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Rasa Hridaya Tantra - a Critical Analysis

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Rasa Hridaya Tantra - a Critical Analysis Published online in http://ijam.co.in ISSN: 0976-5921 International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, 2014, 5(3), 237-243 Rasa Hridaya Tantra - A Critical Analysis Review article Ramesh Kumar Gupta1*, Sudhaldev Mahapatra2, Sumer Singh3, Jha CB4 1. Lecturer, Department of Rasa Shastra, Government Ayurvedic College, Varanasi. 2. Lecturer, Department of Rasa Shastra, Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, New Delhi 3. Associate Professor, Dept of R.S. & B.K., C.B.P. Ayurveda Charaka Sansthan, New Delhi 4. Professor, Department of Rasa Shastra, Faculty of Ayurveda, IMS, BHU, Varanasi Abstract Rasa Shastra is an important branch of Ayurveda developed for achieving alchemical and therapeutic benefits from Mercury and other minerals and metals. Texts during and just following the period of Acharya Nagarjuna reveals that, the practice of metals and minerals for alchemical purpose were more developed than their use in therapeutics. But gradually with the passing of time alchemical use of materials decreases and their use in therapeutics take over. Rasa Hridaya Tantra is a unique text among a huge number of rasa literatures, which gives elaborate description of 18 special mercurial processing techniques (Astadasha parada Samskara). This manuscript is presented with a guideline, how to make Mercury competent for transmuting base metals into a noble one and to produce therapeutic benefits with them. This book serves as an important reference text for the researchers of traditional system of medicines for designing and development of new drugs, out of mineral sources, following the transmuting property of Mercury. Key Words: Alchemy, Metals, Minerals, Sanskara, Mercury, Avabodha. Introduction: explained in the subsequent Rasa texts to Human beings have instinctual be dealing with metallic, including habits to discover new things from mercurial preparations for the unexplored field. In this sequence the preservations as well as promotion of knowledge of therapeutic and alchemical positive health and to cure the diseases. No use of metals and minerals come out and any descriptions of metallic transformation serve the society. Since Vedic period, the of base metal into noble metal are therapeutic uses of mineral materials are available in the text before 4th Cen. AD. A known to the society. In Atharva Veda, significant reference of Alchemy is only methods of treatment have been classified made available as Rasa viddha suwarna in in to four groups, viz. (a) Athervani (b) the Artha Shastra of Kautilya during the Angirasi (c) Daivi and (d) Manushi. The 4th Cen.AD. Nagarjuna, the important third variety i.e. Daivi chikitsa has been profounder of Indian alchemy in 7-8 century A.D. did great effort to make *Corresponding Author: mercury suitable for preparation of noble Ramesh Kumar Gupta metals like gold and silver from ordinary Lecturer, metals. Rasa Hridaya Tantra is the most Department of Rasa Shastra, ancient available Rasa text of post Government Ayurvedic College, Nagarjuna period. 18 special processing Varanasi techniques of Mercury, use of specially E-mail: [email protected] processed Mercury in metallic 237 Published online in http://ijam.co.in ISSN: 0976-5921 Ramesh Kumar Gupta et.al., Rasa Hridaya Tantra – A Critical Analysis transformation and use of metals/minerals Parada, along with Importance of including Mercury for making the body Rasa Siddha, significance of deha- strong and disease free are the subject siddhi for strong and stable body. matter of this text. After analyzing the said Superiority of Parada over other text critically, it is observed that the text rasayana drugs. Importance of Rasa Hridaya Tantra is mainly based on strong and stable body to achieve Lohavada although the author has also salvation, and necessity of abhraka accepted the importance of metals and satva jarana in Parada for strong minerals in metabolic transformation i.e. in and stable body are described at the Dehavada. end of this chapter. About Author: 2nd Avabodha: th In 9 century A.D. Acharya Description, procedure and Govinda Bhagavatpada, the preceptor of significance of Ashta-dasha Sankaracharya, the illustrious profounder samskara, importance of deepan of Advaita Vedanta, authored this Rasa samskara for making Parada Hridaya Tantra which provides grasarthi (able to accept elaborative description of the processing of mineral/metals in liquid form for Mercury both for loha siddhi (metallic complete digestion) are found in transformation i.e. formation of noble this chapter. While describing the metal from the base metal) and deha siddhi significance of grasarthi parada (metabolic transformation i.e. make the the author has the opinion that only body strong and healthy which leads to grasarthi parada can ingest silver salvation). His father was Sri Sumano or gold for sweta or peeta karma. Vishnu and grandfather was Sri Magal Vishnu (1). Acharya Govinda 3rd Avabodha: Bhagavatpada was Raja vaidya of Sri In 3rd Avabodha importance