A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c50.s2: The Rasāyanakhaṇḍa
A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c50.s2
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The Rasāyanakhaṇḍa
v3.c50.s2.1
The Rasāyanakhaṇḍa³² (951 verses) is, as indicated by its title, especially devoted to rasāyana and allied subjects.
v3.c50.s2.2
Chapter one (rasamāraṇa; 57 verses) introduces rasāyana and related topics (1–24); eleven methods of killing mercury are dealt with (25–55). The garbhayantra, employed in some of these methods, is also described (38cd–40).
v3.c50.s2.3
Chapter two (divyarasadehasādhana; 140 verses) is concerned with the formulae of a number of rasayogas and their effects. Many of these rasas may not be found in earlier texts.33
v3.c50.s2.4
Chapter three (guṭikārasāyana; 221 verses) describes a series of miraculous pills (guṭikās and vatikās) to be employed in the saṃskāras called krāmaṇa and vedha, as well as for rasāyana purposes. Some of these pills may be peculiar to the Rasāyanakhaṇḍa,34 while some are also found in the Rasakāmadhenu, which may have borrowed them.
v3.c50.s2.5
Chapter four (nānārasāyana; 115 verses) is concerned with various rasāyanas (1–43). This chapter also contains a number of kalpas: brahmavṛkṣa- (44–59), śvetapalāśa- (60–63), muṇḍī- (64–66), devadālī- (67–72), śvetārka- (73–75), hastikarṇa- (76–79), rudantī- (80–84ab), and nirguṇḍikalpa (84cd–91).35 This kalpa section is followed by rasāyana formulae (92–100), a śunakaśālmalikalpa (101–107ab), rasāyana formulae again (107cd–111), and verses on the addition of pāradabhasman to the preparations described, the mantra to be recited when using them, and rules concerning their employment (112–115).
v3.c50.s2.6
Chapter five (udvartanakeśarañjana; 71 verses) contains formulae that remove wrinkles and turn grey hair black again (2–62ab); it ends with some recipes which whiten the hair (62cd–70).
v3.c50.s2.7
Chapter six (vīryavardhana; 89 verses) consists of vājīkaraṇa formulae, in particular in the form of rasayogas (2–64ab).36 The second part of the chapter is about vājīkaraṇa recipes in which the main ingredients do not consist of mercury or substances derived from it.
v3.c50.s2.8
Chapter seven (vīryastambhanaliṅgavardhana; 73 verses) contains prescriptions which delay or suppress ejaculation and make the male member large, long and firm.
v3.c50.s2.9
Chapter eight (śrīparvatasādhana; 185 verses) is about dehasiddhi and lohasiddhi; it describes how to acquire a divine body and turn base metals into gold. This interesting chapter mentions repeatedly the mountain called Śrīśaila and abounds from beginning to end in names of local deities and geographical names.