Rasratna Samucchay

Author(s): Manikyadevsuri
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 27

It is remarkable to observe how the richness of its vocabularies in all the three chapters produces an equal effect on the minds of the readers by truly expressing and explaining all aspects of its varied contents it has touched upon without faltering, slowness and hazziness by presenting a clear and concise conception about them.
In the Rasaratna Samuccaya its author has used three styles, viz., descriptive, explanatory and emotive in the presentation of its varied alchemical and medical contents and explaining its subject-matters in clear, concise and explicit manner.
The literary value of the Rasaratna Samuccaya lies in the fact that its rich Sanskrit language expresses clearly by its proper terminology the alchemical and medical thoughts and ideas of its creative genius, dealing with various aspects of alchemy and medicine.
The contents of the Rasaratna Samuccaya viewed as an aspect of Indian alchemical and medical literature and as a part of recorded knowledge :
A close comparative study of Indian alchemical literature of the Tantric period (700 A D. to circa 1300 A.D.) and of the latrochemical period (1300-1550 A. D.) and the Rasaratna Samuccaya of Māņikyadeva Sūri reveals that "Indian Alchemy very largely derived its colour, flavour and in fact its nourishment from the Tantric cult."1
The contents of the Rasaratna Samuccaya can be viewed as part of Indian alchemical literature, as the progress of chemistry in both can be traced to medicine and alchemy. So the contents of the RS. is a part of recorded knowledge as Māņikyadeva Sūri himself admits that this work is based on the previous works. The very name 'Rasaratna Samuccaya' shows that this title has been borrowed from the Rasaratna Samuccaya of Vāgbhas, son of Simhagupta, prince of physicians of the latro-chemical period.
1. History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Dr. P.C.
Ray, p. 113.