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History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c25.s3: III. Period of Scientific and Technical Literature

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c25.s3

Language
English

Contents

III. Period of Scientific and Technical Literature

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With the advancement of medical science and with the progress of chemical and alchemical practices there occurred development also in fermentation technicalities. A number of digesting devices appeared.

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These include (a) depositing the fermenting vessel inside earth, sometimes with arrangement of horse dung surrounding the vessel (Śār.S, Madhya. XI.72; Āin, p.73); (b) placing in heaps of grains (SS.Ci x.6; C.Saṃ, Grahaṇī Cikitsā. VS.31-32) (c) exposure to sun(Śār.S Madhya, XI 19); (d) fumigation of the pot with desired substances (RP. XV. 251-53). (Fig.2)

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Apart from Kiṇva or yeast several plant substances were marked as sandhāna-oṣadhi (herbs effecting fermentation, Rhṛ. iii.4). Some new recipes for ferment were formulated. One such recipe is laid down in the Rasopaniṣat (RP. XV 251-253). “The best ones among the five classes of bulbous plants with latex pounded along with grains of rice, of Kodrava (Paspalum scrobiculatum), and products of plant madana (emetic nut), pasted with whey of buffalo or cow-milk and kept closed in a bowl and another such is arranged over it. The (closed) vessel is then placed over exposure to sun. The acid residue thus obtained is kiṇva (yeast)”.

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Horse Dung

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Grain Heaps

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Exposure to Sun

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Fumigation substance

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Fire

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*Fig.2 Four Digesting Devices*

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The manifold uses of spirituous fermentation and acetous fermentation started. For different purposes difference in substances and in operational methods are notable. Base-material was called *yoni* (SS. *Sū*. 45. 214). The fermented produces were specified as *tri-yoni*, *dvi-yoni* etc. in cases where materials were not confined in one substance but two or three. The juicy product obtained from fermented mash was called *Jāta-rasa*. (SS. *Sū* 44.30; 34; 45. 203). On several occasion the liquid extract from boiled substances were used as medium of fermentation (SS.*Sū*.44.42-43).

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*Āriṣṭa*, *āsava* and *surā*, the three spirituous fermentations were potent medicinal drugs. Likewise - *āraṇāla*, *cukra*, *dhānyāmla*, *kāñjika*, *sauvīraka*, *śukta*, *tuṣāmbu* and the *yavāmbu*, the various acetic acids, apart from their medicinal uses (SS. *Sū* 44.28-40; *Utt*. 58.15-16), were considered essential substance for washing of metals and minerals and for various mercurial operations (*RHṛ*. ii.3.4, 14; *Rṇv*. x. 39-41; vii.124; xi.61-65). Even they formed an important article in hair-dye.

Techniques Involved in These Two Preparations

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*I. Spirituous fermentation (Surā-Kalpa) (SS. Ci. 10.6-8).*

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*Ariṣṭa* : Powder of selected drugs (having medicinal value as well as fermenting properties), water (half of the weight of powder), iron-powder and treacle (28 1/2 of the weight of water), placed in an earthen vessel purified before and coated inside with a mixture of honey, clarified butter and powdered *pippalī* (long-pepper plant, *Piper longum*) and containing clarified butter. The vessel tightly sealed was dipped for fermentation in a mass of barley for seven nights.

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*Āsava* : A mixture of three parts of cold alkaline water, prepared from the ash of either *palāśa* (*Butea frondosa*), or sesamum, and two parts of inspissated juice of sugar-cane was subjected to fermentation like *ariṣṭa*.

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*Surā*: In this preparation fermentation of decoction of desirable drugs admixed with ferment (*kiṇva*) was performed in the same way that followed in case of *āriṣṭa* or *āsava*.

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*Special Surā for Purgation (SS. Sū. 44. 29-34):*

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(i) Three parts of decoction of prescribed plant substances and two parts of sugar boiled over fire, made cool and the solution kept in an earthen jar for upwards of a month in such a manner so that half of this period in the winter and the other half anterior or posterior of winter, was subjected to fermentation.

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Similar preparations made with alkaline water, cow’s urine and spirituous or distilled liquors, are also prescribed by Suśruta.

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(ii) *Māṣakalāya* (*Phaseolus Roxburghii*) soaked in a decoction of purgative roots was dried in Sun. Some winter rice was also washed in the decoction (and dried) and powdered coarse. Pulse and rice mixed together was made into balls, dried and powdered very fine. The powder heated along with the decoction of purgative drugs, pressed hard and made paste. Three parts of this paste and one part of *kiṇva* (herbs used for as forment) admixed with suitable quantity of decoction was subjected to fermentation in an earthen jar.

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This preparation finds similarity with ‘beer-bread’ of the Egyptian, Sumerian and Accadians.

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Apart from these medicated liquors, a number of other fermented liquors with variations in basic material and with their respective medical valued are found to occur both in *Caraka* and in *Suśruta-Saṃhitās*.

