A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c48.s8: Special features
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c48.s8
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Special features
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The Bhūtiprakaraṇa of the Gorakṣasaṃhitā is mainly devoted to alchemy and the objectives of its quest: dehasiddhi and lohasiddhi; preparations which are curative of particular diseases are occasionally dealt with, for example in the amlavetasakalpa (7. 210cd–326).⁹
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⁹ (7. 210cd–326).⁹
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The arrangement of the material is not very systematic. The first eight of the eighteen saṃskāras are described, the remaining ones are referred to. The yantras, mūṣās and puṭas are not characterized; the substances used in alchemical operations, their varieties, properties, etc., are incidentally described. Several groups of substances and the items belonging to these groups are, however, dealt with in chapter two. The divine herbs are discussed in chapter seven.
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The main accent of the Bhūtiprakaraṇa is on the bandha of mercury. A term used to designate alchemy is bhūtitantra (2.101; 3.¹) or bhūtiśāstra (2.³; 4.3). Bhūti is a term frequently employed to one of the aims of the alchemist; other aims mentioned are the usual ones: āyus (7.374), cakravartitva (1.109), divyadehatva (5.176), khecaratva (5.168), the siddhis (5.177), etc., next to the making of artificial gold and silver.
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¹ The Gorakṣasaṃhitā
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³ subjects,³
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Śiva worship is a conspicuous feature. Mantras are repeatedly referred to; examples are the aghoramantra (6.45; 7.162), kāmikamantra (7.163), viśvarūpā vidyā (6.477 and 479; 9.130), and trailokyāḍhāramantra (7.163).
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Grammatical faults are rather frequent.¹⁰ Some vernacular terms are also met with.¹¹
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¹⁰ frequent.¹⁰
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¹¹ with.¹¹
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Chapter one relates that a very large alchemical work (a rasatantra), in 25,000 verses, was once revealed by Svacchanda (= Śiva). Basing themselves upon this work, several gods composed their own treatises on the subject; these treatises are: Devī's Mahodadhi in 12,000 verses, Umā's Rasopaniṣad in 6,000 verses, Guha's Rasatantra in 6,000 verses, Bṛhaspati's Rasacakra in 8,000 verses, Candra's Rasāṅkuśa in 10,000 verses, and Vināyaka's Rasodaya in 8,000 verses (1.111–120). The Bhūtiprakaraṇa is said to be an abridgement of Śiva's original work.¹²
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¹² work.¹²
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Chapter two describes mica (ghana) as originating from Umā's yoni (6ab); mica is of four colours: white, yellow, red and black (6cd); two varieties only are distinguished: vajra and māṇḍūka (27).¹³ Mica is one of the eight (mahā)rasas:¹⁴ abhraka or ghana, vaikrānta, vimala, rasaka, śaila, mākṣika, darada (= hiṅgula), and sasyaka (19–20). Several varieties of vaikrāntaka are referred to (8cd). Vimala is of two kinds: white and yellow (11cd–12ab),¹⁵ rasaka of three kinds: mṛttikārasaka, guḍābha and pāṣāṇabha (12cd–13), śaila of four kinds, different in colour (14), mākṣika of two kinds: white and yellow (15ab), or of four types: kadambākāra, golakākāra, kāravellakasambha, and aṅgulīyaka (15cd–16), darada (cinnabar) of three types: camari,¹⁶ śukatuṇḍa and haṃsapāda (17), and sasyaka of one type (18ab).
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The eight uparasas are: gandha (sulphur), (harit)āla, gairika, (manaḥ)śilā, kāṅkṣī, kāsīsa, añjana, and kaṅkuṣṭha (28cd–29).¹⁷ Haritāla is of two kinds: pale red (pāṭala) and yellow (22ab), gairika of one type (22cd–23), manaḥśilā of one type (24ab),¹⁸ kāṅkṣī of two types: śyāmā and kapilā (24cd), kāsīsa of three types: white, śyāma and yellow (25cd–27ab);¹⁹ añjana²⁰ and kaṅkuṣṭha are of one type (27cd–28ab).
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An unusual group of eight rasalohas²¹ is described, which may, partly at least, consist of substances called sattva in other texts.²² The group consists of: kāntaja, khuraloha,²³ nānākārāśmaja, khaja, vaikrāntakodbhava, śailaja, sasyakasambhava, and mākṣikamalaja; the colours and properties of these rasalohas are mentioned (30–40ab).
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The six metals (āyasa) are: gold (agni), silver (soma), copper (arka), iron (tīkṣṇa), tin (vaṅga), and lead (nāga) (40cd).
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The five rasaratnas (precious stones) are: padmarāga (ruby), indranīla (sapphire), marakata (emerald), puṣparāga (topaz), and vajra (diamond) (44cd–45ab). Nṛpāvarta (= rājāvarta), tuttha, vidruma, and artificial gems (vaidambaka: mock gem) are called the maṇirasas (47).²⁴ The group of the three mahāmaṇis consists of sūryakānta, candrakānta and tārakānta (48–50ab).
