Rasashastra is a specialised department of Ayurveda, which offers primarily with “Rasa” or mercury and likewise different metals and minerals. Although Rasashastra is a sub-division of Ayurveda, it’s not included underneath Ashtanga Ayurveda – The Eight Branches of Ayurveda.
Introduction
A wide range of sources like manuscripts, books and so forth. assist in the research of historical past of any science. Rasashastra was developed as a separate science after which slowly over a interval of many hundred years, merged with Ayurveda. It’s essential to look again from Vedic intervals until trendy occasions to be taught the historical past of Rasashastra. Parada or mercury is the principle part of Rasashashtra and in response to Mythology, Parada has its origin from Lord Shiva.
Because of steady invasion of foreigners into India, a lot of the treasure-house of data has been misplaced, making it troublesome for actual predictions concerning the Historical past of Rasashastra. The historical past of Rasashastra could be divided into 6 elements –
- Pre-Vedic interval
- Vedic interval
- Publish Vedic interval
- Samhita interval
- Sangraha interval and
- Fashionable interval.
Pre-Vedic Interval
Pre-Vedic interval is roughly 6000 B.C. Vedas are the oldest literature of this world. Vedas clarify that the Almighty created ‘Hiranya Garbha’ as step one to create the universe. From the point of view of Rasashastra, it may be mentioned that the origin of Gold occurred on the very starting step of the origin of the universe. Lord Shiva is taken into account because the Lord of Rasashastra and he’s thought-about as the primary Vaidya among the many Gods and Goddesses. Rasaratna Samuccha explains Lord Shiva as the primary preacher of Rasashastra. Based on mythology, Parada originated from Lord Shiva and Gandhaka from Goddess Parvati. Therefore it may be mentioned that the origin of Rasashastra occurred at pre-vedic interval solely.
Vedic Interval
- In depth particulars of Rasavidya are present in Rigveda and Atharva Veda. In a reference – Atharva Veda 8/50, Parada is in comparison with a hen. When the human physique is diseased, Parada makes the physique disease-free and when the human physique is wholesome, Parada makes the physique sturdy and helps in lengthy residing.
- Totally different Samskaras of human beings are defined in Vedas, the place gold is used. It’s talked about that Gold helps to enhance immunity.
- Sporting of Ratnas and their advantages is defined in Vedas.
- In Rigveda, (2000 B.C.), reference about numerous Dhatus similar to gold, iron and so forth. is discovered.
- Atharva Veda explains about gold, silver, iron, Shankha, tin and lead.
- Many of those have been utilized in making utensils, cooking, and so forth.
Publish-Vedic interval (3000 B.C.)
On this interval, based mostly on the Information of Vedas, Sutras and Sangrahas have been written. Within the Indus civilization, gold, silver, iron, lead, bronze, tin, orpiment, Ratnas like Vaidurya, Akika, Rajavarta, and so forth are talked about.
Mahabharata explains about synthetic and actual gold, which Lord Krishna makes use of to make a hoop to present to Subhadra.
Samhita interval
Charaka has defined lots of the Rasadravyas.
Sangraha Interval
- Ratnavarga: Manikya, Mukta, Pushparaga, Pravala, Heeraka, Vaidurya, Suryakanta, Sarpamani, Sphatika, Shankha, Shukti and so forth
- Dhatuvarga: Swarna, Rajata, Tamra, Loha, Vanga, Naga, kamsya, Pittala and Mandura and so forth
- Different minerals: Shilajatu, Haratala, Manashila, Tutha, swarnamakshika, Roupyamakshika, Gandhaka, Anjana, Rasanjana, Pushpanjana, Srotranjana, Souveeranjana, Swarnagairika, Samanya Gairika, Sphatika and so forth and utilization of Parada can be present in Charaka Samhita.
- In Chikitsa sthana, for the aim of bringing again the naturl pores and skin color (Savarneekarana), Kaleeyaka, Agaru, Amrasthi, Nagakeshara, Manjishta and Parada are talked about.
