Vd. Swati Gadgil,
M.D. (Rasashastra)
Rasas`haastra is one of the most important branches of Ayurved Rasas`haastra means Aayurvedika pharmaceutics. It mainly deals with the drugs of mineral origin and of animal origin also. Paarada and Gandhaka are the substances of great importance in Rasas`haastra. The word Rasa from Rasas`haastra itself means Paarada.
As per Rasas`haastra, Paarada i.e. Mercury is said to be the most potent substance. It has all the six tastes. It balances all the three body Dosha. It becomes vehicle for all the other medicines and it is useful in treating all the diseases. All the above properties are manifested and observed only when it is mixed with some other substance i.e. in its compound form. Thus for the therapeutic purposes mercury should be used after subjecting it to Moorchhanaa process. This process is of two types:
Sagandha Moorchhanaa (mercurial compounds prepared with sulphur)
Nirgandha Moorchhanaa (mercurial compound prepared without sulphur)
Further there are two types of each
Saagni Moorchhanaa Process, which required heat
Niragni MoorchhanaaProcess which doesnt require heat
Parpat`ee Kalpanaa is the Sagandha Saagni Moorchhanaa. Parpat`ee is the Pot`a– Bandha of mercury. Parpat`ee Kalpanaa was first introduced in by Chakrapaan`i Dutta in the eleventh century. Parpat`ee term was derived from the word Parpat`a It means a thin brittle sheet which creates specific noise while breaking it.
Derivation of Parpat`ee:
Parpayati Gatim Laabhayati S`hithilaan Rasaadi Dhaatoon Iti Parpat`aakaarasadris`hatvaat Parpat`ee |
Definition of Parpat`ee:
Sadraavitaa Kajjalikaagniyogaat |
Rambhaapalaas`he Chipit`eekritaa Cha ||
Rasaagamadnyaih Khalu Parpat`ee Saa |
Prakeertitaa Parpat`ikaa Cha Saiva ||
R. T. Dviteeya Taranga 42
i.e Kajjalee is melted with the help of heat and at one stage it is poured on banana leaf and pressed immediately to get a hard, thin, brittle layer called as Parpat`ee. Here the term Kajjalee means a black coloured lustreless powder which is formed by triturating pure mercury and pure sulphur in given proportion without adding any liquid.
In the text Rasayogasaagara there art total 31 different Parpat`ee quoted. There names were derived from following:
First ingredient
Main ingredient
Disease for which it is used
Main action
Total number of ingredients
Colour
Name of God
Types of Parpat`ee:
It can be divided on the basis of:
- Ingredients used in it
- Paaka Pareekshaa
Ingredients used in it:
Parpat`ee with sulphur and mercury: It includes Parpat`ee which contains only mercury and sulphur i.e. Rasaparpat`ee
Parpat`ee which has mercury sulphur and some other substance in addition. e.g. Taamra Parpat`ee, Loha Parpat`ee etc.
Parpat`ee without sulphur and Mercury: this type of Parpat`ee doesnt contain mercury and sulphur. But the manufacturing process and final product resembles Parpat`ee. e. g. S`hveta Parpat`ee
Parpat`ee with sulphur but without mercury: This type of Parpat`ee contains sulphur and some other substance but no mercury. e.g. Abhra Parpat`ee, S`heetala Parpat`ee.
Paaka Pareekshaa:
- Mridu Paaka Parpat`ee (Soft)
- Madhya (Medium)
- Khara (Burnt)
Basic equipments required for the preparation of Parpat`ee:
Stone mortar & pestle It is required for the preparation of Kajjalee from pure mercury pure sulphur and other substances like Taamra Bhasma, Loha Bhasma etc.
Spoon with a long handle (Paalikaa Yantra) This spoon is called Paalikaa Yantra. Palikaa means one Pala i.e. approximately 40 gm. Thus only 40 gm is the capacity of that spoon. Its long handle should be horizontal. Generally the spoon is made up of iron or copper
Spatula Spatula that is made up of iron or wood is used to move the Kajjalee which is melting in the Paalikaa Yantra. In some cases specific wooden spatulas are used e. g. In case of Grahan`ee and Atisaara spatula made from the wood of Holarrhena antidysenterica is used.
Leaf Mostly Banana leaf is preferred. Two leaves are required for single preparation. One leaf is used as a base on which the melted Kajjalee is to be poured and the other one is used to cover and press the Kajjalee. If leaves of banana are not available then leaf of Nelumbo nucifera or of Calotropis procera or Ricinus communis can be used. In some preparations specific leaves are prescribed:
- In preparation of Taamra Parpat`ee leaf of Calotropis procera is advised.
- In preparation of Kravyaada Rasa Parpat`ee leaf of Ricinus communis is advised
- In Sudhaasaara Parpat`ee leaf of Holarrhena antidysenterica is prescribed from these examples it can be said that these leaves may induce some positive properties in respective Parpat`ee.
Samput`a: Samput`a means the material used to cover the Parpat`ee from above and below. For that mainly cow dung is used. If not available buffalo dung or mud or wet cloth or floor can be used.
Heat required for the preparation: Heat plays an important role in the preparation of Parpat`ee. There are some specific terms used in the texts of Rasas`haastra regarding the type of fuel, nature of heat.
Preparation Procedure of Parpat`ee:
Tests of Parpat`ee:
Parpat`ee can be prepared in three different forms.
- Mridu (soft)
- Madhya (Medium)
- Khara (Burnt)
Tests to detect the forms:
- Tests carried during melting process of Kajjalee
- Mridu Paaka: If the colour of Kajjalee becomes like feather of peacock (Mayoorachandrikaa) then Mridu Paaka Parpat`ee will form.
