The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c4.s6.24

c4.s6.24

*Oils, Fats, Milks.*—Bi-Bhautic quasi-compounds, with Ap as energizer: Oleaginous substances (आज्यतैलादयः स्नेहाः) are divided by Udayana into (1) oils derived from vegetables, (2) butters derived from milk, and (3) fats derived from animals. The medical schools, as we have seen, recognise animal oils as distinguished from vegetable oils. Vegetable fats (*e.g.* विङ्कघृत) are also mentioned. Váchaspati and Udayana contend that among oils, fats, milks, etc., differences in flavour and odour imply differences in kind (जाति) and in molecular structure, since it is only a variation in such structure that constitutes a variation in natural kind (अवयव-सन्निवेशः—तत्तत्सामान्यविशेषाभिव्यञ्जकसंस्थानविशेषाः—Udayana, Kiranávalí). Mustard-oil, for example, has not the flavour and smell characteristic of sesamum-oil (Taila), and is classed with the latter only by reason of similarity of specific qualities and structure. Judged by the flavour test, Ámikshá (the casein substance formed by mixing milk curd with hot boiled milk) is to be classed with milk substances. So also Takra, whey; but Vájina, the thin fluid that is left after the Ámikshá (casein substance) is separated, cannot be classed as milk. It may be added that the milks and curds, as well as oils and fats derived from different species of vegetables or animals, are supposed to differ in their ultimate structural arrangement, and therefore in kind; but Vallabha thinks that the ghees (clarified butters) prepared from different kinds of milk are of the same kind; in other words, the milks and curds are "polymeric," the ghees (clarified butters) "isomeric," using these terms, as before, in a loose general sense. (. . . . तैलघृतवसानां बीजक्षीरमांसयोनित्वात् । अतएव नारिके-लस्नेहस्यापि तैलत्वं रसादिसारूप्यादपि तु घृतव्यपदेशश्च।—Udayana, Kiranávalí, पृथिवीनिम्पणम् । Vallabha notes that ghees do not differ in kind as milks (and curds) do: अता माहिषगव्यादिदुग्धेषु दधितवत् घृतादिषु जातिभेदस्यास्त्वमिति चेन्न।—Vallabha, Lílávatí. Compare Váchaspati, II., 2, 65: आज्यतैलादीनां जातिस्तु गन्धेन वा रसेन वा व्यज्यते। अतएव न सार्षपादीनां तैलत्वमस्ति । तद्व्यञ्जकयोर्गन्धरसयोरभावात् । भाक्तस्तु तैलशब्द-योगः। क्षीरजातिरपि रसव्यङ्ग्यैव। अतएवामिक्षायाः क्षीरत्वम्। न तु वाजिनस्य तद्व्यञ्जकस्य रसभेदस्य वाजिने ऽभावात् आमिक्षायां च भावात्।)