Introduction to Rasashastra, History,

1. Rasa shastra
DR.MAHANTESH.B.RUDRAPURI
M.D(AYU),FAGE
PROFESSOR & H.O.D, PG DEPT OF RSBK,
SHRI SHIVAYOGEESHWAR RURAL AYURVED
MEDICAL COLLEGE,INCHAL.
EMAIL-MBRUDRAPURI@GMAIL.COM

2. Introduction to Rasashastra
Rasashastra ?
Rasa and Shastra
Mercury.

4. Rasashastra Prayojana
Dharmartha upabhoganam nastrajya vivruddaye
Ayu yavvana labhartham muktyartam cha
mumukshunam|
(Rasopnishat)
Na cha rasashatram dhatuvadartham eva ite
matavyam
Dehavedadwara muktireva param prayojanatwat|
(sarvadrashan sangraha)

5. Definition and Ethmology of Rasa
Rasa
Rasa dhatu
Swarasa kalpana
Shadrasa

6. History of Rasashastra
Lord shiva was related with Rasashastra,
as parad, which is basic Element of
Rasashastra is said to be originated
from lord Shiva.

7. Vedic Period –
Rugveda
Yajurveda
Atharvaveda
Purana kala –
Ramayana
Mahabharata
Agni puran
Garuda purana
Samhita kala –
Charaka samhita
Sushruta samhita
Ashtanga Hrudaya

8. In prak-itihas kala, after pashana yuga(stone age), Dhatuyuga
was started. In Dakshinbharat, the Lohayuga which is related
with Dravida Sampradaya and In Uttarabharat, the Tamrayuga
which is related with Arya Sampradaya.

9. Vedic period
Rugveda –
1) Tamra, swarna, kansya,
2) Tamra- ayasa, lohitayasa and krishnayasa.
3) Ashwini kumars- ref, of vishpala,
4) Dhatu ratnamala- written by Ashwini kumars
5) Manidharana
Yajurveda –
Swrna, ayasa, symayasa, loha, sisa, trapu.

10. Athrvanaveda
1) Rajata, swarna, lohitayasa, symayasa, sisa,
2) Treatment of gandamala – shankalepa, mutragraha – shalaka prayoga,
Apachita vruna – lavana prayoga, Anjana mani prayoga as rakshogna,
Manidarana.
3) Ref- of sthavara and jangama visha.
4) Ref- of 4 types of chikitsas- Atharvani, Angirasi, Daivi and Manushi.

11. Purana kala
Ramayana –
Manidarana, dhatu nirmita shastras and astras, arka Shastra by
Ravana.
Mahabharat –
Koula sampradaya, jarana, marana, ucchatana, Shastra Vaidya,
manidarana, kritrima swarna.
Agnipurana and Garuda purana –
Dhatu bhasma, in kusta – manahshila & haratala lepa, Ratna
utpatti, Ratna pareeksha, guna, doshas, darana. Takra & loha
churna in pandu, hingula prayoga in dantaroga.

12. Koutilya Arthashastra
Ref- of Khanija and Dhatu.Moola dravya (ore) was called as Dhatu.
Ref of Shulba Shastra, Dhatu Shastra, Rasapaka, Maniraga.
Ref of different Mines.
Shodhana of dhatu with tikshna mutra, kshara, aragwada, gorochana,
mahisha, khara, ustra- mutra and purisha.
Marketing of gold was known as Vishika.
 Swarna prapti-
1. Jatarupa (natural)
2. Rasa vidda(with mercury)
3. Akarodgata(from ore)
 Lohabheda – Kalayasa, Tamravrut, Kansya, Sisa, Trapu, Vaikruntaka, Arakruta.
 Knowledge about Parada and Hingula.
 Ratnapareeksha and availability (source) of mukta.

13. Samhita kala-
1. Charaka samhita –
1)Dravya vargikarana(Cha. Su. 1) - Aaudbidadravya, Jangamadravya and
Parthivadarvya.
2) Parthiva dravyas – Includs Suvrna, Rajata, Tamra, Tarpu(vanga), Sisa, Loha
and Manahshila , Hartala , Mani , Lavana ,Gairika ,
Anjana.
3) Refrence of Ayaskriti - Heating & dipping of lohapatra in triphala kwata,
Godugdha, Gomutra, Lavnajala, Ingudikshara –
lohochurna is mixed with Amalaki rasa and Madhu-1
bhavana and kept in yavarashi for one year.

14. 4) Rasayanarth- In different yogas , Vanga, Sisa, Tamra, Roupya , Krishnaloha,
Swarna are used along with Vacha , madhu, gritha, vidanga,
pippali, triphala, and lavana.( Cha.Chi 1/3/46) ( Cha.Chi.1/4/22).
Detail description of shilajetu, Manidharana for visha –
shamanarth.
5) Sukshmachurnas are named as ‘Rajas’ i.e Navayo rajaso bhaga.( cha.chi 16/70).
Examples - Lohachurna,(16/70). Mandurachura,(16/74)
Tamrachurna,(23/239). Swarnachura, (23/239).
Swarna makshika churna, (16/78). Raupya makshika churna,(16/71).
Pravalachurna(26/56) are available.
6) Swarnadi and Manishodhana in taila, chela, kacha.

15. 7) Chikitsa - Muktadichurna in Hikka, Shwasa, Kasa.
Raktapitta – Ratna and Dhatu
Kusta – Trapu, Sisa, Lohachurna, Manashila, Haratala, Kasisa
(Cha.Chi.7/85)(cha.su.3/5)
Rasa(Parada) prayoga in kushta.(cha.chi.7/71)
8) Basti netra prepared with Swarna, Rajata, Trapu, Tamra, Riti, Kansya
(cha.chi.3/7)
9) In Pumsavana samskara, purushakruti of Swarna and Rajata were used
for nirvapana in Godugdha.

