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The act of closing the joints of the lid and crucible is called bandhana (binding), Sandhilepana (smcaring of joint), andhraṇa, randhraṇa, samśliṣṭa and sandhibandhana.1
The process of making Crucible
Clay or soil for making a crucible should be yellow and fine or sandy and red and of yellow colour. It can bear the heat of fire for ever and is the best. If such clay is not available, then white and-hill's soil or potter's clay should be taken for making it."
Mix ash of husk of paddy, coal and horse-dung into this clay and make them properly, grind them properly with an iron rod. This clay is good for common crucible. The following things may be mixed for making a crucible, Viz. Śvetasma (wite chalk), ash of burnt husk, coal, flux, powder of Khiparo (not identified), horse-dung, and rust of iron and black soil.3.
In the Rasaratnasamuccaya there is mention of 17 kinds of crucible, viz. Vajramūṣā, Yogamūṣā, Vajradrāvaṇi mūṣā, gāramūṣā, varamūṣā, varṇamūṣā, raupyamūṣā, Viḍamūṣā, another kind of vajradrāvarī mūāṣ vṛntāka mūṣā, gostanī mūṣā, mallamūṣā, golamūṣā, mahāmūṣā, mañḍukamūṣā and musalamuṣā.
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Vajramūṣā
It is made by the combination of 3 parts of clay, I part of flux, 1 part of horse dung, 1 part of ash of burnt husk, 1 part of white chalk and part of iron-dust after grinding them well. It is useful for the work of Satvapatana.1
1
1. Mūṣapidhanayorbandhe bandham sandhilepanam /
Andhraṇam randhraṇam caiva samślisṭam samdhibandhanam // Ibid. 10/5.
2. Mṛttikā pāṇḍurasthula särkarasoṇapäṇḍurā / Ciradhmanasaha sa hi mūsāśathamatisasyate // Tadabhave ca valmiki kaulali va samiryate Ibid. 10/6.
3. Ya mṛttikadagdhatuṣaiḥ śanena sikhitrakairiva hayaladdina ca/ Lauhena dandena ca Kuṭṭita ya sadhāraṇā syatkhalu mūṣika the '// Śvetaśmanastuṣā dagdhah sikhitrah sanakarpare/
Laddhiḥ Kiṭṭam Kṛṣṇamṛtsna saṁyojyā mūṣikāmṛdi // Ibid. 10/7-8. 4. Mrdastribhagaḥ saṇaladdibhāgau bhagaścau nirdagdhatuṣopalādeḥ / Kiṭṭārdhabhāgam parikhandya vajramūṣāṁ vidadhyātā khalu sattvapāte / Ibid., 10/9.
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