Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature
by Sulekha Biswas | 1990 | 69,848 words
This essay studies the presence of Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature over three millennia, from the Rigveda to Rasaratna-Samuccaya. It establishes that ancient Indians were knowledgeable about various minerals and metallurgy prior to the Harappan era, with literary references starting in the Rgveda. The thesis further examines the evolutio...
3. The Scope of Ratna-shastra (Gemmology)
Agastimata (3-4) outlined the scope of the Ratnashastra texts : utpattim akaran varnana jatisesagunam statha "nulyam mandalikam caiva grahakam hastasamjnaya
The theory of origin (utpatti) of the gems was shrouded. in the extravagant emphasis on a myth which we would discuss later. The texts discussed akaras or the mine-sites. The colour and 'castes' (categories) of individual gems were mentioned. The defects of gems and the qualities of excellent gems were specifically discussed. In order to be acceptable, the gems must have well-defined and uniform colour, lustre and geometrically defined crystal shapes. There must be appropriate directionality of radiance when a gem is held against. the sun (Agastimata 213). Rasaratna-samuccaya (4.33) mentioned five typical dosas or defects of gems: grasah trasasca bindusca rekha ca jalagarbhana Grasa means black spot, bindu black spot due to erosion, rekha line and discolouration, jalagarbhata refers to bubbles. Trasa means grain boundaries; Manasollasa (2.4.423) defines this term as bhinnabhrantikara, creating an illusion of being broken. Satrasa means a gem with fractures. Many Ratnasastra texts discuss the norms of price fixation (milya) of gems. However, Agastimata (61-75) is the only text which discusses the qualifications of an expert of gems or a gemmologist, titled mandalika, and the various hand-signs (hastasama) by which he negotiates transactions with the grahaka or the customer, thereby crossing language barrier.