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A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c51.s8: The Rasendrasārasaṃgraha

A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c51.s8

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English

The Rasendrasārasaṃgraha

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The Rasendrasārasaṃgraha by Gopālakṛṣṇa¹⁴⁹ deals with alchemy in the service of medicine and contains, in particular, a large number of rasayogas against various diseases.

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Contents¹⁵⁰ The treatise consists of 2,167 verses, arranged in five chapters (adhyāya), and is based on earlier works.¹⁵¹

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Chapter one (386 verses) deals with: the names and characteristics of mercury (7–9), its blemishes (10–12), and its purification (13–18); the taptakhalla (19); the aghoramantra (20);¹⁵² rasanigaḍa (21); the purification of mercury again (22–36); ūrdhvapātana (37–38); adhaḥpātana (39–41); tiryakpātana (42–43); bodhana (44–46); mercury prepared from cinnabar (47–55); mūrchana (56–57); māraṇa (58–61);¹⁵³ rasasindūra (62–72); rasakarpūra (73–75); sarvāṅgasundararasa (76–81);¹⁵⁴ kṛṣṇabhasman (82–85);¹⁵⁵ the vajramūṣā (86–88); various groups of substances (89–108); the uses of mercurial products (109–113); the uparasas (114–115), their purification and killing; gandhaka (116–125),¹⁵⁶ vajra (127–134), vaikrānta (135–138),¹⁵⁷ abhraka (139–167),¹⁵⁸ tālaka (168–187),¹⁵⁹ (manaḥ)śilā (188–193), kharpara (194–196), śikhituṇḍa (= tuttha; 197–201), vimala (202–204), (hema)mākṣika (205–213),¹⁶⁰ kāśīsa (214–215), kāntapāṣāṇa (216–219), varāṭa (220–224), añjana (225), hinguḷa (226–231), gairika (235–237), śaṅkha (243–244), bhūnāga, taṅkaṇa (238–242), and śilājatu (232–234); the purification of kaṅkuṣṭha is also dealt with in the verses on the uparasas (235–237); the purification of bhūnāga, although listed as one of the uparasas (114–115), is not discussed; the purification and killing of the metals and alloys (245–357): gold (245–258), silver (259–267), copper (268–278), brass (pittala) and bronze (kāṃsya) (279), lead (280–287), tin (288–295), iron (296–352), maṇḍūra (353–357); the purification and killing of gems (358–364); the purification of the major poisons (viṣa; 365–369),¹⁶¹ the minor poisons (370–371), and some other substances (jayapāla, snuhīkṣīra, the seeds of vṛddhadāraka, nimbu, rājavṛkṣa, etc.; 372–374 and 378–386); the purification of leeches (375–377).

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Chapter two begins with a number of rasas which are effective against many diseases. The remaining part of chapter two, which is very long, consists of forty-nine sections, devoted to the treatment of one or more diseases, mainly with rasayogas.¹⁶² Chapter three contains rasas against children's diseases and chapter four against poisoning. Chapter five is devoted to rasāyana and vājīkaraṇa.

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The order of the diseases agrees largely with the Mādhavanidāna, except for some additions.

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Authorities mentioned in the Rasendrasārasaṃgraha are: the author of the Candrikā (1.74–75 and 76–81), Caraka,¹⁶³ the author of the Rasamañjarī (1.74–75), and Nāgārjuna (1.43).

