9th century treatise rasashastara (Alchemical) book which gives detail description on ashtadasha parada samskaras and This manuscript is presented with a guideline, how to make Mercury competent for transmuting base metals into a noble one and produce therapeutic benefits with them. A alchemical book being the Heart of mercury - Rasahrudatya tantra

1. CLASSICAL TEXT REVIEW
RASAHRUDAYA TANTRA
Dr. Madduru Muni Haritha
1st year M.D Scholar
Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana
KLE SHRI B.M.K Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Belagavi
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CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Author
• Commentaries
• Books
• Contents of text
• Subject matter of rasa hrudaya tantra
• 1- 19 Avabodha
• Conclusion of rasa hrudaya tantra
• Demerits
• Own views

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OBJECTIVE
• To review and critically analyse the text “Rasahrudaya
tantra” in the field of rasashastra.

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INTRODUCTION
RASAHRUDAYA TANTRA – RASA (Parada)
HRIDAYA (Heart)
TANTRA (Science)
RASAHRUDAYA
TANTRA
• One of the famous text of rasashastra written in Sanskrit language.
RASAHRUDAYA
TANTRA
• Authored in 9th century A.D, popularly known for Indian alchemy.
RASAHRUDAYA
TANTRA
• Heart of Indian alchemical science (involving parada) hence the name
rasahrudaya tantra.

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AUTHOR
SRIMAD GOVINDA BHAGAVATPADA
• Guru of Adishankara acharya (Profounder of adhvaitha Vedanta)
• Raja Vaidya of kirata raja - Shri Madan
• Son of Shri Sunano Vishnu
• Grandson of Shri Magal Vishnu

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Commentaries, translations and publishers
Commentaries in -
● Sanskrit by Chaturbhujamishra - Mugdhavabodhini
● Hindi by Rameshwara Dayalu Vajapeyi - Arthabodhini and Pavni Prasad
Sharma - Subodhini (with hindi translations)
● No translation in english
Published by -
● Chaukhambha Publishers, Varanasi
● Chowkhambha Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi
● Chaukhambha Orientalia, Delhi

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BOOKS

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▪ Composed as one single volume with 19 chapters called as “Avabodha”
Contents of text
1. Rasaprashamsa 7.Vida 13.Sankara bija
vidhana
19. Rasayana
vidhana
2. Rasa sodhana 8. Rasa ranjana 14.Rasabija karana
3. Patra abraaka
chaarana
9. Bija vidhaana 15.Bahya druti
4. Satwa abraka
chaarana
10. Satwapaatana 16.Saarana
5. Garbha druti 11. Bija nnirvahana 17.Kraamana
6. Beejaadi jarana 12. Dvandvadhikara 18. Veda vidhana

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SUBJECT MATTER OF RASAHRUDAYA TANTRA
RASAHRUDAYA
TANTRA
Whole text is
compiled of 19
chapters called
as avabodha.
Entire book is mainly
based on 18 specialised
processing techniques
of parada i.e.
Ashtadasha samskara
Text is more of
lohavada than
dehavada

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1st AVABODHA - Rasaprashamsa
• Chapter starts with mangala acharana to lord
shiva
• Properties of murchita, baddha, mrita parada
are explained
• Importance of strong & stable body to
achieve salvation mukti from jara to marana.
• Necessity of abhraka satva jarana in Parada
for strong and stable body are described at the
end of this chapter.
Importance of
rasasiddhi (Superiority
of parada over other
metals)
Importance of
dehasiddhi
Importance of
parada
samskara

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2nd AVABODHA - Rasa sodhana
Mentioned ashtadasha
samskara (swedana to
bhakshana)
Detailed procedure of first
eight samskaras (swedana to
Deepana)
Benefits to ashta samskara
Explained samukha- nirmuka
charana in preparation of
gold/silver from parada
Only grasartha parada can
ingest silver /gold for sweta
or peeta karma
Importance of deepana
samskara for making Parada
grasarthi

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3rd AVABODHA - Patra abraka chaarana
Importance of abraka
chaarna
Pre processing of abhraka
Bhasma for its use in
abraka chaarana
SAMUKHA CHARANA –
Mardhana of swarna/rajata
Bhasma with parada later
abraka is addded
Abhraka Bhasma used for
grasa of parada is x1, x2,
x4, x8, x16, x32 other than
this shodita naga and vanga
are used after processing
with aranala
7 Bhavana done with
kshara-amla-rakta varga
dravyas and
srushtatrayee(rakta-mala-
mutra of go-aja-nara-naari)
CHARANA LAKSHANA
– Grasa, pisti, Garbha
2 Types of charaana –
Samukha, nirmukha

