This document provides an overview of the concept of "puta" in Ayurveda and Rasa Shastra. It begins with defining puta literally as a hollow space or shallow vessel. It then discusses the various contexts in which the term is used in different texts. A major focus is on the understanding and uses of puta in Rasa Shastra texts for processes like heating and incineration of herbs and minerals. Various types of puta are classified based on dimensions, number of cow dung cakes used, and other heating parameters. Thermodynamic principles behind puta are also explained. Recent research on adapting puta processes for reliable preparation of medicines is mentioned.

1. The Concept Of PUTA
Its Contemporary
Understanding And Practical
Utility In Present Scenario.
Presented by :
Dr Saumya Gulati
Junior Resident
Dept. of Rasa Shastra
&Bhaishajya Kalpana
Faculty of Ayurveda, IMS
BHU, Varanasi.

2. CONTENTS
 Inroduction
 Puta in various contexts.
 Puta in Rasa Shastra
 Contemporary understanding.
 Classification
 Utility
 Points of analysis
 Modern form of puta
 Practicality / reliable criteria.
 Recent researches.
 Discussion and conclusion.

3. LITERAL MEANING OF PUTA:
 भिन्नपल्लवपुटो वानननल: । ( V.S Apte)
o A hallow space or any shallow receptacle or
o Shallow vessel.
o To unite, To meet, To fold, To gather.

4. PUTA TERM IN OTHER CONTEXT
 Natyashastra:
 Pali literature:
 Marathi language :
 Chandas ( prosody) : puta refers one of the 135 meters
long chandasa.

5. Here the term puta paka
PUTA : IN THE TREATISE OF AYURVEDA:
 Charaka Siddhi Sthana :9/11
 Sushrut sutra Sthana: 44/15 ; uttara tantra: 9/4; 9/10
 Ashtang Samgraha sutra sthana 29 , 30: sharira sthana :
chikitsa sthana 11 , 21 .
 Ashtang hrydayam sutra sthana 24/ 12-13 , chikitsa sthana 8/156, 9/78.
 Sharangdhara Samhita uttara khanda : 13/ 55-57 : madhyam khanda: 1/24
S.
no
Rasa classics
1. Rasendra chudamani 5th chapter
2 Rasa prakash sudhakara 10th chapter
3 Ananda kand 25th chapter
4 Rasa ratna Samuuchya 10 th chapter
5 Rasataringini 3th chapter

6. PUTA IN RASA SHASTRA :
रसादि द्रव्य पाकानाां प्रामाण ज्ञ।पनम ् पुटम ् ॥
नेष्टो न्युनाधिकः पाकः सुपक्वम ् दितौषिम॥ (R.R.S 10/47)
रसोपरसलोिािेः पाकमानप्रमापकम।
उत्पलाद्यग्ननसन्योगात यत्तित्र पुटां स्रमृतम ्॥ ( R.T 3/32)
Exact
Quantum of
Heat
specific
Arrangem
ent
Pottali kalpana by putapaka method. Eg Hiranya
Garbha pottali

7. DIFFERENT HEATING ARRANGEMENT IN FOUR BASIC
DOSAGE FORMS OF RASASHASTRA
Equipments
Temperature pattern
Arrangement
Completion tests

8. THERMODYNAMICS IN PUTA
Direct
Heating
Indirect
heating
Depends on the type of
chemical Reaction.
Heat is absorbed or released.
In context of oxygen.

9. CLOSED AND OPEN HEATING
 Swarna makshika bhasma preparation by two methods . ( As mentioned in
RRS 2/84-85)
Kharpara pakva
( open )
Puta dagdha ( closed )
In open method – roasting in
earthen vessel in 3 media – gavyajya,
Eranda taila and matulunga swaras.
In closed method- 5 krodaputa
was mentioned with bhavna in
matulunga swarasa .
A thesis done in RGUHS Bangalore, Bhasma prepared by kharpara method is
physicochemically equivalent to 3rd Puta of the bhasma prepared by Puta dagdha
method.

10. • Rate of heat flow = Area (m 2 * temp diff
(k) / thickness (m)
Fourier law of
thermodynamics
• Amount of energy depends upon the
state of reactant and state of product
formed.
Hess law of
thermodynamics
• Particle size reduction after each puta
Griffith theory
• Bhavna and heat treatment adopted in
puta will help in changing crystal
structure of material.
Grain boundary &
recrystallization
• Temperature effects number of collosion
and it further affects the compound
formation.
Collision theory
CONTD..

