Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c40.s4.7

v2.c40.s4.7

Allchin (1979) mentioned India as ‘the ancient home of distillation’. The earliest literary reference related to kṣara, yam . . . na viśvadhakṣaradhyai (Rgveda, 1.63.8) refers to rain-water being discharged by Indra all over the world, and clearly alludes to the later part (condensation) of distillation. Pāṇini referred to a distiller as śauṇḍika (4.3.106), the word alluding to intoxication rather than the distilled product causing it.