A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c51.s3.6

v3.c51.s3.6

Special features Four varieties of mercury are distinguished, named after the four varṇas (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; 1.4cd). Five naisargikadoṣas and seven kañcukas are mentioned; their names are not enumerated (1.5cd–6). Eighteen saṃskāras are referred to, but only a few, which are easily carried out, are described (1.7). Four types of rasabandha are mentioned: pāṭa¹⁰ or parpaṭīkābandha, khoṭa or piṣṭībandha, jalaukā or pakvabandha, and bhasmākhya (1.16–17). The preparation of two varieties of rasabhasman, ūrdhvaga- and talabhasman (1.18–28ab),¹¹ is described, as well as the preparation of five varieties which differ in colour: rakta, pīta, kṛṣṇa, nīla, and pāṇḍurāruṇa (1.28cd–33).¹² The six natural metals are gold, silver, copper (arka), tin, lead and iron (2.1); bronze (ghoṣa or kāṃsya) and brass (āvartaka or pittala) are alloys (2.1). Five varieties of gold are distinguished (prākṛta, sahaja, agnija, khanija and rasavāḍottha; 2.4–5), three varieties of silver (sahaja, khanija, kṛtrima; 2.10), two varieties of copper (nepāla and mleccha; 2.14) and of tin (khuraka amd miśraka; 2.25). Three types of iron are mentioned: muṇḍa, tīkṣṇa and kānta; muṇḍa has three varieties (mṛdu, kuṇṭha, kāṇḍāra), tīkṣṇa six (kharasāra, hotrāsa, tārāvarta, kālaloha, gajākhya), and kānta four (romaka, bhrāmaka, cumbaka, drāvaka) (2.34–37). Zinc is not mentioned as one of the metals, but kharparasattva is described (2.52–53).¹³