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鈥檚 Ashtadhyayi
12 (of 17)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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IV-12
of loha or copper, sneha or fat Pan. 7.3.39) etc. Sru meant (for
liquid) to flow or gush out (Pan. 7.2.13) and the derivative szuva
(6.3.115) an object like a ladle, from which liquid gushes out.
The opposite of drava (melting), pralaya (losing shape) and
sru (to flow) was reckoned as the phenomenon of a molten object or
liquid becoming frozen sita 6.1.24-26) or solidified (mur-6.4.21).
From mur was derived murta and murti, the phenomenon of assuming
shape which is possible only for a solidifying object.
Coagulation
is the aggregation of dispersed phase in a heterogenous system not
necessarily accompanied by loss of heat, as exemplified in coagulatic
of the protein matter from milk. This phenomenon of coagulation
(sina-coagulated) was distinguished from the process of being frozen
sita) on account of cooling (Pan. 6.1.24-26)
It was realised in ancient India that preparation of material
such as scma-juice, sura, gold, copper etc. often involved separation
from impurities or purification. The first two alphabets in 'pure',
namely pu meant to purify'. The link between the European word and
the Sanskritic origin is so obvious. Puta meant 'cleaned or puri-
fied' (Pen 6.2.187), and pava stood for 'purifying, clarifying or
cleaning' (Pan. 3.3.28 and 49). The words derived from pava strongly
suggest how a particular kind of purification may take place.
Nispava for example, stands for winnowing as well as a step of puri-
fication which involves (ni or) downward movement. We have explained
