BOOK REVIEW ON RASAMRITA

1. RASAMRITAM
BOOK REVIEW BY
Dr ANJANA.P
FINAL YEAR PG
R&B DEPARTMENT
GOVT.AYURVEDA COLLEGE
TRIPUNITHURA
KERALA

2. Introduction:
 Author : Vaidya Sri Yadavji Trikamji Acharya , son of
Vaidya Trikamji and Smt. Manakbhai.
 Time period: 20th century A.D.
 writing works: Rasamrita, Sidhayoga Samgraha.
 Translations:
 English – Dr Damodhar Joshi & Dr D.G.Prabhakar Rao.

3.  Hindi translation by Dr Devanath Simha Gautam.
 Editor:
 1st edition in 1951.
 Publisher and publication:
 Motilal Banarasi Das , Varanasi, 1951 – Yadavji
 Chaukhambha Sanskrit Bhavan – Varanasi – English
translation – 1998 by Dr Damodhar Joshi.
 Chaukhambha Surbharathi Prakashan, Varanasi, Hindi
translation- 2008- of Devanath Gautam.

4.  Number of volumes : 0ne
 Number of chapters – 9
 Number of appendices: 9
 10th appendix was added by Dr Damodhar Joshi.
 Number of pages : 315

5. Name of chapters:
1. Rasa Vijnaniyam
2. Gandhaka Vijnaniyam
3. Loha Vijnaniyam
4. Malla Vijnaniyam
5. Sudha Vijnaniyam
6. Sikata Vijnaniyam
7. Lavana Kshara Vijnaniyam
8. Ratna Vijnaniyam
9. Rasa Yoga Vijnaniyam

6. • 1. Rasa Vijnaniyam:
 Synonyms of Parada
 Sudha rasa gunas : Shadrasa, Yogavahi, Sara, Guru,
Tridosa samana, Vrishya , Rasayana, Vrnasodhana,
Ropana , Krimighna etc.
 Rasa doṣas:
 Visha, Vahni, Mala – Naisargika doṣas
 Naga, Vanga – Yougika dosas.

7.  Description about Ashta Samskaras of Parada.
 Process of extraction of Parada from Hingula, by
triturating with Nimbu swarasa and subjected to
Tiryakapatana.
 Description about some mercurial preparations like
Kajjali, Rasaparpati, Rasasindhoora, Makaradwaja rasa,
Malla sindhura rasa & Rasa Karpoora.
 Description about Rasa Dhatus like Hingula and
Girisindhoora.

8.  Darada Vati:
 Hingula subjected to Bhavana with Lasuna, Palandu,
Tambula & Ardraka Swarasa for 7 times.
 Pills of 2 Ratti size
 Vata Kaphaja rogas like Sandhivata, Purana Peenasa.

9. 2. Gandhaka Vinjnaniyam:
 Synonyms of Gandhaka
 Detailed description about Gandhaka along with its
Shodhana and pharmaco therapeutic properties.
 Description about Gandhaka Rasayana along with its
Anupanas like Manjstadi kwatha, honey, Mahatikataka
Ghrita, Khadirarista etc.

10. 3. Loha Vijnaniyam:
 Description of Dhatus.
 Swarna, Rajatha and Tamra are described with respect to
their synonyms, properties, Shodhana, Marana.
 Description about alloys of Tamra – Pittala and Kamsya
followed by ores of copper such as Makshika, Tutha and
Jangara .
 Jangara: Acid kept in copper vessel with Saindhava
Lavana and milk for 3 days- turns to blue colour.

11.  Mainly used as Vrnasodhaka and Ropana.
 Vanga ,its synonyms, Shodhana, Jarana and Marana
followed by description of Swarna vanga
 Description of Naga followed by its ores like
Nagasindhoora, Mriddarashringa, Souveeranjana &
Sapheda.
 Author consider Neelanjana and Souveeranjana as same,
so it is described in the context of Naga.
 Yashada with its ores , Pushpanjana and Rasaka are
explained.

12.  Ayas with its synonyms, properties, Shodhana, Marana,
Ayaskriti are described along with Mandoora.
 Ores of Ayas- Vimala, Kasisa, Gairika, Gile armani,
Gilemaktum, Abhrka and Ayaskanta are described.
 Gile armani – type of mud, reddish in colour available in
Iran and Armenia.
 Gilemaktum- kind of mud with rich content of iron,
oxygen and calcium.

13. 4. Malla Vijnaniyam:
 Detailed description about Haritala, Manashila &
Gouripashana.
 Description about preparations like Malla vati, Phenasma
drava, Shila Sindhura, Tala sindhura etc.
5. Sudha Vijnaniyam:
 Description about Sudha, Khatika, Godanti &
Samudraphena.

14.  Sudha Parpati :
Sudha – 1part
Sudha Gandhaka – 2 parts
 Dose: 1-2 Ratti with water or milk cures pimples,
Prameha pidaka, Twak rogas.
 Kasisa Godanti Bhasma : sudha Kasisa & Godanti ( 1:7),
give Bhavana with Kumari swarasa, subjected to
Gajaputa, red coloured Bhasma , cure Pandu roga.

