________________
39
According to the Rasaratna Samuccaya of Vāgbhat, Kamikuştha is produeed at the foot of the Himalayas. Other Indian alchemists, and the author of the Suvarna-Siddhi-Šāstra are of opinion that it is the excreta of new born clephant. 1
It is of white and yellow colour and is a strong purgative.2
It is of two kinds : Viz. Nālikhya and Reņuka Nālikākhya kaṁkuştha is of yellow colour, heavy in weitht, bright and best. Reņuka kam kustba is of mixed black-yellow colour and light in weight, it is regarded as inferior because of living essence. Some Ācārya calls the nāla (dung) of a newly born horse, as Kamkuștha. Its colour is mixed white-yellow.3
Kaṁkuştha gets purified by the process of saturation three times in decoction of Soņtha. It is itself essence like. for this reason essence can not be extracted. 4 Sādbāraņgrasa-Common minerals
The Suvarna-Raupya-Siddhi-Šāstra makes mention of some common minerals besides the superior and inferior minerals, such as, Navasāra5 or
115.
1. RSSS., 5.57, 2. Keciờ vadanti kam kuştaṁ sadyojātasya dantinaḥ /
Varcaśca śyāmapitābham recanaṁ parikathyate. RS.3/115. Himavatpadaśikhare karkuşthamupajāyate / Tatraikam nālikākhyom hi tadanyadreņukam matam // Pitaprabham gurū snigdham Kankuşthamādimam / Syāmapitam laghutyaktasatvam neştam hi renukam || Katicittejivāhānām nālaṁ kamkuştha-saṁjñakam / Vadanti śvetapitābham tadativa virecanam //
RS., 3/113-116. 4. Kamkuştham śuddhimāyāti tridhā Śuņthyambubhāvitam /
Śattvākarso asya na prokto Yasmātsattvamayoṁ hi tat.
RS., 3/121-122. 5. SRSS., Ch. 1. 31; 3-5, 40, 50, 70. 73, 74, 76, 104; 4-14, 23, 5-1, 2,
6, 9, 10, 22, 25, 32, 43, 6. 17; 7. 26, 27, 28; 8-13, 18, 19, 20; 2-11, 23, 41, 44, 46; 10. 6, 9. 10, 22, 27, 28, 39, 45. 58; 11. 13, 14, 17, 21, 34, 33; 11/2/6; 12. 3, 4, 17; 13, 20; 13/2/2; 13/24, 13/12/14, 14/12/116,
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
