A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s6: Rasaprakāśasudhākara

A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s6

Language: English

Rasaprakāśasudhākara

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The Rasaprakāśasudhākara by Yaśodhara50 is a treatise devoted to alchemy and iatrochemistry.

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Contents51 The Rasaprakāśasudhākara, entirely written in verse, consists of 1,286 verses, arranged in thirteen chapters (adhyāya).

Chapter one (aṣṭādaśarasasaṃskāranirūpaṇa; 164 verses) opens with a maṅgala of four verses in praise of Harihara, Śaradā, Gaṇapati, and mercury. These stanzas are followed by a table of contents (5–12). Subjects dealt with in the next verses are: the origin of mercury and its varieties (13–21), the eighteen saṃskāras (22–25ab), the five doṣas (25cd–26) and the seven kañcukas (27–30ab) of mercury. The remaining part of chapter one gives an account of the eighteen saṃskāras: svedana (30cd–35), mardana (36–41), mūrchana (42–45ab), utthāpana (45cd–47), the three varieties of pātana (48–62ab), rodhana (62cd–65), niyamana (66–67ab), dīpana (67cd–78), grāsamāna (79–83),52 cāraṇa (85–93ab), garbhadṛti (93cd–97ab), bāhyadruti (97cd–101ab), jāraṇa (101cd–119), rañjana (120–127), sāraṇa (128–140ab), krāmaṇa (140cd–146ab), vedhana (146cd–156), and sevana (157–164).

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Chapter two (caturvidharasabandhana; 109 verses) enumerates four types of bandha of mercury:⁵³ jalaukā- or pakvabandha, khoṭa(ka) or piṣṭistambha, pāṭaka⁵⁴ or parpaṭikābandha, and bhasmabandha (2–3). These bandhas may be brought about by means of mūlikā (substances of vegetable origin), maṇi (gems), svarṇaka (gold), and lead (nāga) or tin (vaṅga); bandha by means of gold is called dhātubandha;⁵⁵ the merits of these methods decrease in the mentioned order (4–5). A fifth method, drutibandha, is regarded as superior, in particular if abhradruṭi is employed in the process (6). Five varieties of mūlikābandha are described (7–35), two types of maṇibandha (employing vajrasattva and vajrabhasman; 36–50ab), three types of drutibandha (employing abhrakadruti, hemadruti and vajradruṭi; 50cd–70ab), and five varieties of dhātubandha (employing gold, silver, tutthaka, tin, and a mixture of substances; 70cd–107).

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⁵³ jalaukā- or pakvabandha, khoṭa(ka) or piṣṭistambha, pāṭaka

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⁵⁴ pāṭaka

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⁵⁵ dhātubandha

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Chapter three (sūtabhasmakathana; 64 verses) is concerned with the preparation of mercurial ashes (sūtabhasman), four varieties of which are distinguished: white, black, yellow, and red (1). The chapter describes the preparation of mercury from cinnabar (2–5), the preparation of rasakarpūra (6–10ab), udayabhāskararasa (10cd–14),⁵⁶ raktarasa (15–18), and rasamāṇikya (19–22), the jāraṇa of sulphur (23–26), the preparation of rasapoṭṭalī (27–31ab), kṛṣṇabhasman (the black type; 31cd–35), śuddharasabhasman (36–38), rasaparpaṭī (two varieties; 39–58ab),⁵⁷ and some more varieties of rasabhasman (58cd–63).

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⁵⁶ udayabhāskararasa (10cd–14)

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⁵⁷ rasaparpaṭī (two varieties; 39–58ab)

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Chapter four (dhātuśodhanāmāraṇanirūpaṇa; 120 verses) is concerned with the purification and killing of the metals (dhātu or loha). The metals are said to be eight in number, but nine of them are enumerated: gold and silver, called śuddhaloha; copper and iron, called aśmasāra; lead and tin, called pūṭiloha; saurāṣṭra (= kāṃsya), rīti (= piṭṭala) and vartaka, the three alloys (sammiśraloha) (2–4ab). Various methods of purifying the metals and killing them are described. Two varieties of gold are distinguished, rasa and khanisaṃbhava, although three more varieties are referred to (4cd–5ab). Silver is of three types: khanija, sahaja and kṛtrima (21), copper of two types: nepāla and mlecchadeśaja (35cd). Iron is of three types: kānta, tīkṣṇavara and muṇḍa; four varieties of kāntaloha are described: romaka, bhrāmaka, cumbaka and drāvaka (57–62). Tin is of two types: khura and miśra (79ab). Two types of pittala are described: rītikā and kākaṭuṇḍikā (105cd–106). Kāṃsya is characterized as an alloy of copper (ravi) and tin (trapu) in a ratio of four to one (112cd–113ab), vartaloha as an alloy of iron, kāṃsya, copper (arka) and rīti (= pittala) (116ab); viḍaloha is mentioned as a synonym of vartaloha (116cd).

