Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahabharata: Upayana Parva c6.152

c6.152

Bhagadatta, the King of Assam presented to Yudhiṣṭhira fleet horses (M.B., II, 47, 13), and the vessel made of *aśmasāra* (M.B., II, 47, 14) which is probably amethyst and is probably the same as *aśmagarbha* which with *musāragalva* is mentioned as a semi-precious stone in the *Divyāvadāna* (II, p. 51, 11., 24-25). In modern times the Indian sources of amethyst is Ceylon, though the rivers of India sometimes yield amethyst in the form of pebbles. In Pliny's time India, however, was the most renowned source producing four kinds of amethyst, purple, inferior sapphire-coloured, very pale and wine red.¹⁵⁴ The claim of jadeite as *aśmasāra* also cannot be excluded. Jade is known as *musāragalva* with its Sanskrit form *masāragarbha* (other forms *musāragalla*, *musāragalva*; Pāli *ma(u)sāragalla*) and Burma, in the neighbourhood of Assam which represents the ancient Prāgjyotiṣa, is the chief source of the supply of jadeite.