Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c43.s3.t10.8

v2.c43.s3.t10.8

Sūryakānta or Ravikānta (AS, 2.11.32; NRP, 154-155; RS, 18; MM, 436-437 and RYP, 96) could however belong to the quartz family as claimed in the above-cited literatures. We have earlier quoted NRP, 155: sūryāṃśusparśamātreṇa vahnim vamati which means ‘fire emerges when sun-rays pass through’, and implies that sūryakānta could mean a lens of tranparent rock crystal. Alternatively, it could be sunstone of the feldspar family as defined earlier.