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 9 - The Rasaratna-samuccaya鈥攁 pinnacle in the Indian iatro-chemistry
6 (of 31)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Pinaka variety of abhraka was described as white and
'setting free its dalas or folds' when put on fire:
啶た啶ㄠぞ啶曕 啶ぞ啶掂啷嬥い啷嵿い啶啶む 啶掂た啶啶傕啶むた 啶︵げ啷嬥啷嵿啶ぎ啷�
( [pin膩ka峁� p膩vakottapta峁� vimu峁僣ati daloccayam
(] RRS 2.5)
This material could be vermiculite which indeed swells (due to
expansion of water-rich lattice and elimination of water molecules)
when put on fire.
Naga variety of abhraka is red and 'produces hissing
sound like that of snake when put on fire'
啶ㄠぞ啶椸ぞ 啶ㄠぞ啶椸さ啶む 啶ぞ啶掂啶� 啶膏啶膏啶ムた啶むぎ啷�
( [n膩g膩 n膩gavat p膩vaka峁� sa峁僺thitam
(] RRS 2.6)
The material could be red lead or, if the colour is not red, even
mica-resembling galena; these produce, on reduction, lead or the
metal known as naga or ahi. Manduka variety is yellow, bursting
into fragments when put on fire
Vajra variety of abhraka is
It was
black and does not change when put on fire (2.7-2.8).
believed that yellow mica could produce gold, and white mica could
produce silver through reaction with mercury (RRS 2.9-2.10). This
belief led to elaboration of the procedures for satvap膩tana
(metal-extraction) from abhraka (2.27-2.38)
We have already mentioned vaikranta which was known both.
as a gem as well as one of the maharasas. Maksika was known to
occur in two varieties:
-
啶ぞ啶澿た啶曕 啶︵啶掂た啶掂た啶о 啶灌啶ぎ啶距じ啶苦 啶膏啶むぞ啶班ぎ啶距啷嵿し啶苦
( [m膩jhiko dvividho hemam膩sika st膩ram膩k峁ka
(] RRS 2.81)