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Chapter five (mahārasanirūpaṇa; 132 verses) is about the mahārasas, their names and varieties, their purification, killing and sattvapātana (the extraction of their essences). Eight mahārasas are listed: gagana (= abhraka), rasaka, tāpya (= mākṣika), vaikrānta, vimalā, sasyaka,⁵⁸ śailasaṃbhūta (= śilājatu) and rājāvartaka (2–3ab). Four varieties of mica (abhraka) are described: vajra, pināka, nāga and maṇḍūka (3cd–7). Vaikrānta is of eight varieties (62); vimalā is of three types (80–81ab). Two varieties of śilājatu are distinguished: gomūtra and ghanasāraka (90cd);⁵⁹ a third one is added, called karpūraśilājatu, which differs from the other varieties because its killing and the extraction of its essence are not described by the experts (104–105).⁶⁰ Two varieties of rasaka are mentioned: kāravella and dardura⁶¹ (106),⁶² and two varieties of mākṣika: rukmamākṣika (= suvarṇamākṣika) and tāpya (121–122).⁶³

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⁵⁸ sasyaka

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⁵⁹ gomūtra and ghanasāraka (90cd)

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⁶⁰ 104–105

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⁶¹ kāravella and dardura

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⁶² 106

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⁶³ rukmamākṣika (= suvarṇamākṣika) and tāpya (121–122)

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Chapter six (91 verses) deals with the eight uparasas, their varieties, properties, purification and essences (sattva). The eight uparasas are: tālaka, tuvarī, gandha (sulphur), kaṅkuṣṭha, kunaṭī (= manaḥśilā), gairika, añjana and kāsīsa (1). Two varieties of tālaka are distinguished: dalākhya and aśmasamjñaka (2),⁶⁴ two varieties of saurāṣṭrī (= tuvarī): pītikā and phullikā (11cd–13),⁶⁵ three varieties of manaḥśilā: śyāmā, raktā⁶⁶ and khaṇḍikā (17–18), five varieties of añjana: sauvīra, rasāñjana, sroto’ñjana, puṣpāñjana and nīlāñjana (23),⁶⁷ four varieties of gandhaka (sulphur): śveta, pīta or amlasāraka, rakta or śukaṭuṇḍa, and kṛṣṇa (29cd–32),⁶⁸ four varieties of kaṅkuṣṭha: nalika, reṇuka, the excrements of a female elephant that has just brought forth (sadyahprasūta), and the nāla (umbilical cord) of a horse (54–58ab),⁶⁹ two varieties of kāsīsa: saikata and puṣpākhya (63–65ab),⁷⁰ and two varieties of gairika: pāṣāṇagairika and svarṇagairika (70–71ab).⁷¹ The same chapter is concerned with navasāra or cullikā (74–75), biḍa (76ab), three varieties of vārāṭikā, differing in weight (76cd–80), agnijāra (81–82), girisindūra (83–84), two varieties of cinnabar (darada): śukaṭuṇḍa or carmāra and haṃsapāda (85–89ab), and, finally, mṛddāraśṛṅgaka (89cd–90).