- Madhya Paaka: If Kajaalee looks oily in nature then Madhya Paaka Parpat`ee will form.
- Khara Paaka: If melted Kajjalee becomes reddish in colour then formed Parpat`ee will be of Khara Paaka
- Tests carried after preparation of Parapt`ee.
- Mridu Paaka: Broken edge of the Parpat`ee will be zigzag in nature; otherwise it will bend instead of breaking.
- Madhya Paaka: Parpat`ee will break easily and will make a typical breaking noise. The broken edge will be straight.
- Khara Paaka: Parpat`ee will turn to reddish coloured powder. Khara Parpat`ee should always be avoided; it is said to be toxic. Exception- Rudra Parpat`ee
Standardization of Parpat`ee according to texts of Ayurveda:
Sound specific (kat`) braking noise
Touch smooth surface
Taste no taste
Smell smell of sulphur
Cut edge straight, regular shines like silver
Weight just equal to Kajjalee
Shine shining
Hardness hard due to immediate cooling after heating (melting)
Standards set through experience
If burned burns completely without leaving behind anything
If rubbed with gold Absence of whiteness of gold
Specifications regarding use of some Parpat`ee (Time/span):
Early in the morning Vijaya Parpat`ee
Bharan`ee Nakshatra Rasa Parpat`ee
Three days Taamra Parpat`ee
Thirty days Taamra Parpat`ee
Forty days Abhra Parpat`ee
Seven days – Panchaamrita Parpat`ee
Twenty one days Rasa Parpat`ee
Dose from 1 Gunjaa to 8 Gunjaa as per requirement Vardhamaana Parpat`ee from 1 Gunjaa to 10 Gunjaa daily (in increasing order) from 10 to 1 Gunjaa daily (in decreasing order) total 21 days
Some examples of Parpat`ee quoted in Rasagrantha:
Name | Ingredients | Preparation method | Ref | Dose | Rogghnata | Does and Donts | |
Rasa Parpat`ee | Hingulottha Paarada and pure Gandhaka in equal proportion | Bhaavanaa Hingulottha Paarada triturated with Jayanti Svarasa Eran`d`a Kvaatha and Aardraka Svarasa for 3days and Gandhaka with Bhringaraaja Svarasa for 7 days and then Gandhaka is melted and poured in Bhringaraaja Svarasa and then Kajjalee is formed | Rasatarangin`i 6 tarang | From Gunjaa to 10 Gunjaa in increasing order | Unmaada | Raasnaamoola + Goghrita | Puraan`as`h`aalee, Vrintaaka, Pat`ola, Godugdha, Aardraka, Apathya Amla, Tikta Sevan, cold water bath, Krodha, Chintaa, Ushn`a Sevana |
Apsmaara | Braahmee Svarasa | ||||||
Ars`ha | Gomootra | ||||||
Grahan`ee | Hingu, Jeeraka | ||||||
Vaataja Jvara | Das`hmoola Kvaatha | ||||||
LohaParpat`ee | S`huddha Paarada Gandhaka and Loha Bhasma in equal proportion | Paarada + Gandhaka Mardana Kajjalee + Loha Bhasma Mardhan Kajjalee | Bhaishajya Ratnaavalee | Starting from 1 Gunjaa daily increase of 1 Gunjaa for 1 or 2 weeks | Grahan`eePaan`d`oo Kaamalaa Kusht`haAamavaataRaajayakshmaa | Cold water or Dhaanyajeeraka Kvaath | Raktas`haaleeApthya Chintaa, Vidaahee Anna, Aatapasevana, intercourse |
Svarn`aParpat`ee | S`huddha Paarada Gandhakaa and Suvarn`a Bhasma in equal proportion | Paarada + Suvarn`a Bhasma Mardana + Gandhaka | Bhaishajya Ratnaavalee | 1 Gunjaa | Grahan`eeVrishyaS`hoola | According to Vyaadhi | No specific |
Panchaamrita Parpat`ee | S`huddha Gandhaka 8 TolaaS`huddha Paarada 4 TolaaLoha Bhasma 1 TolaaAbhraka Bhasma ½ TolaaTaamra Bhasma ¼ Tolaa | Paarada + Gandhaka Mardana Kajjalee and other Bhasma | Bhaishajya Ratnaavalee | 8 Gunjaa or 21 days in Vardhamaana Parpat`ee pattern | Grahan`eeChhardi AtisaaraArs`haVrishyaNetra Roga | – | – |
Gagana Parpat`ee | S`huddha Paarada Gandhakaa and Abhraka Basma in equal proportion | Three ingredients are triturated in mortar by adding a little Goghrita in it | Rasayog saagara | 3 Gunjaa | All Atisaara | Jeeraka and honey | – |
Kaphaja S`hotha | Trikat`u Choorn`a | ||||||
Taamra Parpat`ee | S`huddha Paarada Gandhaka and Taamra Bhasam – each 3 parts S`huddha Vatsanaabha 1 part | First prepare the Kajjalee add some ghee and make a Kalka and do the Parpat`ee Paaka procedure leaf – Arkapatra | Rasayog saagara | 2,3 Gunjaa 21 days | Raajayakshmaa, | Pippalee + Madhu | – |
Kusht`ha | Khadira Kvaatha | ||||||
Paan`d`oo | Triphalaa kvaatha | ||||||
Malla Parpat`ee | Raala 4 Pala S`huddha Somala ½ Pala | First melt Raala and then add Somala and make Parpat`ee | Rasayog saagara | Bhrama Chhardi Kaphavaataja Vyaadhi |
Vd. Swati Gadgil,
M.D. (Rasashastra)
Last updated on February 26th, 2021 at 08:40 am