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of Dravana varga and smear the inside of mineral calamine with it. On heating this calamine the best druti (melting stuff) of brass is found.
Kamsgsa (Bronze or Bell-metal) Kāṁsa is one of the eight kinds of metal mentioned in the SuvarnaRaupya-Siddhi-Sastra. It is an alloy made by melting together eight parts of copper and two parts of tin. Bell-metal of Saurāştra is regarded as best. Good bell metal is that which clinks sharp when struck, and is soft, cool, of mixed colour, of blackness and whiteness, pure and becomes red on giving heat. That bell-metal which is yellow becomes copper-coloured when heated, (which is) rough, breakable and whose ray shoots forth on rubbing. 3
Purification of Kāṁsya (Bell-metal) If it is quenched into the cow's urine by heating it well in fire, it becomes purified. 4
The process of calcination of Bell metal The Rasaratna Samuccaya of Vāgbhața gives the two processes of calcination of bell metal. (a) Bell-metal can he killed with the help of sulphur and orpiment. Rub
sulphur and orpiment in the juice of lemon and smear the leaf of bell-metal with the paste made in this way. Close the leaf in a sarāvasampuța and heat it in a gajapuța; give it five puțas (roastings)
in this way, there will be the ashes of bell-metal by this process. 1. Suvarņa rātikācūrņam bhakṣitam veștitaṁ punaḥ /
Chāgena kşşşavarņena mattena taruņena ca // Talliptam kharpare dagdham drutim muncati sobhanām //
RS. 5/202-203. 2. SRSS. VI. 13. 3. Aştabhāgena tāmreņa dvibhāgakhurakeņa cà 1 Vidrutena bhavet
kāmsyam Tatsaurāştrabhavaḥ śubhaṁ 11 Tiksnaśabdam mrdusnigdhamisacchyāmala subhrakam Nirmalam dāharaktam ca şodhā kāṁsyam praśasyate / Tatpitam dahane tāmram kharam rūkşam ghanāsaham | „Mardanādāgatajyotiḥ saptadhā Kāṁsyamutssjet 11,
RS. 5/204-206. 4. Taptam kāṁsyam gavām mūtre vāpitam parisudhyati, RS. 5/209. 5. Mriyate gandhalālābhyam niruttham pamcabhiḥ puțaiḥ / ,
RS. 5/210.
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