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Substances useful in the bandha of mercury are: mṛganābhi (musc), māthara, ambujaśūka (= jalaśūka), the milky juice (payas) of rakṣura, niśāra or nṛsāra, gautamakṣāra, tagara, nāgasamjñita, lelitaka, srotaja, kṛṣṇāṅgara, and sita (50cd–56). The six types of salt are: sāmudra, saindhava, viḍa, sauvarcala, romaka, and culikā-lavaṇa or navasāra (58–59). The three caustics (kṣāra) are: yava(kṣāra), svarjika and ṭaṅkaṇa (60ab).
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The five (major) poisonous substances are: śaktuka, kṛṣṇa, śṛṅgika, mustaka and vatsanābha (60cd–64ab). The five upaviṣas are: snuhī, arka, karavīra, lāṅgalī and viṣamuṣṭika (64cd–65a). Oils used in alchemical operations are extracted from the plants called jyotiṣmatī, naktamāla, rubuka (= eraṇḍa), āruṣkara, akṣa, aṅkola, palāśa, bākucī, apāmārga, and unmatta (65b–66). The fatty substances (vasā; 67–68ab), urines (68cd), kinds of semen and menstrual discharge (bīja, puṣpa; 69ab) used are enumerated. A pittavarga and viḍvarga are absent.²⁵
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The list of plants from which a kṣāra may be prepared is long. The plants mentioned are: apāmārga, arka, aśvamāra, caṇaka, eraṇḍa, gotama, gūthavṛkṣa, kadalī, kaṅcukī, kāraka, kuṭaja, mokṣaka, muṣṭika, nikṣāra, nikura, niṣpāva, palāśa, rakṣuraka, raktamāla, snuhī, suradālī,²⁶ tila, udumbarī, unmatta, vajrakandaka, varṣābhū, and vā-
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stuka (69cd–72). A list of acids derived from plants follows (82–84). The substances belonging to the rakta-, pīta-, kṛṣṇa- and śvetavarga are enumerated towards the end of the chapter (86–97).
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Chapter three mentions the following eighteen saṃskāras: svedana, mardana, mūrcchana, utthāpana, pātana, dīpana, nirodha, niyāmana, caraṇa, garbhasamdrāva, jāraṇa, pātana again, grāsapramāṇa, rañjana, sāraṇa, krāmaṇa, vedha, and śarīrāvāpa (4–6).²⁷
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Five plants are called the five kumārikās: karkoṭī, ūṣanatrā, śukatuṇḍā, vāyasī and javā (16); ūṣapattrā, agnija, varya and the two vaṭamālās are the five vāruṇas (17cd–18ab).
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The drāvika plants enumerated are: bāspikā, ciñcikā, halinī, kaṅcukī, kāravallikā, kośātaki, kumārikā, prāvṛttā, suradālī, sūryāvarta, vajrakanda, and vandhyā (70–71).²⁸
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Chapter four refers to four types of bandha (3), but describes only dravabandha (6); gola- and bhasmabandha are mentioned without being characterized (4).²⁹ The colours of the flames produced by various substances are mentioned (113–114).
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Chapter five enumerates sixty-four plants used in the bandha of mercury: ahilocanā,³⁰ ajamārī, alambuṣā, añjalikārī, aparājitā, apattrā, ardhacandrā,³¹ bimbī, brāhmī, bṛhatī, citraparṇī,³² dantī, durgandhā, gāruḍī, gojihvikā, halinī, haṃsapādī, hemapuṣpikā, īśvarī, jalamūlikā, jalaparvāmbuṣitā,³³ jalapippalī, jalodbhavapāmārga, jvālīnī, kapoṭī, kṣīrī, kumārī, kumbhaka, kurkurī, lakṣmaṇā, māṃsī, māṇḍūkī, mā-rjārapādikā, meghanādā, meṣakā, mīṇākṣī,³⁴ mohinī, muśalī, nāginī, nandinī, pāṣāṇabhedikā, prasāriṇī (sthalajā prasāriṇī), samaṅgā (sthalajā samaṅgā), samaṅgā (vārisambhūtā samaṅgā), saracandraukasa, sārikā, sarpasugandhikā, śikhā, śikhipādī, sitagandhā khagā, śukanāsā, triparṇikā, tulasī, tuṣī, upāmbu, upodikā, utpalī (jalajā utpalī padmā), uttamā, vajrakandaka, vanakārpāsī, vanamālā, vanārjikā, vārāhī, vāyasī, vidārī, vṛścikālikā, and yavaciñcī (46–57).³⁵
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The types of rasa that are formed on the addition of grāsa are called daṇḍadhārin or daṇḍadhṛk, pāyasa or payasākāra, jalūkā or jalaukākāravat, vidruṣa, chedin, dadhivat, navanīta, and piṇḍa or khaṇḍa (65–71).³⁶
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Chapter six mentions the usual four varieties of grāsa (64ab). The mahārasas rasa and rasaka are praised for their suitability to make artificial gold and silver (269cd–270ab). Dānavendra is a term repeatedly employed to designate sulphur (294, 309, 315, 356, etc.).
