Esoteric Symbolism

Ruby is a precious red gemstone made of the mineral corundum. They score a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. This makes them the second-hardest natural gemstone, sitting just below Diamonds. Rubies and Sapphires are the exact same mineral family (corundum), only the red-colored gemstones are called Rubies.

All other colors are classified as Sapphires. Historically famous and finest stones come from Myanmar (formerly Burma). Other sources include Mozambique, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

This beautiful and precious gemstone known for it's dazzling crimson hue provides another perfect canvas for our Ancient Ancestors to encode with Sacred Knowledge.

Rubies have been revered for millennia as the king of precious stones, the Hindu called the Ruby, Ratnaraj which literally translates to King of Jewels so it is only fitting we should begin with their stories about this precious gem.

The Ruby was the gemstone of Krishna, the Hindu version of Christ, this is because the Ruby is the gemstone relating to the Divine Male (while the Blue Sapphire denotes his Divine Female consort). In Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna is connected to the Syamantaka Mani, a legendary, blindingly radiant Ruby blessed by the Sun God, Surya.

The story begins with a nobleman named Satrajit, a devout worshipper of the Sun God. Impressed by his devotion, the Sun god Surya gifted him the Syamantaka—a flawless, brilliant Ruby. The gem was so radiant and illuminating that whenever Satrajit wore it, people mistook him for the Sun God himself. The fact Satrajit is a nobleman and it was the Sun who gifted him the Ruby are our first clues to his divine nature, nobles and royalty in mythology always denote a Divine Soul.

But this special Ruby was more than just it's beauty, the Ruby was magical: it miraculously produced over 170 pounds of Gold every single day and protected its realm from famine and disease. When Satrajit visited the kingdom of Dwarka, Lord Krishna suggested that a gem of such immense power should be given to the righteous King Ugrasena for the collective welfare of the people. However, blinded by greed and pride, Satrajit refused.

Now we see that as the Divine Man begins to descend into the Lower Ages he becomes more and more controlled by his base nature.

Shortly after, Satrajit’s brother, Prasena, took the Ruby and went out into the forest on a hunting trip. Deep in the wilderness, a fierce lion attacked Prasena, killed him, and ran off with the glowing Ruby in its jaws.

When Prasena failed to return, a rumor spread like wildfire through Dwarka: people whispered that Krishna had murdered Prasena to steal the priceless Ruby. The Lion no longer recognizes the divine nature of Satrajit and his divine brother Prasena and attacks them as he would a mortal man. The Lion taking the Ruby is also indicating the Divine Male is losing access to his divine skills and abilities.

Following a trail of clues, Krishna found the carcass of the Lion. He realized the Lion had been slain by something even more powerful: Jambavan, the legendary Bear King, Krishna tracked the footprints to a deep mountain cave. Peering inside, he saw the brilliant Syamantaka Ruby hanging above a cradle, being used as a shiny toy to amuse Jambavan’s young child.

In the Hindu mythos, the Creator is divided into two parts, Vishnu the consciousness of the Creator and Brahma the divine operation of the Creator, known as "srishti", srishti represents the act of projecting, manifesting, or bringing all physical form, time, and life into existence.

According to the Legend, at the very beginning of cosmic creation, Lord Brahma was sitting on the Lotus emerging from Vishnu's navel. As Brahma began to meditate on creating the universe, he yawned and Jambavan was directly manifested from that yawn.

This is showing the shadow side of the Creator, when the Light of the Creator is no longer present in the Lower Ages. The well studied student also knows the Bear is the archetypal symbol for the Creator.

The Ancient Texts relate that before incarnating as the Bear King on earth, Jambavan's soul was the ruler of the sacred Himavat. The name Himavat (or Himavan) comes from the Sanskrit root word Hima (हिम), which means "frost," "snow," or "ice." The Hindu Texts state that the freezing, inhospitable nature of Himavat is intentional—it is designed to be the ultimate testing ground for the spirit. Himavat is the Hindu version of the Underworld.

When Krishna moved to retrieve the Ruby, Jambavan mistook him for an intruder, and a monumental battle broke out. The two cosmic figures wrestled day and night inside the cave. The duel lasted for 28 grueling days.

Eventually, Jambavan began to tire. Amazed by his opponent's unmatched strength, the Bear king suddenly recognized Krishna’s true divine nature—realising that Krishna was the avatar of Lord Vishnu reborn. Humbled, Jambavan bowed to Krishna, begged for forgiveness, and happily returned the Ruby.

