Essay name: Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature
Author:
Sulekha Biswas
Affiliation: Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University / Department of Sanskrit
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.
Chapter 4 - Materials and Concepts in Panini’s Ashtadhyayi
11 (of 17)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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IV-11
We have mentioned Panini's explanation as to how the word
raupva for silver originated: on a silver coin the rupa or form of
the king was embossed.
In The mode of manufacturing the punch-
marked silver coins was first to get ready a hammered sheet, which
was then cut into strips, and sub-divided into lengths of approxd-
mately the desired weight, which was adjusted by clipping the
corners when necessary". After this, the metallic pieces were
subjected to the process of stamping symbols on them by means of a
separate punch for each symbol. It is this particular stage in the
process of manufacture to which Panini refers in the famous sutra:
रुपात् आह� प्रशंसयो� यप�
[rupāt āhata praśaṃsayo� yap
] 'Silver was stamped with a praise-worthy form'.
... (5.2.120)
Whereas
Kārshapana was a punch-marked coin, the later day dinara (Denarious)
and Kedara (Kedara Kushana coin 3rd century A.D.) were actually cast
in moulds and not punched.
Concept of Unit Operations
The modern terminology unit operation' means the physical
step(s) which are important pre-requisites towards purification and
preparation of materials with or without some chemical change termed
as 'unit process'. Panini's India was familiar with quite a few
unit operation principles.
Drava (Pan. 3.3.27) meant melting or something which can be
melted. Few more words were also used to denote melting: pralava
(melting, losing shape, dissolution
Pan. 7.3.2), vipatana (melting
