“CCRAS had, in the year 2014-15, undertaken a research project titled “Preparation of hard copies and transcription of Ayurveda/medical palm leaf manuscripts and rare books from Karnataka” to transcribe and publish various manuscripts available at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Bengaluru (the then Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Metabolic Disorders, Bengaluru). Under this project, 18 manuscripts were transcribed and prepared in book form. This work is one among them.
Since the work is based on a single manuscript, there may be a need for further corrections and critical editions of these works in the future. However, to make these works available to interested stakeholders, the Council has now decided to publish these works in book form. Rasayana Tarangini is a Rasa Shastra text deals with Metals and minerals which include its Shodhana (Purification) and Marana (Incineration) and few of the preparation. The manuscript deals with Rasa. Maharasas, Uparasa, Sadarana rasa and Loha (Metals).A special chapter have been dedicated for Visha (Poison) and their purification and it therapeutic uses. The author given the details of Rasa (Mercury) but lacking in provide details of Shodhana and Marana.
Varieties purifiicatory methods, Bhasmikarana and Satwapatana (Extraction) of Abhraka .Further author has explained about Makshika and its verities, purifiicatory method and its Bhasmikarana procedure. Further he explained about Vaikranta, its varieties, purifiicatory methods elaborately and method and procedure to prepare Vaikranta bhasma and of Vajra bhasma. In continuation, author has explained about Vimala (Iron Pyrite), its varieties, character followed by Shodhana, Marana and its uses in short.
Further, in the same chapter , the author have briefly mentions about formation of Shilajatu ,its varieties quality ,properties and uses In the subsequent line, he explains about purifiicatory procedure. Next he explains about Sasyaka (Copper sulphate) its characteristic, purifiicatory methods and its therapeutic uses.
Further author explains about varieties of Chapala, its quality etc. and also says that nature of Chapala is comparable with Vanga, .Few of the authors considers the Chapala as Rajavartha explains the Varieties, Shodhana, and therapeutic of each drug separately. The last chemical among the Maha Rasa is Rasaka, the author provides detailed explanation of the drug its varieties i.e. Natural and artificial, further he provides brief note on shudhi and it therapeutic uses.
In the sixth chapter author provides the classification of Uparasa, a group of minerals used in Rasa Shastra for processing and potentiating Parada(Mercury)but less useful than maharasa. Uparasa are eight in number but there is difference of minerals mentioned by different authors. There is a unanimity of drugs starting form Gandhaka up to Talaka (Haratals) and Kankusta but there is difference of opinion about the Anjana. Some authors consider Anjana as Rasanjana and some author as Sauviranjana The author Rasathrangini mentions about 5 types of Anjanas and advise to use sourinjana daily for good health of Eye.
First among Uparasa is Gnadhaka, which is used in most of the mercurial preparation. The author has explained about origin of Ganghaka, classification, adverse effect of Ashuddha (impure) Gandaka, Shodhana vidhi (Purification method) and it’s therapeutic in the chapter.
Further, he provides brief explanation about character, varieties, classification, purification, Incineration and therapeutic uses of other 7 drugs starting from Gairika till Kankusta. However in Anjana, he has elaborated its varieties and its therapeutic uses.
In the seventh chapter the author has explained about the Sadarana Rasa, which is occasionally used in mercurial preparation. They are as follows.
1) Kampilla 2) Lavana 3) Gouripashana 4) Navasarada
5) Darada 6) Vahnijara 7) Girisindura 8) Kedarashringa
Author explanation about Kampilla its character, action and its source. He states that Kampilla
powder resembles brick powder, on consumption, it produces of purgation and this minerals is available in Sourastra, a region in Gujarat State.
Second among the Sadarana rasa is Lavana. The author has given 5 varieties of Lavana and their qualities and its therapeutic uses and also given the general purifiicatory methods. Further he has given a Brief explanation of other Sadarana Rasa’s, their purification and it’s therapeutic. Author has mentioned kedara sringa as one of the Sadarana rasa found in the peaks of Kedara (peaks of Himalayan range) but other Rasa Shastra text has given it as Mrudrasringa.
In the 8th chapter, author has dealt with Visha’s(poison).He mentions that , the poisons always kills a person on consumption but when used judiciously it act as Rasayana. He has given general classification of Visha as Jangama (Mobile) e.g. Reptiles and Stavara (Stationary) i.e. Plants. He has explained about varies type of poisons of animals origin and plant origin. He has also given the details about effect of Visha, stages by stage. He has given methods of consumption of poison and it’s dose for immunisation of body and also says that,
it act as media for transportation of drugs (Yogavahi). The author has given in details about the Shodhana (Purification) and their therapeutic uses.
In 9th and 10th chapter, author has dealt with Rasayana. He says that, main aims of the human being is to fulfil the 4 desires i.e. Dharma, Artha ,kama and Moksha .This 4 folds can be achieved by sound body and mind .To protect the sound body and mind ,we need Rasayana. He has given brief definition of Rasayana and given several Yogas .He has given specific prescription to increase the complexion of Skin, to increase the sex desire, increase the memory power etc. Further he given few preparation like Hemasundarasa mentioned in Bhavaprakasha, Kalakantaka rasa, Narashimha choorna, Rasaraaja tilaka rasa, Karpura tilaka rasa, Vasantha kusumakara rasa, Amra rasayana etc.
