365bet娱乐

Silver is a white coloured, shining metal, which has been in use since Vedic times. Even though rich and poor were fond of wearing silver ornaments, they were more popular among people belonging to middle class. Silver is produced by means of mining and also through chemical processes. Besides these, some myths are also associated with its origin.

Silver was common in the epic period. The description of the town 尝补峁卥腻 in 痴腻濒尘墨办颈-谤腻尘腻测补峁嘺^[1] makes allusions to the use of silver in that period. 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补^[2] also attests the use of silver. The presents received by 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 during the imperial sacrifice include silver articles given by the king of 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁�a.

笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 in general talk about the origin of silver in connection with myths. Thus according to the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, it is the semen of 艢颈惫补 that changed into silver^[3]. But 骋补谤耻岣峚辫耻谤腻峁嘺 attributes its origin to mercury. It describes a method, in which silver is generated by smoldering the mixture of honey, clarified butter, jaggery and the juice of K膩ravella (a kind of vegetable)^[4].

碍补耻峁璱濒墨测补 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补^[5] makes reference to four types of silver on the basis of its colour and the region from where it is excavated. They are:

Name	Colour	Region
Tutthodgata	Similar to Jasmine	Tuttha mountain
骋补耻岣峣办补	Looks like Tagara flower	Assam
碍腻尘产耻办补	Looks like Tagara flower	K膩mbu mountain
颁补办谤补惫腻濒颈办补	Resembles Kunda flower	颁补办谤补惫腻濒补 mountains

According to 碍补耻峁璱濒测补, white silver with smooth and soft surface is the best, while black coloured silver with surface containing cracks are inferior. Pure silver resembles curd in colour and it is glossy. The characteristics of silver ore also are described by him.

Synonyms of silver mentioned in 础尘补谤补办辞艣补^[6] 补谤别鈥�(1) Rajata, (2) 搁奴辫测补, (3) 艢惫别迟补, (4) Kharjura and (5) Duvar峁嘺.

From the works of 础艣惫补驳丑辞峁�a^[7] it is evident that silver was in abundance in his nation.

Caraka^[8] recommends silver tonics for diseases. The preparation of silver tonic is similar to that of gold tonic. The gold plate dipped in the decoction of ingredients is replaced by silver plate.

In Rasaratnasamuccaya^[9] it is said that silver is subjected to purification by melting it with lead and borax. For this process, silver placed in an earthen dish along with the mixture of lime and ashes is to be heated. Then only the purified silver will remain in the dish. For making silver powder, three methods are described in Rasaratnasamuccaya. In the first method, after stroking a thin sheet of silver with mercury and juice of Lakuca, it is to be placed in sulphur and heated. When cold, the same process is to be repeated by rubbing the silver sheet with orpiment and acids. In the second method, silver is powdered by roasting the silver sheet with the mixture of lemon juice and iron pyrites. In the third method, the same process is repeated; but the iron pyrites is replaced by orpiment. In the three methods mentioned above, the time taken for roasting is varied.

搁补蝉补谤补迟苍腻办补谤补^[10] gives an account of two methods of silver purification. In the first method, silver which is treated with the cinnabar and digested with eve milk acquires a lustre resembling the colour of saffron. Silver can also be purified by alloying it with lead and fusing with ashes. In another process referred to in Rasacint膩ma峁噄^[11], silver is generated by fusing a mixture of bell metal, silver and steel taken in different proportions with tin and borax.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

厂耻苍诲补谤补办腻峁囜笉补

[2]:

厂补产丑腻辫补谤惫补, 51.16

[3]:

叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 8.12.33, 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 2.4.76

[4]:

1.84.19

[5]:

DAOAI, p.139

[6]:

2.9.96

[7]:

Saundarananda, X.9

[8]:

AHHC, p.30

[9]:

Ibid, p.45

[10]:

Ibid, p.4

[11]:

Ibid, p.70