Changes

The rasa (taste), Virya (potency) and Vipaka (taste at the end of digestion) of Mercury has been quoted as similar to ambrosia. Mercury is Shadrasa (six tastes) having properties like Tridosha hara (alleviates all morbidities), Snigdha (unctuous), Rasayana (rejuvenative), Yogavahi (fast acting), Maha vrishya (highly aphrodisiac), Drusti prada (good for eyes) and Bala prada (strength promoting). Purified Mercury cures all diseases specifically skin disorders. Mercurial preparations show quick results in small doses. They cause instant Pachana (digestive) and Dipana (appetiser). Mercury possesses all the qualities of Animadi astaguna (eight qualities) which are required for the accomplishments of human life. There is no other thing in the earth than Mercury to attain mukti.<ref name=":0" />

The rasa (taste), Virya (potency) and Vipaka (taste at the end of digestion) of Mercury has been quoted as similar to ambrosia. Mercury is Shadrasa (six tastes) having properties like Tridosha hara (alleviates all morbidities), Snigdha (unctuous), Rasayana (rejuvenative), Yogavahi (fast acting), Maha vrishya (highly aphrodisiac), Drusti prada (good for eyes) and Bala prada (strength promoting). Purified Mercury cures all diseases specifically skin disorders. Mercurial preparations show quick results in small doses. They cause instant Pachana (digestive) and Dipana (appetiser). Mercury possesses all the qualities of Animadi astaguna (eight qualities) which are required for the accomplishments of human life. There is no other thing in the earth than Mercury to attain mukti.<ref name=":0" />

== पारदस्य नेसर्गिका दोषाः ॥ Doshas or Impurities of Parada ==

== पारदस्य दोषाः ॥ Doshas or Impurities of Parada ==

Rasaratna Samucchaya mentions that due to the exceptional medicinal qualities of Jeeva (Parada) people did not age (jaraa), die (marana) or become ill due to diseases. They gradually came to have the longevity enjoyed by Indra and other devatas. Jealous of this Indra prayed to Mahadeva Shiva to introduce Kanchuki and other doshas in mercury.<ref name=":6" /> According to Rasatarangini, Parada has impurities as follows<blockquote>नागवङ्गौ वह्निमलौ चापल्यं गरलं गिरिः । असह्याग्निश्च विज्ञेयो दोषा नैसर्गिका रसे ॥७॥ nāgavaṅgau vahnimalau cāpalyaṁ garalaṁ giriḥ | asahyāgniśca vijñēyō dōṣā naisargikā rasē ||7|| <ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Intrinsically, Parada contains eight doshas namely, नाग (nāga), वङ्ग (vanga), वह्नि (vahni), मल (mala), चापल्य (cāpalya), विष (viṣa ), गिरि (giri), असह्याग्नि (asahyāgni).  Though many Doshas are attributed to Mercury, Naga (Lead), Vanga (Tin) Doshas are considered the major ones.

Rasaratna Samucchaya mentions that due to the exceptional medicinal qualities of Jeeva (Parada) people did not age (jaraa), die (marana) or become ill due to diseases. They gradually came to have the longevity enjoyed by Indra and other devatas. Jealous of this Indra prayed to Mahadeva Shiva to introduce Kanchuki and other doshas in mercury.<ref name=":6" /> According to Rasatarangini, Parada has impurities as follows<blockquote>नागवङ्गौ वह्निमलौ चापल्यं गरलं गिरिः । असह्याग्निश्च विज्ञेयो दोषा नैसर्गिका रसे ॥७॥ nāgavaṅgau vahnimalau cāpalyaṁ garalaṁ giriḥ | asahyāgniśca vijñēyō dōṣā naisargikā rasē ||7|| <ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Intrinsically, Parada contains eight doshas namely, नाग (nāga), वङ्ग (vanga), वह्नि (vahni), मल (mala), चापल्य (cāpalya), विष (viṣa ), गिरि (giri), असह्याग्नि (asahyāgni).  Though many Doshas are attributed to Mercury, Naga (Lead), Vanga (Tin) Doshas are considered the major ones. There is considerable variation in the types of doshas classified under Naisargika, Yougika and Oupadika doshas and hence a variation in the number of doshas is observed.  

