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Gold-making by all the four categories mentioned by Needham in Chinese context is described in the text Rasarnavakalpa. Some processes which Needham considers as special cases are absent in Rasarnavakalpa. Some of these special 30 cases give purple gold. This variety of purple gold contained ninety-five percent copper, one percent silver and 1.05 percent gold; and the purple film is formed upon treatment with the solution of copper acetate, copper sulphate and acetic acid. This kind of purple gold is mentioned in other Sanskrit texts, which we will discuss in a later chapter. 31 Mosaic gold is conspicuously absent. Ge Hong, the fourth century Chinese alchemist, describes a process for making stannic sulphide, i.e., mosaic gold, by heating tin sulphur and sal-ammoniac. All these substances are frequently mentioned in Rasarnavakalpa, in a number of syntheses but not that of mosaic gold. In this way we find that gold-making by various methods was carried out in India at the time of the 30 31. Needham, Joseph (1), Vol. 5, Pt. II, pp. 257, 264. 'Needham, Joseph (1), Vol. 5, Pt. II, p. 271; also see Needham, Joseph (3).

88 writing of the text Rasarnavakalpa (probably around the eleventh century AD). The other aspects of alchemy, i.e., elixirsynethsis, are also a prominent feature of this text. A number of recipes are given for elixirs used in the attainment of strength, long life and immortality. Various plant products, mercury, orpiment, realgar, other metals like iron, copper, gold, etc. and their combinations were used in these elixirs. Pills were made using honey, ghee, goat's milk, etc. In a section on the plant Devadali (Luffa Echinata), the author gives a recipe for an elixir. 32 Leaves, flowers, roots of this excellent medicinal plant are to be taken. The wise should powder (desired) parts of the plant after drying it in shade. 32. Rasarnavakalpa, Sloka 525-530, pp. 44-45. sapatra puspamulanca grhniyattam mahausadham | || || chavaya suskanca tam krtva curnayeta vicaksanah || 525 || tadrasenaiva sambhavya lohapaje ca buddhiman | samsthapya sannidhavagnaih paksa patram nirantaram || 526 || pacanante pudham krtva vamanam tasya karayet | virecanam kriyamane tu gomule ca dapayet 11 527 ||

This powder macerated in the juice of this plant and deposited in an iron vessel, is to be kept constantly near fire for fifteen days. After roasting, it is to be enveloped in a puta and purified by the process of emesis and purgation. It is then to be dipped into cow's urine. The sadhaka should then undergo (selfpurification by means of) purgation. Take this plant-product along with honey and clarified butter on an auspicious day, when occurs the conjuction of the star with the moon. It is taken for three weeks, the sadhaka is endowed with an immense power of holding up the earth. By taking this drug for four weeks he becomes free from wrinkles and grey hair, and is cured of all diseases. He lives a long life of three hundred years. By taking this drug for six months he enjoys a long life of thousand years. Throughout the text we encounter plants with characteristic constituents and chemical actions. The appropriate application of plants and their extracts reveal the extensive research and experimentation carried out by the alchemists. Some of the plants are used as FN. 32 continued tato virecanam krtva nasate ca subhe dine | madhusarpih samayuktah sa raso jisaptahe ca sampurna sadhako dharayedmahim | caturthe saptaka prapta valayah palitani ca sarvavyadhivinirmuk 鈥�to jivavarsasatatrayam | masasta 鈥�ka prayogena jivedvarsasahastra kam cannato bhavet || 528 || 11 529 11 || 530 || 89

33 34 35 organic dyes, reducing agents, organic acids and 36 bases. 90