Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s6.1

v2.c44.s6.1

The Indian literatures on atomism provided at best a polemical ground and could not establish any viable link with the experimental discipline of Rasaśāstra or Indian alchemy, later developed into Iatro-chemistry. The Rasaśāstra tradition had its origin in Atharvaveda, the Sāṃkhya system and the Āyurvedic texts of Caraka and Suśruta. Through Nāgārjuna and other stalwarts, the subject evolved gradually, and gathered momentum after the seventh century AD. A chronological account of the relevant texts is summarised in Table 8.1.