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History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c36.s5: Chemistry in Dhaturatnamala.

History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c36.s5

Language
English

Chemistry in Dhaturatnamala.

c36.s5.1

In the beginning the author after salutation says: "I shall speak of silver, gold, copper, lead, tin and iron; as also of calamine, mica, pearls, coral, orpiment, realgar, the pyrites, mercury and diamonds, in fact, the properties of all the metals and minerals and the mode of their incineration "

c36.s5.2

Directions are given for the *killing* of silver.

c36.s5.3

Chemistry in Rasapradipa

c36.s5.4

Description for preparing mineral acids by distillation :—*Samkhadravarasa* or liquid for dissolving conch-shells ; this is to be prepared by distilling a mixture of alum, sal-ammoniac, saltpetre and sulphur. Cowrie-shells and metals dropped into the liquid are at once dissolved.

c36.s5.5

Preparation of calomel for the treatment of *phirangaroga* (syphilis) with its application.

c36.s5.6

Chemistry in Dhatukriya or Dhatumanjari (Rudrayamala Tantra)

c36.s5.7

Tin, iron and copper are to be classed among the superior metals

c36.s5.8

In general a metal being alloyed with silver is improved in quality. *Sattvaja* metal (i.e. an alloy of tin and copper) is of middle quality. 12-14

c36.s5.9

Couplets 39-49 give synonyms of the different metals.

c36.s5.10

Synonyms of zinc :—*Jasatva*, *yasadayaka*, *rupyabhrata* (lit. brother to silver), *charmaka*, *kharpara*, *rasaka*, etc. 50-51

c36.s5.11

*Pittal* is an alloy of copper and zinc. 63

c36.s5.12

*Kamsyaka* is an alloy of tin and copper. 65

c36.s5.13

Zinc being amalgamated with mercury gives rise to *rasaka*. 68

c36.s5.14

[N.B.—*Rasaka* and *kharpara* are the names generally applied to the mineral calamine, but here they stand for the metal zinc or its amalgam.]

c36.s5.15

Lead being *killed* with the aid of gentle heat gives rise to minium (red lead). 69

c36.s5.16

Copper in combination with the "burning water" gives rise to *tuttha* (blue vitriol). Thus manifold operations are performed with the aid of *mantras* and apparatus: all these belong to the province of chemistry. 70-71

c36.s5.17

Synonyms of *haritāla* (orpiment):—Orpiment is a consumer of mercury and also a clipper of its wings 79

c36.s5.18

[Mercury, being rubbed and gently heated with orpiment or sulphide of arsenic, is itself converted into its sulphide. It is thereby *killed* or *fixed*, i.e. loses its volatility or clipped of its wings.]

c36.s5.19

Synonyms of realgar, cinnabar, mica, etc. are given. 81-89

c36.s5.20

Synonyms of pearl, coral, tortoise-shell, conch-shell, tusk of elephants, the tail of the peacock are given.

c36.s5.21

Commonplace information about the localities of different metals.

c36.s5.22

Localities for copper specified:—Nepal, Kamarupa, Bengal, the country of the *mlechchhas*, Ruma and the country of the *phirangas*, etc.

c36.s5.23

Localities for zinc—Kamboja, Ruma (Istambul), Balkh etc. 146

c36.s5.24

Metals in combination with mercury and sulphur become fit for administration as medicine. 153

c36.s5.25

Process of roasting a substance in a stout glass vessel using goat- and cow-dung cakes and husks of paddy grains as fuel, is described. 9-10

c36.s5.26

One part of gold and four parts of zinc are to be melted together and the alloy roasted in a closed crucible.....the process repeated with the addition of alkalies.....gold of a reddish-yellow colour will thus be generated. 11-17

c36.s5.27

A process for making factitious cinnabar by pouring mercury into its own weight of molten sulphur and then adding three-fourths its weight of orpiment.....The mass is to be rubbed in a mortar and subjected to sublimation. 28-30

c36.s5.28

By using the augmented (weight increased by the addition of inferior metals) gold as a means of exchange one can amass wealth. 52

c36.s5.29

Tin is to be melted and one-hundredth part its weight of mercury to be amalgamated with it. This (fraudulent substitute for) silver can be used for purposes of exchange, and one can thus amass wealth. 85-86

c36.s5.30

Pure gold is to be alloyed with one hundred times its weight of copper and this (imitation) gold will resemble native gold. 88

c36.s5.31

Lead and copper being alloyed together will give rise to gold. 97-98

c36.s5.32

Here ends the chapter on the extolling of gold in Rudra-yamala.

c36.s5.33

Chemistry in Suvarnatantra or Svarnatantra

c36.s5.34

The origin of the Tantra is explained in the opening lines. Parasurama having given away his worldly possessions to Kasyapa is rendered destitute, and thus has to invoke the aid of the god Siva for his very maintenance.

c36.s5.35

Siva said: Listen! I shall now reveal to you the most wonderful mysteries of Svarnatantra. 1-10

c36.s5.36

A kind of oil is exuded from the bulbous root of a plant; all around it within a radius of ten cubits oily water is exuded and a venomous snake lives under it. If you want to test the properties of the bulb, you should thrust a needle into it, and the needle at once dissolves. Having procured this bulb, rub it with mercury in a mortar and add the oil and subject the mixture to heat in a crucible. The mercury is at once *killed* and acquires the property of converting one hundred thousand times its own weight of the base metal into gold. 14-18

c36.s5.37

Pure orpiment is to be rubbed with this oil for 20 days, and the former is *killed* thereby and losses its volatility. The eight metals in the molten state being treated with this prepared orpiment acquire the power of transmutation. When the above oil is thrown into molten copper, it is turned into gold of beautiful lustre Tin and bell-metal similarly treated are turned into silver ; and copper, iron, brass and silver similarly turn into gold. 19-24

c36.s5.38

*Śaṅkhadrāvaka* (aqua regia) is spoken of as universal solvent ..... The solvent with mercury is to be placed in a glazed crucible and subjected to heat ; the mercury, thus *killed*, can convert the eight metals into gold. By partaking of this mercury one becomes immortal ; even his urine and faeces can convert copper into gold 1-10

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