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⁶⁴ dalākhya and aśmasamjñaka (2)

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⁶⁵ pītikā and phullikā (11cd–13)

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⁶⁶ śyāmā, raktā

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⁶⁷ sauvīra, rasāñjana, sroto’ñjana, puṣpāñjana and nīlāñjana (23)

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⁶⁸ śveta, pīta or amlasāraka, rakta or śukaṭuṇḍa, and kṛṣṇa (29cd–32)

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⁶⁹ nalika, reṇuka, the excrements of a female elephant that has just brought forth (sadyahprasūta), and the nāla (umbilical cord) of a horse (54–58ab)

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⁷⁰ saikata and puṣpākhya (63–65ab)

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⁷¹ pāṣāṇagairika and svarṇagairika (70–71ab)

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Chapter seven (66 verses) describes the precious and semi-precious stones (ratna), their varieties, qualities and defects;⁷² the purification and killing of diamonds are dealt with, as well as the purification and druti of all the gems mentioned. The ratnas described in chapter seven are: māṇikya (ruby) and its two varieties, called padmarāga and nīlagandhi (3–7), mauktika (pearl; 8–10), vidruma (coral; 11–13), tārkṣya (emerald; 14–16),⁷³ puṣpaka or puṣparāga (topaz; 17–19), vajra (diamond) and its varieties (20–27), nīla (sapphire; 45cd–49),⁷⁴ gomeda (50–53), and vaidūrya (54–56).

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⁷² their varieties, qualities and defects

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⁷³ tārkṣya (emerald; 14–16)

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⁷⁴ nīla (sapphire; 45cd–49)

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Chapter eight (śatarasanirūpaṇa; 276 verses), the longest, contains 103 formulae of rasayogas, to be employed against various diseases.

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Chapter nine (divyauṣadhyādinirūpaṇa; 39 verses) contains lists of the sixty-four divyauṣadhis (1–12ab), sixty-eight rasauṣadhis (12cd–22ab), sixty-eight mahauṣadhis (22cd–30ab), and sixty-eight rasādhikamahauṣadhis (30cd–39).

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Chapter ten (yantrādinirūpaṇa; 54 verses) contains a list of the names of forty yantras:⁷⁵ adhaḥpāṭanaka, antarālikasamjñika, bhairava, bhasmayantra, bhūdhārābhidha,⁷⁶ cipiṭākhya, ḍamaruka, devāhvaya, dhekyākhya, dhūpayantra, dīpikāhvaya, dolā, gandhapiṣṭakayantra, garbhayantra, ghāṇikāyantra, ghaṭīyantra,⁷⁷ grastāhvaya, guhya, haṃsapākābhidha,⁷⁸ iṣṭikāyantra, jalayantra, khalva, kinnara, koṣṭhikākhya, kuṇḍasamjña, kūpīyantra, lavaṇa(yantra), nābhiyantra, nigaḍa, palabhalīyantra, pālikākhya, pātāla,⁷⁹ sāraṇāyantra, somānāla, sthālīyantra, tiryakpāṭanaka, tulābhidha, ūrdhvapāṭanaka, vālukāyantra, and vidyādhara (2–8).⁸⁰

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⁷⁵ yantras

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⁷⁶ adhaḥpāṭanaka, antarālikasamjñika, bhairava, bhasmayantra, bhūdhārābhidha

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⁷⁷ cipiṭākhya, ḍamaruka, devāhvaya, dhekyākhya, dhūpayantra, dīpikāhvaya, dolā, gandhapiṣṭakayantra, garbhayantra, ghāṇikāyantra, ghaṭīyantra

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⁷⁸ grastāhvaya, guhya, haṃsapākābhidha

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⁷⁹ iṣṭikāyantra, jalayantra, khalva, kinnara, koṣṭhikākhya, kuṇḍasamjña, kūpīyantra, lavaṇa(yantra), nābhiyantra, nigaḍa, palabhalīyantra, pālikākhya, pātāla

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⁸⁰ sāraṇāyantra, somānāla, sthālīyantra, tiryakpāṭanaka, tulābhidha, ūrdhvapāṭanaka, vālukāyantra, and vidyādhara (2–8)

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This list is followed by a verse with the synonyms of mūṣā (9–10ab) and descriptions of various types of mūṣā:⁸¹ yoga-, gāra-, vara-, varṇa-, rūpya-, biḍa-, vajra-, vṛntāka-, gostanī-, malla-, pakva-, mahā-, mañjūṣa-, garbha-, and muśalamūṣā (10cd–28). The chapter continues with descriptions of a number of types of koṣṭhikā: aṅgāra-, pāṭala-, gāra-, and tiryakpradhamanakoṣṭhikā (29–40). It ends with the characteristics of various types of puṭa: mahā-, gaja-, vārāha-, kukkuṭa-, kapota-, govara-, mṛdbhāṇḍa-, vālukā-, bhūdhāra-, and lāvakapuṭa (41–54).