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|+General classification of Doshas (impurities) in Mercury<ref name=":0" />

|+General classification of Doshas (impurities) in Mercury<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

!No

!No

!Name of Dosha

!Name of Dosha

|Naisargika

|Naisargika

|Visha, Vahni and Mala (3)

|Visha, Vahni and Mala (3)

|

|नागवङ्गौ वह्निमलौ चापल्यं गरलं गिरिः । असह्याग्निश्च विज्ञेयो दोषा नैसर्गिका रसे ॥७॥

|-

|-

|2

|2

|Yougika

|Yougika

|Naga (Lead) and Vanga (Tin) (2)

|Naga (Lead) and Vanga (Tin) (2) as per Rasa Ratna samucchaya.

|यौगिकौ नागवङ्गौ द्वैतौ जाड्याध्मान कुष्ठादौ । (Rasa Ratna Samu 11.18)  

|यौगिकौ नागवङ्गौ द्वैतौ जाड्याध्मान कुष्ठादौ । (Rasa Ratna Samu 11.18)  

|-

|-

|Oupadika

|Oupadika

|Kanchuka and other doshas (7)

|Kanchuka and other doshas (7)

|

|औपाधिकाः पुनश्चान्ये कीर्तिताः सप्तकञ्चुकाः । भूमिज गिरिजा वर्जा द्वे च द्वे नागवङ्गजौ ॥ (Rasa. Ratn. Samu. 1.11)

|}

|}

Apart from the above mentioned natural adulterations of Parada, treatises on Rasashastra mention about extra impurities of Parada (Para) in form of encapsulation or external coverings. These layers of extra impurities are known as Kanchukas and as they are seven in number called to as Sapta (7)- Kanchuka (covers) dosha (adulterations) of Parada. In short, these coverings are a mixture of other metals in powdered form with Parad, which cause disorders in the body if Parad is consumed without getting rid of these layers; Seven Kanchuka Doshas are as follows<ref name=":4">Manoj, Amrit S, Sohit S. ''[https://www.wjpmr.com/download/article/95042022/1651491290.pdf A Critical Review of Parada Samskaras in Context of Ayurvedic and Modern Concept.]'' World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2022, 8(5), 139-142</ref>

Apart from the above mentioned natural adulterations of Parada, treatises on Rasashastra mention about extra impurities of Parada (Para) in form of encapsulation or external coverings. These layers of extra impurities are known as Kanchukas and as they are seven in number called to as Sapta (7)- Kanchuka (covers) dosha (adulterations) of Parada. In short, these coverings are a mixture of other metals in powdered form with Parad, which cause disorders in the body if Parad is consumed without getting rid of these layers; Seven Kanchuka Doshas are as follows<ref name=":4">Manoj, Amrit S, Sohit S. ''[https://www.wjpmr.com/download/article/95042022/1651491290.pdf A Critical Review of Parada Samskaras in Context of Ayurvedic and Modern Concept.]'' World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2022, 8(5), 139-142</ref>

# Sevana (application)

# Sevana (application)

== Mercury Poisoning ==

=== Mercury Poisoning ===

In the early 1950’s fishermen and their families around Minamata Bay in Japan were stricken with a mysterious neurological illness. The disease produced progressive weakness of the muscles, loss of vision due to visual cortex lesions, impairment of cerebral functions especially cerebellar ataxia, eventual paralysis and in some cases coma and death. It was soon observed that Minamata seabirds and household cats, which like the fisherfolk subsist mainly on fish, showed signs of the same disease. This led to the discovery of high concentrations of mercury compounds in fish and shell-fish taken from the bay, and the source of mercury was traced to the effluent from a factory.

In the early 1950’s fishermen and their families around Minamata Bay in Japan were stricken with a mysterious neurological illness. The disease produced progressive weakness of the muscles, loss of vision due to visual cortex lesions, impairment of cerebral functions especially cerebellar ataxia, eventual paralysis and in some cases coma and death. It was soon observed that Minamata seabirds and household cats, which like the fisherfolk subsist mainly on fish, showed signs of the same disease. This led to the discovery of high concentrations of mercury compounds in fish and shell-fish taken from the bay, and the source of mercury was traced to the effluent from a factory.