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 8 - Non-gem Minerals and Metals in Rasa-shastra
23 (of 44)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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VIII-23 B峁沨at Samhita reveals that during its era, the metallurgica activity in the country was intense. Gold was tested, melted, heate in the fire, hammered for testing its purity, purified 啶ㄠた啶曕し 啶膏え啷嵿い啶距お 啶呧き啶苦え啶苦さ啷囙ざ啷堗 啶曕え啶曕じ啷嵿く 啶忇さ啶� 啶呧ぇ啶苦啶むぐ 啶呧ぎ啶侧啶曕啶� [nika峁 sant膩pa abhinive艣ai岣� kanakasya eva峁� adhikatara amal墨k峁泃a ] 439 to make sacrificial ladles, thrones, images etc. (BS.26.9; 43.12;
47.46). Varahamihira's statement shows that in India of his time,
there were silver mines or rajatakara (BS.16.26). Red-hot copper,
evidently used for casting into various shapes, was referred to :
tapta t膩mraprabhabhah (6.13). References were made to the metals-
miths who fabricated weapons, and made a living working on fires:
啶多じ啷嵿い啷嵿ぐ啶掂ぞ啶む 啶溹啶掂え啷嵿い啶� 啶ぐ啷� 啶灌啶むぞ啶多え啷冟い啷嵿く啶�
[艣astrav膩t墨 j墨vanti paro hut膩艣an峁泃y膩
] 5.28, 10.4, 85.29 etc.).
(BS. 5.35.See also
Archaeological evidences such as copper images of Buddha,
Mehrauli iron pillar made during Candragupta II's reign etc.,
substantiate the literary claims about the advanced state of
Indian metallurgy during the Gupta era. Even later, Vana (7th
century A.D.) mentioned some of his companions as assayists and
metallurgists. Hiuen-Tsang reported widespread use of noble metals
and brass in India.
The two subjects of astronomy and mathematics were deeply
pursued during the Gupta era. One of the outstanding scientists,
Aryabhata (born 476 A.D.), emphasized on direct observations and
only four elements, de-emphasizing the fifth non-material ak膩sa.