In the 11th chapter, author has explained the preparation of taila and gritas, and given few prescriptions naming them as Sugandi taila and Mahasugandi taila etc. He has given only one prescription of Saraswata Grita.
In the 12 chapter author has given several Vrushya yoga’s or Vajikarana yoga’s (preparation) e.g.-Sharkar churna, Sarveshwara churna, Eladi churna, Awagandhadi churna, etc which are commonly used for various ailments but used as Vajikarana (Aphrodisiac). The ingredients of the preparation are different than the normal preparation.
In 13th chapter, author has given few recipes of Modaka such as Shatavari Modaka Mariana Modaka, Mahanadana Modaka etc., which are used in various ailments, such as Kasa, Swasa, Pratneha, dc. and also as Rasayana and Vajikarana.
In between chapter 14 and 15 are missing In the 16th and 17th chapter author has given a few recipes of gritas and taila which are used as deodorants, erectile dysfunction and mental diseases.
n the 18th chapter author has given few oil preparations to grow hair, act as deodorants and increase the strength of the sex organs
In the 19th chapter, author has given few preparation used for fumigation and lepa for strengthen the lax muscle of the breast.
Rasayana Tarangini is special manuscript in which the author is not only dealt with Rasa Shastra but also provided the information and treatment to several disease condition and concentrated on a few of the Rasayana and Vajikarana preparation .
Author has added some of new information in this manuscript which was not found in earlier Texts. E.g. – under the Sadarana rasa lavana have been added in the place of Chapala, in the place of mrudara sringa, kedara shringa have been added and mentioned that it available in the peaks of Kedara Mountains. While explaining about the Kampilla, author says that drug is a mineral in origin, found in the Sourastra region but some others authors says that it a plant product and plant is grown in the Sourastra .In this manuscript under the Sadarana rasa Chapala is replaced by Lavana .The author has given details of 5 Lavana and its uses and purifiicatory procedure in short. He has also given detailed description of visha (Poison) and its historical background, type of visha and it therapeutic uses.
When we go back to historical back ground of the manuscript, it is restored copy obtained
from Oriental Research Institute Mysore, and probably original copy of manuscript might have
Obtained from Govt. oriental manuscript Library Chennai, Tamil nadu because we find several stamps on restored copy of the manuscript. Narration of the Text is simple, short and author has made use of all type of chandas. starting form Parada shudhi till Sadarana rasa, author might have followed or borrowed information from earlier texts but while dealing with Sadarana rasa ,he has added two new things Lein the place of Chapala , he has added Lavana and in the place of Mridara sringa ,he has added Kedara sringa, and he has also explained Kampilla as mineral, found in Sourastra region of Gujrat State.
When we go through the credentials of the text; there is no mentioning of the author name or place of work and also period of work.
While fixing his place of work, we may presume that he may be resident of North Western part of India because Rasa Shastra very much widespread in North Western part of India than Southern part, We may also say that recitation on Kampilla and Kedara Sringa is clear that, the author was familiar with North western part of India, because he has mentioned that the
Kedarasringa is obtained in peaks Kedara of Himalayan mountains and Kampilla powder in Sourastra region of Gujarat State.
While fixing age of Manuscript, In Ahiphena gutika, Vishnukranta is one of the component of the preparation, the drug Vishnukranta is mentioned in the text of Vagbhata and not found in charaka Samhita, therefore drug Vishnu kranta was introduced in the period of Vagbhata, hence we may say that, this manuscript is after 8th century AD.
In Sapta daladi vati, the drug Akarakaraba is one of the ingredient, which was introduced to Ayurvedia by Sarangadhar in 13th century AD, hence we may say that this manuscript is later than 13th century AD.
Vasantha kusumakara rasa was recorded in the text Rasendra Sara sangraha in the period 14th century AD and same is found in the Baishajya Rathnavali of the 17th AD. We have come across a new preparation by name Brihat Vasantha kusumakara Rasa is recorded in the manuscript of Rasayana tarangini, which is not found in the Baisajya Ratnavali. Hence we may say and conclude that this manuscript might have been written after 17th century AD.
An additional text on Rasa astra
Another manuscript undated having few folios have been incorporated at the end of rasayana tarangini. This manuscript enumarated list of the drugs used in Parada-Shodhana, marana and bhasmikarana. Author have used Maha-puta in producing bhasmas and suggested put the same into vajramoosha. While explaining about the rasa-bhasma he had made lot of anupana combination along with rasa-bhasma for various elements. He has made use of rasa, Maha¬rasa, Upa-rasa and Sadharana-rasa in the preparation of rasa-bhasmas. The author has contributes few new preparations such as Mooshaka-pashaana and Doddi-pashana and suggessted their purification methods. The script of the manuscript is Kannada mixed with Telugu and there are more than hundred verses of Sanskrit constructed in anushtup-chandas. In some places the author has commented some verses in Kannada and Telugu language. It suggest that the author belongs to borders of Andhra pradesh and Karnataka. There is no information about the author and his place, time and title of the manuscript. This text deals with metals and minerals hence; it is added with the text Rasayana tarangini in this edition.”
