History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c20.s3: Patala Ix
History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c20.s3
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Patala Ix
c20.s3.1
Vaikrānta (a mineral resembling diamond, spinel ?), kānta ‘a variety of iron’, sasvaka (‘blue vitriol’), mākshika ‘pyrites’, vimala ‘a variety of pyrites’, adri (‘bitumen ?’ *darada* ‘cinnabar’, *rasaka* ‘calamine’—these are the 8 *rasas*, and their essences are well suited for chemical operations.
c20.s3.2
Sulphur, *gairika* ‘red ochre’, *kāśīśi* ‘red-clay earth’, *khechara* ‘mica’, *añjana* ‘sulphide of lead and antimony’, *kānkushtha* ‘a medical earth—possibly magnesium or sodium sulphate’;—these are the *uparasas* ‘subsidiary rasas’.
c20.s3.3
Gold and silver are the noble metals.
c20.s3.4
Copper, brass, *tīkshṇa* and *kānta* ‘varieties of iron’ are the essential or substantial metals: lead and tin emit foetid odours.
c20.s3.5
The six salts are:— *Sauvarchala* ‘saltpetre’, *saindhava* ‘rock-salt’, *chulika* ‘sal-ammoniac’, *sāmudra* ‘sea-salt’, *romaka* (‘probably salt imported from outside’, and *vidan* (‘black salt’).
c20.s3.6
The alkalies are:—*Sarjikākshāra* ‘natron’, *yavakshāra* (‘potash’), and borax.