| PUBLISHER DETAILS : | Printed by B.R. Ghanekar, at Nirnayasagar press, 23 Kolbhat lane, Bombay and Published by Vaidya Yadavji Tricumji Acharya, 372, Bora Bazar street, Fort, Bombay. |
YEAR OF PUBLICATION : | 1912 |
|---|
| ABOUT THE BOOK : | The Rasasamketakalika by Kayastha Camunda' is a treatise on alchemy and iatro chemistry in 399 verses, arranged in five chapters (ullasa). The mangala is addressed to Siva as the lord of mercury (Raseśa). Chapter one (49 verses) describes the mythical origin of mercury, the varieties of mercury, the dosas and kañcukas, some samskäras (mardana, svedana, murchana, pātana, gandhakajarana, bandha, marana), the properties of mrtarasa, the side effects of the use of mrtarasa and their treatment, and the results of paying homage to the lord of mercury. Chapter two (65 verses) is concerned with the description of the six natural metals (loha), their properties, varieties, purification and marana, lohakitta, kharpara/rasaka, the purification and marana of some alloys (kämsya and pittala), the treatment of disorders caused by the metals, and the nirutthakarana" of the metals, the chapter ends with the description of abhraka, its varieties, marana, the extraction of its essence (sattvapätana), the marana of the sattvapätana and the uses of the products obtained. Chapter three (16 verses) deals with vishas and upavishas, opium, and bhrngi. Chapter four (129 verses) is a collection of rasayogas to be employed against various diseases and for rasayana and vājīkaraṇa purposes. Chapter five (40 verses) contains formulae for pills and some other preparations. Sources are not referred to. Chamunda mentions the sampradaya of his guru. |
|---|
