Part 6 - Incineration of iron (1-25)

Medicines, in which iron is the leading ingredient, are better than those in which any other of the remaining metals (except mercury) forms the main ingredient. Iron is therefore to be incinerated very carefully.

Iron is not to be incinerated in quantities less than five palas and more than thirteen palas at a time. The following mantra (sacred text) is to be uttered just before the commencement of the process, leading to the incineration of iron:—

“Om amritodbhavaya Svaha” etc.

First process.

See fourth process, page 247, Vol II.

Second process.

Iron is incinerated by being rubbed with one fourth its quantity of incinerated mercury, and subjected to puta. It may also be incinerated, if rubbed with an equal quantity of svarnamakshika, gandhaka, and mercury, all combined, and then subjected to puta.

Third process.

Tikshna iron is to be hammered into fine sheets, devoid of layers. These are to be heated red hot and immersed into water. They are then to be reduced to powder by means of an iron bar in a stone mortar. Portions of the sheets, too hard to be powdered, are to be confined within two earthen basins, subjected to strong heat, and then immersed into water. When cooled, they are to be reduced to powder, being hammered in the aforesaid way. The powder, thus obtained, is to be rubbed with mercury and sulphur, and subjected to putam for twenty times. Rubbing very steadily is to be resorted to, previous to each act of puta. (Juice of kanya or lemon juice or kanji may be used for the purpose of rubbing in this case).

Fourth process.

Twenty tolas of fine iron sheets are to be smeared with an equal quantity of hingula, previously rubbed with human milk, and then subjected to gajaputa. The iron is then to be subjected to forty more acts of puta, previously rubbed each time with one tola of hingula mixed with the following alternately:—(1) decoction of triphala and (2) lemon juice or aranala. The iron, thus incinerated, is again to be subjected to thirty more acts of puta, having been rubbed each time with one tola of hingula mixed with the juice of white punamava and basaka. The iron thus grows as red as red vermilion.

Fifth process.

Iron sheets are reduced to ashes, if they are subjected to puta, after having been smeared with hingula, rubbed with human milk, and the juice of the following:—ahimara, ahidamani, basaka, asthi-sanghara, and arjuna.

Sixth process.

Iron is incinerated, if it is heated red hot and then immersed for several times in a solution made of lemon juice, salt, and cinnabar.

Seventh process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be subjected to bhavanas with cow’s urine in day time and heated by puta at night. This process is to be performed for twenty times. The iron is then to be treated similarly for sixty times with the decoction of triphala, and with the juice of kanya for eight times. This is then to he subjected to bhavana for seven times in day time and as many times at corresponding nights, with the juice of each of the following plants, and subjected to heat by puta after each act of bhavana:—Bajra, arka, halini, ingudi, haridra, daruharidra, gunja, ashvagandha, nagaramustha, nirgundi, patala-garuri, bana-tulashi, dhattura, chitraka, matsyakshi, red hansapadi, jatamamsi, amrita-lata (a kind of guduchi growing in the amarakantaka forest), bhringaraja, and indra-baruni.

The iron is thus to be rubbed steadily for one day with raji and butter-milk and heated by puta. This process is to be performed for seven times. The iron is then to be rubbed with each of the five things known by the name of panchamrita (viz. curd, milk, ghee, honey, and sugar), and subjected to puta each time. The iron is then to be rubbed with human milk for sometime, and with cow’s milk for three days at a stretch, and then heated by puta. The product is then to be mixed with half its quantity of purified mercury and the same quantity of purified sulphur, and then rubbed with the juice of kanya to be heated by puta. Next the iron is to be rubbed with the juice of kanya only, for three times, and heated by puta every time. The ashes, thus prepared, may then be rubbed with the juice or decoction of bala only, and used according to requirements.

Eighth process.

Tikshna iron, finely powdered, is to be rubbed with decoction of triphala and a little of powdered rice or wheat, and made into small cakes which are to be dried and subjected to puta. Performance of this process for five times leads to the reduction of iron to red-coloured ashes.

Ninth process.

Iron sheet, smeared first of all with a paste made of matsyakhi, and then with another paste made of the juice of lakucha fruit, matsyakhi plant, and saffron, is to be heated strongly by means of two bellows till the rise of flames. This is then to be immersed in a decoction of triphala mixed with cow’s urine. The iron is then to be hammered into fine powders. The part which has not been incinerated are again to be heated and incinerated in the afore-said way. The ashes, thus obtained, are to be subjected to puta for thirty times after having been rubbed each time with sulphur, molases, and decoction of triphala. The ashes, thus prepared, are incapable of being restored to their original state i.e., the state of iron before incineration.

Tenth process.

Powdered iron is incinerated, if it is subjected to puta after having been rubbed for sometime with an equal quantity of sulphur and a sufficient quantity of juice of kanya.

Eleventh process.

Iron of excellent quality is to be subjected to bhavana for twenty one days with cow’s urine, previously boiled with triphala. It is then to be rubbed for one day with the above decoction and subjected to heat by gajaputa. Next it is to be rubbed during day time with the above decoction, and subjected to puta at night. Performance of the process for twenty one days, leads to the incineration of the iron.

Twelfth process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be rubbed with juice of patalagaruri and heated by puta. This is to be performed thrice. It is similarly to be treated with the juice of kanya for three times, and for six times with the juice of kuthara-chhinna. This will lead to the incineration of the tikshna iron.

Thirteenth process.

