History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c25.s3.11

v1.c25.s3.11

*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.