History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c14.26

c14.26

Hence both medicine and chemistry, particularly in their alchemical aspects, followed the course of religious practices in their development In fact, at no time they were free from theological tinge or urge. It had been a usual practice for the early workers and writers, while discussing theories or describing processes of chemical operations, to ascribe the origin thereof to their favourite gods and goddesses, or to start with a prayer to the presiding deity of the branch of knowledge concerned. Each element and phenomenon of nature, as well as the properties of each substance, were associated or identified with their respective divinities responsible for their manifestation. The presentation of subject matter in many writings and works of the Ayurvedic and Tantric period will be found to have been made in the shape of a dialogue between the god Siva or Hara and his consort Parvati or Gouri. Where the authors of the works were Buddhist by religion, we meet with the name of a Buddha, a Tathagata or an Avalokiteswara being invoked as the revealer of all knowledge.