11.  Indirect heating .
(conduction )
 Aerobic reaction
 Exothermic chemical
reaction. ( redox reaction ,
sulphonation etc is taking
place.

12. CLASSIFICATION OF PUTA
Classical View:
Basic criteria of classification
depends upon:
 Dimension of pits.
 Number of cowdung cakes.
 Source of heat.
 Type of fuel used.
मूषागते तु लोहादौ पुटनीय विशेद्था । िहहन्स्तु ्िनुकू ल्येन तथा ्यातु पुट्रमम॥ (R.T 3/36)
Agni
Surya puta
Chandra puta

13. s,n
o
Name of puta Dimensions in
classics
Dimensions in
metrics (cm/3)
Total num
of upala
Metals and
minerals
incinerated
1 Mahaputa 2 Hasta 91 1500 Abharaka,
vaikrant
2 Gajaputa 1 Rajahasta 57 1000 Tamra ,sudha
varga, etc
3 Varahaputa 1 Aartni 42 100/150 Abharaka,
tamra, rajata
4 Kukkuta puta 2 Vitasti 46 10 Tutha, parada,
swarna
5 Kapota puta -- -- 08 Swarna, rajata
6 Bhudhara puta 2 anguli -- Parada, Somal
7 Gobarputa -- -- 2 manika
Dry
powdered
cowdung
Parada
Contd..

14. 8 Bhandaputa/
kumbha
/mrdbhanda
Big vessel -- Sthulabhande
tushapurne
Hartala ,
Somala
9 Baluka puta -- -- Baluka Hartala ,
Somala
Contd..
Eg. praval
bhasma
Direct heating.
Aerobic process
Endothermic
reaction .
Chandra
puta Shilajatu
shodhana
Bhanu paka of
Lauha bhasma
Direct heating
Aerobic process
Endothermic
reaction
Surya
puta
द्रव्याणाां िाववतान्तु िावनौषिजैैै रसैः । शोषणां सुययतापे यत्तत्सुययपुटमुय्ते ॥ ( R.T 3/37)

15. CONTD..
 Valuka puta :
 Bhudhar puta
 Bhanda puta
 Lavaka puta

16. UTILITY OF PUTA:
 िवेद्यतः पुटािेव िोषिाननगुयणोियः। रसोपरसलोिानाां पुटपाकस्ततः स्मृतः॥
पुटपाके न लोिािेननर्रयत्थत्वञच् िीपनम । िवेद्वाररतरत्वनञच् पुटपाकस्ततः॥
मृतलोिादिकां यस्मािानतशेते मृतां रसम ् । पुटपाकवविानेन पुटां यस्मात्प्रशस्यते ॥
(R.T 3/33-35)
Anukta mana of puta
पुटनाम्नामननिेशे वीछ्य द्रव्यबलाबलम्
। पुटेष्वन्यतमां िद्यात्यत्स्याद्युक्ततमां
िृशम् ॥
It helps in nullifying the doshas.
Formation of newer compound.
Especially Dhatu bhasmas prepared
of suitable puta , attain the highest
therapeutic value.

17. POINT TO BE ANALYSED FOR PUTA
 Physico chemical properties of a material such as hardness, melting
point, density , structure of the material.
 Total weight of the material to be incinerated.
 Weight of cowdung cakes wsr to the weight of material.
 Material used to prepare cowdung cakes. ( % of cowdung and % of
husk) for calorific value.
 Pit Ambience.
 Time taken to reach peak temperature.
 Swangshitikarana ( self cooling) .
Puta
No of
cowdung
cake
Dimension
of pit
Weight of
the
material
Weight of
cowdung
cake

19. MODERN FORM OF PUTA AND ITS ADVANTAGES
Advantages
Constant heating at a
particular temperature for
desired time period.
No change with change in
seasonal variation.
Provides more time for self
cooling.
User friendly.
No procurement of fuel as it is
driven by electricity.
There is need to standardize the temperature pattern of classical puta.
Implementation of this pattern in furnace.

20. PRACTICALITY OF PUTA AS MENTIONED IN
CLASSICS .
The number and the type of puta mentioned in the classical rasa texts are the only guidelines.
A rasashastri must analyse all the properties of material and feasibility of the process.
It depends on the wisdom of pharmaceutical expert to set a protocol for preparation of
Rasaaushadhis.
As in text, neither there is mentioning of weight of the raw material nor the weight of the
cowdungs to be taken for a puta wsr to a type of puta.
But in sutra form they had mentioned for eg- Gajaputa for Abharaka bhasma, Budhar puta or
kukkuta puta for Hartala and somal bhasma depending on the physico chemical nature of the
material.
Type of bhavana dravya used ,also changes the number and type of puta.
The product that is to be required for therapeutics, also changes the number of puta.

