A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v1.c11.t28: The Killing of Metals—“Vida”
A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v1.c11.t28
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The Killing of Metals—“Vida”
v1.c11.t28.1
“Hear attentively as I shall now speak of the killing of metals.
v1.c11.t28.2
“There is no such elephant of a metal which cannot be killed by the lion of a sulphur.” VII. 138-148
v1.c11.t28.3
Bhairava said : “Kāsisa¹, rock-salt, the pyrites, sauvira², the aggregate of the three spices³, sulphur, saltpetre, the juice expressed from mālati⁴—all these moistened with the juice of the root of moringa pter., makes a vida, which would kill all [the metals].” IX. 2-3
v1.c11.t28.4
“Sulphur, orpiment, sea-salt, salt, sal-ammoniac, borax—these digested with the ashes and the urines, give rise to another kind of vida.” * * * * * * Having thus collected the ingredients, O goddess ! begin the chemical operations. I have told you all, what more do you want to hear ?” IX. 4-20
v1.c11.t28.5
(1) Green vitriol. (2) Stibnite. (3) namely, black pepper, long pepper and dry ginger. (4) Echites caryophyllata, Rox.
Linked texts (1)
- Rasaratnasamuccaya — Vāgbhaṭa (alchemist), Sanskrit