History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s14.53

v1.c6.s14.53

Kauṭilya exhibits a wonderful knowledge of herbs and drugs and Dr. Jolly thinks that his *Materia Medica* is more extensive than even Suśruta's. But the dates of Caraka and Suśruta are far from being settled and no approximately certain conclusion can be drawn from the drugs mentioned in the Kauṭilīya. Kauṭilya speaks of ‘rasada’ (one who administers mercurial poison) and prescribes banishment for those who trade in or administer ‘rasa’ for money in order to do away with a person secretly (IV. 4.) In II. 13 he speaks of gold that is ‘rasa-viddha’ (amalgamated with mercury) and in II. 12 of liquids containing gold (rasāḥ Kāñcanikāḥ) and of Hinguluka. Dr. Jolly thinks that this knowledge of metallurgy and alchemy is of Graeco-Syriac origin and so the Kauṭilīya is a work of the third century A. D.