[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956) › c28.s3 # History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c28.s3: The Common Rasas History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c28.s3 - **Language:** English ### The Common Rasas ### [c28.s3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.1) \*Kampilla\*, \*chapala\*, \*gaurīpāshāna\*, \*navasāraka\*, \*kaparda\*, \*agnijāra\*, \*hingula\*, \*girisindura\*, \*mriddārasringakam\*, ; these are the eight common \*rasas\* regarded as useful adjuncts to chemical operations by Nagarjuna and other experts. 120-121 ### [c28.s3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.2) \*Kampilla\* is like brick-dust. ..a purgative. ..a natural product of Surat....and a vermifuge (It is not clear, what \*kampilla\* denotes ) ### [c28.s3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.3) \*Gauripashana\* is of the lustre of rock-crystal, conch and turmeric respectively.....its white essence is to be extracted like that of orpiment. (This also cannot be identified.) 124-125 ### [c28.s3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.4) NAVASARA AND OTHER RASAS ### [c28.s3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.5) \*Navasara\* (sal-ammoniac is produced by the decomposition of the shoots of bamboos and of the wood of \*Careya arborea\*; \*navasara\* is an alkali, its another name is \*chulikalavana\* (lit. salt deposited in the hearth) ; it is produced during the burning of the brick....it kills mercury, liquefies iron, is a stomachic, an absorbent of the spleen, and aids digestion after much eating. 127-129 ### [c28.s3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.6) (Sal-ammoniac cannot, however, be an alkali ; a confusion of salts with alkalies. ) ### [c28.s3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.7) \*Varataka\* (cowrie or marine shell).—Alchemists prefer shells which are of yellow colour, knotty and possessed of circular lines on the dorsal side...... macerated for three hours in sour gruel, it undergoes purification. 130-134 ### [c28.s3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.8) \*Agnijara\* is a substance discharged from the womb of a kind of sea-crocodile and dried in the sun. (This cannot be identified.) 135 ### [c28.s3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.9) \*Girisindura\* (lit. vermilion derived from the rocks) occurs along the big mountains (inside the rocks.) 137 ### [c28.s3.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.10) \*Hingula\* (cinnabar, syn. \*darada\*) .—Quicksilver extracted from it is as efficacious as killed- sulphur. When darada is placed in a retort and its essence collected in water, it yields the same substance as quicksilver—of this there is no doubt. 141-144 ### [c28.s3.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.11) \*Mriddarasringakam\* :—It is yellow and of leafy structure and occurs in Gujerat and round about mount Abu. 145 ### [c28.s3.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.12) (It is not possible to make out what is meant by this name). ### [c28.s3.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.13) \*Rajavarta\* (lapis lazuli) has a bluish tint but with slight admixture of red .... it is killed by being powdered in combination with lemon-juice and sulphur, and roasted seven times in a covered crucible. 149-153 ### [c28.s3.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3.14) BOOK IV --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.ray-1956.c28.s3) · Pramāṇa