A Literary Review on Swarnamakshika
Author : Dr. Siddhartha Sankar Ghosh and Dr. Chanchal Roy
Abstract :
Rasa Shastra includes various metals, minerals, precious and semiprecious stones etc. and their different characters along with therapeutic uses. Out of various minerals, Swarnamakshika is an important mineral. Swarnamakshika is grouped under Maharasavarga by different Acharyas before the 16th century but the Rasacharyas after 16th century have included the Swarnamakshika under Upadhatuvarga. Swarnamakshika is considered as "RasendraPrana" i.e. its usage is inevitable in various mercurial operations. And it has been told that the Swarnamakshika is best among all Rasayanas i.e. Rasayanagryaha. By this it is evident that Swarnamakshika is very much useful in both Lohavada and Dehavada. This might be the reason that the earliest Rasacharyas were included the Swarnamakshika under Maharasavarga. As the Swarnamakshika is the source of two main dhatus Viz copper and iron, by the influence of modern chemistry the recent Rasacharyas might have grouped it under Upadhatuvarga. The present study aims at a comprehensive literary review of Swarnamakshika about their shodhana, marana, amritikarana, and their therapeutic uses in different disease conditions.
Keywords :
Swarnamakshika, Sodhana, Marana etc.