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The *Rasendrasārasaṃgraha* is quoted in *Āśubodha* and *Nityabodha* Senagupta's commentary on the *Rasaratnasamuccaya*, the *Āyurvedīya Khanijavijñāna*, the *Bhāvaprakāśa*, ¹⁶⁴ the *Rasadhātuprakāśa*, Gulrājśarmamiśra's commentary on the *Āyurvedaprakāśa*, Hanumatprasāda Śarmā's commentary on the *Siddhabhaiṣajyamaṇiṣūṣā*, Haridattaśāstrin's commentary on the *Rasataraṅgiṇī*, Hariśaraṇānanda's *Kūpīpakvarasanirmāṇavijñāna*, Hazārīlāl Sukul's commentary on the *Rasaratnasamuccaya*, Jñārasarāmaśarman's *Anupānadarpaṇa*, the *Śāligrāmanighaṇṭubhūṣaṇa*, Khare's commentary on the *Rasaratnasamuccaya*, the *Rasajalanidhi*, ¹⁶⁵ the *Rasatattvavivecana*, Śivadāsasena's commentary on the *Cakradatta*, Somadevaśarman's commentary on the *Āyurvedaprakāśa*, and Yādavjī Trikamjī's *Siddhayogasaṃgraha*. It is one of the sources of the *Bheṣajasamhitā*, *Pāradasamhitā*, *Rasavidyāmāhārnava*, *Rasayogasāgara*, *Rasendrasambhava*, *Rasoddhāratantra*, and Yādavjī Trikamjī's *Rasāmṛta*.

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¹⁶⁴ *Bhāvaprakāśa*

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¹⁶⁵ *Rasajalanidhi*

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A number of verses of the *Rasendrasārasaṃgraha* are also found in the *Rasaratnākara*. ¹⁶⁶

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¹⁶⁶ *Rasaratnākara*

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The *Rasendrasārasaṃgraha* is especially popular in Bengal. ¹⁶⁷

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¹⁶⁷ Bengal

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Special features The plants belonging to the *niyāmakagaṇa* are: ākhuparṇī, anantā, balā, brahmadaṇḍī, cakramarda, ghanadhvanī, ghaṇṭā, girikarṇikā, gojihvā, jālinī, kākajaṅghā, kākamācī, kañcukī, karañjaka, kokilākṣa, kṛṣṇavarṇatulasī, kṣīriṇī, mahābalā, maṇḍūkaparṇī, matsyākṣī, mesaśṛṅgikā, mūrvā, nāgabalā, nīlī, padmacāriṇī, pāthā, potikā, punarnavā, sahacarā, sahadevī, śaṅkhapuṣpī, śarapuṅkhā, sarpākṣī, śatāvarī, śikhaṇḍinī, simhī, tāmalakī, tripuṭī, vanyakarkoṭī, vighaṇṭā, viṣṇukrāntā, and yamacīñcikā (1.89–93). ¹⁶⁸

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¹⁶⁸ (1.89–93)

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The plants and substances belonging to the *mārakavarga* are: ¹⁶⁹ ākhuparṇī, arka, asanaka, balā, bhallātaka, bhekaparṇī, cakra, cāṇḍālīnī, candrarekha, citraka, dantikā, devadālī, dhustūra, dūrvā, ghana, girikarṇikā, gokṣura, guḍūcī, haṃsapadī, hastiśuṇḍikā, the two kinds of haridrā, harītakī, hingu, indravāruṇikā, jāti, jayantī, kākajaṅghā, kākamācīkā, kañcukī, kanyā, karkaṭī, kaṭutumbī, kimśuka, kośātakī, lajjā, lākṣā, lāṅgalikā, mahārāṣṭrī, māṇa, mārkava, matsyākṣī, mūrvā, muśalī, nīpakaṇā, nirguṇḍī, the two kinds of punarnavā, rambhā, ravibhaktā, sahadevī, saindhava, saraṇī, śarapuṅkhā, sarpākṣī, śatāvarī, śigru, somalatā, śuṇṭhī, śvetasarṣapa, tila, tulasī, vacā, vajravallī, vajrī, vandhyā, vārāhī, vargalatā, vāyasatuṇḍī, viṣamuṣṭī, viṣṇukrāntā, vyāghrapadī, and yamacīñcikā (1.94–101).

