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...

Part 2 - Purification of haritala

Haritala, properly purified, cures phlegm, vatarakta, posion, excess of air, and fear from ghosts. It stops menstrual discharge, is soothing, pungent, and produces a warm effect on the system. It increases appetite and cures leprosy.

Firsts second, and third processes.

Haritala is purified, if boiled in a Dola-yantra with juice of kushmanda, or with a solution of the ashes of tila plant or with water dissolved with lime.

Fourth process.

Haritala, broken into pieces and combined with one tenth its weight of tankana, is to be dissolved with lime juice and then with kanji. It is then to be combined in a piece of cloth made four-fold and boiled by Dola-yantra for one day. It is next to be boiled similarly for one day with aranala, dissolved with lime, and then again boiled similarly for one day with juice of kushmanda or with the juice of shalmali bark.

Fifth process.

Clean patra-haritala is to be broken into pieces wrapped up in a piece of cloth, and boiled for six hours in the juice of lime fruit, by means of a Dola-yantra. When cooled of itself, the bundle is to be again boiled in the same way in each of the following:—urine of she-buffalo, juice of kanya, solution of lime, mixed with juice of musta, juice of shara-punkha, juice of ripe lime mixed with water, and juice of sugar-cane boiled steadily by charcoal. Thus boiled, haritala becomes purified.

Sixth process.

Haritala is to be rubbed with the urine of buffalo and subjected to bhavana for three times with the juice of the root of the brahma tree, made as dense as honey. It is then to be confined in a crucible and heated for twelve times by means of fire made of ten pieces of cow-dung cakes, each time. Haritala, thus purified, may be used for all purposes.

Seventh process.

Vansha-patra-haritala is purified, if subjected to bhavana for seven times with lime water.

Eighth process.

Haritala is purified, if it is boiled by Dola-yantra for three hours each with (1) kanji mixed with lime, (2) juice of kushmanda, (3) tila-oil and (4) decoction of triphala.

Ninth process.

Vansa-patra-haritala is to be dissolved for three or seven times with kushmanda juice or sour curd. When dried, this will have to be broken into such small particles as rice. This is then to be confined inside a malla-musha, the joint being closed with a paste made of plum leaves. The samputa is then to be heated until the lower basin gets red hot. The contents are to be taken out, when the whole thing gets cooled of itself. Two gunjas of it is to be taken with ghee and honey every day. It cures all sorts of leprosy, fistula, ulcer, carbuncle, syphilis, eczema, and ulcers in nostrils and throat.

Conclusion:

Rasasastra category This concludes ‘Purification of haritala’ 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.

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