21. RELIABILITY OF FINAL PRODUCTS :
 It should depend on the completion tests achieved by the final product as
mentioned in classical texts.
 Colour of the final products obtained.
 Completion test is mentioned for every rasa preparation.
 Bhasma pariksha to finalize the preparation of bhasma, snehasiddhi
lakshanas, avlehasiddhi lakshnas, paka pariksha for parpati, time of corking
of kupi for kupi pakwa rasayana etc.
 Bhasma pariksha can be classified as physical, chemical and biological.
Physical
• Rekhapurna, unama,
• Varitara, slakshna
Chemical
• Apunarbhava, Amla pariksha
• Niruttha , Nirdhuma
Biological
• Avami
• Anjanasradashya

22. NUMBER OF PUTA IN DESCRIBED IN CLASSICS VS
PRESENT PRACTICAL DOCUMENTATION
s.n
o
Metals/ minerals No of putas ( in
classics )
Reference No of puta ( in
documentation )
1. Abhraka 03/10/20/60/100/1
000
R.R.S ( 2/22 ,24,25,26) R.T
(10/29)
35/37
2 Vaikrant 08 R.R.S (2/67) 14
3 Makshika 05/10 R.R.S (2/84 , 85,86) ; R.T 21/21-
22)
10
4 vimala 10 R.R.S (2/100) 14
5 Tutha 2/3 R.T (21/122-124)
6 Rasaka ( Baluka yantra ;
shoshana
A.P (2/210) ZnCO3, ZnS- 3
putas
7 Kasika --Niramla R.T ( 21/255-257)N 04
8 Hartala 12/
bhasma yantra
R.R.S (3/74-75) A.P (2/184-87),
R.T 11/30-41
01
9 Swarna 08/ 10 / 12 R.R.S (5/15, 5/16,17) ; R.T 15/47-
52)
--
10 Rajata 02/03 /30 ,
karishagni
A.P (3/107-108), R.T (16/ 17-21,
24 ) R.R.S 5/37
17

23. CONTD…
11 Tamra 03 , bhasma
pariksha
R.R.S (5/53) R.T (5/26- 27) 03/07/19
12 Lauha 05/
13/20/40/60/100
R.R.S 5/117-118 ) R.A ( 3/134-136),
R.R.S (5/ 109-112: 125-126 ; 113-
115; R.T (20/78-79)
60
13 Mandura 30 / 07 R.T (20/129-131) ; R.A (3/149) 27 /21
14 Vanga 03/ 07 A.P (3/170) 04
15 Yashada Colour of the
bhasma
R.T 18 09/10
16 Naga 03 /07/ 60 R.T (19/ 19-23 ; 10 ) R.R.S ( 5/ 181-
183 )
03/60
17 Godanti -- R.T ( 11/240) ; R.A (5/5-6) 02/03
18 Mukta
/Shukti
-- R.T (12/ 37) 03
19 Shankha -- R.T ( 12/ 17-19) 03

24. GAJAPUTA
TEXT REF: REF. - R.R.S. 10
/ 53 – 54
14:00
14:25
14:50
15:15
15:40
16:05
16:30
16:55
17:20
17:45
18:10
18:35
19:00
19:25
19:50
20:15
20:40
21:05
21:30
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
• 1 RAJHASTA– 58.5
CM LXBXD
SIZE
• 950-1000°CPEAK TEMP
• 2 HR
TIME TO
REACH PEAK
• 1.5 HR
DURATION
OF TEMP
ABOVE 800°C
USES – LOHA,MANDOOR ETC

25. VARAHA PUTA
TEXT REF: REF. - R.R.S. 10
/ 55
14:00
14:25
14:50
15:15
15:40
16:05
16:30
16:55
17:20
17:45
18:10
18:35
19:00
19:25
19:50
20:15
20:40
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
• 1 ARATNI – 42.9CM
LXBXD
SIZE
• 800-900°CPEAK TEMP
• 1 HR
TIME TO
REACH PEAK
• 1 HR
DURATION OF
TEMP ABOVE
800°C
USES – SHANKHA,SHUKTI ETC