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¹⁶⁹ *mārakavarga*

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The series of *uparasas* (1.114–115) is the same as that found in the *Rasaratnākara* (I.5.1–3). The extraction of the essences (sattvapātana) of the *uparasas* is not discussed. The only *añjanas* mentioned are nīlāñjana (1.225) and sauvīra (1.235).

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The plants comprising the *abhrakamārakagaṇa* are: ākhuparṇikā, arka, bṛhatī, hilamocikā, madana, maṇḍūkaparṇī, nāgavalī, punarnavā, tagara, taṇḍulīyaka, and tiktā (1.160).

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The drugs belonging to the *triphalādigaṇa* are used in puṭapāka (1.319–322); their names are: auṣadha, bhallātaka, bhekaparṇikā, bhṛṅga, citraka, the leaves of dāḍima, dantī, giriśantanaka, gojihvā, hastikarṇapalāśa, kanda, kaṭukī, keśarājaka, khaṇḍitakarṇa, krāmaka, kulīśā, kuthāra, lohamāraka, māṇa, punarnavā, śataputrī, śṛṅgavera, tālamūlikā, tantra, triphalā, trivṛtā, viḍaṅga, vṛddhadāra, vṛṣapattraka, and

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vṛścīra.

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The *eraṇḍādigaṇa* (1.323–324) cures vāta disorders; this group consists of drākṣā, eraṇḍa, keṭakī, māṣaparṇī, mudgaparṇī, prasāraṇī, śārivā, śirīṣa, and vidārīkanda.

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The *kirātādigaṇa* (1.325) is useful against pitta disorders; it consists of amṛtā, candana, jaṭā, kirāta, kustumburu, nimba, padma, paṭola, śālmalī, śatāvarī, śatāvarī, and uḍumbarī.

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The *śṛṅgaverādigaṇa* (1.326–327), effective against kapha disorders, comprises arkaparṇa, kaṇṭakārikā, the two kinds of karañja, the seeds of kuṭaja, mūrvā, nirguṇḍī, paṭola, śirīṣaka, śobhāñjana, the rhizome of śṛṅgavera, and varuṇa.

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The *gokṣurādigaṇa* (1.328), employed against disorders caused by a combination of vāta and kapha, is made up of gokṣura, kṣuraka, the two kinds of siṃhapucchī, sthirā, and vyāghrī.

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The *paṭolādigaṇa* (1.329), which cures disorders caused by a combination of pitta and kapha, consists of aparājitā, indīvara, kahlāra, kāntā, kāsamarda, lodhra, the leaves of paṭola, uśīra, and vārāhī.

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The *kimśukādigaṇa* (1.330–331) cures disorders brought about by the three doṣas, if the drugs are prepared by means of puṭapāka; the group is made up of agnimantha, bilva, bṛhatī, kaṇṭakārī, kāśmarī, kimśuka, pāṭalā, śālaparṇī, the two types of siṃhapucchī, sthirā, śyonāka, trikaṇṭaka, and viśva.

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The *śatāvaryādigaṇa* (1.332), useful in vājīkarman, consists of balā, bhṛṅgarāja, dhātrī, gokṣura, kaṇā, kṣura, śatāvarī, vānarī, vidārī, vājigandhā, and vṛddhadāraka.

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The *vidārīkandādigaṇa* (1.333–335), useful for puṭapāka, consists of amṛtakā, bhallāta, bhṛṅgarāja, citraka, karikarṇapalāśa, keśarāja, kṣīrakañcuka, madhuka, muśalī, muṇḍīrī, piṇḍāhva, vidārīkanda, and śatāvarī.

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Seven upaviṣas are enumerated: ahiphena, arka, dhustūra, guñjā, karavīraka, lāṅgalī, and sehuṇḍa (1.370).

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Zinc is not mentioned as one of the metals.

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Some unusual names of yantras mentioned are keśayantra (1.373) and raudrayantra (1.374).

