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 4 - Lavana (4): Sauvarchala or Sauvarcala (salt-petre)
It is the same as ushara-kshara or salt-petre. It is both an alkali and a salt. Eor the preparation of salt-petre, see page 268.
Preparation of artificial sauvarchala.
An equal quantity of powdered svarji (natron) and saindhava (rock-salt) are to be mixed together and dissolved with water in an earthen vessel which is to be heated strongly till the solution melts well and then dried up. The heat is to be continued for some time after the drying up of the product.
The product may be used as sauvarchala salt, and not as sauvarchala-kshara.
(N.B.—The salt, thus prepared, may be used in lieu of salt-petre, where the emphasis is laid on the word ‘salt’, but where there is a stress on the word “kshara”, only salt-petre, and not its substitute, should be used.)
Conclusion:
This concludes ‘Lavana (4): Sauvarchala or Sauvarcala (salt-petre)’ 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.