A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s5: Rasapradīpa
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s5
- Language
- English
Rasapradīpa
v3.c49.s5.1
An anonymous Rasapradīpa46 in 282 verses describes both a number of iatrochemical formulae and a series of alchemical procedures.
v3.c49.s5.2
Subjects dealt with are: a definition of rasāyana (1); fifty formulae (2–163);47 the preparation of a bhasman of gold, silver, copper, brass (pittala), bronze (kāṃsya), lead, and tin (164–199); four methods of lohamāraṇa (200–207); māraṇa of the seven metals (dhātu; 208);48 an enumeration of the seven upadhātus: mākṣika, tutthaka, abhra, nīlāñjana, (manaḥ)śilā, ālaka (= haritāla), and rasaka (209);49 śodhana and māraṇa of the upadhātus, and of gairī, kāsīsa, varāṭikā, tuvarī, śaṅkha, and kaṅkuṣṭha (210–228); śodhana of all the dhātus (229–231); śodhana and māraṇa of hīraka (diamond), vaikrānta, maṇi, muktā (pearl), and pravāla (coral) (232–243); śodhana and māraṇa of all the ratnas (244); the śodhana of śilājatu (245–250); the preparation of maṇḍūrabhasman (251–253) and two varieties of kṣāra (cūrṇābha or pratisārya and peya) (254–256); formulae of rasayogas (257–277); dietary and other rules (278–282).
v3.c49.s5.3
Sources are not mentioned. One of the formulae (144–148: vyādhiharasūtanirmāṇavidhi) is ascribed to Pūjyapāda. The date of composition and the author are unknown.
Linked texts (2)
- Rasaprakāśasudhākara — Yaśodhara (alchemist), Sanskrit
- Rasapradīpa (Śaṅkara Bhaṭṭa) — Śaṅkara Bhaṭṭa, Sanskrit