INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL

International Ayurvedic Medical Journal, (ISSN: 2320 5091) (August, 2017) 5(8)

POTENTIAL CONCEPTS OF RASASHASTRA

M.Bhuvaneswari 1, Kishore Seetarama D2, Murthy.P.H.C3

1Final Year PG Scholar, Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana. Dr.NRS Govt Ayurvedic College, Vijayawada, , India 2Consultant Ayurvedic Physician, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India 3Consultant Ayurvedic Physician, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

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ABSTRACT In Ayurveda Rasashastra is one of the specialised branches considered as science of mercury. This branch has its own importance in both pharmaceutical and Therapeutical wing. It consists of different principles and procedures like sodhana (purification), marana (incineration) etc. And there is a need to know the history and concept behind this branch Rasashastra. It is mainly deals with mercury (rasa) hence named as Rasashastra and along with some other rasa dravyas (metals and minerals). This paper highlights Description about concept of Raseswara darshana and opinion about concept of Rasashastra.

Key words: Rasashastra, Raseswara darshana, sodhana, marana

INTRODUCTION Concept is the crux substance of the practical SCHA SADHAITWA STHAPYATE ITI experience repeatedly occurred relating to one SIDDHANTAH” (Ch.Vi.8) particular topic. Conceptualization undergoes A concept serves as a guideline for future zea- intellectual exercise sometimes. It may be dif- lots of that particular science. Rasashastra, a fered before or during the origination. Once unique system of medicine has been evolved accepted as a concept it becomes an instruc- through innumerable practical experiences of tion. This is commonly referred to as SIDD- many zealots. HANTA1. RASASHASTRA is based on a unique philo- sophical thought system. The philosophy fol- “SIDDHANTHO NAMA PARIKSHAKAIH lowed by practitioners of this system is called BAHUVIDHAM PARIKSHYA HETUBHI- M.Bhuvaneswari Et Al:Potential Concepts Of Rasashastra

RASESVARA DARSANA (MERCURIAL knowledge. Knowledge is achieved only SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY). The famous through relentless exercise. Such exercise can treatises of this science like Rasahridayatan- only be performed when the man has good tra, Rasarnava, Rasa prakasha sudhakara health and stability of the body. Such stability etc., give the details of this philosophy. is called pindasthairyata or sthira deha. The evidence of attaining such state is denying old- Rasesvara darsana is given as a separate age, disease and death. This stage is not chapter in the book SARVADARSANASAN- achieved by taking the drugs of herbal origin. GRAHA by SAYANA and MADHAVA. The By their nature, herbs etc., are perishable. emancipation or liberation, or mukti as Such perishable ones cannot make the body named in Indian philosophy, means the state imperishable. Herbs get absorbed in NAGA of no return achieved after death, i.e., liberat- (lead), the swarna gets absorbed in PARADA ing the soul from births and deaths, as per the (Mercury). This means, these are more power- version of all philosophical schools of thought ful in the consecutive order. As the seers who of India. But according to Rasesvara darsana, devote themselves to Lord Siva attain his ab- liberation should be attained during one’s life ode – gold etc., metals which are amalgamated time itself, i.e. - negating death forever. This is in the mercury – that has already taken the ex- known as JIVANMUKTI2 (Lively Liberation). tract of mica attains the qualities of nectar. Ultimately by refusing death, one is also libe- Only by taking such mercury, man will be able rating the self from chain of birth and death. to deny death and decay. With a body that can Those who have attained this, are called be free from birth and death cycle alone, “SIDDHAS”, specifically Rasasiddha as they The responsibility of those who want to attain attain the state of lively liberation with the lively – liberation is to strive for the same with help of Rasa, (Mercury). According to them the help of HARAGAURISRSTIRASA, a divine the liberation, attained after death is useless, as medicine made up of processed parada, mean creatures can also achieve this. Human Gandhaka and Abhraka4. incarnation is the best of all in the process of The result caused by performing one hundred evolution. Therefore to show the uniqueness asvamedha rituals, donating one crore of cows of the race of human beings, man should strive and one thousand gold-coins and by taking a for attaining the moksha or liberation during sacred dip in all the rivers and sacred places is one’s life time itself. It is said in Rasarnava, equal to that which is caused by mere, seeing that attaining liberation after death is useless Mercury. Taking mercury inside in the form of and it can be achieved even by a donkey. medicine, touching it, giving away mercury in The way of attaining jivanamukti has been de- donation, meditating about mercury and wor- tailed in the text of Rasahridayatantra3. Man shipping are the five types of RASAPUJA, (the should always strive for liberation not minding mercury- worship). If one worships rasa in the about impermanent factors like prosperity, form of linga the personified form of lord Si- physical pleasures etc Liberation comes from va, he will get the result of worshipping all the

