A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c32.t1.120

v2.c32.t1.120

The old Greek writers repeatedly refer to the mystic relationship between the seven planets and the seven metals. In the Sanskrit literature, however, beginning with the Susruta and coming onwards to Rasaratnasamuchchaya, we invariably find six metals recognised, alloys being rigorously excluded from the list and regarded simply as "artificially made."† It is only in the Sárngadhara and other later works that we find seven metals enumerated; ‡ but this author is guilty of a curious inconsistency, since in a subsequent part of his book he adds two more to the list and quietly lays down that there are nine metals, which derive their names from the nine planets.* This may be read as a sort of vague and indistinct connection between the metals and the astral bodies.