of Madan, king of Kirata. On request of king Abhraka jarana is advocated this text was composed by him. This text before sweta or peeta karma and was published by Krishna Gopal Ayurveda also it is said, that Parada attains Bhawan, Dharmartha Trust, Ajmer, more thermo stability after abhraka Rajasthan in 1952. Before this, it was jarana than compared with published twice in Sanskrit. But presently stability attained by fomentation of both editions are not available. Parada with amla, kshara and lavana varga. Subject Matter of Rasa Hridaya Tantra: Here it is described that abhraka After going through the subject should be triturated with vasana matter of Rasa Hridaya Tantra, it is found drugs (drugs containing volatile that the whole text is completed in 19 oils) or sandhana drugs before specific chapters known as Avabodha. The going to charana of abhraka in whole book is mainly based on the 18 Parada. specialized processing techniques of Abhraka bhasma is used for grasa Mercury i.e. Samskara. However it is more of Parada and its amount may be of a text of Alchemy than medical treatise. equal, double, four, eight, sixteen st or thirty two times of parada. 1 Avabodha: Other than this Sudha Naga or This chapter starts with invocation Vanga are used for rasa karma of Lord Shiva, Properties of (grasa) after processed with murchhita, baddha and mrita aranala. 238 Published online in http://ijam.co.in ISSN: 0976-5921 International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, 2014, 5(3), 237-243 In the context of charana two types Satvapatana of Abhraka: Swedana of charana i.e. samukha & in swarasa or kwath of nirmukha are described along with suryavartadi drugs then bhavana the three characteristics of charana with drugs of Panhagavya and then i.e. Grasa, pisti and garbha. subjected to fire. Tapta lauha khalva is 7 methods of preparation of recommended for mardana and Abhraka satva for charana in dola yantra is used for charana of Mercury is described abhraka in parada. suryavartadiyoga, panchgavya etc. In this chapter author gave an are used for the purpose. important conclusion by admitting that Abhraka satva alone cannot be 5th Avabodha: consumed by Mercury. Hence a 5th Avabodha is a small one here dwandwa of Abhraka and the description of different drutis Makshika satva is must and only along with their Importance in can be accepted (digested) by jarana Sanskara, necessity of Mercury. makshika savta in garbha druti is Importance of Gandhaka in found. Ranjana karma, Making Parada Use of shodhita Swarna, shodhita capable for Jarana of beej i.e. Rajat, along with Vanga and swarna & raja and Yashada bhasma in garbhadruti or pakchhachhedana (making parade vahyadruti following 18 methods stable) of Parada are described of Swarna beej & 2 methods of towards the end of the chapter. Rajat beej preparation suitable for garbhadruti are described. 4th Avabodha: This chapter is mainly deal with Abhraka. Amongst the 4 varieties 6th Avabodha: of Abhraka i.e. Krishna, Rakta, The name of this chapter is Jarana. Peeta and Sweta, Krishna abhraka Characteristics of optimum jarana, is considered suitable for Description of dandadhari Parada satvapatan and lohavada use of dola Yantra and Kachhapa (extraction of satwa i.e. metallic yantra grassa (Ingestion) in Jarana part for using as beej in mercurial Process. processing). The author also It is said that after grass of 1/64 described the acceptable features part of Abhraka, Parada become for krishnabhraka i.e. it remains dandadhari and ingestion of 1/16 un-reacted on heat and considered part of abhraka, Parada can be cut the best for rasayana karma and by knife. loha karma. Here Description of Parada and Also it is told that Abhraka satva is Abhraka jirna Parada is found and ingested by Parada instead of also it is adviced that beej (swarna, Abhraka bhasma, through the rajata etc…) Jarana should be process of jarana and only followed by Abhraka jarana. Abhraka satva can make mercury thermastable ( making mercury 7th& 8th Avabodha: stable at room temperature i.e. In these chapters of Bida-vidhana Paksha chhinna Parada or losing and Rasa-Ranjana 4 types of bida, the fluidity property of parada) 17 Types of Rasa Ranjaka and the 239 Published online in http://ijam.co.in ISSN: 0976-5921 Ramesh Kumar Gupta et.al., Rasa Hridaya Tantra – A Critical Analysis quantitative ratio of bida with 10th & 11th Avabodha: respect to parada (1/8 part of The names of the chapters are Parada) are described. Satva nirgama and Beej nirvahana Importance of beeja, objective respectively. assessment criteria for In these chapters mostly regarding Abhrakajeerna parada with respect satva (metallic essence) and to color i.e. resembles like colour dwandwa (compounding of metal) of Abhraka Satva is described. are described. Also it is said that Abhraka satva is Here the author have the opinion 8 times more potent than Abhraka that satva of any mineral can make bhasma, Abhraka druti is 8 times dwandwa with satva of some other more potent than Abhraka satva, material or with some different Abhraka beej Jarana is 8 times dhatu and the dwandwa thus more potent than Abhraka druti.
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