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Chapter seven is concerned with plants used in alchemy: divyauṣadhis, mahauṣadhis and rasauṣadhis (5), divided into the following types: tṛṇa, gulma, latā, vallī, vṛkṣa, and visarpiṇī (6).³⁷
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The plants described³⁸ are: ajagarī (21–22ab), āmrātaki (34), amśumatī or rudantī (26cd–28ab), aśokā (36), āsurī (85cd–86ab), bhedinī (52cd–53ab), bhṛṅgā (93ab), bhūkadamba (25–26ab), bhūtakeśī or kṛṣṇavallī (24), bilvātaki (100), brahmadaṇḍī (64cd–65), camarī (93cd–94ab), chattrī (39cd–40ab), devaśrī (75–77ab), devī (42), gandharvī (86cd–87ab), gāruḍī (80), gomārī (87cd–88ab), gonasī (22cd), gorocanā (101–103), gośṛṅgī (58–59), hemadaṇḍā (69), hemalatā (84cd–85ab), īśvarī (23cd), jayā (74), jyotiṣṭrṇa, jyotirvṛkṣa, jyotikhaṇḍa (61cd–62ab), kālakarṇī (48cd–49ab), karavīrī (94cd–95ab), khadirapattrikā (60–61ab), kīṭamārī (77cd–78ab), kṛṣṇacitraka or goptar (44), madhutṛṇā (67cd–68), nāginī (38cd–39ab), naradevī (56cd–57), nīlotpalā (49cd–50ab), padmadaṇḍī (66–67ab), palāśavallī (45–46), pītamustakikā (97), punṇāgapattrikā (37–38ab), rajanī (50cd–51ab), raktavallī (62cd–64ab), rohiṇī (99), saṃvarī (28cd–30ab), śataparvā (33), savarī (40cd–41), siṃhikā (51cd–52ab), śirīṣā (88cd), somā (7–8ab),³⁹ somavallī (9–19ab), somavṛkṣa (8cd), śrījayā (71–72ab), sthalajā padminī (19cd–20), tāmbūlapattrī (70), tārājā (47–48ab), tilakā (53cd–54ab), tridaṇḍī (92), tripattrā (35), triśalyā (104–105), triśūlī (90–91), tumbinī (81–84ab), uccaṭā (23ab), vajrā (95cd–96), vajravallī (43), vanakustumbarī (89), vārāhī (30cd–31ab), vijayā (72–73), vīravallī (798), and vyāghrī (79).⁴⁰
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An otherwise unknown disorder, called somavṛddhi, is referred to (15).
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The amlavetasakalpa gives an account of the mythical origin of this plant (210cd–213) and its appearance (214–216ab); its juice is described as a powerful solvent (drāvaka; 229–233ab).
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The style and terminology of the Bhūtiprakaraṇa of the Gorakṣasaṃhitā are distinctive, although in some respects reminiscent of the Rasopaniṣad.⁴¹ Mercury is very often referred to as śarvaja⁴² and sūtaka, gold as māṭar⁴³ or māṭṛkā,⁴⁴ copper as aravinda,⁴⁵ etc.
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Compounds with the element cakra- are not rare.⁴⁶
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The terms sṛṣṭi and sṛṣṭitraya are frequently employed.⁴⁷ A large number of technical terms are not explained.⁴⁸ The same applies to the preparation of various substances employed in alchemical operations, for example: jyotistaila,⁴⁹ rāgasneha,⁵⁰ raktasneha,⁵¹ and raktataila⁵² (probably synonyms of rañjanataila).⁵³ Sneha is used in the sense of taila⁵⁴ or vasā.⁵⁵
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Some mūṣās referred to are agnimūṣā (5.146; 6.575), dharamūṣā (7.139), and dīrghamūṣā (4.52; 5.135).
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Some noteworthy names of plants are ambujaśūka (= jalaśūka; 2.51), amlavallī (2.83; 6.334), candravallī (2.96), cirpotikā (5.123), codyavṛkṣa (8.85), gandhā (2.94), jalaśūka (6.451 and 467), lelitaka (2.52; 6.385 and 472), māthara (6.214, 314, 320, 395, 453, 467, 544), rājārka (8.213), rakṣura (2.51), rakṣuraka (2.72), raktagocandanā (6.491), raktapāmārga (6.340 and 492; 7.189), śrīhastinī (4.72), trirakṣā (6.489), and vṛṣodara (9.123).