16. 1. Sushruta Samhita ( 1 B.C.)
 DravyaVargikarana – Parthivadravyas – Swarnadi dhatu, Mukta, Mani,
Manahshila , Mrittika.
 Reference available that Swarnadidhatu are absorbed in the body by ushma
of pitta. (su.su.26/20)
 Lohabheda – Teekshna and Kalaloha.
 Loha are used in the preparation of yantra and shastras.(su.su.8/8)
 Dhatu antha prayoga in Krimi, Pipasa ,Visha, Hrudroga, Pandu,
Prameha. (dravya sangrahaniya adhyaya Su.su.38)
 Anjana antha prayoga and Sindhutta anjana is sresta (Su.uttar.45/31)
(Su.su.38/42) (Su.Ut 44/21) (su.chi.24/18)

17.  Bibitaki kasta was used to burn Mandura.(Su.uttar.44/38)
 Ayaskriti – Tikshnaloha patra are smeared with Saindhava, then Nirvapana
was done in Triphalakwatha, Salasaradi gana kwatha (16times) and again
heated on Khadira kasta angara and immersed in same kwatha for 16
times.(Su.Chi.10/11)
 Swarna prashana samskara as Medhya, Rasayana (Su.chi.10/68)
 Rasa(Parada) Bahyaprayoga.(su.chi.25/39)
 Somala (Gouripashan) – first reference available in su.kal.2/5 as Soma visha.
 Sasyaka was collected from goldmine (su.uttar.17/39)
 Anjana prepared with Dhatu And Rasadravya for netra vikaras such as
Arshapidika , Sirajala (su.uttar.15/25)
 Swarnamakshika and mandura prayoga.
 Avasadana gana – Loha dhatu churna, Pancha lavana, Ratna, Danta and
Shrunga (su.uttar.12/24)

18. Ashtanga Hrudaya (3RD – 4TH AD)
 Rasa, guna, virya and vipaka of dhatu. (A.H.Su.12/28)
 Reference of Shanka, Samudra phena, Sasyaka, Gairika, Haratala,
Manahshila, Anjana, Shilajatu.
 Ayaskriti – Loha patra are heated Red hot and dipped (nirvapana) in the
decotion prepared with Trivrita, Shyama, Agnimantha, Saptala, Kebuka,
Shankini, Tilvaka, Triphala, Palasha ,which is kept in Palasha droni for 21
times.
 In Netra roga – Varti prayoga prepared by Dhatu and Rasadravyas
(A.S.uttar.4), Anjan prayoga,(A.S.Ut 26).
 Dhatu antha prayoga – Swarna, Rajata, Loha churna with
Triphala , Madhu and Grhita. (A.S.Uttar.26)
 Rasayanartha swarna prayoga (A.S.Uttar.49)

19.  Swarna makshika and Rajata makshika as Rasayana(A.S.)
 Parada Anjana with Sisa, Anjana, Karpura (A.H.)
 Tamra prayoga in Netraroga (A.H.Uttar.16/34)(13/20)
 Tamra as Vishanashaka. (A.H.Uttar.35)
 First reference of Bhasma nirmana with musha and agni.
(A.H.Uttar.16)
 Reference of Loha - Bhanupaka and Sthalipaka.(A.S.Uttar.28)
After 7th century, Rasashastra was florished well by Acharya
Nagarjuna. He was one of the Sidda form 84 siddha’s of Natha
Sampradaya. Among Natha Sampradaya, First one was Adinatha.
Other siddha’s are – Krishnapada, Jalandaranatha, Matsyendranatha,
Gorakanatha, Manthana Bhairava, Charptinatha, Kakachandishwar,
Bhairava,etc.

21. In Rasashastra, various reference are available about Nagarjuna between
100BC to 10th AD.
1. Loha shastra visharda Nagarjuna – Acc. To Chakrapani (10th century)
2. Bouddharaja of Kashmir – Acc. To Rajatarngini.
3. Boudda Bikshu Nagarjuna – who was Mahayan mata pratisthapaka.
4. Siddha Nagarjuna – written Kakshaputa and Rasaratnakara.
5. Acharya Nagarjuna – Sushruta samhita pratisamskrita
6. Rasa siddha Nagarjuna – 8th century. Lohasiddhi and Deha siddhi.
7. Anandakara Nagarjuna – written Vishatantra.

22. Alberuni –
 A scholar visited India in 11TH century.
 Stayed in India for 33yrs.
 Learnt Samskrita, Astrology, Yoga and Ayurveda.
 He has quoted reference of Nagarjuna and Dhatuvada, Bali and Agni karma.

23. Rasa and Rasayana
Rasa – Parada, other drugs are also named as Rasa.
Rasayana – Property of Parada,
- Chaturveda Rasayanas.
- Derghayu, Smruti, medha, arogya, yavvana, kanti, varna,
swara, indriya vriddi.

24. Raseshwara darshana
Sarva darshana sangraha – written by Acharya Sayana madhava.
- Aim of Rasashastra – Dhatu and deha vada.
- Jivanamukti – need firm body.
- Dehanasha – Dharma/ kriya chuti – yoga brmsha – chittanasha –
muktinasha.
- Pinda darana done with paradadi yogas.
- Pida darana – through – Vayu, manah, shukra nigraha.
- Vayu and manah are controled by paranayama.
- Shukra – rasoushadhies.

25. Murchitwam harati vyadhin, mruto jivayati swayam|
Bhaddah khecharatam kuryat, raso vayushch bairavi||
Rasarnava 118