Rasa Hridaya Tantra - A Critical Analysis

Authors

  • Ramesh Kumar Gupta
  • Sudhaldev Mahapatra
  • Sumer Singh
  • Jha C B

Keywords:

Alchemy, Metals, Minerals, Sanskara, Mercury, Avabodha

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.

Author Biographies

Ramesh Kumar Gupta

Lecturer, Department of Rasa Shastra, Government Ayurvedic College, Varanasi.

 

Sudhaldev Mahapatra

Lecturer, Department of Rasa Shastra, Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, New Delhi (India)

Sumer Singh

Associate Professor, Department of R.S. & B.K., C.B.P. Ayurveda Charaka Sansthana, New Delhi

Jha C B

Professor, Department of Rasa Shastra, Faculty of Ayurveda, IMS, BHU, Varanasi

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Published

2014-10-03

How to Cite

Gupta, R. K., Mahapatra, S., Singh, S., & B, J. C. (2014). Rasa Hridaya Tantra - A Critical Analysis. International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, 5(3). Retrieved from https://ijam.co.in/index.php/ijam/article/view/05342014

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2014): July - September 2014

Section

Review Articles

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