A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c33.s4: The Preparation Known as Svarnasindura or Makaradhvaja
A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c33.s4
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The Preparation Known as Svarnasindura or Makaradhvaja
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As the "law of definite proportion" was unknown to the ancients, tedious processes were resorted to for the complete conversion of mercury into its sulphide. "Makaradhvaja" even at the present day is a favourite remedy with the Hindu physicians of the Ayurvedic school.* Let us follow the recipe as given in Rasendra-chintamani: "when quicksilver is killed with an equal weight of purified sulphur, it becomes hundred times more efficacious ; when it is killed with twice its weight of sulphur it cures leprosy ; when it is killed with thrice its weight of sulphur it cures mental langour ; when it is killed with four times its weight of sulphur it removes grey hair and wrinkles ; when it is killed with five times its
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other more full of sulphur, but destitute of the golden nature that enriches the former ; adds, that there is such a different goodness betwixt the several sorts of antimony, as there is betwixt the several sorts of flesh or fish, which, though agreeing in name and, if you please, in nature, do exceedingly differ in point of goodness, which brings into my mind the great difference which I have found, even visible to the eye, betwixt the several sorts of Antimony."—Boyle's work—l.c. p. 324.
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∗ If we take the historical meaning of the term "Ayurvedic," the above preparation cannot lay claim to this distinction, for it was unknown at the time of the Charaka and the Susruta and was introduced into the Materia Medica during the Tantric period.
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weight of sulphur it cures consumption; and when it is killed with six times its weight of sulphur it is a panacea for all the ills that flesh is heir to. * Now 25 parts by weight of mercury can only take up (i. e. combine with) 4 parts by weight of sulphur; the excess of sulphur simply sublimes off unchanged. In the actual preparation of svarṇa-sindūra (Lit. vermilion with gold) the mercury is first made into an amalgam with thin gold leaves and then repeatedly rubbed in a mortar with sulphur. During the process of sublimation (ऊर्ध्वपातन) the excess of sulphur volatilises off as we have already explained and the gold in fine particles remains behind as a residue. The lustrous, crystalline, reddish brown sublimate, which collects nearest the source of heat, † has the formula HgS. As there is an erroneous impression about the composition of this drug even among educated people in this country we give below the results of analysis of a sample of "mercury killed with six times its weight of sulphur along with gold."*
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∗ तुल्ये तु गन्धके जीर्णे शुद्धाच्छतगुणो रसः । द्विगुणे गन्धके जीर्णे सर्व्वकुष्ठहरः परः ॥ त्रिगुणे गन्धके जीर्णे सर्व्वजाड्यविनाशनः । चतुर्गुणे तत्र जीर्णे वलीपलितनाशनः ॥ गन्धे पञ्चगुणे जीर्णे क्षयक्षयहरी रुजः । षड्गुणे गन्धके जीर्णे सर्व्वरोगहरो रसः ॥ र. चि.
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† Gopālakrishna very properly lays particular stress upon this point. स्फोटयित्वा तु मुक्ताभमूर्द्धलग्ं बलिं त्यजेत् । अधःस्थं रससिन्दूरं सर्व्वरोगेषु योजयेत् ॥ इति रसेन्द्रसारसंग्रहः ।
Linked texts (2)
- Rasendracintāmaṇi — Ḍhuṇḍhukanātha, Sanskrit
- Rasendrasārasaṃgraha (Gopāla Kṛṣṇā) — Gopāla Kṛṣṇā 1800, Sanskrit