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A List of fermenting substances with base materials is given in *Table 1*

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*II Acetic fermentation.*

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The acetic acid substances included in acid-group by the alchemists are given in *Table 2*.

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The history of fermentation technology in India from antiquity to the medieval period highlights some aspects of this art which are particular to India and also enlightens some bearing similarity with those prevailing in more or less contemporary world. These relate to:

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Table 1 - Fermenting substances

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| | Name of drink | Base Material | Reference |
| i) | Ākṣiki | Chebulic myrobalan and rice | CS. Sū.27(Madya Varga) |
| ii) | Jogala | Unboiled rice | SS. Sū.45(Madya Varga) Ibid. |
| iii) | Jambu | Molasses with juice of the fruit of jambu, Eugenia jambolana. | SS. Sū. 45 |
| iv) | Khārjura | Date | SS. Sū. 45 |
| v) | Madhūlaka or Madhūlika | Mahua, Bassia latifolia (mountain variety also) | CS. Ibid. SS. Ibid. |
| vi) | Mādhvika | Honey | SS. Ibid |
| vii) | Maireya | Rice or barley or wheat flour, molasses, honey (three base materials). | SS. Ibid |
| viii) | Mṛdauka Mṛdvika or Madhvāsava | Grapes. | SS Ibid |
| ix) | Pakvarasa or Pakvarasa Sidhu | Thickened cane juice and dark- brown crude sugar | SS Ibid |
| x) | Yavasurā | Ferment of barley (yavakiṇva) | SS. Sū. Ibid |

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Table 2 — Acetic fermentation (Sandhanamla)

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| Name of sour liquid | Base material | Technicalities | | | |
| | | Ferment medium | Digesting device | Vessel | Reference |
| Aranala | Husked uncooked wheat or any cereal group | | Heat (solar) Duration - oneweek | | RHṛ.III.4. (vide its comm. by Caturbhuja Miśra |
| Cukra | Bulbous root root, fruits, etc. of desired plants | Medium - Drinks alcohol sweet juice whey | Deposition in heap of pady Duration - Three nights | Purified earthen vessel | Sār. Sas. Madhya khaṇḍa, XI, 7-9. Caraka-saṃgraha Grahaṇī, cikitsā, SI. 31. Caraka, Sū. 15. 7. Amarakosa. Vaiśya varga, |
| Dhānyāmla | Unhusked, raw paddy powdered no associated with any other substances. | Ferment same as with Kāñjika. Medium- Water | | | Caraka, Sū.15.7 Amarakosa Vaiśya varga, SL. 39. Rasārṇava, VII. 22; X. 40. |

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| Name of sour liquid | Base material | Technicalities | | | |
| | | Ferment medium | Digesting device | Vessel | Reference |
| *Kañjika*. also called *Amla kañjika* | a) Boiled rice b) Boiled inferior *māṣa* c) Boiled millet or barley also | The entire body inclusive of roots of plants in pieces Names of plants: *bhṛṅgarāja*, *muṇḍi* *Viṣṇukrāntā*, *Punarnavā* *minākṣi*, *sarpākṣi*, *sahadevi*, *śatāvari*, three myrobalans, *girikarṇi*, *haṃsapadi*, *citraka* | — | Earthen vessel | *Śār. Sam.* *Madhya khaṇḍa* XI. 13. *Caraka Cikitsā* V.77. *Rasaratnākara* of *Nityanātha*, quoted in *Rasaratnasamuccayatikā*. 115p. |
| *Sauvīraka* | Barley (coarsely powdered and then fried) | Medium-cold decoction of roots of prescribed plants. | — | Earthen vessel | *Suśruta Sū.* XLIV. 208-209 |
| *Śukta* | Mixed substance consisting of treacle, honey, fermented rice water, whey and the like. | — | Deposition in heaps of paddy. Duration - three nights (in summer) | Earthen vessel | *Caraka, cikitsā*, XIX.9. 212 *Cakra-saṃgraha* *Grahaṇi-cikitsā* SL.31-32; *Vātavyādhi* SL. 100. *Śār. Sam.* *Madhyakhaṇḍa* XI.10 |
| a) *Guḍa-sukta* | Molasses-water (associated material - oil and plant products). | Molasses water | — | — | *Śār, Sam,* *Madhyakhaṇḍa* XI.10. |
| b)*Ikṣu-śukt* & *Mṛdvika-śukta* | Sugarcane juice Grape(not fully matured) | — | — | — | *Śār, Sam,* *Madhyakhaṇḍa* -do- |
| *Tusāmbu* or *Yavāmbu* | Ground barley | Medium Water | — | — | *Ibid.* 12. |

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*I. Distinguishing traits not common in world context.*

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(i) Fermentation concerned mainly or preparation of intoxicating drinks and acetic acids than several food articles involving fermentation, prevailed in Egypt and Mesopotamia.

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(ii) Fire-heat rarely employed for fermentation.

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*II. Identical marks*

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(i) Fermentation with the aid of cereal grains.

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(ii) Use of oleaginous substances or milk products in fermentation.

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