21st Century and stop talking about the "dirt poor" as if they are second class citizens. They aren't. They are simply working out a different karma that's just as important to the overall scheme of life as the so-called "rich." Some of these "rich" people are the most miserable on earth and feel they can buy a passive solution to their ills with gems! I've known people who have spent as much as $27,000 on high quality gem stones and they were just as miserably unhappy as before. The gems were a passive solution to something that required a proactive approach requiring giving of themselves, kindness, and a greater sense of material detachment. Again, apologies for the frankness and directness of my remarks to clear the air on this important matter. I am absolutely for the wearing of gems for some peoplee--it can be exactly the right choice for them. I'm also glad I have the modest ones I'm wearing. Nevertheless, the recommended stones need to be the right ones or they can cause tremendous financial loss and harm the wearer. (Written on-line... please forgive any typos.) Sincerely, Haizen Paige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 PS. On Gems and Dealers: Here's the way most astrologers evaluate their gem recommendations, and there's no reason why clients cannot keep this information in mind--from Frawley's "The Astrology of the Seers" (highly recommended!)-- when they are discussing gems prescriptions with dealers. If the dealer happens not to know what a "functional benefic" or "functional malefic" or "temperal functional benefic or malefic" is--the buyer would be well-advised to go elsewhere: <quote on> REMEDIAL MEASURES IN ASTROLOGY There are complex ways of determining which planets are to be strengthened in a chart. However, the first basic principle is simple--a planet should generally be strengthened if it is weak. The caution is that we should be careful in strengthening natural malefic planets (like Saturn), even when they are weak. It is benefics when weak that are safe to strengthen. We must gauge the power and effect of planets both naturally and temporally, as per our discussion of malefic and benefic planets and house rulership. Natural benefics are Jupiter, Venus, the Moon when bright, and Mercury when not under malefic aspect. Temporally, they are the lords of benefic houses from the Ascendant, like the First, Fifth and Ninth (see table p. 165). Hence, we can strengthen natural malefics when weak, if they are temporal benefics--like Saturn for Libra Ascendant, or Mars for Cancer and Leo Ascendants. Besides strengthening weak planets, it is often helpful to strengthen those planets which rule the Ascendant or the Ninth house, even when not weak. They can help increase the positive energy in the chart, as they are usually the prime benefics within it. A planet that is well-placed and benefic can be strengthened, and it will not be harmful but this may not be as helpful as to strengthen those benefics which are weak or ill-placed. Some astrologers strengthen both the weakest and the strongest planet in the chart, as long as neither one is malefic. Different Vedic astrologers have variant opinions on these issues, particularly the use of gems. As usual, there is no one way to look at things, and we should try to get as broad a perspective as we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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