This article is about the school of Indian philosophy. For school of Alchemy, see Rasayana.
Raseśvara was a Shaiva philosophical tradition which "arose about the commencement of the Christian era" (1st century CE).[1] It advocated the use of mercury to make the body immortal. This school was based on the texts Rasārṇava, Rasahṛidaya and Raseśvarasiddhānta, composed by Govinda Bhagavat and Sarvajña Rāmeśvara according to Cowell and Gough.[2]
Raseśvaras, like many other schools of Indian philosophy, believed that liberation was identity of self with Shiva and freedom from transmigration. However, unlike other schools, Raseśvaras thought that liberation could only be achieved by using mercury to acquire an imperishable body.[3] Hence, they called mercury pārada or the means of conveyance beyond transmigratory existence.[2] Extrication of soul to Raseśvaras was a cognizable act and therefore, for liberation it was necessary to maintain an imperishable bodily life. They used scriptural evidence from the Purusha Sukta and Puranas to support this point of view.[4]
Usage of mercuryedit
Mercury was sacred to the Raseśvaras, so much so that they considered disparaging mercury blasphemy.[5] Rasahṛidaya mentions mercury to be a creation by Shiva and Gauri whereas, Rasārṇava holds the worship of mercury to be more beatific than the worship of all symbols of Shiva.[5] Raseśvaras described eighteen methods of treating mercury—sweating, rubbing, swooning, fixing, dropping, coercion, restraining, kindling, going, falling into globules, pulverising, covering, internal flux, external flux, burning, colouring, pouring, and eating it by parting and piercing it. Mercury could applied to both blood and body.[6]
Raseśvarasiddhānta described three modes in which mercury could be used together with air—swooning, dead and bound. Swooning mercury and air were thought to carry diseases, dead they were thought to restore life and bound they were thought to give the power of levitation. Mercury was described as swooning when it was of various colours and free from excessive volatility. It was dead when it showed wetness, thickness, brightness, heaviness and mobility. And it was bound when it was continuous, fluent, luminous, pure, heavy, and if it parted under friction.[7]
However, it is now known that exposure to mercury and its compounds causes hydrargyria or mercury poisoning.
Cowell, E.B.; Gough, A.E. (1882). Sarva-Darsana Sangraha of Madhava Acharya: Review of Different Systems of Hindu Philosophy. New Delhi: Indian Books Centre/Sri Satguru Publications. ISBN81-703-0875-5.
Dash, Vaidya Bhagwan (1986). Alchemy and Metallic Medicines in Āyurveda. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN81-7022-077-7.
Pandey, Kanti Chandra; Iyer, K.A. Subramania (1998). Bhaskari, Part Three. Vol. 84. Varanasi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
April 15, 2024
raseśvara, this, article, about, school, indian, philosophy, school, alchemy, rasayana, shaiva, philosophical, tradition, which, arose, about, commencement, christian, century, advocated, mercury, make, body, immortal, this, school, based, texts, rasārṇava, ra. This article is about the school of Indian philosophy For school of Alchemy see Rasayana Rasesvara was a Shaiva philosophical tradition which arose about the commencement of the Christian era 1st century CE 1 It advocated the use of mercury to make the body immortal This school was based on the texts Rasarṇava Rasahṛidaya and Rasesvarasiddhanta composed by Govinda Bhagavat and Sarvajna Ramesvara according to Cowell and Gough 2 Contents 1 Overview 2 Usage of mercury 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesOverview editRasesvaras like many other schools of Indian philosophy believed that liberation was identity of self with Shiva and freedom from transmigration However unlike other schools Rasesvaras thought that liberation could only be achieved by using mercury to acquire an imperishable body 3 Hence they called mercury parada or the means of conveyance beyond transmigratory existence 2 Extrication of soul to Rasesvaras was a cognizable act and therefore for liberation it was necessary to maintain an imperishable bodily life They used scriptural evidence from the Purusha Sukta and Puranas to support this point of view 4 Usage of mercury editMercury was sacred to the Rasesvaras so much so that they considered disparaging mercury blasphemy 5 Rasahṛidaya mentions mercury to be a creation by Shiva and Gauri whereas Rasarṇava holds the worship of mercury to be more beatific than the worship of all symbols of Shiva 5 Rasesvaras described eighteen methods of treating mercury sweating rubbing swooning fixing dropping coercion restraining kindling going falling into globules pulverising covering internal flux external flux burning colouring pouring and eating it by parting and piercing it Mercury could applied to both blood and body 6 Rasesvarasiddhanta described three modes in which mercury could be used together with air swooning dead and bound Swooning mercury and air were thought to carry diseases dead they were thought to restore life and bound they were thought to give the power of levitation Mercury was described as swooning when it was of various colours and free from excessive volatility It was dead when it showed wetness thickness brightness heaviness and mobility And it was bound when it was continuous fluent luminous pure heavy and if it parted under friction 7 However it is now known that exposure to mercury and its compounds causes hydrargyria or mercury poisoning See also editRasayana Rasashastra Rasalingam Mercury poisoning Chinese alchemical elixir poisoningNotes edit Pandey and Iyer p LV a b Cowell and Gough p 137 Dash p 38 39 Cowell and Gough p 141 142 a b Cowell and Gough p 143 Cowell and Gough p 140 Cowell and Gough p 139References editCowell E B Gough A E 1882 Sarva Darsana Sangraha of Madhava Acharya Review of Different Systems of Hindu Philosophy New Delhi Indian Books Centre Sri Satguru Publications ISBN 81 703 0875 5 Dash Vaidya Bhagwan 1986 Alchemy and Metallic Medicines in Ayurveda Concept Publishing Company ISBN 81 7022 077 7 Pandey Kanti Chandra Iyer K A Subramania 1998 Bhaskari Part Three Vol 84 Varanasi a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rasesvara amp oldid 1188907665, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