This is indicating the divine gifts and abilities have been returned to the Divine Male and he is now recognized by his own brethren.

As a gesture of respect and friendship, he also offered his daughter, Jambavati, to Krishna in marriage. Krishna returned to Dwarka with his new bride and the glowing Ruby, completely clearing his name.

However shamed by his own selfish and greedy behavior, Satrajit wept and begged for Krishna's pardon. To make amends, Satrajit offered Krishna the Ruby and the hand of his own daughter, Satyabhama, in marriage.

Krishna accepted Satyabhama as his wife but refused to keep the Ruby for himself. He insisted that the gemstone remain with Satrajit, warning that a jewel of such immense power would bring ruin to anyone who allowed greed to overcome their virtue.

Again we see the familiar pattern of the Divine Man forgetting himself as he descends the Ages of the Great Year, he indulges in the vices of his carnal nature only to once again awaken to his own divine greatness and understand himself and his responsibilities.

In another Hindu myth involving this dazzling gemstone, The Myth of the Kalpa Tree (most commonly known as Kalpavriksha or Kalpadruma), the Kalpa Tree is a divine and heavenly Tree that had a trunk made of pure Gold, roots made of Silver, branches of Diamonds, leaves of Emeralds and flowers and fruits which grew as clusters of Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds, and Pearls. The well studied student will understand the true symbolic value of the metals and gemstones relayed in this sacred story, especially the Emeralds, Rubies and Sapphires.

The story begins, the gods had joined forces to churn the cosmic ocean to extract Amrita, the nectar of immortality. As they churned using a mountain and a giant serpent, several divine treasures emerged from the depths before the nectar appeared. Among these magical treasures was Kalpavriksha, the Kalpa Tree.

It was an aethereal Tree and it's flowers emitted an intoxicating fragrance that could soothe any troubled mind. Because of its pure, auspicious nature, Lord Indra, took the Kalpavriksha back to his heavenly realm (Svarga). He planted it in the center of his beautiful Nandana Gardens, where it remained a source of infinite abundance for the gods, ensuring they never knew hunger, poverty, or sorrow. This is the Hindu version of the Yggdrasil ie: World Tree.

In ancient Burma (modern Myanmar), warriors believed that wearing or carrying a Ruby made them completely invincible against weapons. This is connected to the immortality of the the Divine Male and his invincibility in battle in the Higher Ages.

Now let us move onto the Medieval Legend of the Ruby Shield.

The Legend begins, during a great tournament hosted by King Arthur, Sir Lancelot decided to compete in disguise to test his true skill without the advantage of his famous name. To hide his identity, he left his recognizable shield behind at the castle of Astolat.

Elaine, the lord’s daughter, fell deeply in love with Lancelot. Before he left for the tourney, she gifted him a red token to wear on his helmet—a sleeve embroidered with great, blood-red Rubies. The Rubies are a direct reference to the divine nature of Lancelot.

During the fierce jousting, Lancelot fought brilliantly but was severely wounded by a lance to the side. He managed to ride away into the woods to collapse in secret. When Elaine found him near death, she nursed him night and day.

As Lancelot hovered between life and death, the Rubies on his token began to glow with a deep, pulsing light, in place of the rhythm of his fading heartbeat. The Legend goes on to say that the magical property of the Rubies sustained his life force when his own heart was failing him. The stone's "living fire" literally kept his heart beating until he healed. This is a direct connection to the Ruby and his divine immortality.

The story continues, though Lancelot survived, he could not return Elaine's love, as his heart belonged solely to Queen Guinevere. Brokenhearted, Elaine faded away and died of grief. The legend states that the moment her spirit departed, the Rubies on Lancelot's token instantly lost their brilliant fire and turned a dark, dull, blood-brown colour.

This is showing the two sides of the Divine Female in the Higher and Lower Ages, Elaine is the Divine Female in the Lower Ages who Lancelot does not recognize, hence the Rubies turn dark as they have now descended into the Underworld.

In the Chinese mythos, the Ruby is said to be the crystallized blood of the Dragon. Here we have a direct reference to the First Born Divine Male (Tribe of Dan) who is symbolised by the Serpent and the Dragon. It was said that the Dragon granted the wearer of the gem it's own powerful and magical attributes.