IAMJ: AUGUST, 2017 3098 M.Bhuvaneswari Et Al:Potential Concepts Of Rasashastra lingas of heaven, earth and the underneath all the physical and chemical impurities of world. If one consumes mercury, he will get mercury are mitigated. rid of the result of bad deeds of even previous The numbers of these procedures are 188 incarnations and he will be relieved of all the 1. Svedana (sweating) diseases. According to lord Siva, one will get 2. Mardana ( grinding) the result of performing hundred rituals by di- 3. Murchana ( swooning) gesting Mica in Mercury. One who does blas- 4. Utthapana ( rising) phemy of mercury will reach the hell. The 5. Patana (causing to fall) physicians will get the result of TULA DANA 6. Rodhana (activating) (donating gold and money equal to one’s 7. Niyamana (controlling) weight) and performing one hundred asva- 8. Dipana (appetizing) medhas by dispensing processed mercury to 9. Abhraka bhaksamana (giving the morsels the patients5. of mica - extract) 10. Charana (masticating) “SIDDHE RASE KARISYAMI NIRDARI- 11. Garbha druti (internal liquefaction) DYAMIDAM JAGAT” 12. Bahya druti (external liquefaction) I will make this world devoid of poverty 13. Jarana (digestion) through rasasiddhi (Achievement through 14. Ranjana ( colouring) mercury) – this sacred uttering will make one, 15. Sarana (intensifying the colouring null of the bad deeds like even Brahmahatya6. process) Mercury, when subjected to Murchana, alle- 16. Samkramana (penetration) viates the diseases; when bound into a solid 17. Vedha (boring) form (Bandhana) - it bestows emancipation 18. Sarira or Bhaksana (administering and when it is killed (when brought into the on the body) form of Bhasma through incineration process), There is a controversy regarding the order and makes the body immortal. These are the the number of these procedures. Out of these unique qualities of mercury alone7. The one 18, first 16 procedures make mercury devoid who endeavors to bind mercury is a blessed of all the impurities and make it efficacious one because at that moment itself, he deter- enough to transform the body to immortality. mines to make this world devoid of disease The 17th procedure is called Vedha, This is test and death. One wonders as to how Mercury is for mercury to confirm whether it has really administered into the body to achieve the state attained perfect state or not- when such mer- of immortality. It is obvious that mercury is cury is brought into contact with lower metals not administered as it is, in its original state. like iron and copper etc... These should trans- The rasaacharyas opine that certain proce- muted into higher metals i.e. Gold. dures are to be followed to make the mercury Then only it is confirmed that such processed fit for administering it into the body, by which mercury is capable of transmuting the mortal cells of the body into immortal ones, and the

