Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c9.40

c9.40

king of metals. In *Rājanighaṇṭu* 33 different names are given to it¹. Among the ascetics also the use of a mercury-preparation (*rasapāna*) for prolonging life was common, and even the philosophy developed (in 14th century A. D. at the latest) a mercury system (*raseśvara-darśana*)². Mercury does not occur in the Bower MS; in Su, AS, AHr it is mentioned as Rasendra, Pārada only in a few places. Whether Caraka knew it, is doubtful³. At any rate the purification (*śodhana*) by heating and the consequent immersion in certain fluids and the "killing" (*māraṇa*) i. e. the calcination or powdering of mercury and other metallic processes which make it fit for pharmaceutical application, are not mentioned in these old works.