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 1 - Characteristics of Sapphire (nila)

This stone, in ancient times, was procured from Kalinga (modern Orissa including the western part of Bengal) and Ceylone.

Nila (sapphire) is of two kinds, viz. Jala-nila and Indra-nila. Of these, the latter is better than the former. The sapphire which is comparatively light and emits a white lustre from inside is Jala-nila, whereas Indra-nila is comparatively heavy, and emits a black lustre from inside.

The Jala-nila which contains a red lustre inside it is called Rakta-gandhi or Rakta-mukhi nila. It is the best of the Jala-nilas.

Characteristics of a good Indra-nila.

A good indra-nila is of uniform lustre, heavy, appearing to be smeared with an oily substance, transparent, globular, soft, with a play of brilliance inside it.

Varieties of Jala-nila.

Jala-nila is of seven kinds, viz. (1) that which has got a blending of five different kinds of colour, (2) that which has got a blending of five colours in the one half and only one colour in the other half, (3) that which does not appear to have an oily surface, (4) that which is light. (5) that which has got a play of red lustre inside it, (6) that which is flat-shaped (or, according to a different reading, has the glaze of a chipita or boiled rice baked and hammered into a flat-shape), and (7) that which is small-sized.

Copper-coloured sapphire.

A sapphire which is copper-coloured should not be discarded. That is also the case with the two minor stones, viz. karabira and utpala (opal), even if they are copper-coloured.

Rain-bow sapphire.

The sapphire which has got a play of rain-bow, inside it, is very precious and rare in the earth.

Maha-nila.

The sapphire, which, on account of the abundance of its colour, can invest hundred times its weight milk with a blue colour is called Maha-nila or great sapphire.

Conclusion:

Rasasastra category This concludes ‘Characteristics of Sapphire (nila)’ 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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