Rasadhyaya 150_154

150_154

An iron mortar in which four feet stand firmly like a small bench is called 'four-legged'. .. 1.138-150:1 ..
In that iron mortar, having placed the mercury that has swallowed mica, along with lodestone iron powder measuring one sixty-fourth of the mercury, one should grind it very gently with a pestle together with the viḍa. .. 1.138-150:2 ..
And underneath, one should kindle a soft fire. .. 1.138-150:3 ..
For one doing so, if that one sixty-fourth part of lodestone iron powder becomes digested, then again having thrown in a sixty-fourth part of lodestone iron powder, it must be ground with blue vitriol viḍa. .. 1.138-150:4 ..
And a fire must be kindled underneath. .. 1.138-150:5 ..
Thus, when the previously added iron powder is digested, iron powder must be repeatedly added in sixty-fourth parts for as long .. 1.138-150:6 ..
as iron powder eight times the mercury is digested. .. 1.138-150:7 ..
For this reason, bound by the astringency of the iron powder, the mercury becomes wheat-colored. .. 1.138-150:8 ..
Likewise, it endures colorations. .. 1.138-150:9 ..
Then, colorations of amalgams and the like for shining are digested. .. 1.138-150:10 ..
And here, if lodestone iron is not obtained, then wrought iron and steel [are used]. .. 1.138-150:11 ..
Likewise, the blue vitriol that is obtained is rubbed with sour gruel and added like sandal-paste. .. 1.138-150:12 ..
This is called 'blue vitriol viḍa'. .. 1.138-150:13 ..
Further on also, everywhere this alone should be understood by the term 'blue vitriol viḍa'. .. 1.138-150:14 ..
This is the second [procedure], the digestion of iron for mercury that has swallowed mica. .. 1.138-150:15 ..