IAMJ: AUGUST, 2017 3099 M.Bhuvaneswari Et Al:Potential Concepts Of Rasashastra mercury is further administered on the body Gorakshanatha of NATHA , Ni- for attainment of lively liberation. This stage tyanatha of DAKSINA sampradaya and none of testing the efficacy of mercury, it is mistook other than and many zealots of by many that it was meant for alchemical Rasashastra have achieved this work. processes only. Rasashastra is not to be un- Those who attained liberation had aimed at derstood as a means of alchemical processes liberation alone, and those who had strived for alone, the main objective of this science being making gold alone could not achieve either lively liberation through stable body attained gold or emancipation- ending up with heavy with the help of processed mercury. losses and difficulties. The seers who could Either due to aversion towards animal experi- achieve lively liberation had mentioned about mentation or ignorance of the procedure, the the processes in a rudimentary manner. The scientists of the Rasashastra preferred metallic novice has to establish his own technique to tests, to confirm the efficacy of processed achieve the main goal with the guidelines giv- mercury. Deha, the body is compared with lo- en by such stalwarts. The of such ha, the metal and that is why it is first tried on are must in this pursuit. metal and then on the human body9. Since it is According to modern school of thought, used on the dhatu, the metal, this conforma- transmutation of metals is almost impossible tion test and allied procedures are called Dha- and so is transformation of body from mortali- tuvada. The procedure of administering the ty to immortality. In the subject of alchemy processed mercury on the body is known as there used to be innumerable experiments in Dehavada and the whole exercise is called Ra- china, Egypt, Arabia etc the objective behind savada. all these experiments was undoubtedly trans- The procedures of mercury after the 8th one mutation of lower metals to higher metals. A are very difficult to follow and those who can- large percentage of these were unsuccessful. not understand the intricacies have started In 6thcenturyA.D.Paracelsus found that the making negative propaganda among the pub- chemicals used in the efforts of alchemy could lic. Even the modern science is not in a posi- be used as remedies for various diseases. From tion to digest the mercurial transmutation then onwards the Rasavada is turned into vai- theory. Till about 100 years ago it was be- dyavada. In modern medicine such knowledge lieved that conversion of metals is an impossi- is called IATRO-CHEMISTRY. Even in the ble reality, but in 1898 by the experiments Indian system the oxides, extracts etc… pre- conducted by the curie- couple, some doubts pared for the purpose of alchemy, were used regarding this aspect have arisen. Later Ru- on various diseases successfully after futile therford confirmed that due to radioactivity efforts in metallic transmutation. Hence, the one element can be changed into another. saying “VADA BHRASTO VAIDYA SRES- Many sages of Indian origin had proved this THAH” which means, “the one who failed in beyond doubt. alchemy makes a good physician”, has come into vogue.

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In fact the word alchemy has its origin from (purified). This purity does not mean that the language only. The zealot, on looking drug remains 99.9% chemically pure after this at a new thing, possesses a question – “what is process. It may contain some organic material this?” The Sanskrit form of this question is also which is used in this process. Therefore a “Kim idam or “Kim iyam”. The knowledge chemically pure drug of mercurial kingdom originated in the form of an answer to this will not be considered pure until and unless it question is known as a “kimiam” science. In is subjected to Ayurvedic or Rasasatric purifi- due course of time, Arabs called it as kimia catory process before it is either processed fur- science, while Europeans preferred to call it ther or administered in the body for therapeu- chemistry. When this knowledge was consi- tic purposes. This is of two types- physical dered as holy one, the Arabs added the prefix purification i.e., physically removing the ma- – ‘Al’ making it alkemia which has now got terials other than the drugs which are added the form of “Alchemy”. intentionally or by chance, and chemical puri- fication – treating the drugs with various mate- SODHANA: rials that make it devoid of the toxic effects. Any process that is adopted to alleviate impur- ities of the drugs of mercurial kingdom or any MARANA: material to that matter is called sodhana which The metals and minerals are generally incine- literally means purification. rated to reduce them into ashes before admi- nistering them into the body. This technique is “TADEVA SODHANAM KARMA DRA- called Marana. The word MARANA literally VYADOSANIVARAKAM” means killing. The implication is that the met- Grinding along with liquids like juices, decoc- al once killed cannot come back to its original tions etc or subjecting to the vapours of these metallic state. Since the metal does not get as- liquids etc.., are done for removing the impuri- similated in its original form, it has to be given ties of the drugs10. Sodhana or purification is a a form, as minute as that can be absorbed by pre-requisite procedure for all the chemical the adipose tissue in the body. Marana is the factors that have either a negative effect on the best method for this purpose. In the process, body or no effect. Certain drugs are adminis- the metal looses all its physical properties and tered on the body after purification and certain possesses therapeutic efficacy. And hence the need further processing like BHASMIKARANA metals processed thus are devoid of all the un- (incineration or reducing to ashes), AMRITI- toward side effects or toxic effects. However, KARANA (nectarisation or further alleviation the dosage and vehicle etc should also be con- of the reminiscent impurities) etc. sidered for safe therapeutic application. There- Sodhana, the word which literally means puri- fore the therapy of metals in Ayurveda other- fication, is aimed to make the drug fit for the- wise called mercurial medicine should be rapeutic application. When the drug is passed viewed safe and effective and not otherwise. through this procedure, it is called shoditha Certain drugs like Gairika (ochere), Gandhaka

