Part 1 - Characteristics of Gold (suvarna)

Gold (suvarna) is red when melted, but white when cut into two. It leaves a saffron-like tint, when rubbed upon a touch stone. The gold which is devoid of impurities, soothing, soft, and heavy is commendable. That which is white, hard, coarse, dis-coloured, full of impurities, consistis of layers turns black when melted and cut into two, leaves a white impression on a touch stone, is light and brittle, is to be avoided.

Varities of gold.

Gold is of two kinds, viz, that which is transformed from base metals, through the agency, mainly, of mercury, especially prepared, and that which is obtained from mines. The first variety is full of sixteen colours, whereas the second has combined in itself only fourteen colours. The first is the purest, best, and has the property of preventing and curing senility, whereas the latter has the property of curing all the diseases, if duly purified, incinerated, and applied as medicine for internal use with suitable accompaniments.

Properties of gold. (1)

Gold is soothing, pure, nutritive, curer of poison, phthisis, insanity, and other diseases. It increases memory, intelligence, retentive faculties, appetite, and power of digestion of food. It pacifies all the three doshas and is sweet in taste, after it is digested in the stomach.

Properties of gold. (2)

Gold is cool, nutritive, strengthening, heavy, curer and preventer of senility, sweet, bitter, and astringent in taste. It turns sweet and slippery after it is digested in the stomach. It is pure, nutritive, beneficial to eye sight, increaser of the retentive faculties, memory and consciousness, beneficial to the heart, and increaser of longevity. It stabilises beauty, and purity of speech. It cures two kinds of poison (i.e., natural and artificial), phthisis, and insanity.

Properties of gold. (3)

Gold (and silver also, to a certain extent) increases vitality, fortune, beauty, intelligence, and memory. It destroys all sorts of diseases, pacifies the evil influences exerted on human beings by ghosts, is an aphrodisiac, and gives rise to happiness and nutrition. It cures diseases, prevents senility, removes loss of memory and consciousness. It also removes thinness, develops the mind, and increases semen.

Evil effects of taking gold, not properly purified, and killed (incinerated).

Gold (suvarna), not properly purified and incinerated, destroys, if taken internally, health, semen, and strength, and gives rise to various diseases. It should, therefore, be stript of alloy, purified, and killed.