Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 3: Metals, Gems and other substances

by Bhudeb Mookerjee | 1938 | 47,185 words | ISBN-10: 8170305829 | ISBN-13: 9788170305828

This third volume of the Rasa-jala-nidhi deals with purification techniques of the Seven Metals (sapta-dhatu) and various Gems (ratna). It also deals with substances such as Alkalis (kshara), Salts (lavana), Poisions (visha) and Semi-poisions (upavisha) as well as various alcholic liquors. The Rasa-jala-nidhi (“the ocean of Iatrochemistry, or, che...

Part 13 - Anupanas (accompaniments of iron)

First presecription.

Incinerated iron is to be taken with hingu (purified by being fried with ghee) and honey in colic; with powdered pippali in chronic fever (such as malaria, kalazar, etc.); with ghee and garlic juice in rheumatism, paralysis, and other diseases due to an excess of vayu; with honey and trikatu in asthma; with the juice of brischikali mixed with powdered maricha in coldness; with triphala and sugar-candy in spermatorrhoea; with honey and ginger juice in diseases due to an excess of the three doshas; with clarified butter in fever due to an excess of vayu; with honey only in fever due to an excess of pitta; with the juice of ardraka in diseases due to an excess of kapha and pitta; with the juice of nirgundi in shivering due to an excess of vayu; with powdered shunthi in diseases due to an excess of vayu; with sugar in pitta, with pippali in kapha; and with trijataka in diseases affecting bone joints.

Footnote:—The general rule with regard to the taking of a mineral drug, either in the form of powdered ashes or in the form of a pill, is this:—It is first of all to be rubbed in a small stone mortar with a little of honey (even when there is no mention of it, unless it is explicitly prohibited or considered harmful in a particular case) and then again rubbed with the anupana or accompaniment prescribed. When the drug is thus sufficiently rubbed, it is to be taken by licking or drinking, as the case may be.

Second presecription.

Incinerated iron, in doses of four and half raktis, is to be taken with the following anupanas:—with triphala in senile decay; with kajvali (equal quantity of sulphur and mercury, turned into a black powder), honey, and pippali in diseases due to an excess of phlegm; with khanda-gurh mixed with chaturjata in raktapitta; with cow’s milk mixed with the juice of punarnava for increasing strength and vigour; with the juice of punarnava in anemia; with the juice of haridra and powdered pippali, mixed with honey, in 20 different kinds of spermatorrhoea including gonorrhoea.

Third presecription.

Incinerated iron may be used with shilajatu in gleet and stricture; with basaka, pippali, draksha, and honey (all rubbed together) in all sorts of cough; with the juice of betel leaves for increasing the power of digestion, nutrition, and physical beauty; with triphala and honey in all sorts of diseases; with triphala and sugar for increase of strength.

Conclusion:

Rasasastra category This concludes ‘Anupanas (accompaniments of iron)’ included in Bhudeb Mookerjee Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 3: 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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