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3rd AVABODHA Contd…
Other types of mukha karana of parada are explained -
GOLAKAMUKHA –
Parada heated in oil media added with
Swarna/rajata gola (3-4 masha) later added with abhraka
SHUKAPICCHAMUKHA –
Shuddha parada + amlasara gandhaka
= charana = later added with abhraka
GANDHABHRAKA
JARANA IN
DEEPIKA YANTRA
Gandhaka
+parada =
charana by
adding
little by
little
Melted
gandhaka+
charanayo
gya
abhraka=
Add both the
compounds make
pishti, place in
Deepika yantra
and obtain
parada by adha
patana method

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3rd AVABODHA Contd…
• Tapta lauha khalva is recommended for mardana and dola yantra
is used for charana of abhraka in parada.
• Importance of Gandhaka in Ranjana karma, Making parada
capable for Jarana of beej i.e. swarna & rajata and pakchhachhedana
(making parada stable) of Parada are described at the end of the
chapter.
DEEPIKA
YANTRA

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4th AVABODHA - Satwa abraka chaarana
Krishna abhraka
• Among 4 types of abhraka krishnabhraka is best and used
in satvapatana and lohavada.
• krishnabhraka i.e. it remains un-reacted on heat and
considered the as best for rasayana karma and loha karma.
• Swedana of abhraka in dola yantra using swarasa /kwatha
of suryaavarthadi drugs - satvapatana using panchagavya
pinda – place bolus in fire, blow well – satwa drips down
like flowing gold.
• Description of golden coloured satwa.
• Importance of pakshacchada of parada and its lakshana
• Properties of satwa – readily mixes with
samukha/nirmukha parada, gets amalgamated with dhatu.

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4th AVABODHA Contd…
GARBHA DRUTI - Fine powder of
loha, abhraka satwa, haratala (equal
parts) ⇒ enclosed in moosha ⇒
sandhi bandhana ⇒ heat given (repeat
process thrice) ⇒ put in abhishava
drava ⇒ rubbed with fingers ⇒ druti
Sulbabhra –
• Mentioned about shulbabhra for quick charana-jarana of parada.
• Shulbabhra charana with parada in loha khalwa by adding kanji,
amlavetasa, jambira, nimbu rasa.

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5th AVABODHA - Garbha druti
• Different types of drutis along with their importance in jarana samaskara,
necessity of makshika satva in garbha druti is found.
• Processing of beeja with amla varga before garbhadruti. Preprocessed
beeja is most suited for druti karana and jarana.
• Use of shodhita Swarna, shodhita rajata along with vanga and yasada
Bhasma in Garbha druti or bahya druti following 18 methods of Swarna
beeja and 2 methods of rajata beeja preparation suitable for garbhadruti
is described.

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5th AVABODHA Contd…
Procedure of garbhadruti:
• Jarita parada + beeja in broad musha applied as lepa, placed
inverted in pot containing burning sawdust of wood added with
little gandhaka (sandhibanadha done)
• Remove content after self cooling, add again gandhaka to burning
sawdust, place musha, heat it ⇒ repeat process until druti falls
down
• Description of sheresta beeja (vara beeja) - Gold + rasaka
(100 times of gold) added little by little with heat and blow ⇒
charana, druti and jarana with parada is achieved completely

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6th AVABODHA - Beejadi jaarana
• The name of this chapter is Jarana. Characteristics of optimum
jarana, description of dandadhari parada use of dola yantra and
Kachhapa yantra for graasa(ingestion)in jarana process.
• Here description of Parada and Abhrakajirna Parada is found and
also it is adviced that beeja(swarna, rajata etc…). Jarana should be
followed by Abhrakajarana.
• Abraka jarita parada lakshana – Nishkampa, Kapila, Viplusha,
Gatarahitha.

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6th AVABODHA Contd…
• Jaranaa vidhi by dolayantra: 6 lavana + 3 kshara + amlavarga + gomutra
bhavita sudha churna ⇒ lepa on bhojapatra ⇒ drutikarita parada placed ⇒
pottali ⇒ swedana in dolayantra containing kaanji / kshara mishrita mutra
• Jarana pareeksha: Remove parada from dola yantra –
wash again with kanji(To remove
residual kanji in it)
Press with finger after covering it
in cloth such that kanji dries up.
Take a 4 folded cloth & press hard
with a vessel such that parada
comes out of cloth.
INFERENCE - Jarita paarda is pure(drava form) – easily comes out of
cloth, ajarita parada is dandadhari (solid form) due to residual content.

