A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s6.4

v3.c49.s6.4

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).