Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c40.s4.5

v2.c40.s4.5

Utpāva meant a purification step involving some kind of ascent which is implicit in evaporation (upward escape of water vapour from ghī being purified through heating over fire — Pāṇ., 3.3.49) and distillation (in which the escaping vapour is condensed to yield pure liquid as in the case of alcohol, mercury, etc.). The idea of vapour going over for subsequent condensation was reflected in the word pārāyaṇa (5.1.72). Although Pāṇini did not state ‘distillation’ as one of the meanings of pārāyaṇa (going over), and did not refer to pārā or pārada (mercury, which is purified by distillation), the link between the words is quite obvious.