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Diseases added to those described in the *Mādhavanidāna* are: jvarātīsāra, saṃgrahagrahaṇī (grahaṇī 21), bhasmaka (ajīrṇa 100), śitavāta (vātavyādhi 56), kapharoga, pittaroga, somaroga and mūtrātīsāra, ¹⁷⁰ plīhan, agramāṃsa and yakṛt, ¹⁷¹ and snāyuka or tantukākhya. ¹⁷² Diseases omitted are vṛddhi, vidradhi, vraṇa, bhagna, and śūkadoṣa. Phiraṅga is not mentioned.

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¹⁷⁰ mūtrātīsāra

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¹⁷¹ yakṛt

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¹⁷² tantukākhya

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Interesting names of plants are: ākārakarabha (upadaṃśa 24), amlarolī (1.179; ajīrṇa 101), bhaṅga (grahaṇī 23), gandhālikā (sūtikā 28), kālā (amlapitta 24), kālamāriṣa (amlapitta 20), kañcaṭa (grahaṇī 19), khaṇḍakarṇa (grahaṇī 106; kāsa 3; śitapitta 8), manyumaṇī (udāvarta 1), nāgadā (jvara 100), nisindhu (jvara 100), raṇḍā (somaroga 10), and viṣakaṇṭālikā (jvara 100).

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A large number of formulae are ascribed to (semi-)divine and other authorities. ¹⁷³ Many prescriptions are also found in the *Rasendracintāmaṇi*. ¹⁷⁴

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¹⁷³ authorities

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¹⁷⁴ *Rasendracintāmaṇi*

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The author The author mentions his name, Gopālakṛṣṇa, in the introductory verses. ¹⁷⁵

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¹⁷⁵ verses

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The *Rasendrasārasamgraha* is later than the *Rasamañjarī* which is quoted. It would be earlier than the last quarter of the fifteenth century, the period of Śivadāsasena, if this commentator's single quotation from Gopālakṛṣṇa's work would prove to be genuine.¹⁷⁶ The *Rasendrasārasamgraha* antedates the *Bhāvaprakāśa* in P.V. Sharma's opinion, who claims¹⁷⁷ that the latter cites the former; this assertion, however, cannot be substantiated. Gopālakṛṣṇa's descriptions of the preparation of rasasindūra (1.62–72) and rasakarpūra (1.73–75) throw doubt on an early dating of the *Rasendrasārasamgraha* and may point to the fifteenth or sixteenth century as the period of composition.¹⁷⁸ The quotation from a rasaśāstra author called Mādhava in Gopālakṛṣṇa's auto-commentary even suggests, if the remark derives from the *Āyurvedaprakāśa*, that the work belongs to the eighteenth century.¹⁷⁹

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Commentaries Commentaries on the *Rasendrasārasamgraha*¹⁸⁰ were written by Gopālakṛṣṇa himself, Rāmasena, Jīvānandavidyāsāgara, and Ambikādattaśāstrin.

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An unspecified *Rasendrasāravyākhyā* is quoted in Āśubodha and Nityabodha Senagupta's commentary on the *Rasaratnasamuccaya*.

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Gopālakṛṣṇa's auto-commentary is called *Bālabodhinī*.¹⁸¹ Gopālakṛṣṇa gives many details concerning the processes described in his treatise. Vernacular names of inorganic substances and plants are rather often mentioned. The sources of quotations are not specified in most cases.

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The introductory verses indicate that a tippaṇī, called *Candrikā*, on the *Rasendrasārasamgraha* already existed at the time Gopālakṛṣṇa decided to write his auto-commentary.