In Biblical Scripture, Jacob called the Tribe of Dan a "serpent by the way" because the tribe was small but highly effective. Like a hidden viper that can take down a massive horse by biting its heel, Dan would defeat much larger, more powerful enemies through surprise and clever tactics rather than sheer numbers.

Ancient Chinese texts frequently relay that the gemstone has supernatural properties, they say the highest-quality rubies possessed an independent inner fire. They stated however, that only a true Ruby could glow completely in the dark without any external light source. This is a direct symbolic connection to the glowing divine aura of a Divine Soul when they are fully illuminated.

The gemstone was also known as the foundational stone or cornerstone, due to it being called this, Chinese architects would bury Rubies directly beneath the foundation stones of new structures to permanently ward off malevolent spirits and guarantee long-term wealth for the inhabitants. We see the "foundation" stone symbolism also connected to Jesus in Scripture.

1 Corinthians 3:11: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

Ephesians 2:20: "[You are] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone."

In Thailand’s sacred astrological tradition of the Nopparat (The Nine Auspicious Gems), each gemstone represents a celestial body. The Ruby represents the Sun, the absolute centre of the solar system. Their ancient goldsmiths always placed the ruby at the dead centre of the King's crown. The well studied student does not need to be reminded that the Sun is always the symbolic archetype for the Divine Male.

In regions like Chanthaburi, the Rubies were called "Treasures from the Heavens". They were believed to be physical drops of divine energy meant exclusively for the eyes and protection of Royalty. Any mortal hoarding a raw, unworked heavenly-gem was believed to risk the wrath of the gods.

In Sri Lanka, Ancient Chinese traders who visited the island recorded a unique local myth about the origin of Sri Lanka's jewels. They wrote that when the very first humans were cast out of paradise, they wept bitterly over the earth. Their heavy, sorrowful tears crystallized the moment they touched the soil, turning into the vibrant sapphires and blood-red rubies that filled the island's riverbeds. In another variation of this myth among Eastern traders claimed the stones were actually the congealed tears of the Buddha.

Yet another Sri Lankan Folklore tells of King Solomon taking Rubies from their ancient mines to woo the Queen of Sheba. According to the tale, Solomon dispatched ships to the island to gather the most luminous Red Rubies and Blue Sapphires they could find. The legend also states that Solomon’s own magical signet ring—which gave him the power to command genies and speak to animals—was set with a peerless star ruby sourced from Ceylon.

Proverbs 3:15: Solomon writes: "She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."

Proverbs 8:11: "For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

In Kabbalah the Ruby is called Odem (אָדֶם). On the Choshen (the High Priest's breastplate), the ruby (Odem) is the very first gemstone, representing the firstborn divine son of Jacob. On the Kabbalistic Tree of Life (the Sefirot), the Ruby is associated with Gevurah, which is ruled by Mars, Mars is the planet that directly relates to the Divine Male.

Finally we will end with the Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus), it was said to be the ultimate masterpiece created by the Emperor Shah , a structure so staggeringly opulent that historical records state it cost twice as much to build as the Taj Mahal. The throne featured a grand, pearl-fringed canopy supported by 12 Emerald-studded columns. Atop the canopy stood two open-tailed Peacocks heavily inlaid with Rubies and Sapphires.

In 1739, the Persian emperor Nader Shah invaded Delhi, thoroughly defeated the Mughals, and plundered the empire's vast treasury. Nader Shah stripped the Peacock Throne of its grandest historic stones—including the Koh-i-Noor diamond and the Timur Ruby—and took the throne back to Persia, where it was eventually dismantled for its raw gold and remaining gems.

The Timur Ruby eventually made its way through various rulers in Afghanistan and the Sikh Empire, before being acquired by the British East India Company and presented to Queen Victoria. Today, it remains part of the British Royal Collection. And thus the Ruby now finds itself at the mercy of the corrupted mortals who have now taken power in the Underworld.

So once again we find the archetypal symbol of the Ruby has not failed to disappoint us in unravelling the cross culture mythos regarding the Divine Race within humanity. Please feel free to add any further information you find about this magnificent blazing gem to the comments below.

The Timur Ruby gets its name from Timur, the 14th century Turco-Mongol conqueror, who founded the Timurid Empire. According to Mongol tradition, only direct paternal descendants of Genghis Khan (the Chinggisid line) held the divine mandate to rule as Khan.

The Ruby centered on the crown of false King Charles, the crown is called the Imperial State Crown, and the famous, massive red gem mounted right at the front of it is known as the "Black Prince's Ruby".