Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s6.t2: Iatro-Chemical Texts
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s6.t2
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Iatro-Chemical Texts
v2.c44.s6.t2.1
In the words of Ray (1956:158) the iatro-chemical period in India started in the thirteenth century AD after ‘the fantastic and extravagant (alchemical) ideas, impossible of realization, had subsided into something more practical and tangible’. We would end this chapter by mentioning three thirteenth century iatro-chemical texts; in the next chapter we would present the most important text of this category, Rasaratnasamuccaya which belongs to early fourteenth century AD.
v2.c44.s6.t2.2
In Rasaprakāśaśudhakara, Yaśodhara described, probably for the first time in India, the preparation of karpūrarasa or calomel. To be made by heating mercury with common salt, alum and borax, calomel or mercuric chloride was recommended as an aphrodisiac and for leprosy.
v2.c44.s6.t2.3
Alum from Saurāṣṭra, known as tuvari was popular as mordant for dyes. When slightly yellow, it was known as phullika. The material could ‘kill’ iron.
v2.c44.s6.t2.4
Two varieties of rasaka or calamine were known: karavellaka and dardura. The process of extracting zinc from calamine was described; this was almost identical with that noted in Rasaratnasamuccaya. The essence (sattva) of rasaka, that is zinc metal, was a reduction-cum-distillation product like rasa (mercury), and hence the name rasaka. It possessed the lustre of lead.
v2.c44.s6.t2.5
तदा सीसोपमं सत्वं पतत्येव न संशयः।
v2.c44.s6.t2.6
tadā sīsopamam satvam patatyeva na saṃśayaḥ ।
v2.c44.s6.t2.7
The crucible used was like a brinjal mūṣām vṛntākaphalasannibhām. Nāgārjuna’s authority was invoked to proclaim that both mercury as well as zinc salts are supposed to strengthen the body:
v2.c44.s6.t2.8
पारदो रसकश्चैव देहलोहकरावुभौ।
v2.c44.s6.t2.9
pārado rasakaścaiva dehalohakarāvubhau ।
v2.c44.s6.t2.10
Madanāntadeva mentioned in his Rasacintāmaṇi the preparation of calomel, but named this as śvetabhasma instead of karpūrarasa. He referred to an alloy made of bell-metal, silver and cast iron. Copper, made from blue vitriol or tutthaka, was named as tutthaka-sattva or the ‘essence’ of blue vitriol.
v2.c44.s6.t2.11
The process of making zinc (kharparasattvapātana) from calamine (kharpara), described in *Rasacintāmaṇi* was similar to the one formulated by Yaśodhara, with one difference. Whereas Yaśodhara hits off the completion of reduction when the flame issuing from the pot ceases to be blue, Madanāntadeva directs that ‘the pot is to be taken out of the furnace, soon as white fumes begin to appear. The crucible is then to be held in an inclined position so that the lead-like essence of calamine drops on the ground’.
v2.c44.s6.t2.12
*Rasakalpa*, which is a part and parcel of *Rudrayamala Tantra*, also belonged to the thirteenth century AD. The author has restricted his treatise solely to a description of the metals, minerals, and the process of ‘killing’ them with the agency of various apparatus.
v2.c44.s6.t2.13
*Rasakalpa* mentioned *mahārasas*, *uparasas* and *rasas*. It referred to *culikālavaṇa* (sal ammoniac) used as a *vida* for killing gold. There were two kinds of *tāla*, *tālakam dviprakāram syāt godantaḥ pāṭalacchaviḥ* two kinds of *gairika*, one of golden blue, the other red. There were different kinds of *saurāṣṭris* or alums and three kinds of *kāsīsas* (green and other vitriols):
v2.c44.s6.t2.14
बहुप्रकारा सौराष्ट्री कासीसं त्रिविधं मतम्।
कासीसं पुष्पकासीसं हीरकासीसमित्यथ।।
*bahuprakārā saurāṣṭrī kāsīsam trividham matam |*
*kāsīsam puṣpakāsīsam hīrakāsīsamityatha ||*
v2.c44.s6.t2.15
The vitriols ranging from blue copper sulphate to green ferrous sulphate were variously known as *tutthaka*, *sasyaka* and *kāsīsa*. *Rājāvarta* mentioned as a *rasa* has been translated as lapis lazuli, a rare gem coloured blue; it could actually be a blue copper mineral.
v2.c44.s6.t2.16
Processes were described for extraction of copper from *mākṣika* (copper bearing pyrite), and of zinc from calamine involving distillation through *vakranāla* or bent tube. *Vartaloha* was mentioned as an alloy: *vartādyāḥ syustu kṛtrimāḥ*.
v2.c44.s6.t2.17
The composition was not mentioned. Later *Rasaratnasamuccaya* (RRS) (5.212) mentioned that *vartaloha* was composed of bronze, copper, brass, iron and lead, and hence also known as *pañcaloha*.
v2.c44.s6.t2.18
We would discuss in the next chapter how *RRS* beautifully summarised the diverse technical data in the *Ratna-* and *Rasaśāstra* texts.
Linked texts (3)
- Rasaratnasamuccaya — Vāgbhaṭa (alchemist), Sanskrit
- Rudrayāmalatantra Uttarakāṇḍa — Sanskrit
- Rasaprakāśasudhākara — Yaśodhara (alchemist), Sanskrit