Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c45.s2: Gem Minerals
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c45.s2
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Gem Minerals
v2.c45.s2.1
In one of our previous chapters (chapter 7) we have mentioned the references to ratna or gem minerals in RRS (chapter 2), which is indeed an unique compilation (samuccaya) of rasa — as well as Ratnaśāstra text materials. Here we would merely emphasize that RRS believed the gem minerals to be potential sources of medicine. Hard minerals for example, when suitably administered, were believed to make the human tissues strong. Combined with mercury, precious stones could become medicines. This was another alchemical belief.
v2.c45.s2.2
Emerald was known as tārkṣya, garuḍodgāra, etc. Cat’s eye gem was called viduraka. Diamond was known as vajra as well as bhidura. Diamond was classified under three ‘genders’: masculine, feminine and neutral as well as under four conventional castes (RRS, 4.26-4.30).
v2.c45.s2.3
Vaikrānta has been described (*RRS*, 2.53-2.60) as ‘possessing eight edges, eight facets, six angles, smooth and heavy, associated with one or more of eight kinds of colours, occurring around Vindhya, able to cut down or deform the metals’:
v2.c45.s2.4
विकृन्तयति लोहानि तेन वैक्रान्तकः स्मृतः
*vikṛntayati lohāni tena vaikrāntakaḥ smṛtaḥ*
(*RRS*, 2.60)
v2.c45.s2.5
The above description reminds us of a similar one for diamond (4.27), and it is possible that vaikrānta of *RRS* was indeed diamond of different colours. However the reference to *satvapātana* of the gem or extraction of metal from it (2.69-2.71) makes us wonder whether the name was also applied to some other hard mineral containing iron (magnetite) or manganese. Many authors have translated vaikrānta as tourmaline.
Linked texts (1)
- Rasaratnasamuccaya — Vāgbhaṭa (alchemist), Sanskrit