[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [Minerals and Metals in Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996) › v2.c45.s8 # Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c45.s8: Ferrous Materials in RRS Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c45.s8 - **Language:** English ### Ferrous Materials in RRS ### [v2.c45.s8.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.1) The \*RRS\*, though primarily a medicinal text, provides valuable informations regarding the twelfth-fourteenth centuries AD status of Indian knowledge related to the ferrous materials. Such a detailed coverage (\*RRS\*, 5.70-5.99) had hardly been presented in any earlier literature. ### [v2.c45.s8.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.2) It was stated that there are three kinds of iron: \*muṇḍam\* (wrought iron), \*tīkṣṇam\* (cast or carburised iron or steel) and \*kāntam\* (the magnetic variety or the variety made from magnetite) (\*RRS\*, 5.70). ### [v2.c45.s8.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.3) \*Muṇḍaloha\* could be \*mṛdu\* type, which softens quickly, is smooth or glossy and does not break or is without fissure (\*abisphotam\*); it could be of \*kuntham\* variety which expands with great difficulty on hammering; or it could be \*kadāram\* type which breaks when struck with a hammer and has a black fracture (5.71-72). ### [v2.c45.s8.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.4) There are six varieties of \*tīkṣṇam\* (5.76). The \*khara\* variety is hard, breaks on bending, free of \*pogaras\* (hair follicles or hair-like lines) and on fracture, exhibits mercury-like shining surfaces (5.77). The \*sāra\* variety, ‘obtained from white earth’, has \*pogaras\* and its edges can be destroyed quickly (5.78). The \*hṛnnāla\* variety is whitish black, has \*pogara\* and is hard to pierce (5.79). The brittle variety looking like hair follicle is known as \*aṅga/vaṅga/pogara/tārāvaṭṭa\* (5.80). \*Vājira\* looks greyish black, and is full of hard \*pogaras\*, overspread by dense thin linings (5.81). \*Kālāyasa\* is bluish black, dense, smooth, bright, and its sharpened edge is not spoiled by hammering (5.82). These \*tīkṣṇa\* varieties are hundred times better (\*śatottaram\*) than other non-\*tīkṣṇa\* varieties (5.83). ### [v2.c45.s8.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.5) The \*kāntalohas\* could be classified according to colour as \*pīta\*, \*rakta\* and \*kṛṣṇa\* after the trinity gods (5.84-86), or according to their magnetic properties: ### [v2.c45.s8.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.6) भ्रामयेत् लोहजातं यत् तत् कान्तं भ्रामकं मतम्। चुम्बयेत् चुम्बकं कान्तं कर्षयेत् कर्षकं तथा साक्षात् यत् द्रावयेत् लोहं तत् कान्तं द्रावकं मतम्। तत् रोमकान्तं स्फुटितात् ततो रोमोद्गमो भवेत्।। \*bhrāmayet lohajātaṃ yat tat kāntaṃ bhrāmakaṃ matam |\* \*cumbayet cumbakaṃ kāntaṃ karṣayet karṣakaṃ tathā\* \*sākṣāt yat drāvayet lohaṃ tat kāntaṃ drāvakaṃ matam |\* \*tat romakāntaṃ spuṭitāt tato romodgamo bhavet ||\* ### [v2.c45.s8.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.7) \*Bhrāmaka\* type is weakly magnetic, causing movement of ferrous materials; \*cumbaka\* type ‘kisses’ or causes adherence; \*karṣaka\* attracts, and \*drāvaka\* is strongly magnetic. The fifth variety of \*kāntaloha\*, giving rise to hair-like structures is called \*romaka\* (5.90-91). ### [v2.c45.s8.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.8) We conjecture that \*kāntaloha\* was made by reduction of magnetitic ore ### [v2.c45.s8.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.9) क्षेत्रं खात्वा ग्रहीतव्यं तत् प्रयत्नेन धीमता। मारुतात् पविक्षिप्तं वर्जयेत् नात्र संशयः।। \*kṣetraṃ khātvā grahitavyaṃ tat prayatnena dhīmatā |\* \*mārutāt pavikṣiptaṃ varjayet nātra saṃśayaḥ ||\* ### [v2.c45.s8.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.10) ‘obtained by carefully digging it out of the mines; that which had remained exposed to the sun and the atmosphere was avoided’ (5.94), presumably because the oxidised hematite on the surface mines would have different reducibility properties. ### [v2.c45.s8.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.11) It was known that \*kāntaloha\* (iron obtained from magnetite) vessel was not wetted by oil ### [v2.c45.s8.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.12) तैलबिन्दुर्न लिप्तम् पाके दुग्धं भवति शिखराकारकं नैति भूमौ \*tailabindurna liptam pāke dugdhaṃ bhavati\* \*śikharākārakam naiti bhūmau\* ### [v2.c45.s8.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.13) or boiling milk ‘which does not overflow but rises high like a peak’ (5.95). The surface of \*kāntaloha\* probably adsorbed odoriferous and organo-leptic compounds, as \*gandhaṃ hiṅgum tyajati ca tiktatām nimbalkah\* it was stated that asafoetida gives up its odour, and the bitterness of \*nima\* (Azadirachta indica) decoction is lost when these materials are kept in a vessel made of \*kāntaloha\* (5.95). Such accurate observations about the non-wetting by oil or milk, and adsorption properties of the \*kāntaloha\* surface are indeed very fascinating. ### [v2.c45.s8.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.14) The different varieties of iron were ‘killed’ for medicinal purpose by roasting in air or with mercury, sulphur or cinnabar (5.96-5.148). It was known that ### [v2.c45.s8.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.15) ये गुणा मारिते मुण्डे ते गुणा मुण्डकिट्के तस्मात् सर्वत्र मण्डरं रोगर्शान्त्यै प्रयोजयेत \*ye guṇā mārite muṇḍe te guṇā muṇḍakiṭṭake\* \*tasmāt sarvatra maṇḍaraṃ rogarśāntyai prayojayet\* ### [v2.c45.s8.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.16) the qualities of ‘killed’ \*muṇḍaloha\* (roasted in air) and of the \*muṇḍakiṭṭaka/maṇḍara\* or the rust of iron are the same, and therefore the latter was also acceptable for medicinal purposes (5.148). We know from modern science that both are oxides of iron. ### [v2.c45.s8.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.17) The high reactivity of mercury (an intoxicated elephant) with \*kāntaloha\* (bent hook to restrain or fix the animal) was poetically described (5.91): ### [v2.c45.s8.18](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8.18) मदोन्मत्तगजः सुतः कान्तम् अंकुशम् उच्यते \*madonmattagajaḥ sutaḥ kāntam aṅkuśam ucyate\* ## Cites (1) - [Rasaratnasamuccaya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.med.rasa.samuccaya.pramukha.rasaratnasamuccaya.5.70) — Vāgbhaṭa (alchemist), Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c45.s8) · Pramāṇa