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⁸¹ mūṣā

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Chapter eleven (dhātukautukanirūpaṇa; 135 verses) is mainly concerned with auri- and argentifaction; eighteen ways of making artificial gold (hemakriyā) and seventeen ways of making artificial silver (tārakriyā) are described, as well as some methods to improve the grade of artificial gold (varṇotkarṣakriyā). Additional subjects are the making of artifical pearls, increasing the size of small pearls, and the making of artificial coral.

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Chapter twelve (vājīkaraṇa; 20 verses) contains aphrodisiac formulae.

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Chapter thirteen (śukra- or vīryastambha; 16 verses) contains recipes that suppress ejaculation (1–13), followed by some concluding verses.

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Authorities and works referred to are: Bhairava (7.26; 8.120), Devīśāstra (1.27; 2.100), 82 Manthānabhairava (8.173–174), Nāgārjuna (5.107), Nandin (6.73), Nandirāja (1.145), Prakāśāmṛta (8.275), Somadeva (7.37; 9.11), 83 and Svacchandabhairava (8.132–133). P. Rāy 84 asserted that the Rasārṇava is quoted in the Rasaprakāśasudhākara. 85

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A Yaśodhara is one of the Rasasiddhas in the Vādikhaṇḍa of the Rasaratnākara (1.67). Yaśodhara is said to be the same as the Yaśodhara of the Rasaratnasamuccaya. 86

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Yaśodhara is quoted in Gulrājśarmamiśra’s commentary on the Āyurvedaprakāśa, Hazārīlāl Sukul’s commentary on the Rasaratnasamuccaya, and Somadevaśarman’s commentary on the Āyurvedaprakāśa. He is cited as Padmanābhasūnu in Gulrājśarmamiśra’s commentary on the Āyurvedaprakāśa and Hazārīlāl Sukul’s commentary on the Rasaratnasamuccaya.

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The Rasaprakāśasudhākara is quoted or referred to in the prakīrṇaka pariśiṣṭa of the Ānandakanda, the Dharaṇīdharasaṃhitā, Gulrājśarmamiśra’s commentary on the Āyurvedaprakāśa, Hazārīlāl Sukul’s commentary on the Rasaratnasamuccaya, the Pāradasamhitā, the Rasadhātuprakāśa, the Rasatattvavivecana, the bhasmapiṣṭiprakaraṇa of the Rasoddhāratantra, and Somadevaśarman’s commentary on the Āyurvedaprakāśa; it is one of the sources of the Bheṣajasaṃhitā, Hariprapanna’s Rasayogasāgara, Harīśaraṇānanda’s Kūpīpakvarasanirmāṇavijñāna, the Rasavidyāmahārṇava, the Rasoddhāratantra, and Yādavajī’s Rasāmṛta.

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Special features

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The Rasaprakāśasudhākara is a conveniently arranged and orderly work, chiefly composed by the author himself. Yaśodhara is a remarkable writer, who, repeatedly, without wasting words, makes clear which parts of his treatise derive from earlier works 87 and which parts are based on his own experience 88 or that of his teacher. 89

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Yaśodhara was obviously interested not only in alchemy for its own sake, but also in the medicinal uses of alchemical products. The medicinal properties and actions of many substances are recorded in detail, while chapters three, eight, twelve and thirteen mainly consist of recipes and their indications.

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Yaśodhara does not describe the alchemical laboratory, its apparatus, implements, etc., giving only a list of yantras, etc., in chapter ten. However, the characteristics of a few yantras occur in chapter one: khalva (1.37cd–39), ūrdhvapātanayantra (1.50–56ab), adhapātanayantra (1.56cd–58ab), tiryakpātanayantra (1.58cd–62ab), jalayantra (1.87–91), 90 and śaraṇāyantra (1.128–140ab).

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Chapter one refers to a utensil called karoṭī (1.85), 91 to vahnimṛttikā (1.90), 92 ghoṣākṛṣṭa (1.94), 93 and nīlakalka (1.106–107ab). The same chapter distinguishes

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five kinds of vedha, called lepa-, kṣepa-, kunta-, dhūma-, and śabdavedha (1.146cd–156). 94 The verses on the use (sevana) of mercurial preparations (1.157–164) do not refer to the inherent dangers.

