Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 2: Minerals (uparasa)
by Bhudeb Mookerjee | 1938 | 28,803 words | ISBN-10: 8170305829 | ISBN-13: 9788170305828
This second volume of the Rasa-jala-nidhi deals with the purification, incineration and medicinal uses of various minerals (uparasa), as well as preventing faults due to misuse. It is continued in the third volume which deals with the various metals. The Rasa-jala-nidhi (“the ocean of Iatrochemistry, or, chemical medicine) is a compendium of Sansk...
Introduction (classes of uparasa)
The following are the uparasas:—
Group I—bajra abhra, two kinds of makshika, bimala, shilajatu, tutthaka, sasyaka, chapala, and rasaka. These are to be collected for purification and incineration.
Group II—gandhaka, gairika, kasisa, kankshi, haritala, manas-shila, anjana, and kankustha. These are used in mercurial operations.
Group III—kampilla, gauripashana, navasara, kapardaka, agnijara, girisindura, hingula, and mriddara-shringaka, and bhunaga.
They are called uparasas, simply because they possess some of the qualities of Rasa or mercury.
Conclusion:
This concludes ‘Introduction (classes of uparasa)’ included in Bhudeb Mookerjee Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 2: Initiation, Mercury and Laboratory. The text includes treatments, recipes and remedies and is categorised as Rasa Shastra: an important branch of Ayurveda that specialises in medicinal/ herbal chemistry, alchemy and mineralogy, for the purpose of prolonging and preserving life.