A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c48.s7: Contents
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c48.s7
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Contents
v3.c48.s7.1
The edited text of the treatise² is divided into two sections, a Kādiprakaraṇa in twenty-seven chapters (paṭala) on Tantric subjects,³ and a Bhūtiprakaraṇa in nine chapters (paṭala) on alchemy.⁴ The Bhūtiprakaraṇa is written in the form of a dialogue between Śrīkaṇṭha (= Śiva) and Śakti.
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² The edited text of the treatise
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⁴ alchemy.⁴
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Chapter one of the Bhūtiprakaraṇa (rasaphalāphalavarṇana; 123 verses) is of an introductory character. Some of its subjects are: the secret nature of the alchemical art, the persons to whom it may be transmitted, the praise of mercury, and the treatises on alchemy which the work summarizes.
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Chapter two (dravyasaṃgrahaṇa; 105 verses) is about the nibandhana of mercury (1–5ab), the eight rasas (5cd–20ab), the eight uparasas (20cd–29), the eight rasalo-has (30–40), precious and semi-precious stones (41–52), a substance of animal origin (53–56), the six kinds of salt (57–59), the three kinds of kṣāra (60ab), poisonous substances (60cd–65a), oils (65b–66), vasā (67–68ab), urine (68cd), semen and menstrual discharge (69), kṣāras (69cd–73ab), jāraka substances (73cd–77), drāvaka substances (78–81), acids (amlāni; 82–85), the rakta-, pīta-, kṛṣṇa- and sitavarga (86–97), and some alchemical operations (98–105).
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Chapter three (dhātuśuddhi; 97 verses) is concerned with the eighteen saṃskāras (3cd–6), the eight saṃskāras (aṣṭavidhā śuddhiḥ) resulting in the purification of mercury (7–25ab), and the purification of the rasas, uparasas and lohas (25cd–97).
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Chapter four (jīvotsargavidhāna; 152 verses) discusses the bandha of mercury; four types of bandha are referred to (3cd–4); several alchemical operations are described, in particular sattvapātana, and some apparatus (6cd–116);⁵ the construction of the alchemical workshop (rasamaṇḍapa) and its inventory are dealt with (117–129ab); the chapter ends with verses on good and bad types of teachers (129cd–152).
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⁵ (117–129ab);⁵
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Chapter five (bījasambandha; 302 verses) deals with samukhacāraṇa (5–44), nirmukhacāraṇa by means of divine herbs (45–57ab), types of grāsa (65–79ab), bīḍa, bīja, and several operations (garbhadṛti, rañjana, etc.) (79cd–302).
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Chapter six (rasopasarakarman; 582 verses) is about alchemical operations involving sūryakānta (8–36ab), candrakānta (36cd–50ab), tārakānta (50cd–60), capala (61–70ab), vajra (70cd–79), raktābhra (80–96ab), sasyaka (96cd–117ab), adrija (117cd–125; = śilājatu), vimala (126–182), mākṣika (183–250ab), rasaka (250cd–297), darada (298–309ab), gandhaka (309cd–422ab), gairika (422cd–535ab), and sauvīra (535cd–582).
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Chapter seven (divyauṣadhilakṣaṇakarman; 374 verses)⁶ describes the sixty-four divine herbs (divyauṣadhi; 1–106) and their uses in alchemical operations (107–152); the middle part of the chapter is devoted to vegetable poisons and their uses (153–209ab); the last part of the chapter contains a long amlavetasakalpa (209cd–326) and rules concerning the use of rasāyana preparations (350–374).
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⁶ (374 verses)⁶
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Chapter eight (229 verses)⁷ gives an account of the origin of (ayas)kānta and its uses, followed by verses on some dhātus and related subjects.
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⁷ (229 verses)⁷
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Chapter nine (śivasūtra, rasāyanavidhi; verses 74–141)⁸ gives rules for the adepts and describes the results of their efforts.
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⁸ (74–141)⁸
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The only authority mentioned is Nandin (9.134).