People have long been captivated by jewels. Each century brings new insights into their secrets. Diamonds were valued for their protective properties in ancient Hindu writings dating back to the first century. Ratna Pariksha, a book written in the fourth century, focused on diamond grading. Even in the sixth century, the Brihatsamhita described many sorts of diamonds and their links with deities.
Consider an era when diamonds were secret riches, stashed away in unknown countries. The Valley of Diamonds, a well-known fairy tale depicts a secret location guarded by terrifying snakes and rough rocks, stocked with brilliant diamonds. People would throw pieces of meat down the deep valley in search of these gems as it makes hungry eagles grab them up, along with the jewels embedded in the flesh. There are some speculations that this beautiful valley is located in India, but its actual location remains unknown.
The Story of Sacrifice & Rebirth
In ancient Indian mythology, the lines between good and evil appear to be blurred. Let us discuss the legend of the genesis of diamonds, which depicts the demon Bali making a huge prayer to fight the gods. To stop him, the deity Vishnu arrived in the form of an ascetic dwarf and requested three steps of land where he might meditate in peace. The king consented, but to his amazement, the dwarf began to grow to unbelievable heights, his head towering over even the clouds. Vishnu encircled the world in one stride before capturing the skies in the second. Bali was modest and faithful to his pledge, so when Vishnu inquired where he should take his third step, he gave his head. With the touch of Vishnu's foot, Bali's earthly body transformed into priceless gems, including diamonds, which were distributed over the world.
An Ocean of Treasures
The churning of the ocean of milk is one of the fundamental episodes in Hinduism's ongoing conflict between the devas (gods) and the asuras.
The gods, weakened by a curse cast by the irascible sage Durvasas, summoned the asuras to assist them in retrieving the elixir of immortality, the amrita, from the depths of the cosmic ocean. The asuras held Vasuki, a naga (half-human, half-cobra) used to make a churning rope, while the gods held his tail. They churned the ocean for a long time, but before the ambrosia came to the surface, many other riches floated to the surface, including the goddess Lakshmi, a seven-headed horse, and the holy, rare jewel Kaustuba Mani. The stone said to be a greenish-tinged natural diamond, signifies pure consciousness and was only held by Lord Vishnu, who wore it on his breast.
One Gem, Many Masters
We've all heard of the renowned Kohinoor diamond, right? It became a symbol of authority for whoever had it. People couldn't help but compare it to another legendary diamond, the Syamantaka Mani. It began with the sun deity Surya, who handed it to a devoted disciple. But then it embarked on a wild adventure, being taken by a lion, battled for by a bear king, and even attracting the attention of the deity Krishna.
Final Thoughts
Diamonds are considered unique and precious for a number of reasons. They are powerful, rare, gorgeous, and claimed to possess a variety of magical properties. They are also associated with purity and energy. The legends and mythology around diamonds help us understand why we like them so much. They're more than just sparkling gems.