A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c32.174

v2.c32.174

especially of the first two has a significance of its own. We have already seen that references to Nágárjuna and his contemporary king Sáliváhana are only to be met with in ancient classical literature (*vide ante* xxii). It seems probable that Rasaratnákara was written at a time when the memory of these personages was still fragrant. Judging from internal evidences also we come to the conclusion that it is one of the earliest works extant on the subject. In our attempt at throwing light on the text of Rasárnava, we had to quote several parallel passages from it, * and from a careful perusal of both we are of opinion that the latter is the inspirer rather than the borrower. Rasaratnákara, in short, seems to us to be a typical production representing the Maháyánist period of intellectual activity and we may not be wide of the mark if we put down 7th or 8th century A. D. as its latest date.