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Essay name: Alchemy in India and China

Author: Vijaya Jayant Deshpande
Affiliation: Panjab University / Department of Chemistry

The thesis "Alchemy in India and China" explores the comparative aspects of alchemy in these two countries, focusing on chemical and protochemical formulations while addressing why modern science developed in the West rather than in India or China. It briefly touches upon internal alchemy in China and the ritualistic tantra in India.

Chapter 6 - Transmission of Alchemical and Chemical ideas (Part 2)

Page:

37 (of 48)


External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)


Download the PDF file of the original publication


Warning! Page nr. 37 has not been proofread.

167
Indians did not possess the knowledge of the use of
mineral acids for dissolving metals before the sixteenth
century AD. (Indians knew that metals could be dissolved
using naturally occurring mineral acids like Visodaka
which contradicts Ray's comment.)
The verse in Rasaratnasamuççaya which gives the
preparation of "essence of alum" or sulphuric acid is
given below.
32 Tuvari or alum is purified when immersed
in kāṇjika (or the fermented rice water or
crude vinegar) for three days. It (alum) when
rubbed with ksārāmla (acidic salt) and heated
certainly gives its essence.
Here, instead of clearly specifying the name of
If we
the salt, the author just calls it acidic salt.
recognise the salt with ferrous sulphate (kāsisa), then
In the very
the one given above is the required recipe.
next verse the author cautions the reader that this one is
an important synthesis and hence should be kept secret.
Probably this is the reason why he does not specify the
"acidic salt" to be used in the above method.
32.
-
Rasaratnasamuççaya see Primary Sources,
Section 3, Śloka 64.
तुवरी काम्बिके सिप्त्वा त्रिदि [tuvarī kāmbike siptvā tridi]नाच्छुद्धिमुचत� �
क्षाराम्ठै� मर्दित� ध्याता सत्व� मुञ्चत� निश्चितम� � [nācchuddhimucati |
kṣārāmṭhai� marditā dhyātā satva� muñcati niścitam ||
]
64
[||
]

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