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(sulphur), Kasisa (ferrous sulphate) etc., can Non sulphuric mercurial preparations are con- be used after purification as the rate of assimi- sidered to be fast and the need special atten- lation is faster in the pure form itself. The oth- tion in processing and administration to the ers like all the metals and some minerals, such patient. as Abhraka, Vaikranta, Makshika, need to un- Concept of concealing the drug during admin- dergo the marana or the incineration process. istration to avoid contact with gums and teeth as promulgated in the administration of these “SODHITAN LOHADHATVADIN VI- non sulphuric mercuric preparations. Since, MARDYA SVARASADIBHIH they are corrosive in nature. The other dosage AGNISAMYOGATO BHASMIKARANAM forms of mercury are safe even for long term MARANAM SMRITAM” usage, since their forms chelation of mercury The purified metals and minerals, when sub- by sulphur which avoids direct contact of free jected to grinding with juices or decoctions as mercury with the tissues. suggested in the text and reduced to ashes by bringing into contact with fire, this process is CONCLUSION called marana. This process is also called pu- Mercurial pharmaceutics is a big ocean. The tanam or subjecting to puta11 (incineration). documented formulations are available in var- ious text books while, innumerable formula- RASABHAISAJYA KALPANA: tions are practiced by traditional vaidyas since After either ashtasamskaras or any other puri- sages. In view of the gentle, fast and perma- ficatory measures that gives same effect as nent cure provided by mercurial system it be- ashtasamskara. Mercury is taken for further comes the responsibility of the institutions and processing into medicines12. stalwarts to collect all such material put it to Mercurial medicines are basically of two standardization method and make them public. types: Sagandha rasayoga & Nirgandha ra- sayoga REFERENCES Sagandha rasayogas are generally prepared by 1. Acharya Y.T. Charaka samhita. Reprinted. first adding sulphur in prescribed quantity to Varanasi: krishnadas academy;2000. mercury and kajjali is obtained by trituration. 2. Tripaty I. Rasarnava.3rd ed.varanasi: Later, it is processed as kharaliya rasayana, chowkhamba sanskrit series office;1995. parpati, pottali, sindhura etc… as per thera- 3. Bajpayee rd. Rasahridayatantra. 1sted. Pa- peutic need. dacharya sgb. Varanasi:krishnadas acade- In the preparation of Nirgandha rasayoga i.e. my; 1998. non sulphuric mercuric preparations, 4. Bajpayee rd. Rasahridayatantra. 1sted. Pa- processed mercury is added with drugs other dacharya sgb. Varanasi:krishnadas acade- than sulphur and processed into Rasakarpoo- my; 1998. ra, Rasapushpa and so on.

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5. Satpute.ad. rasaratna sammuchaya. Del- hi:chowkhamba Sanskrit pratisthan ; 2014. 6. Satpute.ad. rasaratna sammuchaya. Delhi: chowkhamba Sanskrit pratisthan ; 2014. 7. Satpute.ad. rasaratna sammuchaya. Delhi: chowkhamba Sanskrit pratisthan ; 2014. 8. Bajpayee rd. Rasahridayatantra. 1sted. Pa- dacharya sgb. Varanasi: krishnadas acad- emy; 1998. 9. Tripaty I. Rasarnava.3rd ed. varanasi: chowkhamba sanskrit series office;1995. 10. Shastry.k. rasatarangini.11th ed. Varana- si:motilal banarasidas;2004. 11. Satpute.ad. rasaratna sammuchaya. Delhi: chowkhamba Sanskrit pratisthan ; 2014. 12. Murthy.p.h.c. Rasashastra the mercurial system.3rd ed. Varanasi: chowkhamba Sanskrit series office.2013.

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