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6th AVABODHA Contd…
Gagana grasa Pramana -
After grasa Parada becomes
1/64 th part of abhraka Dandadhari
1/40 th part of abhraka Payasa
1/30 th part of abhraka Jalukavat
1/20 th part of abhraka Chanchalata rahita
1/16 th part of abhraka Solid can be cut into 2 by
knife

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7th AVABODHA - Vida
Importance of vida - quick jarana, imbibition of qualities
● Description of different types of vida
● Sauvarchala + trikatu + sphatika + kasisa + gandhaka ⇒ bhavana in shigru rasa for 100
times
● Mulaka panchanga kshara ⇒ dissolved in go mutra ⇒ filtered ⇒ used as bhavana dravya
for gandhaka ⇒ vida
Jarana vidhi
using vida
1/8th part of vida is taken ⇒ divided into two halves
1st half placed in yantra ⇒ parada is placed ⇒ another half of vida is placed
⇒ spread out the mixture
Heat gradually ⇒ jarana takes place

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8th AVABODHA - Rasa rajana
• Importance of ranjana karma - parada does not lose colour in its samskara, imparts
its colour to other substances as well.
• Colour of parada imparted from teeksha loha jarana of parada: teekshna loha
bhasma obtained from darada kalpa + tamra bhasma obtained from makshika kalpa is
done jarana with parada.
• Apart from this kantaloha, makshika, vajrabhraka and sasyaka are useful to impart
colour.
• Description of rasa krishti (method to impart color to parada).
• External colouring - by gandhaka, temporary colouring - by haratala, manashila,
permanent colouring - makshika and rasaka.

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9th AVABODHA - Bija vidhaana
• Two types of beeja - yellow and white (meant for preparation of gold and
silver respectively)
• Beeja to be used should always be in shoditha form
• Samanya shodhana of maharasa and uparasa - bhavana with any of
suryavarta, kadali, karkoti, devadali, shigru, suranakanda, jala pippali
kakamachi added with trikshara + shad lavana + amla dravya
• Vishesha shodhana for vaikranta, kanta pashana, sasyaka, etc
• Naga, vanga, pittala, tamra shodhana: prativapa with nirgundi mula
churna ⇒ dalana/nirvapa in nirgundi rasa
• Samanya shodhana of dhatu - melted dhatu + [makshika bhasma +
hingula bhasma] or tamra bhasma made from gandhaka (added in same or
thrice of parada)

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10th AVABODHA - Satwapaatana
• Importance of satwapatana - Dwandwa melapana and parada
grasana will not happen
• Origin of vaikranta mentioned - from katinata of naganasika
• Satwapatana methods for vaikranta, makshika, rasaka
• Samanya satwapatana method for all dhatu

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11th AVABODHA - Bija nirvahana
• Speciality of makshika - imbibes quality of all dhatus when mixed with
parada
• Use of naga and vanga in sweta and peeta kriya respectively
• Description of swarna beeja / roupya beeja
• Description of shrinkala beeja:
Makshika/rajavarta/vimala/gairika/manashila/sphatika/gandhaka/ kasisa
bhavana with ratkavarga/peeta varga ⇒ add in musha with swarna ⇒ charana-
jarana with parada
• Use of beeja nirvahana - to remove dosha from beeja

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12th AVABODHA - Dvandvadhikara
• Dwandwa-melana (mixing of two different metallic essences to forms a
differently active compound/ mineral) with different dhatu or with other satva
is described.
• Importance of dwandwa melapana - if satwa and dhatu does not mix
properly that can’t be digested by parada
• Pre-processing of dhatu for melapana - avapa of any dhatu with makshika,
rasaka, sasyaka, darada ⇒ add this to satwa ⇒ melt ⇒ dwandwa melapana
done
• Method of hemabhra melana: Parada + swarna ⇒ mardana ⇒ add abhraka
satwa ⇒ add any of above said dhatu (1/4th part) Do lepa of this bolus in
musha ⇒ place in batti ⇒ heat ⇒ melapana done ⇒ parada evaporates

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• Description of several dwandwa melapana yogas.
• Makshika, Haratala, Kantapashana, Manahsila, Naga
bhasma etc. are the dwandwa melapaka materials in
which.kantapashana is said to be best one.
12th AVABODHA Contd…

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13th AVABODHA – Sankara bija vidhana
Different types of sankara beeja (totally 64 types)
• Makshika satwa, teekshna loha, kanta loha
• Makshika satwa, teekshna loha, abhraka satwa
• Makshika satwa, kantaloha, tamra
• Teekshna loha, abhraka satwa
• Tamra, abhraka satwa, makshika satwa
• Kantaloha, abhraka satwa, makshika satwa
• Makshika satwa, teekshna loha, tamra
• Teekshna loha, abhraka satwa, tamra
Mahabeeja

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14th AVABODHA - Rasabija karana
• Method of rasabeeja nirmana.
• Description of various methods of parada marana useful
in rasa bandhana (made by mixing jarita parada with
gandhaka, haratala, manashila, loha parpati, makshika
etc).
• Marana of parada by placing in musha and heated by
varaha puta

