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...
Introduction to Amorphous stones (uparatna)
There are innumerable minor or amorphous stones. The best of all these are the following:—(1) palanka (onyx), (2) radhira (carnelian) (3) puttika (peridote), (4) tarkshaja (turquoise—biraja or peroja[1]), (5) pilu (jade) (6) upala (opal, chalcedony, and agate), and sugandhika (spinel).
All of these are amorphous or uncrystallized in shape. They are to be incinerated carefully, and applied in mercurial operations as well as in medicines.
Black-bee stone (bhramara-mani).
The black variety of all the amorphous stones is called “bhramara-mani” or black-bee stone.
General Properties of Amorphous Stones.
The amorphous stones, if devoid of defects, are regarded to have a part of the properties of the gems (see page 195).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The Persian epithet “peroja” is evidently a contraction of the Sanskrit “hiraja”, meaning green as “biraja” (durva grass).
Conclusion:
This concludes ‘Introduction to Amorphous stones (uparatna)’ 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.