- In Charaka Chikitsa sthana 16th Chapter, Manduravataka is defined for Kamala remedy.
- Charaka additionally talked about Ayaskriti.
- Sushruta explains Swarna, Rajata, mani, Mukta, manashila and so forth within the class of Parthiva Dravya. Sushruta additionally explains about Parada however encourages solely the exterior use of Parada.
- The reference about Dhatus is way clearer in Sushruta samhita than in Charaka. Through the time of Sushruta, the next Rasadravyas have been clearly used for therapeutic functions. – Saindhava, Sourvarchala, Audbhida Lavana, Sphatika, Haratala, Shilajatu, Tutha, Loha, kaseesa, Kamsya, Kuruvinda, Gandhaka, Tankana, Makshika, tara, Teekshna Loha, Trapu, manashila, Parada, Pravala, Varata and so forth.
- Ashtanga Sangraha additionally mentions several types of Loha. The textual content additionally mentions about Samudraphena, Tutha, Shankha, Swarna, Rajata, tamra, kamsya, Trapu, Seesa, Krushnaloha, Teekshnaloha, Padmaraga, Pushparaga, Mukta, Manashila, Haratala Anjana and their qualities are discovered scattered in Ashtanga Sangraha.
- Within the context of utilization of Swarna, completely different Anupanas are talked about. For the aim of longevity, Anupana is Shankhapushpi, For intelligence, Anupana is Vacha, For general prosperity, Kamalakeshara, For aphrodisiac impact, Vidarikanda.
- The reference of Loha can be discovered in lots of locations. Triphala kalka is to be pasted in a Loha vessel for twenty-four hours and to be consumed with Madhu and water. Within the context of Akshiroga, Parada reference is discovered.
Throughout this era, assortment and compilation work have been taken up based mostly on the Samhitas. Amongst these, Sharangdhara, Bhavaprakasha are major textual content books. Considerable references of Visha, Upavisha, Shodhana, Marana and so forth are present in Bhavaprakasha. Sharangdhara mentions completely different formulatiosn utilizing Parada, Loha, Abhraka, Gandhaka, Tamra, Mandura and so forth. Parpatis are talked about. Yogaratnakara mentions intimately about Rasadravyas. The texts written throughout this era clarify intimately concerning the therapeutic software of Rasadravyas.
Other than these, many genuine works of Rasashastra have been written throughout this era. Varahamihira, Brihatsamhita, Kubjika Tantra, and so forth, written throughout the fifth century point out Parada Pinda. As per the historians, throughout this era, Raseshwara Tantra, was written by Nagarjuna, elements of which can be found now. Rasendra Mangala, RasaRatnakara, Kakshaputa, and so forth have been written within the eighth Century. Rasarnava, Rasahrudayatantra, Goraksha Samhita, Rasendra Chudamani, Rasaprakshasudhakara, Rasarata Samucchaya, Rasa Ratnakara, Anandakanda, Raseshwara Darshana, Raseshwara Sidhanta, Rasa Rajalakshmi and so forth have been written throughout this era, the place ample and detailed clarification about Rasadravyas, Shodhana, Marana and therapeutic utilization is talked about.
Fashionable Interval
Historians have decided 15 – sixteenth Century onwards to present occasions. Throughout this era, many advances within the Rasashastra area befell, on a scientific foundation. The Guru Shishya faculty of thought was changed by faculty and faculties. Rasashastra acquired a contemporary outlook with the invention of contemporary applied sciences. Throughout this era, Rasedra Sara Sangraha, Rasendra Chintamani, Dhaturatnamala, rasa Kaumudi, Rasa Pradeepa, Rasa Kamadhenu, Dhatuprakasha, Ayurveda Prakasha, Rasayana Sara, Parada Vijnaniya, Rasayoga Sagara, Rasajalanidhi and so forth textbooks have been written on Rasashastra.Within the 20th century, the analysis is concentrated upon
- Security and efficacy of Rasadravyas,
- Software of devices, changing the standard methodology of Shodhana and Marana.