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Authorities and works quoted and referred to are: *Agniveśasamhitā* (1.114 = ed. i, 1.232–233), Bhaṭṭa (grahaṇī 14 = ed. i, 65–67; kuṣṭha 11 = ed. i, 26–33), *Candrikākāra* (jvara 89 = ed. i, 297–300),¹⁸² Hārīta (1.114 = ed. i, 1.232–233), Mādhava (jvara 89 = ed. i, 297–300),¹⁸³ *Mṛtyuñjayatantra* (1.120 = ed. i, 1.245–247), Pātañjala (1.151 = ed. i, 1.296), *Siddhasāra* (jvaratīsāra 1–2 = ed. i, 1–4), Someśvara (jvara 4 = ed. i, 4–15; jvara 73 = ed. i, 219–221),¹⁸⁴ Śrīkaṇṭha (jvara 73 = ed. i, 219–221), and Vāgbhaṭa (1.114 = ed. i, 1.232–233).

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The commentator Rāmasena, called Kavīndramaṇi,¹⁸⁵ was the court physician of Mīr Jāfar, the Nawab of Bengal (A.D. 1757–1762); he also commented on the *Rasendracintāmaṇi*. Rāmasena is quoted in Jīvānandavidyāsāgara's commentary.

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Jīvānandavidyāsāgara's commentary¹⁸⁶ quotes from and refers to: *Agniveśasamhitā* (1.233), *Arthabodhikā* (jvara 340),¹⁸⁷ *Atrisamhitā* (1.66, 127, 130), (Govindadāsa's) *Bhaiṣajyaratnāvalī* (śūlaroga 29–34; śitāpitta 8; bālaroga 8; rasāyana 54), Bhānudāsa (pittaroga 3), Bhaṭṭa¹⁸⁸ (grahaṇī 65; ajīrṇa 79; kuṣṭha 47), Bhāvamiśra (1.64), *Bhāvaprakāśa* (kuṣṭha 47), *Cakradatta* (śotha 6), (Śivadāsa's) *Cakradattaṭīkā* (1.232), *Candrikākāra* (jvara 297), *Caraka* (unmāda 14), *Dīpikākāra* (jvara 340), Hārīta (1.233), Mādhava (jvara 297;¹⁸⁹ jvaratīsāra 1),¹⁹⁰ *Mṛtyuñjayatantra* (1.245–247),¹⁹¹ *Nāgārjunī-*

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yasiddhaprayogatantra (jvara 340–350), Niścala (amlapitta 19–31), Rājanighaṇṭu (1.64 and 245–257), Rāmasena (1.65; śūla 4 and 65), *Siddhasāra* (jvaratīsāra 1–2), Someśvara (jvara 2.4–15 and 219), Śrīkaṇṭha (jvara 219), ṭīkā (ślīpada 2), and Vāgbhaṭa (1.233).

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Jīvānanda repeatedly mentions variant readings¹⁹² and vernacular, especially Bengali, names of plants.¹⁹³

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Ambikādattaśāstrin's commentary¹⁹⁴ quotes from and refers to: *Bhaiṣajyaratnāvalī* (upadaṃśa 5–21; rasāyana 65–74), *Bhāratānuśāsanika* (1.248), *Bhāvaprakāśa* (1.259, 279, 296, 326–327, 353–354, 372–373; kuṣṭha 47; masūrikā 1), *Cakra* (yonivyāpad 2), *Caraka* (gulma 2–3; kuṣṭha 48–57), Jejjatācārya (upadaṃśa 1–2), *Kumāratantra* (bālaroga 6–12), *Manuṣyasamhitā* (1.248), *Mātṛkābhedatantra* (1.248), *prācīnaṭīkā* (ślīpada 1–6), *Rājanighaṇṭu* (1.296, 358), *Rasaratnasamuccaya* (1.126, 129–130, 168, 225, 232, 259, 296, 357, 358), *Rasataraṅgiṇī* (1.49–50, 126, 140–145, 257–258, 353–354, 357, 380–386; ajīrṇa 25–28; rasāyana 75–77), Suśruta (1.365; yakṣman 14–19; yonivyāpad 2), Vāgbhaṭa (1.365; yakṣman 100–107; hikkā-śvāsa 1–2), and *Vāgbhaṭaṭīkā* (pāṇḍuroga 50–52).

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