15. 6. Sikata Vijnaniyam:
 Description about the properties and Yogas of Sikata,
Dugdha Pashana, Kauseyasma , Naga Pashana & Hajrul
Yahud or Badarasma.
7. Lavana Kshara Vijnaniyam:
 Description about Saindhava- Samudra- Romaka- Vida-
Sauvarchala & Audbhida Lavanas.
 Description about the properties of Yava Kshara, Sarjika
Kshara, Tankana, Sphatika & Soorya Kshara .

16.  Description about Papada Kshara – obtained from
alkaline earth or prepared artificially.
 Explained Surya Kshara as Karpoora shilajatu along with
its properties.
8. Ratna Vijnaniyam:
 Description about Nava ratnas along with the methods of
Shodhana and Marana.
 Description about Uparatnas – Akika, Chandrakanta,
Perojakam, Rajavarta, Suryakanta etc.

17. 9. Rasayoga Vijnaniyam:
 66 Rasa Yogas like Agnikumara rasa, Arogyavardhi vati,
Agnitundi vati, Aswakanchuki rasa, Kasthuri bhirava
rasa, Kamadugha Rasa, Krimikutara Rasa, Chandrakala
Rasa, Chandraprabha Vati, Trinetra Rasa, Trikantakadya
Loha, Nripativallabha Rasa, Balarka Rasa, Lakshmivilasa
Rasa, Lohasava, Shirasoolavajradi Rasa, Tamra Parpati,
Panchamrita Parpati, Hemagarbha Pottali etc. along with
dose, Anupana & indications.

18. APPENDICES:
1. Appendix 1: Important instructions for preparing
Bhasmas.
2. Appendix 2: Chapala explained in detail .
3. Appendix 3: : Shilajatu in detail.
4. Appendix 4: about Makshika and Vimala.
5. Appendix 5: Rasanjana

19. 6. Appendix 6: Named as Loha Dhatunam doṣa, bad
effects of unpurified and unreduced metals and minerals are
described.
7. Appendix 7 : Dhatunam Satvapatanam, here Abhraka,
Kharpara, Bhunaga, Chapala, Gouripashana, Hingula,
Kasisa, Anjana, Makshika, etc. Satvapatana procedures and
general method of Satvapatana of all Dhathus are described.

20. 8. Appendix 8: Named as Udhbija Dravyanam, where
Sodhana, Shodhana procedures of Ahiphena, Gunja,
Dhattura, Kupilu, Vatsanabha and Vijaya are explained.
9. Appendix 9: names of important Rasa Dravyas ,referred
in Charaka and Susruta are mentioned with references.
10. Appendix 10: not found in original texts book. Yantras,
Mooshas, Putas & Kosti are described.

21. • Speciality of this Grantha:
 While classifying the Rasa Dravyas, Yadavji followed
his own pattern instead of following the ancient
traditional pattern.
 While describing each drug also, he followed his own
pattern which gives a clear knowledge in brief about each
drug to the reader.
 Sri Yadavji tried to avoid the descriptions of the drugs
and procedures which are controversial or confusing.

22.  Only such drugs, procedures and the preparations which
are not confusing, non controversial and which have been
experienced by him and other Vaidyas in their practise
and which proved to be most useful and acceptable by
majority of Ayurvedic Physicians.
 In many places, where the subject material is not clear,
he tried to explain it either on the basis of descriptions of
the other contemporary texts or with his own experience
added in the text as Vaktavya.

23. Contributions:
 Unique classification based on chemical nature. E:g-
calcium compounds dealt under Sudha Vijnaniyam.
 Inclusion of new useful drugs like Badarasma, Surma
etc.
 Sikata varga as a separate chapter told for the first time.
 33 Adoptable Rasayogas are explained.
 All 4 Rasa Rasayanas are described.

24.  Clear differentiation of drugs based on chemical nature.
E;g – Sindhura – Parada while Nagasindhoora under
Naga.
 References for Yogas or Slokas taken from previous
texts are mentioned.

25. Pitfalls:
 Paribhasha, Yantra, Moosha, Puta, Koshti are not
explained in the main chapters.
 Many more Rasa Yogas could have been incorporated.
 Souveeranjana and Neelanjana considered as one and the
same, but they are two different drugs.

26. Conclusion:
 Yadavji had written Rasamritam, in the light of modern
scientific knowledge and had made it most useful as a
text and reference book for Rasasastra students, Vaidyas
and the modern scholars by including necessary
Ayurvedic as well as modern scientific knowledge.
 Also the contemporary knowledge of other medicinal
branches like Unani and modern medicine etc.

27.  English translation by Dr Damodhar Joshi made the text
more useful to the students in understanding the subject,
material property and making the text complete in all
sense.

28. THANK YOU