- Animal experimental and scientific trials of Rasa dravyas.
- Microscopical, chemical and analytical research to grasp the construction, chemical composition, particle measurement and so forth of the Rasadravyas.
Development of Rasashastra
Information of the historical past of any science is essential to know the science in totality. The Rashashastra originated for the aim of achieving salvation. The Shaiva followers consider that – The human physique is mortal however for the aim of doing good deeds, to amass information, for the aim of achieving salvation, there’s have to protect the human physique for an extended time frame. This may be achieved by the utilization of Parada. Therefore scientists of yester centuries targeting Parada and performed many analysis experiments and got here to a conclusion that Parada is the one substance which might help people to have lengthy life. In addition they got here to a conclusion that other than Parada, Vayu has the facility to make the physique regular. For the aim of achieving Mukti, Parada and different accent Dravyas similar to Abhraka, Gandhaka and so forth have been utilized in completely different procedures to provide you with many Parada formulations, which ended up within the science to transform decrease metals into larger metals. They acknowledged that the substance which might convert decrease metals into larger metals also can convert the diseased physique into a powerful and wholesome physique.
A couple of consider that the Rasashastra was developed to make Swarna however it’s not true. Beforehand the information of Rasashastra was handed on to the subsequent technology via the Guru Shishya methodology. Because of decline within the high quality of scholars and steady overseas invasion the whole information of Rasashastra will not be out there at present.
Through the early intervals, Rasashastra was used for the aim of acquiring salvation. Therefore the science of Rasashastra was stored secret. Raseshwara Darshana explains that the principle function of Rasashastra is to attain salvation.
After the preliminary phases of improvement, within the successive intervals of Vedas, Samhitas and Sangrahas, extensive use of Parada and Rasa dravyas for therapeutic functions is seen. Mohammed Ghazni invaded India within the eleventh Century and introduced Alberuni with him. Alberuni stayed in India for 33 years and studied many Indian languates together with Sanskrit. He translated lots of the Indian textbooks into Arabic language.
Lord Shiva is the God of Rashashatra. In Raseshwara Darshana, Siddhas are categorised into 4 sorts.
They’re –
Devarasa Siddha – Shiva, Parvati, Brahma, Vishnu, Kartika, ganapati, Bhairava, Veerabhadra, Nandeeshwara, Bruhaspati and Chandrama are the Gods and Goddesses of this class. It’s mentioned that they’ve written about one crore verses concerning Rasashastra. This reference is present in Goraksha Samhita.
Daityarasa siddha – Shukracharya, Bali, Lankesh, Banasura, and so forth fall underneath this class. Their residence is claimed to be Patala Loka.
Muni Rasa siddha: Agasthya, Kapila, Balakhilya, Bhaluki, Mandavya, Vyadi, Dattatreya and so forth. who lived in Himalaya’s Girnar, Vindhyachal and South Indian mountain areas. They did excessive non secular practices for the wellness of the world. Agastya Samhita is out there in South India. Bhaluki muni reference is out there in Rasaratna Samucchaya.
Manava Rasa Siddha.
Manavara Rasa Siddha is additional categorised into 4 –
Maharasa Siddha, Rasa Siddha, Nagasiddha and Dravida Rasa Siddha.
Amongst these, Nagarjuna is the principle particular person. He was professional in each Dehasiddhi and Lohasiddhi.
Within the earlier occasions, the Vaidya used to organize medicines for sufferers, and the information was handed on to the subsequent technology via Guru Shishya apply. However these days, the information is handed on via faculties and schools. The medicines are manufactured on a big scale, on a business foundation. Below such circumstances, it is rather necessary to come back to a steadiness between the age-old rules and the ever-growing trendy technological developments.
