बृहत्संहिता (आचार्य वराहमिहिर - स्थापत्य, खगोल, मौसम व जल विज्ञान)

628 बृहत्संहितायाम् [Adh. LXXX. Sl. 1-4.
of timber causes the death of the person who sleeps on it ;
and one of six, seven or eight kinds, the ruin of the
family.
Thus ends the 79th Adhyaya on " Signs of Couches and Seats.'
रत्नपरीक्षा ॥८०॥ Examination Of Gems.
रत्नेन शुभेन शुभं भवति नृपाणामनिष्टमशुभेन ।
यस्मादतः परीक्ष्यं दैवं रत्नाश्रितं तज्ज्ञैः ॥१॥
Sloka 1.—A jewel endowed with good characteris-
tics ensures good luck to kings ; and one with bad ones,
disaster. Hence the connoisseurs should examine their
fortune as connected with jewels.
द्विपहयवनितादीनां स्वगुणविशेषेण रत्नशब्दोऽस्ति ।
इह तूपलरत्नानामधिकारो वज्रपूर्वाणाम् ॥२॥
Sloka 2.—The word gem is applied to elephants,
horses, women and so on, on account of the excellence
of their intrinsic merits ; but here are dealt with precious
stones, such as diamonds.
रत्नानि बलाद्दैत्यादृषीचितोऽन्ये वदन्ति जातानि ।
केचिद्भूवः स्वभावाद्वैचित्र्यं प्राहुरुपलानाम् ॥३॥
Sloka 3.—Gems, they say, were born of the bones
of the demon Bala ; while others state that they were
born of sage Dadheechi ; yet others there are who say
that the wonderful variety of gems is caused by the cha-
racteristic qualities of the earth.
वज्रेन्द्रनीलमरकतकेंकेतरपद्मरागरुधिराख्याः ।
वैडूर्यपुलकविमलकराजमणिस्फटिकशशिकान्ताः ॥४॥