This document provides an overview of musha (crucibles) in Ayurveda. It defines musha as containers used in metallurgy and alchemy processes. The document then classifies and describes 21 different types of musha based on their shape and intended uses in processes like rasa murcchana, sodhana, and marana. It also discusses the modern uses of crucibles as containers for high-temperature chemical reactions and metal processing. In summary, the document outlines the history and applications of various crucible types used in traditional Indian alchemy according to Ayurvedic texts.

1. MUSHA IN AYURVEDA
PREPARED BY:
SIDDHENDU & SUKRITI
M.PHARM (AYURVEDA)

2. CONTENTS
❖ INTTRODUCTION – RASASHASTRA & MUSHA
❖ DEFINITION – MUSHA VIJNANA
❖ HISTORICAL CONSIDERATION
❖ SYNONYMS
❖ CONSTRUCTION – PREPARATION & PARTS
❖ CLASSIFICATION OF MUSHA
❖ USES OF MUSHA
❖ AN INSIGHT INTO THE MODERN USES.

3. INTTRODUCTION – RASASHASTRA &
MUSHA
• In Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medical lore
of Hinduism, Rasa Shastra is a process by which
various metals, minerals and other substances,
including mercury, are purified and combined with herbs in an
attempt to treat illnesses which is now a pharmaceutical branch
of Indian system of medicine.
• Discovery of metals & their various applications paved away
to the science of metallurgy of which Crucibles (Musha) were
an inevitable part.

4. DEFINITION – MUSHA VIJNANA

5. HISTORICAL CONSIDERATION
The word of Musha has its origin in the process of Purification of metals
to which it is primarily employed.

6. SYNONYMS
The experts of alchemy call Musha also as –
▪ Krauncika – made of soil obtained from
Krauncika / shape resembles bird known as
Krauncika.
▪ Karahatika - soil obtained from Karahata desa.
▪ Kumudi – shape resembles with Kumuda puspa
▪ Pacini – most of them are used for pachana.
▪ Bahni mitra - friend towards fire
▪ Musa – used to remove the removable dosa.

7. CONSTRUCTION – PREPARATION & PARTS
Basic material needed :
• 1)Dagdha tusha(Burnt Husk)
• 2) Pashana churna
• 3)Angara(Burnt Charcoal)
• 4)Lohakitta(Iron slag)
• 5)Dagdhagara(Burnt clay)
• 6)Sana(Jute)
• 7)Vida(Salt)
• 8)Bhunaga mruttika
• 9)Krushna mruttika
• 10)Shweta mruttika
• 11)Rakta mruttika
• 12) Valmika mruttika(Hillrock soil)
• 13)Shwetashma(Limestones)
• 14)Kupi churna
• 15)Sukti churna
• 16)Ishtika churna
• 17)Bhunaga satwa
• 18)Jala
• 19)Mahisha kshira

8. CONTD.
Grahya laxnana of Mruttika: Blackish colour, Pandura colour,
withoout impurities like stone, shining, sticky in nature & heavy.

9. Samanya musa (Ordinary Crucible) :
• Made of earth & iron powder;
• horse dung, powdered coal, burnt chaff are added;
• milk added as moistening agent;
• various shape & size;
• hard , durable and heat – resistant.
CONTD.

10. • Parts of Musha
1) Upper part ( Pidhanaka ) –
Covers the musha & protect material to flow from it.
2) Lower basal part –
Used for keeping materials for heating.
CONTD.

11. 1. Vajra Musha : Shape – round or oval ; stand
for strong heat for 4 yamas (12 hours) ; used
for rasa sodhana, marana, bandhana,
murchana etc.
2. Gara Musha: Shape – round or oval ; stand
for strong heat for 2 yamas (6 hours) ; used
for rasa karma.
contd.
CLASSIFICATION OF MUSHA

12. 3. Vara Musha : Shape – not mentioned; stand
for strong heat for 1 yamas (3 hours) ; used
for rasa karmas.
4. Vajra dravani Musha: Shape – not
mentioned ; stand for strong heat for 2 -4
yamas (6 -12 hours) ; used for rasa karma.
contd.
Contd.

13. 5.Varna Musha : Shape – not mentioned; stand
for strong heat ; used for brighten the colour.
6. AndhaMusha: Shape – gostankara with
pointed covering lid; stand for strong heat for;
used for patra lepa, ranjana, saran etc.
7. Raupya Musha: Shape – like Vajra Musha;
used for making white colour bright as silver.
contd.
Contd.

14. 8. Bhasma Musha : Shape – not mentioned;
used for purification of silver.
9. YogaMusha: Shape – not mentioned ; used in
mercurial process.
10. Prakash Musha: Shape – like sarava; used
in beej nirvapana.
11. Vrintaka Musha: Shape – looks like
vrintaka; used in rasa karma.
Contd.

15. 12. Pakva Musha : Shape – like bhanda or pot
maker; used for pachana, svedana, sodhana.
13. Malla Musha: Shape – like ball; used for
swedana of parpati etc.
14. Gola Musha: Shape – Round like ball; used
for quick purificcation.
contd.
Contd.

16. 15. Maha Musha : Shape – Kurpara sandhi or
elbow joints; used for satva patanna of abhrak
& makshik.
16. Manduka Musha: Shape – like frog; used
for puta paka & marana.
17. Musala Musha: Shape – like cylinder flat at
base; used for preparaing chakri baddha rasa.
contd.
Contd.

17. 18. Garbha Musha : Shape – not mentioned;
used for parada bandhana.
19. Gostani Musha: Shape – Gostankara; used
for sodhana & dravana of satva.
Contd.

18. 20.Vida Musha : Shape – not mentioned; used
for loha & deha siddhi.
21.PrakataMusha: Shape – like sarava; used for
sarana karma.
Contd.

19. MUSHA LEPA (CRUCIBLE LINING)

20. MUSHA LEPA (CRUCIBLE LINING)

21. USES OF MUSHA
• Rasa Murcchana
• Rasa Sodhana
• Rasa Marana
• Rasa Bandhana
• Dvanda Melapana
• Dravana
• Satavpatan

22. AN INSIGHT INTO THE MODERN USES.
• Crucible, pot of clay.
• Used from ancient times as a container for melting or testing
metals
• Crucibles were probably so named from the Latin
word crux, “cross” or “trial.”
• Modern crucibles may be small laboratory utensils for
conducting high-temperature chemical reactions and analyses
or large industrial vessels for melting and calcining metal and
ore
• they may be made of clay, graphite, porcelain, platinum,
PTFE, SS, nickel, carbon – steel, zirconium, vitreous carbon or
a relatively infusible metal.

23. AN INSIGHT INTO THE MODERN USES.

24. REFERENCES
• Alchemy And Metallic Medicines In Ayurveda By Bhagwan Dash 187
– 190
• Vijaya Jayant Deshpande, Musavijnana or the ancient science of
crucibles, Indian Journal of History of Science, 31(4), 1996; p – 359 –
373.
• Apte Vinayak, Rasratnasamuccaya of Vagbhata, Anandasrama
Sanskrit series no 19, Poona, 1890
• Rasa Ratna Samuccaya by Sri Vagbhatta Acharya
• rasa-kamadhenu, Chaukhambha Orientalia by Sri Cudamani Mishra,
Vaidh Santosh Kumar Sharma
• Dr. Damodar Joshi, Rasasastra, Chaukhambha Orientalia, 2010; p –
346-360