The Cloud Pearl

  A Cloud Pearl is a pearl grown from a drop of water within a cloud. These auspicious pearls are spoken of in the Garuda Purana. This holy book of the Hindus is understood to be the Vedic authority on Indian gemology. It is written in the Garuda Purana that all gemstones were birthed from the body parts of Vala. Once known as Asura, Vala strove for power and overthrew the universal ruler Indra. He held his throne by force and fear, terrorizing his subjects and even Indra. After a time, the demigods in his service appealed to him to play a role as an animal sacrifice during a ritual. He allowed them to strap him down, and upon seeing him in such a state his subjects found their opportunity to strip him of his power. They murdered him in cold blood, cutting him into pieces. Though he had taken the throne by force, he had surrendered his body in a holy setting. Therefore, as the pieces of his body rose to the heavens, they transformed into seeds. These seeds hovered in the heavens, amid the stars, until they grew heavy. Dropping down one by one, they were planted in various places within the earth. In time, they sprouted and grew into all the beautiful gemstones of the earth. It is Vala's teeth that are said to have been the seeds for pearls. Each one dropped into the varied hues of ocean waves, falling into some of the oysters that lay beneath the surface of the waters. Some of these were swallowed by fish, conch shells, and oysters. These gave rise to pearls of the sea that are so celebrated in the month of June. However, it is the cloud pearl which is revered above all pearls. These are said to grow to the size of a hen's egg. They are perfectly round and heavy, bright as noonday and enjoyed only by the gods. They are said to have been born from a water drop within a cloud. The Garuda Purana explains that these pearls rarely reach the earth, reserved for the pleasure of the gods. If one does fall to earth, then blessed above all men will be the one who finds it. That pearl will be the pearl of great price, offering protection and provision not only for the one who stewards it, but for those within a thousand leagues of his/her birthplace. A person in possession of a cloud pearl would become the sovereign of the whole earth, protecting nearly the entire world from evil. According to the sacred text, only a person who has achieved transformation for an exceedingly good deed done in a previous incarnation could possibly hope to find a cloud pearl. These pearls are flawless, bright shining like the stars, with brilliant flashes of sunlight arcing through them. They are the most beautiful pearls imaginable. Though the cloud pearls are nearly impossible to find, the Hindus believe that other beautiful pearls bring good fortune, as well (though not as much fortune as the cloud pearl). These are said to be found in many places. Some of the most common places one might find a pearl would include cacao-nuts, bamboo shoots, serpents, the mouth of sea-fish, a conch shell, or an oyster. These varying birthplaces render the pearls different sizes, shapes, and colors, and they afford different blessings upon the owner of these pearls. Of course, the ones most precious to those born in June are those borne of the oysters of the sea. Those nacreous beauties which shimmer in blinding white, shimmering pink, and even glistening blues. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews