A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s8: Rasaratnadīpikā
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c49.s8
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- English
Rasaratnadīpikā
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The Rasaratnadīpikā by Śrīvāṇeśvara Bhaṭṭācārya 153 is a collection of rasayogas, mixed with āyurvedic recipes, preceded by a short section on some alchemical operations.
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Contents
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The work begins with verses, mixed with prose, praising mercury, describing the doṣas of mercury and their removal, etc., followed by stanzas on the purification, etc., of the metals and sulphur (1–8).
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The remaining part of the treatise contains rasayogas and āyurvedic recipes, to which glosses are added, against the diseases mentioned in the Mādhavanidāna and a number of disorders described in later treatises. Many formulae are ascribed to divinities and famous authorities; some are attributed to Caraka, 154 Hārīta, 155 and Vaṅgasena. 156 A pariśiṣṭa deals with the three doṣas and some other general topics. The only treatise referred to is the Rasārṇava (4).
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Special features Noteworthy disorders mentioned are: agramāṃsa (367–368), 157 āhavajvara (76–81), 158 asthijvara (103), 159 and raktadhātugatadāha (103). 160 The section dealing with the treatment of women's diseases includes verses on disorders called bādhaka, caused by four demonic beings, dangerous to pregnant women and women in childbed, whose names are Raktamādrī, Jaṅkurī, Ṣaṣṭhī, and Jalakumāra. These beings are described, together with the symptoms occasioned by their attack (409–410). 161 This description is follwed by a quotation in sixteen verses and a section in prose from the Bhairavitantra, 162 concerned with the means of appeasing the demons mentioned (411–414). Unusual is the presence of a number of prescriptions fathered on Sanaka (167; 174; 175; 177–178; 190; 242; 260; 332–333; 342).
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Author The author was a pupil of Harināthaśarman. 163
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Date The Rasaratnadīpikā was completed in 1932/33. 164
Linked texts (3)
- Mādhavanidāna (Rugviniścaya) — Mādhavakara, Sanskrit
- Rasārṇava — Sanskrit
- Rasaratnadīpikā (Allarāja) — Allarāja, Sanskrit