Powdered and purified tikshna iron, mixed with one twelfth its weight of cinnabar, is to be rubbed for six hours with the juice of kanya, and then subjected to heat by puta. This process is to be performed for seven times leading to the incineration of the powder, which will be so light as to float upon the surface of water.

Fourteenth process.

Purified and powdered iron, usharaka (saltpetre), and asvagandha, each one pala in weight—all of these are to be rubbed together with the juice of kanya for one day, and made into a ball which is to be wrapped up with the leaves of eranda and coated all round with mud. This ball, when dried, is to be heated by gajaputa, leading to the reduction of the iron into red ashes, which will float upon the surface of water.

Fifteenth process.

Bark of arjuna is to be rubbed with water, mixed with kanji and kept in a bell-metal pot. Purified and powdered iron is to be thrown into the afore-said liquid, and the pot containing the whole thing is to be exposed to the heat of the sun. Fresh juice of arjuna bark or aranala is to be poured into the pot over and over again, as soon as the iron is found to be dried. This leads to the incineration of iron.

Sixteenth process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be mixed with the juice of danti leaves, and exposed to the heat of the sun for one day, the juice being applied as many times as necessary for the moistening of the iron powder, whenever it is dried. The iron is then to be dried and subjected to heat at night by puta. It is then to be taken out of the puta, when cooled of itself, and again mixed with the juice, and exposed to the heat of the sun. This is to be done for eight days, leading to the incineration of the iron.

Seventeenth process.

Iron is to be made into leaves as thin and small as tamarind leaves. These are then to be kept immersed in the juice of danti, contained in an earthen vessel, which is to be exposed to the heat of the sun.

The heating is to be continued with fresh juice of danti applied, over and over again, till the incineration of iron, which is to be powdered very fine, when the process is completed.

Eighteenth process.

Powdered and purified iron is to be subjected to bhavana for three times with each of the following:—juice of kantakari, juice of trikantaka, cow’s urine, decoction of triphala, and juice of dhataki. After each act of bhavana referred to above, the iron is to be rubbed and subjected to heat by Gajaputa. This will lead to the incineration of the iron.

Nineteenth process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be rubbed in the intense heat of the sun for one day with each of the following:—juice of kuranta leaves, (b) juice of trikantaka, (c) juice of bandhya, (d) juice of bhringaraja (e) juice of punarnava, and (f) cow’s urine. The iron is next to be subjected to bhavanas for twenty one days with the decoction prepared from triphala boiled with cow’s urine. The iron is then to be subjected to Gajaputa for twenty one times at night, after having been rubbed each time during the day with the same liquid (viz. decoction of triphala and cow’s urine). This is how iron is incinerated.

Twentieth process.

Makshika, manas-shila, haridra (turmeric), and maricha are to be rubbed with a sour vegetable juice. Into this solution are to be immersed hot iron leaves previously purified. They are next to be immersed, red hot, into the decoction of triphala for seven times. They are then to be washed off in water, and reduced to powder by being hammered by an iron rod. The powder, thus obtained, is to be rubbed with decoction of triphala and a sour non-metallic juice, and then heated by Gajaputa in a blind crucible. This will result in the reduction of the iron into ashes, incapable of being restored to their original state. The makshika and manas-shila used in this case should be one-sixteenth part of the iron.

Twenty-first process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be smeared with the internal kernel of tindu fruits (previously rubbed with water and made into a paste), kept in a bell-metal pot, and subjected to the heat of the sun during the whole of the day time, and again subjected to heat by puta at night, having been previously rubbed with the decoction of triphala. This process of smearing and heating, as described above, is to be repeated over and over again, leading to the incineration of the iron.

Twenty-second process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be heated with the decoction of triphala, kept in an iron pot, and turned constantly with an iron ladle till the whole thing turns into a lump, which is to he rubbed with the decoction of triphala and subjected to heat by puta. This process is to be performed for sixteen times. The iron is then to be subjected to heat by the sthali-paka system (to be described in process No 26) with the following liquids:—juice of bhringaraja, juice of talamuli, juice of the root of hastikarnapalasha, juice of the root of shatavari, juice of the root of bidari, and decoction of triphala. Next, all these processes from beginning to end are to be again performed for the second time. The iron is then to be subjected to bhavana for three hours at a stretch with each of the under-mentioned liquids, respectively:—juice of punarnava, decoction of dashamula, decoction of brihati, juice of bijapura fruit, juice or decoction of palasha seeds, and cow’s milk. It is then to be rubbed with the same juice, and subjected to heat by puta after each act of bhavana and rubbing. This results in the incineration of the iron.

Twenty-third process.

Iron sheets are to be burned red hot and immersed in the decoction of triphala. They are then to be reduced to powder and boiled with a decoction of triphala or cow’s urine. The iron is next to be rubbed with decoction of triphala or juice of matsyakshi, and subjected to heat by puta. The last process is to be repeated till the iron becomes incapable of being restored to its original condition. Thus incinerated, the iron gains in efficacy, if subjected to bhavana with the juices of suitable h erbs, and again subjected to heat by puta after every act of bhavana.

Twenty fourth process.

Purified and powdered metal is incinerated, if it is kept immersed in the juice of pomegranate leaves contained in a small earthen basin, and exposed to the heat of the sun, duly covered by means of a piece of cloth.

Purified iron, thus reduced, is to be rubbed with the juice or decoction of triphaladi and subjected to heat by puta. (For meaning of triphaladi, see page 48.)

Twenty fifth process.

Purified and powdered iron is to be rubbed with cow’s urine and subjected to puta. Performance of this process for hundred times results in the incineration of iron.