A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c32.t1.95

v2.c32.t1.95

We conclude our survey of this period with the notice of a remarkable production entitled Dhátukriya or “operations with metals”; it is in the shape of a dialogue between Siva and Párvatí; in short, it pretends to be a part and parcel of the Rudrayámala Tantra.* The work cannot be placed earlier than the 16th century A. D., as it contains reference to the country of the Phirangas and to Rúma, the Arabic name for Constantinople. For the first time we come across the very appropriate term dáhajala (lit. burning water) coined to denote sulphuric acid. The information about the metals is of a very meagre and poor description and it has been needlessly spun into an inordinate length. The author evidently considers it a pious fraud to make such statements as follow emanate from the mouth of Siva himself:—