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Chapter five does not mention capala as one of the mahārasas, whereas rājāvarta is included in this group. The amṛtīkaraṇa of killed mica (mṛtābhra) is not described. Eight varieties of vaikrānta are mentioned; karbura is added to the more usual list of seven varieties. 95 The description of the extraction of the essence (sattva) of rasaka (5.112–116) is regarded as a process to win zinc from its ore; the sattva is said to resemble lead (sīsa). 96

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Chapter six contains accounts of substances usually regarded as sādhāraṇarasas. 97 Some of these substances are: agnijāra (6.81), 98 girisindūra (6.83), and mṛddāraśṛṅgaka (6.89). 99 Kampillaka and gaurīpāṣāṇa are not dealt with.

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Chapter eight frequently employs the term jūrti for fever, 100 although the more usual jvara is used as well. A disorder arising from the abuse of opium is referred to (8.39). The formula of rāmabāṇarasa associates agnimāndya with Daśavaktra, i.e., Rāvaṇa, saṃgrahaṇagrahaṇī with Kumbhakarṇa, 101 and āmavāta with Khara and Dūṣaṇa. 102 Contrary to usage, the formulae of the rasas of chapter eight are not attributed to divine authorities and ancient sages. 103

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The list of sixty-four divine herbs (divyauṣadhi) of chapter nine is based, as Yaśodhara himself indicates, on Somadeva’s Rasendracūḍāmaṇi. The source or sources of the lists of rasauṣadhis, mahauṣadhis and rasādhikamahauṣadhis remain unknown. 104

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The sixty-eight rasauṣadhis are: ajamārī, alambuṣā, aparājitā, ardhacandrā, ativiṣā, bhārgī, bṛhatī, candrodakā, ciñcā, citrapālikā, durālambhā, durgandhā, garuḍī, gojihvā, guḍūcī, haṃsapādī, hariṇī, hemapuṣpī, īśvarī, jalakumbhī, jalamūlakā, jalapāmārga, jalapippalikā, jālinī, jalotpalā, kāśmarī, laṅgalī, mālārjuṇī, mālārjuṇī, māṃsikā, maṇḍūkī, maṇiṣṭhā, markasphoṭī, meghanādā, mohinī, mūrvā, muśalī, nandinī, pāgava, pāṣāṇī, pāṭalā, paṭolī, potakī, rasā, rasacitrā, samaṅgā, sārivā, sarpākṣī, śaṭhikā, śikhipādī, śīśikā, sitagandhinī, śṛṅgī, sthalasāriṇī, śukanāsikā, tiktikā, tulasī, tuṣāmbukā, uttamā, vajrakandikā, vanakuṣmāṇḍavallikā, vanamālī, varāhī, vāsā, veṇukā, vidārī, viṣaghṇī, and vṛścikālī (9.12cd–22ab).

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The sixty-eight mahauṣadhis are: adhoguptā, ajagandhā, ajamodikā, āmalī, amlikā, āsurī, aśvagandhā, atibalā, bākucī, balā, bimbī, dantī, dhātakī, drākṣā, dravantī, dūrvā, elā, gavākṣī, girikarṇikā, gṛṣma, hapuṣā, jantupādī, jātī, jyotsnā, kadalī, kākāhvā, kāsamardikā, kekicūḍā, kharjūrī, lakṣmaṇā, mahābalā, mallikā, nāgabalā, nalikā, nālikerī, nirguṇḍī, nilinī, nīlotpala, phalgu, prasāriṇī, pṛthvī, rāsnā, ṛddhi, śālmalī, śamī, śaṅkhapuṣpī, śarapuṣpikā, sārivā, śatālā, śatapuṣpā, śatāvarī, śīṃśī, sinduvāra, śoṣiṇī, śrāvaṇī, svarṇakṣīrī, taruṇī, tejovatī, trāyamāṇā, trivṛt, tugā, varā, varṣā, varṣābhū, vāriṣikī, viśālā, viṣāṇī, and yūthikā (9.22cd–30ab).