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15th AVABODHA - Bahya druti
• Importance of druti (abhraka) - enables formation of baddha parada.
• Five preparation methods of abhraka druti (uses kesha taila in one method).
• Druti jarana - makes shatavedhi, sahasra vedhi, lakshavedhi, kotivedhi, by
sama-dwi-tri-charturbhaga jarana, becomes dhoomavedhi by x16, x32, x64
jarana
2
METHODS
OF
PREPARATI
ON OF
SWARNA
DRUTI
Teekshna
loha druti
Makshika
satwa
druti

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16th AVABODHA - Saarana
• Importance of saranaa - without saranaa jarita-ranjita parada fails to act in
dhatu
• Saranaa taila - uses vasa of frog, fish, tortoise etc, mala of crow, karnamala
of buffalo etc.
• Saranaa vidhi - cloth strained parada placed in long musha ⇒ add hot saranaa
taila and beeja ⇒ close immediately with cloth soaked in taila, tie and heat
• Pratisaraana - adding two parts of beeja; anusarana - adding three part of
beeja
• Add pinch of naga in all saranaa vidhi

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16th AVABODHA Contd…
SAARANA
YANTRA

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17th AVABODHA - Kraamana
• Importance of kramana - sarita parada does not mix with parada
without kramana (like how anupana makes reach medicine in
body, kramana helps parada to reach dhatu properly).
• Nine kramana yogas - made using human blood, crow faeces,
karna mala of mahisha, varsanabha, indragopa manashila,
makshika etc.
• Of all makshika satwa naga are shreta kramana dravyas.

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18th AVABODHA - Veda vidhana
• Importance of kramana - sarita kramita parada does now show efficacy without
vedha.
• Description of hemakrishti (5 methods), tarakrishti.
• Shatavedha yoga:
○ Tamra (98 p) + swarna / rajata (1 p) + parada (1 p)
○ Rajata (49 p) + tamra (49 p) + swarna (1 p) + parada (1 p)
• Sahasra vehi done in same way by taking tamra alone as 998 p or 498 p with silver
498 p
• Likewise lakshavedhi
• Lepa vedha: lepana of beeja jarita parada on dhatu patra.
• Description of sitaswarna vedha, tara vedha, ghosha vedha.
• Detailed description of ghoshakrishta tamra vedha.
• Vedha samskara should be learnt from knowledgeable and experienced rasavadi

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19th AVABODHA – Rasayana vidhana
Kshetrikarana -
Saindhava + ghee ⇒ early morning in empty stomach x 3 days
Ketaki mula ks ⇒ evening in empty stomach x 3 days
Swedana ⇒ virechana by katuki ks until kapha is seen ⇒ ghrita siddha yavagu
• Pathya after kshetrikarana - shali anna, yavagu, mudga ⇒ increases bala
• Parada sevana without kshetrikarana will cause increase in dosha.
• Description of devadaru taila - devadaru taila + ghrita + madhu + amalaki rasa + kshira ⇒
manthana ⇒ consumed upto 3 months.
• Consumption of patita, jarita parada, abhraka satwa as rasayana.
• Baddha parada processed with visha, naga, vanga causes kushta.

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19th AVABODHA Contd…
• Description of use of arota Parada, Parada Bhasma and kalkbadhha
parada Rasayana. Description of use of Purified Abhraka, Abhraka
Bhasma and abhraka satvaas Rasayana.
• Description of use of congenital and non congenital diet during
rasayana therapy characteristics of rasajirna and 4 formulations to
destroy it are found in this chapter.
• Effect of Rasayana therapy and description of 4 types of Vati
(tablets) i.e. amar Sundari Gutika, Vajrani gutika, Khechari gutika
and Mrita sanjivani gutika.

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Conclusion on Rasa HridayaTantra
• The text provides elaborate description of specialized processing of Parada for loha
and dehasiddhi.
• The text is enriched with treasure trove of Alchemical methods.
• The way of description of the subject matter is quite easier with simple language
and expression.
• Materials used in different processing of parada are very well classified in different
groups.
• Description and use of different yantra and musha in context of Parada processings.

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DEMERITS
• The text is limited only on Parada processings.
• No description of Paribhasa is found
• Classification of the materials of rasa shastra in different groups like rasa varga,
uparasa varga etc. are found at the middle of the text which seems uncoordinated.
• Therapeutic uses of material other than Parada are hardly available.
• Very limited description of yantra and musha are available in the text.
• The text is hardly having any opinion for the future trend of the system and
eccentric about the alchemical use.

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OWN VIEWS
Clinically less oriented
– Hardly contributes
one chapter for
rasayana
Feasible procedures –
Ashta samskaras are
dealt in simple
procedures
Order of contents – Vida, beeja,
dwanda, melapana, chapters looses
right placing
OWN VIEWS

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RESEARCH ARTICLES

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THANK YOU