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The ancient chemists after classifying mercury as the rasa after which this branch has been named, classified the other metals, minerals and gems into dhatu, upadhatu, ratna, upratna, maharasa, uprasa, sadhrana rasa and sudha
varga.
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| Maharasa |
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- After rasa, the next important group of minerals and their importance in formulations after rasa are named as
maharasa.
- There are eight maharasas. They are as follows:
- Abhrak
- Vaikrant
- Makshik
- Vimal
- Shilajit
- Sasyak
- Chapal
- Rasak
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| Uprasa |
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- In rasashastra, the minerals are divided into many groups:
maharasa, uprasa and sadharana rasa, dhatu, upadhatu, ratna and
upratna, etc.
- After maharasa comes the category of uprasa. It consists of the eighht constituents:
- Gandhak
- Gairik
- Kasis
- Phitkari
- Hartal
- Mansheel
- Anjan
- Kankusth
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| Sadharana
rasa |
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- After the classification of minerals into rasa and maharasa, the ancient alchemists divided the next category into sadharana rasa
i.e. ordinary compounds which are as follows:
- Kampillak
- Gauripashana
- Navsadar
- Kapard
- Agnijar
- Girisindhur
- Hingul
- Mruddarshring
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| Dhatu |
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- Dhatu includes the group containing metals like gold, silver, etc. and previously they were termed as loha
varga.
- The word loha originates from ‘luh’ which means ‘to extract’.
- Thus all the metals are extracted from the ores and also
those who extract all the diseases from the body are called metals.
- The metals described are :
- Svarna (Gold)
- Rajata (Silver)
- Tamra (Copper)
- Loha (Iron)
- Vanga (Tin)
- Naga (Lead)
- Yasada (Zinc)
- These are seven dhatus
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| Upadhatu |
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- The classification after dhatus is upadhatus.
- There are 7 upadhatus :
- Svarna makshik (Copprer pyrite)
- Tutha (Copper sulphate)
- Kharpar (Zinc ore)
- Kasis (Ferrous sulphate)
- Anjana (Galena)
- Shilajatu
- Gairika (Red ochre)
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| Ratna (Gems) |
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- Ratna means precious stones.
- They have a great effect on the human beings and
their health and have astrological importance.
- Each gem has a specific effect on a particular
planet and in turn on the human body.
- The ancient people realizing its importance on
the humans and of the curative powers have
described them.
- There are nine gems (navaratna) which are as
follows:
- Manikya (ruby)
- Pushparaga (topaz)
- Taksharya (emerald)
- Mukta (pearl)
- vajra (diamond)
- Neelam (sapphire)
- Vaidurya (cat's eye)
- Gomeda (sardonyx)
- Pravala (coral)
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| Upratna |
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- After the classification of gems, the stones,
which were having qualities less than the gems
like hardness, luster and transparency, classified
into upratna.
- Upratna means minor gems or semiprecious gems.
- Examples:
- Rajavrta
- Jade
- Akik
- Suryakanta
- Sphatika
- Chandrakanta
- Perojaka
- Trunkanta
- Vaikranta
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Sudha-varga |
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- Substances containing calcium are termed as
sudha.
- These are grouped into a group termed as sudha
varga.
- This group consists of :
- Churna sudha (Quick lime)
- Khatika (Chalk)
- Samudraphen (Cuttle fish)
- Shukti (Oyster shell)
- Shankh (Conch)
- Kapardika
- Dugdhapashan (Talc)
- Godanti (Selenite)
- Mrugashrunga (Deer-horn)
- Kukkutandatwak (Egg shell)
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