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The sixty-eight mahauṣadhis which are rasādhikā consist of: adhahpuṣpī, ajagandhā, ambumūlikā, arkavallikā, aṣṭavallī, āsurī, aśvinī, avantī, bhṛṅgavallī, bhṛṅgī, cakravallī, chidralambikā, devagandhārī, devī, dugadhipalikā, gaṅgeṭī, gṛdhranakhī, gṛñjanī, haṃsapādikā, iṅgudī, īśvarī, jambīravallikā, jantukārā, jārāvalī (or jarāvallī), jayantikā, kākāṇḍolā, kālavarṇā (latā), kāmbojī, kāñcanī, kaṅyā, karavīrā, kāṣṭhagōdhāmatī, khoṭakā, kṣetrī, kṣutkārī, kuberākṣī, mahārāṣṭrī, mayūrākhyā, nāhī, nākulī, nārācī, palāśatilakā, palāśinī, parpaṭī, rajanī, rājapadmā, rājaśamī, rohitā, sahadevī, śallakī, samvīrā, śarapuṅkhikā, sarpadaṣṭā, siddheśvarī, śigruvallī, siṃhikā, śivātikā, somarājikā, śṛṅgaritikā, śṛṅkhalā, tāmravallikā, tauvarī, tuṭumbhaṭī, vaṅgajā, vijayā, and viṣakharaparikā (9.30cd–39).

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Some names of yantras listed in chapter ten are less common or unusual: cipiṭayantra, 105 bhairavayantra, nigaḍayantra, sāraṇayantra, 106 guhyayantra, gandhapiṣṭakayantra, kūpīyantra, 107 devayantra, and ghāṇikāyantra. The description of the jalayantra differs from that of related yantras in other texts. 108

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Some noteworthy names of plants and substances of vegetable origin (apart from those found in chapter nine) are: ākallaka (8.32 and 36), dvīpāntarotthā (8.36), 109 karabha (13.2), karahāṭa (13.9 and 11), 110 khurāsānī (13.1), loṭṭāka (8.264), 111 mastakī (13.1), posta (13.8), postaka (13.13), rāginī (11.6), śvetāmbarī (8.265), and trinemī (11.6). Opium is frequently found in Yaśodhara’s materia medica. 112

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Cinnabar originating from Western countries (romadeśīya) is referred to (11.9).

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The author

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Yaśodhara mentions in the concluding verses of his treatise his own name, Yaśodhara or Bhaṭṭayaśodhara, the name of his father, Padmanābha, who was a brāhmaṇa of Śrīgauḍa lineage, and the place of his residence, the walled town (prākāra; durga) called Jīrṇa, located in Surarāṣṭra. 113 Yaśodhara, who calls himself a kavi and kavivara, adds that his father was a devotee of Viṣṇu. 114

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Date

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The references to Somadeva, the author of the Rasendracūḍāmaṇi, establish that Yaśodhara is later. Prafulla Chandra Rāy 115 was of the opinion that the observations on the metallurgy of zinc, found in the Rasaratnasamuccaya, were based on similar observations in Yaśodhara’s work. 116 This hypothesis, which makes the Rasaprakāśasudhākara into an earlier work than the Rasaratnasamuccaya, was accepted by a number of subsequent scholars. 117

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Most scholars, being convinced that the Rasaprakāśasudhākara is posterior to the Rasendracūḍāmaṇi and anterior to the Rasaratnasamuccaya, assign the work to the thirteenth century. 118

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Actually, Yaśodhara belongs to a later period, because he was acquainted with the drug usually called cobacīnī, but referred to in the Rasaprakāśasudhākara as dvīpāntarotthā (8.36). 119 This drug, of foreign origin, as indicated by its name, was introduced by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. 120 In agreement with this date is the description of rasakarpūra (3.6–10ab). Both cobacīnī and rasakarpūra were employed in the treatment of syphilis, a disease left unmentioned in the Rasaprakāśasudhākara, which may mean that Yaśodhara, although belonging to the sixteenth century, 121 preceded Bhāvamiśra, who composed the Bhāvaprakāśa. 122 This chronological position implies that Yaśodhara’s work and the Rasaratnasamuccaya are not far removed from each other in time.

Linked texts (5)

Rasaprakāśasudhākara — Yaśodhara (alchemist), Sanskrit
Rasaratnasamuccaya — Vāgbhaṭa (alchemist), Sanskrit
Rasaratnākara — Nityanātha Siddha, Sanskrit
Rasendracūḍāmaṇi — Somadeva (alchemist), Sanskrit
Bhāvaprakāśa — Bhāvamiśra 1550, Sanskrit