Part 1 - Characteristics of Sandhana or Samdhana (liquors)

Sandhanas are of three different kinds, viz. (1) alcoholic, (2) non-alcoholic but fermented drugs, such as asavas, aristas, etc., and (3) non-alcoholic but fermented, drinks, sometimes used as ingredients of medicines (such as kanji).

Of these, the first two are practically everlasting, and increase in quality every day; whereas the third does not last for a very long time.

(1) Alcoholic Liquors (wine).

Wine is of various kinds. Of these, the following eight are well-known:—(a) gaudi, (b) madhvi, (c) paisti, (d) kadamvari (e) varuni, (f) madhuki (g) maireyi and (K) mardvika.

Wine may be undistilled as well as distilled. It may be distilled by means of the Tejo-yantra, Nadika-yantra, Baruni-yantra, and Baka-yantra (see pages 280-85, vol. I).

(2) Non-alcoholic but fermented Liquids.

Fermented but non-alcoholic liquids are of various kinds. Of these, the following thirteen are well-known:—(a) asava, (b) arista, (c) sidhu, (d) shukta, (e) gura-shukta, (f) chukra, (g) tushamboo, (h) dhanyamla, (i) kanji, (j) sauvira, (k) aranala, and (l) shindaki.

All of these are used as ingredients of medicine.