A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s2.42

v3.c49.s2.42

Special features Eight doṣas of mercury are enumerated: nāga, vaṅga, agni, cāñcalya, asahyatva, viṣa, giri and mala; the disorders they bring about are jāḍya, kuṣṭha, mahādāha, vīryanāśa, mūrchanā, mṛtyu, sphoṭa and rogapuñja (1.17–18). A second series of five doṣas, consisting of śiloccaya, mṛdbhava, atimalina, nāga and vaṅga leads to kuṣṭha, jāḍya, atyantavāta, galagaṇḍa and gulma (1.19).¹⁰⁵ The uparasas distinguished are gandhaka, vajra, vaikrānta, gagana (= abhraka), tālaka, śilā, kharpara, śikhituttha, vimalā, hemamākṣika, kāsīsa, kāntapāṣāṇa, varāṭa, añjana, hinguḷa, kaṅkuṣṭha, śaṅkha, bhūnāga, ṭaṅkaṇa, and śilājatu (3.1–3ab).¹⁰⁶ Four varieties of sulphur (gandhaka) are mentioned: red, yellow, white and black, useful for making gold (hemakriyā), for rasāyana purposes and in ointments on ulcers respectively; the black variety is the best one (3.5–6). Diamonds (vajra) are white, red, yellow and black; these varieties are called brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra; they are suitable to rasāyana purposes, to curing diseases, to vāda (i.e., alchemy) and to vayahstambha (i.e., rasāyana) purposes; diamonds are also male, female or neuter and fit for vedha and rasabandha, dehasiddhi, and krāmaṇa (3.16–21). Eight types of vaikrānta are mentioned: white, red, yellow, grey (pārāvatacchavi), śyāmala, black, and karbura (3.32).¹⁰⁷