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According to the Rasaratna Samuccaya of Vāgbhat, there are stated to be five kinds of gold, viz. (1) Prākṣit, (2) Sahaja (3) Agnisambhava (4) Khanija (gold produced in mine.) (5) Pāradavedhajanya (gold obtained by the chemical process in conjuc
tion with mercury)". That is, the first three are attributed to mythical • and celestial origin, and the fourth is begotten of mines and the fifth
is obtained by the transmutation of the baser. metals in conjuction with mercury.
... The last two kinds of metal are mentioned in the Suvarna-RaupyaSiddhi-Šāstra.
Various chemical processes of making gold by the transmutation of the baser metals in conjunction mercury and medicinal preparations with
it have been given in the Suvarņa-Raupya-Siddhi-Šāstra. :: Gold is killed with the juice of red Sesbania glandiflora%.
According to the Rasārņava, gold can be purified by saturation with the juice of citrus medica (bijore nibu), kşāra (oxide) and salt for five days and by the application of puțapāka.6
1. Prakrtam sahajaṁ vahnisambhatam khanisambhavam |
Rasendravedhasamjātam svarnaṁ pamcavidhaṁ smrtam || Tatra tatrāgirinām hi jātam khanışu yad bhavet | Rasendravedhasambhūtam tadvedhamudāhrtam ll. RS., Vägbhat (512–8). The Rasārnava refers to three kinds of gold.
viz, “rasajam, kşetrajam, lohasarikarajam Tathā 1. 1:1 Trividham jāyate hemam caturtham no-palabhyati |1 ,
Rasārņava 71/99. 2. Ibid. 3. See the section on the gold-making process. 4. See the Section on medicines. 5. SRSS., Ch. 1.1, Ch. II. 1 (Common) 6. Mrttikā mātulungāmlaiḥ pañcavasarabhävitā | Sabhasmalavaņā
hema sodhayet puţapakatah 11 , Rasārņava (7/102)
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