A History of Indian Medical Literature v4.c63.617

v4.c63.617

240 See D. Joshi (1991a): 256–258. 241 See D. Joshi (1991a): 253–255. 242 See D. Joshi (1991a): 261–262. 243 A.K. Biswas (1996): 461 remarks that kākatunḍī is evidently leaded brass, because it is said to turn black when dipped in acidic sour gruel. 244 See D. Joshi (1991a): 263–264. 245 See D. Joshi (1991a): 264–265. 246 See on pañcaloha and other multi-metallic alloys: A.K. Biswas (1996): 463–465. 247 See on these verses: S.R. Sarma and Y. Sahai (1995). 248 Pakṣaccheda has been brought about when mercury stays in the crucible, without moving upwards or downwards (see Pāradasamhitā 18.57). 249 See 4.1, 71, 116; 5.61 and 95; 6.1; 7.1; 11.26; 14.58 and 198; 15.66; 16.60. 250 Rasendracūḍāmaṇi 6.3 refers to Bhairava's fourfold classification of plants used in alchemy (rasauṣadhi, mahauṣadhi, siddhauṣadhi, divyauṣadhi); 12.25 quotes a bhairavanyāya, derived from a Rasasiddha of this name according to the Hindī commentary; 12.28 is about Bhairava's opinion on the blemishes of gems. Bhairava is one of the Rasasiddhas listed in the Rasaratnasamuccaya (1.4–8). 251 Bhāluki was of the opinion that mercury is purified by means of ūrdhva- and adhahpātana (15.33), and that mercury can digest all the metals after being subjected to svedana and saṃnyāsa, which provide it with a mouth (mukha) (15.54–57). See on saṃnyāsa: Rasendracūḍāmaṇi 4.114–115 and 15.57. 252 Bhāskara regarded mercury as completely pure and siddhikara after having been subjected seven times to svedana, mardana and vimūrchana. Bhāskara is one of the Rasasiddhas in the Rasaratnasamuccaya. The Rasendrabhāskara is attributed to him. 253 Brahmajyotis was one of those who knew about vahnimṛtsnā. 254 One of the methods of peparing aṅkolataila was devised by Devasūnu, i.e., Somadeva himself (see the Hindī commentary). 255 Mercury is purified by means of mardana, svedana and saṃnyāsa according to Dineśvara. 256 The formula of a rasāyana containing lohabhasman was given by Girīśa, i.e., Śiva, to the father of Kālayavana. 257 Govindabhagavant (the author of the Rasahṛdaya) is convinced that mercury is purified when successfully subjected to svedana, mardana, mūrchā, pratyutthāna, pātana, nirodha and niyama. 258 A method of preparing capala from tin derives from a king (lokanātha) called Kharpana (the Hindī commentary has Kharvaṇa). Kharpaṇalokanātha was a rasācārya of the Gorakṣapurīya Navanāthasampradāya according to G. Hāldār (Vṛddhatrayī 307). 259 Manthānabhairava is credited with verses describing the fate of the person who despises mercury (1.44). Somadeva asserts that the chapter on the divine herbs (divyauṣadhi; 6) is based on the teachings of Manthānabhairava, one of the Rasasiddhas. 260 The description of samukhajaraṇa derives from Mṛgacārin. 261 Nāgārjuna was one of those who were acquainted with vahnimṛtsnā (5.61) and the sādhāraṇarasas (11.91). 262 Nandin is mentioned in connection with the eulogy of mercury (1.35); the omniscient (sarvavedin) Nandin devised the nābhiyantra (5.54–57b); he was acquainted with vahnimṛtsnā (5.59–61), and described the koṣṭhikāyantra (5.67cd–77ab) and pātālakoṣṭhikā (5.134–138ab); he was of the opinion that purified iron (or its bhasman) is like