26. KUKKUTA PUTA
TEXT REF: B.P VOL 1.7/28
14:00
14:25
14:50
15:15
15:40
16:05
16:30
16:55
17:20
17:45
18:10
18:35
19:00
19:25
19:50
20:15
20:40
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
• 16 ANGULA–
31.2CM LXBXD
SIZE
• 800°CPEAK TEMP
• 30-45 MIN
TIME TO
REACH PEAK
• 15-20MIN
DURATION OF
TEMP ABOVE
650°C
USES – SUVARNA BHASMA ETC

27. RECENT RESEARCHES

30. Tamra Bhasma prepared in 3
putas.. Tamra Bhasma was prepared in 7
putas..

31. CONCLUSION
 Puta means an arrangement of certain equipments containing any metal /
mineral that require exact quantum of heat, necessary to convert these into
pharmaco- therapeutically absorbable form.
 In context of Bhasma preparation, number and type of Puta may differ from as
mentioned in classics.
 Pre operative procedures such as process of Shodhana , dravya used for
Bhavna and Shodhana , quality of fuel and raw material used, climatic
conditions , weight of the drug can cause variation in the number of Putas.
 Many research work has been done in order to understand the concept of Puta
and several researchers had tried to compare the Bhasma preparation of EMF
and traditional puta.
 But still there is no fruitful outcome.
 Completion tests are the best method to be adopted for finalizing the formation
of product.
 I think, we can able to understand this concept by rigorous practical work.
 Many Rasavaidyas from different part of our country preparing and using their
own Rasa aushadhis including Pottali, Parpati, kupipakwa and Bhasmas by
their own wisdom with good understanding of the Rasa treatise.

32. REFERENCES
 Vagbhatacharya, ‘Rasa-ratna-samuchchaya’, with Hindi commentary by prof. D. A. Kulkarni, Vol. 1, New
Delhi-2: Meharchand Lachhamandas
 Publications; Preprint, 1998. Adhyaya 3/52-55, p. 70.
 Sri. Sadananda Sarma, Rasatarangini, Editor Pandit Kasinatha Sastri, Delhi, Motilal Banarasidas,
11th edition, 1979; 3(32):35.
 Vaidyavara Sri Chudamani, Rasakamadhenu, Editor Vaidya Yadavaji Trikamji Acarya, 2nd ed.,
Varanasi, Chaukhambha publishers, 2001; 2(165):233.
 Acharya Sri Madhava, Ayurveda prakasa, Editor Shri. Gulrajsharma Mishra, Chaukhambha Bharati
Academy, 1999; 2(1):252.
 Sri. Sadananda Sarma, Rasatarangini, Editor Pandit Kasinatha Sastri, Delhi, MotilalBanarasidas,
11th edition, 1979; 12(1):285.
 Sri. Sadananda Sarma, Rasatarangini, Editor Pandit Kasinatha Sastri, Delhi, MotilalBanarasidas,
11th edition, 1979; 12(6-11):285-286.
 Acharya Sri Madhava, Ayurveda prakasa, Editor Shri. Gulrajsharma Mishra, Chaukhambha Bharati
Academy, 1999; 2(264):323.
 Sri. Gopalakrshna Bhatta, Rasendra Sara Sangraha with rasavidyotini Hindi commentary, Editor Dr.
Indradeva Tripathy, 3rd ed., Chaukhambha orientalia, 2003; 1(252):65.
 The Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part - I, Govt. of India, New Delhi, 2000; Appendix -I, p. 354.

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141.
 Vidyotini Hindi commentary, 7th ed., Varanasi, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan, 1999;
p.164.
 Bhudeb Mookerjee, Rasa jala nidhi, 4th ed., Varanasi, Chaukhamba publishers, 2004;
p.220.
 Vaidya Rameswara Dayala Vajpeyi, Rasavaidyaka, Varanasi, Chaukhambha
krishnadasa academy, 2006, 1st chapter, p26.
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Puta in the preparation of Vanga Bhasma. Ayu. 2010 Oct;31(4):511.
 Rajput DS, Tekale GS. Study on Bhasma Kalpana with special reference to the
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Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2010 Feb 1;14(2):781-9.
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34.  Physicochemical screening of Godanti Bhasma : An effort to Pharmaceutical
Standardisation Rohit Thakkar, Dileep Singh Baghel*, Saurabh Singh.
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for Muktā Bhasma (calcined pearl). Ancient science of life. 2015 Jul;35(1):42
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